Karin Walser founded Horton’s Kids in 1989 while working full-time on Capitol Hill as press secretary and communications director. In the beginning, Karin recruited friends and co-workers, including many former Congressional staffers, to take small numbers of children on field trips. As the organization incorporated and grew, Karin became its first full-time Executive Director in 2001 and secured space for our tutoring program in Congressional Office buildings and the U.S. Department of Education.

For her work at Horton’s Kids, Karin received a number of honors including the WJLA-ABC 7 Working Women Award, the Bryn Mawr School Young Alumni Award, and a briefing with former President George W. Bush followed by a Presidential mention as a “social entrepreneur” in a national speech on mentoring. She was also WETA’s Hometown Hero and featured on NBC Nightly News’ “Making a Difference.”

Since her retirement, Karin continues to remain an important part of the Horton’s Kids family. She provides consulting services to Horton’s Kids and volunteers at tutoring every Monday night with her teenage daughter.

Karin graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Foreign Affairs. She attended graduate school at Catholic University’s School of Social Service and has a certificate from the Sorbonne University in Paris. She is married and has three children.