FARMINGTON – The Franklin County Children’s Task Force has welcomed Karen Luker to their Growing Healthy Families Home visiting staff as a family support worker.

Luker graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a minor in psychology. Upon graduation she became a long-term substitute teacher at then Mt. Blue Junior High School before moving to SAD 36 and teaching fourth-grade at Livermore Falls Elementary School.

When Luker became a mother, she decided to take time to be a stay-at-home mom and volunteered in the Parent to Parent Home Visiting Program at the Children’s Task Force for three years.

In 1996 she received her certification from the ALACE in Boston, Mass., and became a certified doula, attending more than 25 births since then. In 1997 Luker returned to SAD 9 and served in a variety of positions. Most recently, she was the teen parenting and child development teacher at Mt. Blue High School, where she provided support and encouragement to those teenagers who were parenting as well as those who were thinking of entering the early childhood field.

“Karen has dedicated her life to improving the lives and outcomes of the children in Franklin County and will be a welcome addition to our staff,” said Executive Director Renee Blanchet. “We knew that she was able to build rapport with teens because of her work at the high school and she came highly recommended from those who worked with her and we are looking forward to her continuing to provide exceptional service to all young families in our area.”