Biography:
Karen Redman is currently the Regional Chair of the Waterloo Region, following her election to the position in October 2018. Karen is dedicated to public service, having represented the community of Kitchener on the board of education, municipal government and in Canada's Parliament for 20 years. Karen remains committed to making a personal contribution to a better quality of life for her family, her community and Canada as a whole. Karen believes that "local government is here to serve you." She believes in economic competitiveness and opportunity for all. Karen wants to ensure that the Region of Waterloo is planning for a prosperous and sustainable future. First elected as the Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre in 1997, Karen Redman was re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2006. Karen was narrowly defeated in the 2008 federal election. Prior to entering federal politics, Karen served as a public school trustee with the Waterloo Country Board of education (1988-1994) and concurrently as a City of Kitchener councilor and member of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo Council (1994-1997 and again 2014-2018). As Regional Chair, for the 2018-2022 term of Council, Karen sits on all Regional Standing Committees, and on Boards and Advisory Committees as an ex-officio member, including the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund and the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council. She is the Chair of the Waterloo Region Police Services Board, the University of Waterloo Board of Governors, and the Wilfrid Laurier Board of Governors. In February 2019, she was elected as Chair of the Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario (MARCO) group, and as a result, will sit on the Board of Directors for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). She served as Chief Executive Officer at Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region from 2010 to 2018, as Chair of the Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region, President of the Rotary Club of Kitchener 2014-2015 and serves on the Board of Martin Lutheran University College (formerly Waterloo Lutheran Seminary). Karen has a Master's degree in Political Science, as well as an Honour's Bachelor's degree in English. She is the recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal. Karen Redman is a life-long resident of Kitchener where she resides with her husband, Warren. They have four grown children.
