Karen Wilkinson
founder and director, The Parents Union

Karen Wilkinson is a founder and Director of The Parents Union.

Born in England, raised in Scotland and Kenya, Karen attended state, private and public schools, dropped out of university, and then gained a law degree part-time as a mature student. She has worked in the personal finance sector as well as for the Legal Services Commission; shifting from full-time employment to part-time to stay-at-home-mum as her three children were born.

This gave her time to fully engage in her local community, including work on pre-school, sustainable gifts, parish planning and community energy.

Karen has been tracking the school attendance issue since 2011, and campaigning to reverse the 2013 regulations, bringing together campaigners from around the country to form “Parents Want A Say” and subsequently “The Parents Union”. Both organisations have undertaken significant casework, including a judicial review application, as well as lobbying and media work.

After a late realisation that democracy requires active engagement, Karen joined the Liberal Democrats in 2009. She has served on the executive committees of the Green Liberal Democrats, the Parliamentary Candidates Association and currently the Liberal Democrat Education Association. Last year’s Liberal Democrat Conference passed her proposal that reversal of the 2013 regulations be official party policy.

Follow Karen on Twitter: @this_karen

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Sunday 23 October, 14.00 Frobisher Auditorium 2
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