Karis grew up in the Southern Huntingdon area and has always loved the Huntingdon community. Though beginning her college journey elsewhere, she decided to transfer to Juniata in 2016 to take advantage of the individualized Programs of Emphasis and liberal arts education. After completing an individualized bachelor's degree in Multimedia Marketing and Communication in 2019, she then went on to earn a Master of Arts in Student Affairs in Higher Education from IUP in 2022. Karis spent the next 3 years working in international education, influenced by her impactful experiences with study abroad at Juniata, before returning home once again to join the Juniata staff in 2025.

In her free time, Karis loves to enjoy the outdoors in any way she can - especially rock climbing, biking, and getting on the water at Raystown Lake.

Having once been a Juniata transfer student herself, Karis is excited to work with transfer students to help themtransition smoothly and find their home at Juniata.