Karen Sewell is the Resident Appreciation in Daybreak (R.A.D.) Award recipient for October 2020.

One neighbor shared, “Karen has led the Daybreak Arts Council to bring beautiful art into our community. She has worked tirelessly to involve the community in the process, putting tons of work into the Art Walk. Karen is a leader in our community and should be recognized.”

Karen and her family moved to Daybreak in 2013 and built their first home in the North Shore Village. They loved Daybreak so much that in 2018 they built another home and moved to Heights Park, where they live now.

Karen says, “What I love best about Daybreak is the sense of community we feel here. We have neighbors from so many diverse backgrounds, and I love that our daughters get to grow up in a place that is made up of people who aren’t exactly like they are. They have the chance to experience how different cultures, backgrounds, and ideas can come together to create a community where all are welcome.”

Karen is a second-generation Chinese American and grew up in Murray, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Psychology then began her own business as a family photographer over 10 years ago. In Daybreak, she has been involved with the Arts Council, planning the lantern festival in 2019, LiveDAYBREAK’s Pillar Talk series, and a few of the LiveDAYBREAK clubs. She has also volunteered with the Parent-Teacher organization at Early Light Academy here in the neighborhood and with several other community organizations throughout the Salt Lake valley.

She and her husband Matt live here with their three daughters (10-year-old twins and a 6-year-old) and their poodle, Murphy. Karen loves Utes football, wine, writing, and watching Netflix. Her favorite snack is movie theatre popcorn. She is the oldest of four kids, and she shares a birthday with her younger sister, though they are 8 years apart. She has lived mostly in Utah but has also lived in New Jersey, Indiana, and Massachusetts. Her favorite place to travel to (so far!) is Paris.


About the LiveDAYBREAK R.A.D. Award
Giving back is one of LiveDAYBREAK's pillars, and we are looking for a Daybreak resident who personifies this value by helping make our community better. We need your help to identify these types of residents, so we can spotlight and reward them with the LiveDAYBREAK Resident Appreciation in Daybreak (R.A.D.) Award. We will choose one nominee every other month for the award and highlight their good deeds on our website.

Visit R.A.D. Award Page