Karen Berg
Member of the Kentucky Senate
from the 26th district
Assumed office
July 13, 2020
Preceded byErnie Harris
Personal details
Born (1961-12-30) December 30, 1961[1]
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Kentucky (BA)
University of Louisville (MD)

Karen Berg (born December 30, 1961) is a physician and professor[2] who also serves in the Kentucky State Senate, representing the 26th District. She was elected to the Kentucky Senate (26th district) as a Democrat in a special election held on June 23, 2020, defeating Bill Ferko.[3] She succeeded Senator Ernie Harris, who resigned on April 15, 2020.[4] She is the only Jewish member of the Kentucky State Senate.[5]

Early life

Berg is a graduate of Central High School in Louisville, Kentucky, the University of Kentucky where she earned her Bachelor of Arts, and the University of Louisville, where she earned a Doctor of Medicine in 1987.[6][7]

She is the daughter of Harold Berg, a physician and artist.[8]

Career

Berg is a diagnostic radiologist.[9]

Berg ran for the Kentucky State Senate in 2018, losing the seat to incumbent Ernie Harris. She won the seat in a special election in June 2020 after Harris announced his retirement.[10][11] This was the first time in 25 years that the seat was won by a Democrat.[12][13] She is the only Jewish member serving on the Kentucky State Senate.[14]

She supports Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s efforts to reinstate Kentucky's health insurance exchange, a program that was abandoned by previous Republican governor Matt Bevin.[15]

She is also an assistant professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Louisville.[16]

Personal life

Berg's son, Henry Berg-Brousseau, was a transgender rights advocate and worked as a deputy press secretary for politics of the Human Rights Campaign.[17] In 2015, at 16 years old, he testified against a bathroom bill in the Kentucky state legislature.[18] He died by suicide at the age of 24 on December 16, 2022.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Legislator-Profile - Legislative Research Commission".
  2. ↑ "Karen Berg, M.D." UofL Physicians. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  3. ↑ "Democrat Karen Berg wins special election to succeed state Sen. Ernie Harris", WHAS11 television, June 30, 2020
  4. ↑ "Ernie Harris". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  5. ↑ "Legislator-Profile - Legislative Research Commission". legislature.ky.gov. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  6. ↑ "Karen Berg". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  7. ↑ "Dr. Karen Berg, MD | Louisville, KY | Healthgrades". www.healthgrades.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  8. ↑ Chottiner, Lee (2017-06-06). "Forty-eight years after unveiling, Berg mural to be rededicated at JCL Awards Meeting". Jewish Community of Louisville. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  9. ↑ "Dr. Karen Berg". DLCC. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  10. ↑ "Democrat Karen Berg wins special election to succeed state Sen. Ernie Harris". wwltv.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  11. ↑ "Democrats Flip First State Senate Seat For First Time In A Decade". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  12. ↑ "Democrats flip state Senate seat held by Republicans for 25 years". The Independent. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  13. ↑ "Democrat Karen Berg wins special election to replace state GOP Sen. Ernie Harris, who held seat 25 years | NKyTribune". Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  14. ↑ "Karen Berg To Become Only Jewish Member of Kentucky State Legislature". CrownHeights.info - Chabad News, Crown Heights News, Lubavitch News. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  15. ↑ Chottiner, Lee. "Physician to become only Jewish member of Kentucky's state legislature". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  16. ↑ "Dr. Karen Berg, M.D. — School of Medicine University of Louisville". louisville.edu. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  17. 1 2 "Transgender rights advocate Henry Berg-Brousseau dies at 24". Associated Press. 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  18. ↑ "Transgender rights activist Henry Berg-Brousseau dies aged 24". The Guardian. December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.