Karen Armendariz

Karen Armendariz is masters student working at the intersection of climate resilience, regulatory planning, and participatory action research. Her research centers on how to effectively integrate participatory action research methodology into regulatory water policy  and processes. Her work is driven by  the believe that empowering communities to have say in the decisions that affect their local environments is not only a matter of social justice, but also a key to achieving resilient outcomes in a time of climate uncertainty and change. Prior to moving to Wisconsin, Karen worked as transportation planner  in projects for various Safe Routes to School programs, long-range transportation planning, and was in the project teams that developed some of the first Climate Action Plans in the Northeast region. During her free time, Karen can be found backpacking, kayaking, or exploring bookstores.