Karen Murphy, a 2011 candidate for the Stamford Board of Education, is a 10-year Stamford resident and has been a strong proponent for an informed and engaged citizenry which is essential to the success of Stamford. Karen recognizes that the City of Stamford and its residents face significant, fiscal, social, and educational challenges.

In 2007 Karen helped form the Independent Party in Stamford. She is an ardent believer that municipalities that engage in responsible governance and make the necessary apolitical choices will succeed; those that continue to finance municipal services with maxed-out credit cards and accounting gimmickry will languish.

Karen is an attorney and actuary with 30 years of proven experience in advising on mergers and acquisitions, employee benefit plans, employment, severance and non-competition agreements and providing ERISA-related litigation and investment banking services.

She founded Stamford Financial Group, Inc., an investment banking firm providing consulting and actuarial services to the insurance industry; directed Citibank's Insurance Mergers & Acquisitions Division; practiced M&A/ERISA/Employment law at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson; was Johnson & Higgins of Philadelphia’s Chief Actuary; and served as an actuary for Social Security Administration (Medicare). She lives in Shippan with her twin sister Kathleen Murphy, a member of the Board of Finance.