Karen Silseth

Karen Silseth grew up in northern Illinois with four brothers and days filled with outdoor adventures. Daily contact with the outdoors, along with the passionate conservation education she received from a high school physics teacher in the 1970s, led to her lifelong interest in conservation and ecology. Karen holds a B.S. from University Wisconsin-Platteville in business management. She is a citizen conservationist and entrepreneur involved with several small businesses and investments with her husband John.

Based in the Milwaukee area, the family is involved with numerous charitable organizations. Karen volunteers in local schools, at her church (tutoring inner city children), and in other organizations such as Hope Center, Lutheran Social Services clothing center, Women’s Ministries, and Luther Manor Senior Residences. Karen is also active in the Wisconsin Chapter of the Women Presidents’ Organization. She enjoys reading, biking, snowshoeing, walking, bridge, and gardening. Karen joined the Aldo Leopold Foundation board to apply science to land use and cultivate respect for the earth and animals.