Karen Hagerman joined GreenBlue in December 2020 as the Collaboratives Manager for the SPC. After a nine-year career in the Marine Corps, Karen shifted her energy towards addressing plastic pollution and responsible resource usage. She earned her MS in Sustainable Engineering from Villanova University, with a focus on circular and resilient systems. For her thesis research, she conducted a whole-systems assessment of the plastics value chain and recycling infrastructure in the U.S. While obtaining her graduate education, Karen worked on the Education and Outreach Team at the Tahoe Environmental Research Center. She engaged with students, community members, and visitors on issues concerning sustainability and conservation through environmental education lessons, public science center tours, and outreach opportunities. Prior to entering her graduate program, Karen was a CH-53E Helicopter Pilot and Officer in the United States Marine Corps. She served in different leadership roles in program and team management, from Administration to Quality Assurance. The majority of her roles were in Operations, developing long-range plans, building detailed schedules, and creating and implementing training strategies. Karen holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Always looking for ways to improve herself and her surroundings, Karen is a trained yoga teacher, avid trail runner, and committed trash-picker-upper.