Karen McElhatten

Director of Programs

After a long and successful career as an advertising sales team manager with Cox newspapers in Pittsburgh and Austin, Karen became a passionate hospice volunteer and professional hospice Volunteer Coordinator. She first learned about Swan Songs while visiting with a hospice patient in March of 2013.  There was a Swan Songs concert for one of the residents at the memory community and after witnessing the joy that this gift of music provided not only for the recipient, but for all the others attending, she knew that this was something she needed to be involved with.   It would be nearly a full year before she finally started as a Swan Songs volunteer liaison.  Ten years and 700 plus concerts later, she is the Director of Programs and is still grateful for that fateful day. 

Karen lives in SW Austin, with Lucy and Lilo, her feline roommates.  Volunteer work with hospice and the VA, exercise, being outdoors, music, time with friends, and learning pickleball fill up her days.