Karen McCandless is the Executive Director of Community Action Services and Food Bank in Provo. Its mission is to foster self-reliance in individuals, families, and the community.
A BYU graduate, Karen served on the Orem City Council from 2001-2014, worked in the public and private sectors as a land use planner, and is passionate about building strong, thriving communities.
She has been recognized with the Orem City Council’s Walter C. Orem Award for community service, the Catherine C. Hoskins Emerging Leader Award from the Community Action Partnership of Utah, and as a Utah Valley University Champion of Inclusion.
Karen serves and has served on numerous boards of directors, as a volunteer chaplain, a Meals on Wheels volunteer, a Habitat for Humanity family mentor, and in various positions in her church.
She loves learning, playing the flute, Pink Floyd, classical music, a good nap, and long, slightly downhill bike rides.