Karen Colón Hayes was born in the Bronx to working-class parents and later made Malden, Massachusetts her home with her husband, Patrick Hayes, where they raised their family. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and psychology and completed graduate coursework at Simmons University’s School of Social Work. With more than 25 years of leadership and management experience, her career has included serving as business manager for an architecture firm and a family counseling and guidance center, as well as director of psychiatry research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In Malden, she has served as Director of Human Services and Community Outreach and has been deeply involved in community organizing—leading youth programs, senior initiatives, neighborhood improvements, and racial-equity efforts. She has continued this service as a Malden City Councillor-at-Large, where she champions inclusive governance, transparency, and equity.