Karen Francis-Begay is the Special Advisor to the President on Native American Affairs at The University of Arizona (UA).  She serves as a key liaison between Native Nations and the University to advance mutual goals and strengthen partnerships.  Previously, Karen was the Director for Native American Student Affairs where she developed the First-Year Scholars Program, a living-learning community for Native students that has resulted in increased retention rates.  In addition to her work at the UA, Karen serves on several community and national boards to advance the voice and representation of Native peoples.  She is a trustee with the College Board and is on the Board of Directors with the Hopi Education Endowment Fund and College Horizons.  Karen has a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration and a Master of Arts degree in American Indian Studies from the UA, and she just began her Ph.D. program in Higher Education.  Karen is Navajo originally from Chinle, Arizona.

Previous Employment
1998-2000:  Associate Director, American Indian Language Development Institute (AILDI), The University of Arizona.
2000-2007: Director, Native American Student Affairs, The University of Arizona.