UUAA Staff Profile

Meet the people behind the Alumni Association

Karen Ashton BS’80 (advertising and public relations) recently joined the UUAA staff as marketing and membership manager. Her career began at the University of Utah her freshman year, leading tours of prospective students across campus while touting the great reputation of the U in the late '70s.

Karen recalls sneaking food into the Marriott Library despite warnings posted throughout the building that “Food attracts insects, which damage the books.” She was surprised to discover that now you can even purchase food in the library! During her senior year, Karen accompanied student musical theater productions on campus and captained an intramural coed softball team. Courses in the history of music, art, and graphic design rounded out her mass communication studies.

After graduating in advertising and public relations, she moved to Boston and worked at the MIT Alumni Association. After returning to Salt Lake, she worked in typesetting and graphic production then moved to become marketing manager at Novell in the early days of the company.

She then enjoyed a career hiatus while raising four children—a daughter and three sons—and now has two grandkids. In her spare time, she enjoys classical music, art museums, gardening, and knitting, and recently took up weaving on a loom inherited from her mother. An adventurer, she enjoys solo road trips to explore the West. She also tackles the New York Times crossword puzzle every day, though by Friday’s puzzle, she often sneaks in a Google search to finish.

In preparation to resume her career six years ago, she headed to Alumni Career Services for résumé consultation and workshops focused on up-to-date application and interview skills. She ended up returning to campus as a marketing specialist, first in the College of Mining and Engineering, then at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, and finally here at the Alumni Association.

Join us in welcoming Karen to the Alumni Association!