Dr. Karen Hamilton was born, raised and educated in Ohio. Her professional career began as a high school English and journalism teacher. Dr. Hamilton worked for the county office of education and then moved into higher education as part of the College of Education at the University of Toledo. She received her Masters from Bowling Green State Univerisy. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Toledo where she worked for 13 years. She has most recently moved from Terre Haute and a position at Indiana State University's College of Education.

She has two daughters and three grandchildren in the Toledo, Ohio area, and her father lives in Florida.  She loves to read, be around the lakes, travel and play bridge.  She plays the piano and enjoy all kinds of music.