Susanne Dalton Dupes, Summit co-chair, left, presents Lizzie Leadership Award to Karen Carson

KNOXVILLE — The East Tennessee Women’s Leadership Council announces that the recipient of the 2017 Lizzie Crozier French Leadership Award is Karen Carson, former Chair of the Knox County School Board and a pediatric critical care and emergency room nurse at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Carson was presented the award on Friday, June 9th, at the annual East Tennessee Women’s Leadership Summit.

Carson was one of three finalists in the award’s first public nomination process, along with Julie Ezold, a senior researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Dr. Diane Ezell, a research engineer, also with ORNL. She was nominated by former Knox County School Superintendent Jim McIntyre, who wrote that Carson is a thoughtful and outspoken leader who “has demonstrated commitment to our children and community through difficult times.” He added that during her 12 years on the Board, she served as an “advocate, role model and mentor for hundreds of women.”

During her tenure on the Knox County School Board, Carson received multiple recognitions from the Tennessee Parent Teacher Association as the “Outstanding School Board Representative of the Year.” Carson served as the East Tennessee Region Federal Legislative Representative for the Tennessee School Board Association. She also served as the Federal Legislative Chairperson for the Tennessee Parent Teacher Association. Carson is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Knoxville.

As with previous recipients (Mayor Madeline Rogero, Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee, Scripps Networks Cynthia Gibson, attorney Wanda Sobieski, and Urban League Executive Phyllis Nichols), Carson was awarded “The Lizzie” to acknowledge her ongoing dedication to the following four principles set out by the Award’s namesake:

1. An outspoken leader who publicly supports the advancement of women.

2. Demonstrates unwavering courage in the face of difficulty.

3. Works boldly and consistently toward positive and lasting change.

4. Supports and empowers other women through her work.

Nominations for the Lizzie Crozier French Women’s Leadership Award are taken during Women’s History Month (March). Three finalists are announced on May 7th, which is the birthday of the award’s namesake, Lizzie Crozier French. The award recipient is announced at The East Tennessee Women’s Leadership Summit, which is held annually on the second Friday of June.

The Summit is coordinated by the all-volunteer East Tennessee Women’s Leadership Council, which is chaired by Deb Schmitz.