KAREN PARKS is currently a general assignment reporter and weekend anchor for FOX45. She joined the News Team in July 2000. Before moving to Baltimore, she was a reporter/anchor for WJXX in Jacksonville, Florida.

Karen's journalism career began in 1998 in Washington, DC where she was a reporter trainee for the COX Washington Bureau. In July of 1998, she landed her first job as a Capital correspondent for Capital News Service. There she reported Capital news for many NBC stations across the state as well as for the Florida News Channel.

Karen's first career was not journalism. She graduated from Spelman College with a BA in English. Afterwards, she was granted a full scholarship to receive a dual Masters in reading and early childhood education. Upon graduating, she was offered a job with the Fulton County Board of Education, where she taught kindergarten for three years. She was then recruited by the Montgomery County Board of Education in Maryland to teach first grade. She taught for three more years before becoming a reporter.

Karen is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She is a member of the National Association for Black Journalists and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

E-mail Karen: kparks@foxbaltimore.com