Our Team

Karen Ehrens is a registered dietitian nutritionist, public health professional, and policy advocate who serves as the U.S. Policy Manager for the Alliance. Karen advocates with member organizations for sustained, restored, and improved federal nutrition programs.

She coordinated a healthy state initiative and a statewide anti-hunger coalition. She has advocated to protect safety net programs with consumer, family, institutional health care, farm and faith-based groups through organizing and communication. As a consultant to a state agriculture agency, she connected growers and eaters through local food initiatives. Karen gains hands-on understanding of how policy impacts people by volunteering in her community preparing and serving meals in a local soup kitchen and has previously grown food for donation to food pantries and delivered meals to seniors and those with health conditions.

Karen was a candidate for a state legislative seat and has provided testimony before a city commission, state legislature, and the U.S. Senate on legislation proposed to impact health and nutrition.

She has served as a board member for a statewide alliance for local food development, a farmers market, a state public health association, state and national dietetic associations, an international citizen organization, and a regional public broadcasting network.

Karen holds a Certificate in the Core Concepts of Public Health from the University of Minnesota and obtained undergraduate degrees from ND State University and Minot State University, including a minor in Political Science.

Karen has been part of a mosaic art collaborative, creating artwork in public spaces, and is a published poet. Karen and her husband, a chef, have taught cooking classes that help people prepare food that is healthful and tastes good.