Karen Wilson

Karen Wilson (Ph.D. 2011) was an academic affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Department of History. She held roles including directing the Career Diversity Project, teaching public history and Western U.S. history courses, and serving as Director of the Public History Initiative. After leaving UCLA in 2018, she became active in Ojai community politics and tutored at a local school.

Education:

• Ph.D. in American History (UCLA, 2011), specializing in Jews in the Western United States
• M.A. in Judaic Studies (Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, 2003)
• M.A. in Professional Writing (University of Southern California, 1978)

Research & Publications: Karen curated the 'Jews in the Los Angeles Mosaic' exhibition at the Autry Museum of the American West and edited its accompanying book (University of California Press, 2013). Her work focused on intersections of Jewish communities, public history, and regional U.S. studies.

Legacy: A dedicated member of her department, Karen contributed significantly to graduate student initiatives and public history outreach. She will be remembered for her interdisciplinary approach to historical scholarship and community engagement.