Kari was born and raised in California, spending her days between Fresno and Coalinga. She has loved animals ever since she can remember. Kari's maternal grandparents had a collection of well-versed birds and playful cats. Her paternal grandparents had a menagerie of animals, and as such, she also grew up around horses, cattle, llamas, emu, buffalo and her favorite animal, dogs.

Being of an adventurous spirit, Kari moved to Alaska the day after she graduated high school in 1996. While she moved back to California, just nine short months later, she had already fallen deeply in love with Alaska. Back in California, Kari was introduced to a brand new Veterinary Technician program at San Joaquin Valley College in Fresno where she graduated from the program in 1999 with an Associate of Science degree in Veterinary Technology. She was well on her way to fulfilling her dream of doing what she loved and calling it "work."

Longing to be back in Alaska, she returned in September of 2000 and has been here ever since. Kari spent the first few years of her veterinary career in emergency medicine, but soon discovered she had a passion for surgery. She spent eight years scrubbing in and running anesthesia at Veterinary Specialists of Alaska before she went to work for VCA Far Country Animal Hospital in October of 2001. She came to VCA Big Lake in July of 2024.

When she isn't at work, she loves spending time with her husband, Dan, and their four dogs, Ullr, Nugget, Snoopy Blue and Gunnar. In addition, in her free time she also enjoys painting, thrift store shopping, camping, playing board games and spending time with her friends, her "Alaskan family."