Karen Mermel
Karen Mermel is a professional project/program manager with a PMP certification. She has worked in many industries within the Information Technology field. Karen has been a manager of developers and QA staff. Ms. Mermel began her MBA at Lake Forest School of Management. She has retired—but never one to sit around, she produces web sites for the non-profit world
She has been a member of NSS for many years and an early L5 member. Karen has a passion for space and has worked in many roles for NSS including VP of Public Affairs; member, Board of Directors; first Chair, Strategic Planning; and, one of her favorite jobs, as Liaison to the NSS Board of Governors.
Ms. Mermel works on many committees for NSS including: Public Relations, Fundraising, Chapters, Membership, Strategic Planning and Operations. She was a president of the Northern Illinois Space Advocacy chapter of NSS.
Ms. Mermel has represented NSS on NPR radio in Chicago several times.
Karen began her love for the idea of living on other planets from her father who took her out to see the stars when she was about 7 years old. Then she decided that she wanted to be an astronomer. She was reading early science fiction but it wasn’t until the late 70s that she became an L5 member. After that point, she hasn’t stopped educating people about NSS and why we need to advance the day when humans will live and work in space.
Karen is on the Information Sciences and the Space Settlement Boards of Advisors for the Lifeboat Foundation.
