Born in New York

Born in New York, I have lived half my life in the West, mostly in Las Vegas. The division of time wasn’t neat. It wasn’t a simple case of half a lifetime here; half there. No. I moved. Rather my parents and I moved cross-country like some sort of nomadic tribe. I don’t have addresses for all the places, but I know I attended 22 schools. Military kids had nothing on me.

Thanks to this peripatetic lifestyle, I’ve always been the curious — and decidedly not impartial — outsider looking in.

Now, after a delightful eight-year detour to Berkeley, CA, I’m back to Nevada, but this time in “The Biggest Little City in the World,” Reno. This may be the most unexpected move of my life. And while I don’t like cowboy boots (they pinch my toes), I do love my plaid-shirt-wearing husband, who grew up there and yearned to return. So, yea-ha, and what the heck! I’m now a Reno-ite!

And speaking of bust (as in boom or bust), Reno, like the San Francisco Bay, is experiencing all the wonder and woe of the High-Tech boom — lots of jobs, but also skyrocketing housing prices. So, there’s lots of fodder for a writer — especially this muddling middle-aged scribbler!

Map of US showing cities where Karen Galatz has lived and lines between them.

A Bit More About My Background

In my distant youth, I worked as a print and television reporter. My national news credits include The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour and the Nightly Business Report. I also created, produced, and anchored a business broadcast for PBS stations in Nevada, an effort that led to an Edward R. Murrow award and an Emmy nomination.

In addition, I have a background in human rights advocacy, working in government and the non-profit sector on behalf of refugees, victims of trafficking, immigrants, and those at risk or suffering from AIDS, tuberculosis, or malaria.

In government, I received a presidential appointment as a White House Fellow, and served as a Special Assistant to U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and then, as a member of Secretary Shultz’s in-house think tank, the Policy Planning Staff. I also held two gubernatorial appointments in Nevada.

My undergraduate degree is from Barnard College, Columbia University, and my master’s degree is from Georgetown University. Both are in Russian Area Studies. I also studied in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

My number one passion — after Handsome Hubby — is “The Theatre.” When not sitting in rapt delight at a musical, this over-grown Broadway Baby blathers non-stop about plays and blares show tunes. Worst yet, I often “sing” along — loudly, off-key. Approach with earplugs.

The future is….

Like most adults, I’ve seen my share of joys and sadness. Through it all, I find the best response is humor. I hope you like my light laments. Please come along and Muddle through Middle Age with me.