My name is Karen Sprengel Parrish. I was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania and grew up in Carlisle, PA. I graduated from Carlisle High School and from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA. I went through four different college majors before I landed on the one I was happy with, but it HAD to be something to do with music, because it was and always will be in my blood.
I attended Towson State University in Towson, MD for Music Education and Music, and then transferred to Lebanon Valley for Music and then Communications followed by Music Business, which was where I ended up. I finished my degree while working full time and attending school full time at schools in and around Lancaster, PA (Lancaster Bible College & Franklin and Marshall College).
All of this history to say I worked in my chosen career for 15 years, and then I didn’t. Looking back, while I love music, I kind of wish I had followed one of my other passions, science or design, but I have no regrets. Life is too short for that, and I have way too many amazing memories from what I call my ‘other life,’ and made so many friends who are family that I wouldn’t change any of it for anything.
Now I live in North Carolina, where I moved after I got married to my fantastic husband, Robin Parrish, who is an author (look him up… for reals!). We were married in 2005, honeymooned in Vegas (YEAH we did!) and settled into life here in High Point, the “Furniture Capital of the World.” (That’s true!)
We have two children, my favorite son, and my favorite daughter. They are both the smartest people I have ever met. They are hilarious and no matter what they end up doing, I know they will be amazing.
That’s my story in a very short nutshell. My likes and dislikes are so eclectic that I wouldn’t try and nail them down. I do know that I inevitably find something in common with just about everyone I come in contact with. I find that that can be true for anyone. In fact, we probably all have more in common with each other than we think.
