Karen's Achievements
Awards & Recognitions
2001 U.S. Small Business Administration, Honorable Mention, Small Business Exporter of the Year and Small Business Person of the Year
2002 President’s Award from Missouri AMTA (American Massage Therapist Association)
2004 National Today’s Caregiver New Product Development Award
2007 Missouri Meritorious Massage Therapist of the year Award
2009 National Regional Helping Hand for Fibromyalgia Award - American Pain Foundation, American Fibromyalgia Association, sponsored by Pfizer Pharmaceutical
2010 Nurse of the Year Recognition – Trinity College of Nursing, Rock Island, IL
2014 Induction into the Massage Hall of Fame, Boulder, CO
Life Experience - Highlights
Girl Scouts: Curved Bar Award, International Girl Scout Round-up (1960 Colorado), volunteer thru 1976
Music: Piano, Violin, Guitar, Pipe Organ & Keyboard (and love drumming circles) state contests, Girl Scouts and Church … and I did gigs in Old Town Chicago and many Coffee Houses (1960”s). At a National conf talent show in Atlantic City, I was selected to perform on the Miss America Stage… great memories from all a long time ago!
Travel: Have seen amazing sights over the past 20 years during many cross-country travels coast to coast and border to border. The best sights have
been on the back-roads and side-trips and I have photos…. Lots!
Unexpected Surprises: Meeting President Bill Clinton who walked into my booth to chat and get a Mother Earth Pillow® at a Comdex Expo and then
seeing my name in the NY Times Newspaper!
Most Heartfelt Experience: After 9-11, taking a van load of Mother Earth Pillows® to donate to caregivers in NY and NJ at the hospitals, firehouses, to Massage Therapists, restaurant (Gino’s) and Port Authority Headquarters… all of the folks who supported the survivors.
Best Life Experience: Being Mom to 5 wonderful children who make me so proud… and a Grandmother to 16 Grandchildren
Most Rewarding: Being able to live a life doing what I love and believe in while helping others.
Most Anticipated: Connecting with potential research interests using Thermal Therapy
Career Highlights
1983-1992 Developed and implemented multi-disciplinary Staff Orientation Program and Clinical Staff Specialty training for all patient-care staff.
1983-1985 Developed Staff to Patient Care Ratio System. Conducted timed studies to substantiate proper & safe staffing patterns dependent on patient acuity for long term patient care. Collected data and outcome over 2 years.
1995 Mother Earth Pillows® was born in my basement
1996 CEO/President of Mother Earth Designs, Inc. S Corporation formed.
1998 Moved out of home-based business to business location – 3000 sq. ft.
1999 Expanded to 5000 sq. ft. including massage room and retail space.
2007 Expanded production by building out and moving to new 7000 sq. ft. operations location. Built out and opened Retail Store (1000 sq ft) and Massage Clinic in strip mall.
2008 Built out and opened Education & Wellness Studio for Community Education, Therapy & Training.
2009 Class material developed and approved as a NCBTMB CE Provider; started teaching classes.
1995 - present Guest Speaker, Exhibitor, Trainer and Education Provider of CEU’s at Local, Regional, State, National & International venues as Keynote, Break-Out and Pre-Conference presenter for Professional and Community Programs, Conferences and Educational Expos.
2001 U.S. Small Business Administration, Honorable Mention, Small Business Exporter of the Year and Small Business Person of the Year
2002 President’s Award from Missouri AMTA (American Massage Therapist Association)
2004 National Today’s Caregiver New Product Development Award
2007 Missouri Meritorious Massage Therapist of the year Award
2009 National Regional Helping Hand for Fibromyalgia Award - American Pain Foundation, American Fibromyalgia Association, sponsored by Pfizer Pharmaceutical
2010 Nurse of the Year Recognition – Trinity College of Nursing, Rock Island, IL
2014 Induction into the Massage Hall of Fame, Boulder, CO
Life Experience - Highlights
Girl Scouts: Curved Bar Award, International Girl Scout Round-up (1960 Colorado), volunteer thru 1976
Music: Piano, Violin, Guitar, Pipe Organ & Keyboard (and love drumming circles) state contests, Girl Scouts and Church … and I did gigs in Old Town Chicago and many Coffee Houses (1960”s). At a National conf talent show in Atlantic City, I was selected to perform on the Miss America Stage… great memories from all a long time ago!
Travel: Have seen amazing sights over the past 20 years during many cross-country travels coast to coast and border to border. The best sights have
been on the back-roads and side-trips and I have photos…. Lots!
Unexpected Surprises: Meeting President Bill Clinton who walked into my booth to chat and get a Mother Earth Pillow® at a Comdex Expo and then
seeing my name in the NY Times Newspaper!
Most Heartfelt Experience: After 9-11, taking a van load of Mother Earth Pillows® to donate to caregivers in NY and NJ at the hospitals, firehouses, to Massage Therapists, restaurant (Gino’s) and Port Authority Headquarters… all of the folks who supported the survivors.
Best Life Experience: Being Mom to 5 wonderful children who make me so proud… and a Grandmother to 16 Grandchildren
Most Rewarding: Being able to live a life doing what I love and believe in while helping others.
Most Anticipated: Connecting with potential research interests using Thermal Therapy
Career Highlights
1983-1992 Developed and implemented multi-disciplinary Staff Orientation Program and Clinical Staff Specialty training for all patient-care staff.
1983-1985 Developed Staff to Patient Care Ratio System. Conducted timed studies to substantiate proper & safe staffing patterns dependent on patient acuity for long term patient care. Collected data and outcome over 2 years.
1995 Mother Earth Pillows® was born in my basement
1996 CEO/President of Mother Earth Designs, Inc. S Corporation formed.
1998 Moved out of home-based business to business location – 3000 sq. ft.
1999 Expanded to 5000 sq. ft. including massage room and retail space.
2007 Expanded production by building out and moving to new 7000 sq. ft. operations location. Built out and opened Retail Store (1000 sq ft) and Massage Clinic in strip mall.
2008 Built out and opened Education & Wellness Studio for Community Education, Therapy & Training.
2009 Class material developed and approved as a NCBTMB CE Provider; started teaching classes.
1995 - present Guest Speaker, Exhibitor, Trainer and Education Provider of CEU’s at Local, Regional, State, National & International venues as Keynote, Break-Out and Pre-Conference presenter for Professional and Community Programs, Conferences and Educational Expos.