As an executive in the health care industry, Karen Talbott has always had an interest in quality of life and care for older adults, and over the years, she has participated in many initiatives that support this interest. Presently, she serves as President and CEO of Child Guidance & Family Solutions, and we are proud to have her as Assistant Secretary of the Ohio Living Board.
“When I was asked to join the Ohio Living Board, I saw it as an even bigger opportunity to help strategize and imagine the best care possible and available for the aging population,” said Karen. “My parents were both quite elderly when they passed away, but during their journey, they benefitted from wonderful care in their later years that made their quality of life very good. I clearly see that those opportunities are available at Ohio Living, because they focus on the person first.”
Karen is active in several professional and community organizations, including serving as Chair of the Ohio Living Rockynol Local Board and Chair of Summit County’s Social Services Advisory Board. She is a past Board and Executive Committee member of the Greater Akron Chamber and Blossom Music Center Board of Overseers, as well as Past President of the Board of Directors of the Kent State University (KSU) National Alumni Association. Additionally, she has been a distinguished Commencement speaker at KSU and is a Certified Public Accountant in Ohio.
Her tremendous leadership and service have resulted in countless awards and distinctions. To name a few, these include the Woman of Note Award from Crain’s Cleveland Business; special award for eminence in a professional field by the Kent State Alumni Association; Northern Ohio Live’s Top Woman Rainmaker Award; Extraordinary Woman Award from the Akron Beacon Journal; and the Governor’s Award for leadership from the Ohio Council for Home Care. Most recently, Karen was selected to receive the Impact Award from Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond Magazine.
Beyond the board room, Karen enjoys spending time with her friends and family, particularly her three nephews who are “full of fun and energy.” She is grateful to have many long-term friends who join her for dinners and events, both in-person and virtually. Watching documentaries and reading both fiction and non-fiction books are also among her favorite things. “Just don’t ask me to cook, as that is definitely not a specialty of mine!”
When asked what she appreciates about the great work of Ohio Living, she relayed, “All of us at Ohio Living never stop thinking about what can be done to continuously ensure the gold standard in care, compassion, value and effectiveness, as well as being an employer of choice for all who share in our mission.”