Karen Kunz
KAREN KUNZ
If you could wake up tomorrow with a super power, what would it be and what would you do with it? It would be a tie between reading people’s minds and flying. Obviously, reading people’s minds would give me a leg up as a counselor, and I’m often running late, so flying would get me to where I needed to be on time!
What is your most favorite thing in the world and why? As cliche as it sounds, I would start with my kids. I know I’m biased, but I think they are pretty great. Next it would be my husband and my family. And finally, it would be my friends.
What are you obsessed with? Diet Coke and Mexican food.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? My husband Jon set up a scavenger hunt that required me to visit each place we had gone on a date. One of my favorite people was waiting in each location. The second to last stop included my brother, who came to visit from NY, and a phone call from my dad who was traveling overseas. At the last stop, Jon was waiting with an engagement ring. We celebrated the rest of the night with all of my best friends from across the East Coast. It was one of the best nights of my life.
Our director of counseling, Karen Kunz, is the kind of person who makes Middle School feel a little less overwhelming—for students and their grown-ups. With her thoughtful care, kindness, and deeply human understanding of what kids need, she has become a quiet anchor in a time of life that can feel like a roller coaster on fast-forward. Her work is rooted in connection: helping students grow into themselves and supporting families with compassion.
Karen grew up on the East Coast in Portsmouth, N.H., where her family had a special summer tradition of going to the classic play offered by the local theater company. Years later, she returned to that ritual as a parent when her oldest daughter was two, creating a new generation of memories tied to a beloved part of her own childhood.
As a child, Karen dreamed about training dolphins at SeaWorld, but life nudged her toward a different kind of caretaking. With a pediatrician dad and a mom who worked in maternity and pediatrics, she grew up hearing stories about the families they encountered, but she was more interested in the emotional world behind medical charts. She found her way into internships that deepened that fascination: studying the attachment between mothers and babies and working with teens in a psychiatric hospital. Somewhere along the way, psychology became less of an interest and more of a calling.
In 2004, Karen found her perfect fit at SSSAS as the Middle School counselor. She loves watching students hit their eighth-grade stride and seeing just how far they’ve come since their wide-eyed sixth-grade selves. The hardest part of the job? Knowing she can’t fix everything. The best part? Watching kids discover they’re stronger than they realized.
Karen’s own middle school years were spirited. In fact, her seventh-grade English teacher described her as a “chattering squirrel.” Karen laughs about it now, noting she was probably too social for her own good and not putting enough energy into studying!
Karen and her husband, Jon, are a true Saints story: they met on campus, married a year later, and now have two daughters who’ve grown up roaming the halls of SSSAS. Outside school, life is full—and fun. Karen loves sleeping in on weekends, a great breakfast sandwich, playing tennis (enthusiasm over skill, by her own admission), going to concerts with her family, and escaping on an annual trip with the same college friends she’s had for more than 30 years.
She likes all kinds of music, and loves the show “Shrinking,” although she doesn’t think the majority of therapy techniques used by the main character are within the bounds of ethical treatment! She’s incredibly proud of the three marathons she ran, including the Marine Corps Marathon, but says three was enough. She also considers studying during naptimes, dragging a baby to supervision hours, and pushing through months of prep to earn her Licensed Professional Counselor credential a major personal victory.
The most adventurous thing she’s ever done? Quitting a job after grad school to spend eight weeks wandering through Italy with a friend—an experience she still considers one of the best decisions she’s ever made. Travel has been a thread throughout her life. Last year Karen and her brother took their families and her 77-year-old dad on an adventure to Costa Rica, including ziplining for everyone! Greece is next on her wish list.
In the Middle School world, Karen is the calm in the chaos, the reassuring voice in moments of uncertainty, and the warm presence who helps students navigate everything from friendship blips to growing pains. She lives in the whirlwind of adolescence at school and at home, and brings real empathy to every conversation—proof that even “chattering squirrels” grow up to make a meaningful difference.