ABOUT KAREN
Karen Ford seeks a second term as
Hays County Commissioner of Precinct 4.
The General election is November 2, 2010, with the 4-year term beginning January 1, 2011.
"I've spent my first years in office working hard for responsible growth, delivering on campaign promises, providing good service, doing my homework, administering good governance, and ensuring safety and mobility on our roadways."
"There's more to do, and I'm ready, willing, able and best-suited to do it."
Karen serves her community on many fronts:
- Clean Air Coalition, 2nd Vice-Chair, representing Hays County on the regional board
- Clean Air Force, executive committee and board member
- Envision Central Texas, co-chair, Natural Infrastructure Committee
- Hays County Water Conservation Working Group, founder/leader
- Rotary Club of Dripping Springs, co-chair 2009 Veteran's Day Tribute
- Cypress Creek Watershed Protection Plan, stakeholder, chair education & outreach
- Hill Country County Coalition, active member working for expanded county authority legislation
- Founding member and chair, Nutty Brown Road Neighbors Association
- Board Member, Hill Country Alliance
- Chair, Art From the Streets campaign, Austin Advertising Federation; winner of a gold ADDY acknowledging the President's Impact Award for Public Service, 2006
- Nominee, Ad Person of the Year, Austin Advertising Federation, 2006
- Stakeholder, Regional Water Quality Protection Plan, representing rural neighborhood interests, 2004-2005
- Past volunteer, Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC-Central Texas)
- Past volunteer, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Prior to becoming a full-time county commissioner, Karen was a small business owner of a public-minded communications company. White Hat Creative delivered communication strategy and creative materials for numerous citizen education campaigns affecting public health and community welfare. Clients included the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Planning Group through a contract with TAMU, the Nueces River Authority in Uvalde, Texas Council on Family Violence, Texas Cancer Data Center at MD Anderson, and Any Baby Can Texas.
Before launching her own company, Karen was the Director of Creative Services at EnviroMedia, an Austin-based public relations and advertising agency. Her work there included litter prevention for the Don't Mess with Texas campaign, a water conservation campaign for the City of Dallas, corporate stewardship and electronics recycling for Dell, and youth tobacco prevention for the Texas Department of State Health Services.
A wife and mother, Karen lives on Nutty Brown Road (since 1996) with her husband, Nick Burkhalter, a custom homebuilder, Her 21-year-old son Jake, lives in College Station with hopes of graduating from A&M some day. Karen enjoys seeing their three horses out the kitchen window and laments she seldom finds time to ride these days. She loves three dogs, two cats, the back porch, the big oaks, and values the peace and beauty of a rural life in Hays County.
Karen Ford has earned a second term as Hays County Commissioner, Pct 4.
