Karen Poteet received her Master of Public Administration degree from Baylor University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Nazarene University. She has over 30 years of experience in human services in two state systems, Illinois and Oklahoma. She has held positions of increasing responsibility within the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. From 2006-2010, she served as the Oklahoma Administrator of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance.

Ms. Poteet and her husband were licensed foster parents in Illinois and adopted their two youngest children from the Illinois child welfare system. Ms. Poteet is respect in the human services field for her management and training skills, and the significance of program valuation to inform improved policies and practices.