Karen Shepherd papers

Collection

Identifier: ACCN 1426

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Karen Shepherd papers document this Congresswoman's term as the representative for Utah's 2nd district in the United States House of Representatives, her campaigns, and her tenure as U. S. Executive Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The bulk of the collection centers around congressional reform, an important issue for members of the freshman class of the 103rd Congress, many of whom campaigned on reform platforms. The collection contains correspondence, notebooks, speeches, research files, news clippings, drafts of bills and resolutions, press releases, memorabilia, and reports prepared by the Congressional Research Service, the Democratic Study Group, and private lobbyist organizations. In addition to congressional reform, Shepherd was interested in women's issues, the environment, crime, welfare, the North American Free Trade Agreement, land use, community development, and the Theater Missile Defense and Advanced Solid Rocket Motor programs. There are also records for the Karen Shepherd Fund, an organization which provided stipends to students from Utah's higher education institutions so that they may earn credit while working for the state's Democratic politicians and political candidates.

Dates

1940-2012

Creator

Shepherd, Karen, 1940- (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical Sketch

Karen Shepherd was born in Silver City, New Mexico, on 5 July 1940, to LaVerna and Ralph Felker. Felker's job with the U. S. Department of Agriculture required frequent moves, and Karen and her younger brother, Gary were educated in a variety of schools in small towns in Utah. Shepherd received a B.A. in English from the University of Utah in 1962 and was awarded an M.A. in British Literature at Brigham Young University the following year. Shepherd taught high school and college English in Utah, in Washington, and at the American University of Cairo. In 1974, Shepherd served as Utah County coordinator for the Wayne Owens for Senate Campaign. She was affiliated with the Salt Lake County Division of Social Services in the mid-1970s, serving first as assistant to the director and then as director. In 1978 Shepherd became director of continuing education for Westminster College. That year also saw the debut of Network magazine, a publication designed for women moving away from traditional home-centered roles. Shepherd was editor of Network and president of Webster Publishing for ten years. In 1988, she was appointed director of development and community relations for the Graduate School of Business and College of Business at the University of Utah. In 1992, Shepherd defeated Republican Enid Greene for the 2nd district congressional seat on a platform that stressed children's issues, fiscal responsibility, deficit reduction, and congressional reform. Following her defeat by Greene in 1994, Shepherd taught at the Institute of Politics at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. After serving as an election monitor on the West Bank and Gaza, she joined former President Jimmy Carter and an international delegation in monitoring the January 1996 election in that area. She was appointed as U.S. Executive Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 1996.

Extent

38.25 Linear Feet (74 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Boxes 1-20 were donated by Karen Shepherd in 1995.

Boxes 21-24 were donated by Karen Shepherd in 2006.

Boxes 25-49 were donated by Karen Shepherd in 2011.

Boxes 50-58 were donated by Karen Shepherd in 2012.

Boxes 59-74 were donated by Karen Shepherd in 2015.

Related Materials

Forms part of the Aileen H. Clyde 20th Century Women's Legacy Archives.

Separated Materials

See also the Karen Shepherd photograph collection (P1709) and audio tapes in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.

Processing Information

Processed by Karen Carver in 1996.

Processed by Erin McCarthy in 2006.

Processed by Karen Carver in 2011.

Processed by Julia Huddleston in 2012.

Processed by Vanessa Barnes in 2019.

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