Karen Adams

Karen Adams is an award winning anchor at Eyewitness News now celebrating over twenty years with WPRI-TV and Fox Providence.

Her broadcast career began in radio news, but she quickly moved into television news. Her extensive background in television includes reporting, anchoring and management as a news director at television stations in Missouri, Maryland and North Carolina.

She received an honorary doctorate from New England Tech and was bestowed a doctor of humane letters degree.

During her years in broadcasting, Karen has won many awards for her work including the coveted boston.emmyonline.org/ for individual achievement in anchoring for all of New England. She also has another Emmy as part of an Overall Team Effort on coverage of a Breaking News Story. She’s had numerous Emmy nominations and is the recipient of many

Associated Press

awards for outstanding reporting and feature stories. While working in Maryland, she received the “Gavel Award” from the

Maryland Bar Association

for her documentary on the state’s Judicial system and was recognized for this work in the Maryland State Senate.

As News Director, news operations under her leadership have won many Associated Press Awards including “Best Newscast.” In 2005, Karen was inducted into the “Silver Circle” of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. This most prestigious honor goes to broadcasters who have worked at least twenty-five years in television and who have made a significant contribution to the industry through their work and service.

Karen’s reporting has taken her from coverage of hurricanes along the East Coast to political reporting in Washington, D. C. he has traveled on a Far East Trade Mission with two United States Governors - sending reports back to the states from Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan; Seoul, South Korea and Hong Kong. A trip to Cape Verde included coverage of the country’s first democratic election. Her travels included coverage of the economic impact of the movement of factory jobs from New England to Mexico.

Other highlights of her live reporting include several trips to the Super Bowl to report on the New England Patriots.

The big stories in Rhode Island will find Karen live from the scene or leading the coverage from the anchor desk. She’s also moderated many political debates over the years.

On Thursdays at 10 and 11 pm, her “Best Bets” feature local entertainment, theatre and the arts and local community festivals.

For several years, she co-hosted “Today’s Rhode Island National Guard” which was a half hour monthly program on the local PBS station which provided information about the National Guard including deployments as well as “welcome home” events for the men and worm in uniform and their families. For this work, she received the “President’s Award” in 2005 from the RI National Guard.

Karen’s community involvement is far-reaching and extensive. She is currently on the Board of Trustees for Meeting Street and the Board of Trustees for Community Preparatory School . Her past board involvements include serving seven years as a Bank Director for BankRI; a board member for Trinity Repertory Company, Friends of the Sophia Academy; an “honorary” Big Sister with Big Sisters of Rhode Island; former Board Member with the Providence Animal Rescue League, Diabetes Foundation and Eastman House. Her other charities are numerous including: Aids Care Ocean State; Ronald McDonald House Providence; MADD; Wolf School; RI State Commission on Women; American Cancer Society, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer; Good Samaritans; Providence Center; Groden Center; Amos House; Crossroads; San Miguel School; VIPS; Harmony Hill School; Cranston ARC ; Fogarty Center; Special Olympics; March of Dimes; Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Butler Hospital.

In October 2009, Karen received the John H. Chafee Community Service Award from the United Way – presented to an outstanding Rhode Islander whose career accomplishments include years of consistent dedication and action on behalf of underprivileged people.

In November of 2009, Karen will be presented the “Outstanding Service Award” during the National Philanthropy Day luncheon at the RI Convention Center for her commitment to non-profit organizations.

Other awards she has received include: “Community Champion” from CCRI;Life Long Learning Award from Providence Volunteers in Public Schools; “Unsung Hero” award from Meeting Street; named to the “Circle of Stars” with the Providence Center; Lifetime Achievement Award from Advent House; “Woman of Distinction” from the Miss America/ Miss Rhode Island Scholarship Pageant; named “Outstanding Career Woman” by the Providence Business and Professional Women; The Rhode Island Civic Chorale Honored her for “outstanding contributions to the arts; she received the “Francis Lanctot Award” from the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket for contribution to the theatre, Special Olympics Rhode Island presented her with an award. She