Karen Ramspacher is Vice President of Research at Oxygen Media, the only cable network owned and operated by women, which is rewriting the rulebook for women's television, and acting as a strong advocate for young women's needs and desires.

Ramspacher joined Oxygen in 1999 (as employee #56), and oversees The Women's Watch -- a yearly study of issues in and around women's lives, research on marketing to women, trends, and new technologies. Working at Oxygen has combined Karen's passion for women's issues with her natural curiosity, enabling her to bring insights to Oxygen and its clients. Prior to her position at Oxygen, she worked as a brand planner for six years at a number of boutique advertising agencies, mining for consumer insights across a number of industries.

Before segueing into the business world, Karen held a number of non-profit positions, including running a gynecology program at a community based clinic, Program Director at a statewide pro-choice political organization, and fundraising for a lesbian and gay health organization.

In touch with her community, Karen is a long-time AIDS and reproductive rights activist. She was a founding member of the direct action group WHAM (Women's Health Action and Mobilization), YELL (Youth Education Life Line providing AIDS info to teens); and WHEP (Women's Health Education Project providing education with, and for, women with HIV). She was a member of the board of directors of the Lower Eastside Girls Club which provides unique and innovative programs for lower income minority girls in her East Village/LES neighborhood, and is currently on the advisory board of WISH (Women's Initiative to Stop HIV).

She has been arrested over 2 dozen times in street demonstrations and protests, noting she is often charged but never convicted! Keeping a sense of humor in addition to raising her voice at protests, Karen also "sings" in a pro-choice/pro-gay drag group called "The Church Ladies for Choice" , known as the USO for the pro-choice movement.

Karen is a published author and lecturer about art and activism, and was a member of the artists' collective Group Material from 1988-1993 doing social and political art projects at museums and galleries around the world. She graduated from Wellesley College Magna Cum Laude in 1987 with a degree in Art History, and lives in New York City with her artist/DJ husband Dennis "Citizen" Kane and her one and half-year old son.