Karen Sacks, Esq.
​Founder & Executive Director

Through close to a decade working for animal welfare causes, Karen has deepened her commitment to advancing animal welfare and has a profound appreciation for the human-animal bond. PAW was created in an effort to do more to protect animals and promote the wellbeing of animals and people,
​for the benefit of all.

Karen brings a wealth of nonprofit and animal welfare experience to PAW. ​In 2000, she and a group of NJ lawyers founded a nonprofit dedicated to increasing legal representation to the underserved of NJ. She then served as its Founding Executive Director for sixteen years during which she grew the organization from its initial concept to a statewide organization and model legal services organization serving more than 4,000 indigent New Jersey residents each year. Her year-long consultancy as Chief Strategic Officer helped assure the organization's long-term viability.  She received many awards for her work with VLJ including her most recent award: “2021 Community Visionary Award” at VLJ’s 20th Anniversary Gala.

Karen has worked as an advocate for animal welfare for well over a decade, first as a volunteer for her local animal shelter, the Montclair Township Animal Shelter, and then as trustee and Chair of the Friends of the Montclair Township Animal Shelter board. She currently chairs Montclair Township’s Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and in 2021 was appointed by the Humane Society of the United States as a New Jersey Humane Policy Leader. 

Karen received her B.A. at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and her law degree at New York University School of Law. She lives in NJ with her husband, two sons and four rescue dogs.

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