Karen Nelson is dean and faculty of Architecture at the Boston Architectural College. In 1994, Karen began teaching design studios at the BAC followed by theory seminars and faculty development courses. Karen practiced architecture working on housing for people with AIDS in NYC, a school building in MA, and on commercial projects. Karen's passion for contemporary art and architecture, landscape architecture, and linguistics inform her teaching and practices.

In 2011, Karen received the Edmund C. Toomey Award for Student Advocacy. In 2012, working with Tina Blythe and Len Charney, Karen received an NCARB grant to explore Collaborative Global Practice. Karen has also served as adjunct faculty in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design from 1995–2012.

Karen received her Master of Architecture from Columbia University and her Bachelor of Science in Art and Design from MIT.