Karen Gause was born and raised in Memphis. She graduated from Hampton University with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and from Liberty University with a graduate degree in Executive Leadership. Committed to moving her community forward, Karen has spent the last 10 years working in various roles within Shelby County Government Division of Community Services and the City of Memphis Mayor’s Office. In her previous role, Karen was responsible for the development and implementation of the Memphis and Shelby County COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program. Through her leadership, the program grew from a $28 million program to a $130 million program in the span of six months; keeping thousands of Memphis and Shelby County residents housed during the pandemic.
