Karen Forner’s roots in the Pacific Northwest run deep. Born and raised in the Seattle area, she attended Whitman College before earning her law degree from the University of Washington. She later settled in Redmond to raise her family and eventually moved to Medina in 2025, all while staying close to the region that continues to shape both her personal and professional life.

Family is central to Karen’s story. She speaks with pride about her adult children—Anna, an environmental scientist with the Lake Chelan Research Institute; and Derek, a University of Portland graduate who now works in finance and accounting at KPMG in Seattle. They are an outdoorsy family drawn to fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, skiing, hiking, and spending as much time outside as possible. Karen is also close with her parents, who live on Lake Chelan. Even vacations reflect the values Karen holds close. During a recent three-week family trip to Maui, time was spent snorkeling, beachcombing, and enjoying the natural beauty of the island—but also picking up litter along the way. For Karen, being outdoors and giving back are not separate ideas; they’re naturally intertwined.

Professionally, Karen has built a distinguished legal and consulting career. She began her work as an attorney with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office before moving into private practice. In 2009, she founded K-Solutions Law in Bellevue, publicly known as Employer Solutions Law, becoming a respected leader in advising and representing employers on Labor and Industries and employment law issues. Her work often focused on high-risk industries such as construction and manufacturing, where workplace safety was paramount.

After over a decade in business and growing the firm to a team of more than 10 employees, Karen found herself growing tired of litigating and decided to sell the business. From there, she shifted her focus to consulting and founded Sonorous LLC (www.sonorousllc.com), where she specializes in keynote speaking, training, presentations, and coaching. It was through this work that Karen discovered what she describes as her true calling—using her voice and experience to educate, support, and advocate.

Over the course of her legal career, Karen worked closely with issues surrounding mental health and suicide prevention due to the nature of working with employers in industries where these issues tend to be more frequent. Her past work experience also shaped her ability to speak openly and effectively on these difficult topics, which is why she has since become a frequent presenter at continuing legal education seminars, industry groups, and conferences at both the local and national level. After noting that suicide was a much greater risk to workers than physical trauma, Karen became a frequent presenter and trainer on mental health and suicide prevention.

Karen more recently learned firsthand about addiction through someone close to her struggling with many addictions. After participating in a group that supports friends and families of people struggling with alcoholism and addiction, Karen deepened her understanding of addiction, recovery, and the challenges that involves on a more personal level. She spoke at the Governor’s Safety Conference last year on “Recovery Friendly Workplaces,” advocating for moving from guilt, shame, and fear around addiction to understanding, support, and best practices. Karen’s journey of learning about addiction and recovery eventually led her to Recovery Beyond, where she now serves as a board member.

Recovery Beyond (www.recoverybp.org) is a nonprofit organization based in Issaquah that supports individuals in recovery by blending peer connection with outdoor experiences. Rather than focusing solely on sobriety, the organization emphasizes rebuilding joy, confidence, and a sense of belonging through shared activities and supportive relationships. Programs range from local meetups and monthly community events to outdoor adventures such as hiking, fishing, kayaking, snowshoeing, and mountaineering. The organization also provides one-on-one peer support for individuals who need additional encouragement as they work through their recovery journey.

Karen was drawn to Recovery Beyond because it reflects both her Northwest roots and her belief in the power of connection. Many of the organization’s activities center on time spent in nature, creating space for people to reconnect with themselves and with others. As the saying goes, “The opposite of addiction is connection,” and Recovery Beyond intentionally builds that sense of community through consistent, welcoming opportunities to gather. Thanks to donors and volunteers, membership is free, most activities are offered at little or no cost, and the organization often provides gear, transportation support, and peer mentors to remove barriers to participation. 

Recovery Beyond also partners with larger community efforts, such as the Seattle Mariners’ annual Recovery Day, which draws thousands of attendees and helps reduce stigma by bringing conversations about addiction and mental health into the open. “The more openly I talk about addiction, the more I realize how many people it affects,” Karen says. “The recovery community includes some of the most supportive, compassionate people I’ve ever met.”

For Karen, serving on the board is a natural extension of her life’s work. “The suffering around addiction is some of the worst I’ve seen,” she says. “I feel like my skills are best used raising awareness and helping advocate on this issue.” Through Recovery Beyond, Karen continues to combine her professional expertise, love of the outdoors, and commitment to community—walking alongside others as they work toward healing, connection, and a fuller life.