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18 January 2026 | BeaufortLifestyle.com The hospital transformed alongside the profession. What was once a small facility on the banks of the Beaufort River is now the largest health system between Savannah and Charleston. %u201cGrowth is the biggest change,%u201d Karen said, %u201cbut Beaufort Memorial has always felt like a community hospital %u2014 and it still does.%u201dRISING THROUGH THE RANKS Throughout her career, Karen served as a staff nurse, med-surg nurse, critical care nurse, charge nurse, and director of critical care. %u201cI really loved being a director; it was the best of both worlds,%u201d Karen said. %u201cI was a leader, but I also really loved the patient care. There%u2019s no better feeling than taking direct care of a patient. In that role, I could do a little bit of both, and that was beautiful.%u201d Guided by the belief %u201cif you want it, you can do it,%u201d she continued her education, earning her master%u2019s degree in 1994. A few years later, she was asked to consider the role of Chief Nursing Officer. %u201cI had a lot of trepidation. I loved critical care and didn%u2019t feel prepared,%u201d she reflected. But she accepted the role in July 2000. Not one to slow down, Karen completed her doctorate in nurse leadership in 2014. In addition to her own accomplishments, Karen championed the professional growth of the nurses she led, inspiring many to pursue advanced degrees and even become nurse practitioners. The girl who once imagined a career in modeling became a model of leadership instead. %u201cI have always felt like I should be the best leader I can be,%u201d she said, %u201cto know that I%u2019ve made a difference %u2013 it feels good.%u201d In 2021, amid the workforce challenges heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Karen played a key role in launching the PATH (People Achieving Their Highest) program. The initiative opened new doors for aspiring nurses and helped remove barriers that often stand in the way of joining the profession. Her leadership brought recognition to the organization as well. Beaufort Memorial became South Carolina%u2019s first Pathway to Excellence hospital in 2011, and in 2022, the Leapfrog Group named it a %u201cTop 5%%u201d General Hospital for patient outcomes.A LEGACY INTERTWINED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY Karen%u2019s imprint on Beaufort Memorial extends across decades of growth and innovation. She played a pivotal role in major projects, such as the expansion and renovation of the Pratt Emergency Center, the Collins Birthing Center, the Intensive Care Unit, the current $25 million renovation of Beaufort hospital%u2019s surgical pavilion, and the new Bluffton Community Hospital opening in 2027. But Beaufort Memorial is not only where she built her career, it%u2019s where many of her life%u2019s most significant moments unfolded. She spent years working there beside her mother, and when she became Chief Nursing Officer, she found herself guiding the very person who once guided her. Her daughters, Stephanie and Lauren, were born at Beaufort Memorial, and her father%u2019s final days were spent within its walls. %u201cThis hospital is woven into the fabric of this community and the fabric of my own life,%u201d she said. %u201cI believe it always will be, and that the community will always want this hospital to be successful and something special.%u201d That%u2019s what a community hospital is %u2014 friendly faces, care administered with kindness, and skilled nurses and staff committed to %u201cdoing the right thing, because it%u2019s the right thing for the community.%u201d In recent months, Karen has mentored four emerging nursing leaders whose initiatives %u2014 like purposeKaren celebrates her 45th year milestone at the 2024 Employee Service Awards. Karen and Tricia Evegan, BSN, RN, Beaufort Memorial Director of Nursing Supervisors and Float Pool, were the recipients of the 2025 Palmetto Gold Award for excellence in nursing. Karen was interviewed by WJCL when Beaufort Memorial implemented a Pyxis in the pharmacy to dispense medication. Karen spoke on behalf of Beaufort Memorial when the hospital announced its %u201cPathway To Excellence%u201d designation over a decade ago.