Karen is a 3x grantee of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Artist Fellowship for her fiber artwork and has won Cultural Studies and DEI research awards. Baker is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Design, NCSU. She was part of the inaugural cohort for the MFA in Social Practice at Corcoran School of Art and Design, and alumni of the 2020-2021 Vogue Knitting Launchpad Business Incubator Program. Karen sits on the Board of Surface Design Association and the Equity, Access, and Integration Committee: and is a member of the National Museum of Women In the Arts; American Craft Council; Costume Society of America, Craft Industry Alliance, and Nest Co-Op.