Catskill Hudson District

Superintendent

Rev. Karen A. Monk

The Reverend Dr. Karen A. Monk is the superintendent of the Catskill Hudson District of the New York Conference of the United Methodist Church. A native Texan, Karen graduated from Southwestern University before migrating east to attend Union Theological Seminary in New York City where she earned the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Theology, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

Karen celebrates the unique nature of life in rural settings and brings expertise in representing mountain life and the people who make up the Catskill Hudson region. Ordained in 1989, she has spent most of her pastoral career serving within the bounds of the Catskill Hudson District, most recently serving as the pastor of the Kaaterskill/East Jewett Charge for 16 years. She also served at Clinton Avenue and St. James, both in Kingston, and at Olivebridge and Samsonville. Having had lifegiving experiences of spiritual formation through youth ministry and camping, she has volunteered in the NYAC camps and served as the director of the former Epworth Camp and Retreat Center. Karen has also served on Volunteer in Mission teams to Bolivia and Ecuador. Trained through the UMCOR Academy, she has worked in a variety of disaster relief and recovery efforts as an early response team member and in disaster spiritual care.

Karen excels in mentoring, and has served for many years on the Board of Ordained Ministry and the District Committee on Ministry. An engaging teacher, she has taught lay servant courses, in the certified lay minister series, and at the Northeastern Jurisdiction’s local pastor’s licensing school, as well as teaching in district leader-to-leaders training days.

Beyond her theological education, Karen completed clinical training in psychotherapy with the Harlem Family Institute, working with children in an East Harlem school. While serving in rural communities, she was an emergency medical technician for 20 years. A country preacher who loves jazz, dogs, and football, Karen is blessed to share life with her spouse, Shannon, and her 11-year-old stepdaughter.