Karen Saxon is a Buffalo, NY native. She is an alum of Buffalo State University (B.A. Vocal Performance) and the University of Scranton (M.S.Ed Educational Administration). An educator in the Buffalo Public Schools for over 25 years, Karen is a vocal music instructor at City Honors School & adjunct voice professor at Buffalo State. An accomplished pianist, vocalist, and choral conductor, Karen was the first ever Musical Director for Shea’s production of Once On This Island and Ujima Theater’s The Color Purple. Karen, with Naila Ansari Carbonell Catilo, co-founded Ansari-Saxon Productions, a Black female owned professional production company. Their inaugural production of “Dreamgirls” at Shea’s 710 broke attendance and sales records and introduced new Black artists and audiences to Shea’s 710. She serves on the Board of Directors for Starring Buffalo, The BPO, and Ade Jembe Fola: an African Drumming and Dance Troupe. Karen serves in the Music Ministry of the Friendship Baptist Church and is happily married to Darrell M. Saxon, President/CEO of the Thomas T. Edwards Funeral Home, Inc. The Saxons have three amazing children: Nathalie (Terrence), Christnell, and Karrengton Williams.