Karen Schiavone

Associate General Counsel

General Counsel — Office of the General Counsel
Office of the General Counsel

About Karen 

Karen Schiavone joined Chautauqua in 2015 and currently works under the supervision of the Institution’s general counsel in assisting with the organization’s legal work, including policy development, risk mitigation, contract review, and legal research. Karen previously worked in Chautauqua’s education department as manager of community education, where she was primarily responsible for oversight of the Special Studies program and development of online learning experiences. 

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in business management from Grove City College, Karen worked in marketing for a few years before entering law school. She received her law degree from Albany Law School with a concentration in health law. After graduating, a desire to pursue more meaningful work led Karen back to her hometown of Jamestown, NY, where she currently resides with her overly friendly and feisty cat, Bella. 

Why did you choose to work at Chautauqua? What do you like about working at Chautauqua? 

Having grown up in Chautauqua County, I’ve always had a desire to make a difference in my local community. The work that Chautauqua does in furtherance of its mission is incredibly important — yes, in our local community, but even more so on a broader scale. Being a part of that work means everything. And we’re incredibly lucky to be able to do what we do with the people that are part of this team. I’ve never worked anywhere else where there was a stronger sense of true teamwork. 

Current and Former Volunteer or Board Roles 

• Former Director, Infinity Visual and Performing Arts 
• Former Member, First Presbyterian Youth Committee 

Professional Affiliations 

Admitted to practice in New York

Personal Interests 

Hanging on my front porch, reading, skiing, sailing, cycling, watching binge-worthy TV, weekend adventures