Karen Middleton

Hon. Karen Middleton is a Lecturer at the School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver. She is a nationally recognized non-profit leader, having led Cobalt, a reproductive rights organization, since 2013. Previously, she served as President of Emerge America, which trains women to run for elected office, and as Majority Caucus Chair in the Colorado State Legislature (2008–2010). She also represented Colorado’s 7th Congressional District on the State Board of Education.

Her legislative contributions include expanding K12 and P-20 education access, such as establishing the Office of Dropout Prevention and the Colorado School Counselor Corps Program. Karen currently serves on the Adams State University Board of Trustees. She has taught political science at Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Community College of Aurora for over a decade. Her professional experience includes roles at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), eCollege, and as Assistant Dean at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of International Studies.

Karen holds a BA in Women’s Studies and Politics from Mount Holyoke College, an MA in Political Science from the University of Colorado Denver, and an MA in Higher Education Governance from the University of Denver. Her awards include the 2023 University Distinguished Service Award and recognition as one of Colorado’s Top 25 Women in Business.