Karen McKinnon joined the board of the Comox Valley Hospice Society in September 2019 and was elected to a second term in September 2022. Karen has been in the Comox Valley for 20 years and has a background in community engagement, teaching and entrepreneurship. She is a graduate of Royal Roads Masters of Communication program. She is passionate about community and in addition to serving on the board of the CVHS, she is involved in the Comox Valley Community Health Network and YANA (You Are Not Alone Comox Valley). She is employed as the Director of Family Services and Community Engagement at Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North and is the owner of a local business. Karen is honoured to sit on the board of CVHS.

Karen learned about the important work CVHS does in the community when she lost a young friend to cancer and witnessed how CVHS eased the process for both the palliative individual and their family.