Karen Carlson, PhD

A child and grandchild of Holocaust survivors, Karen Glinert Carlson grew in Chicago in a “culture of silence,” knowing next to nothing about her family’s past. This led to confusion about her personal identity. In 2018 she was invited by leaders of Ulm, Germany, her mother’s hometown, to give a presentation about her family’s relationship to Albert Einstein. He had provided the lifesaving sponsorship and crucial financial support to rescue her mother and grandparents from Hitler’s Germany. It was to change her life. Since then, she has dedicated herself to tracing her family’s history before, during and after the Holocaust, a journey that has taken her to fourteen countries on three continents, during which she uncovered stories both heart breaking and inspiring, but best of all, she uncovered family.

A cousin of Albert Einstein, she worked with the City of Ulm to create a museum in the city of his birth, which honors Einstein and members of the Jewish community from Ulm, including her own family. She has spent more than two years total living in Europe to research her ancestors. In 2024, she returned to inaugurate Die Einsteins: Einer Ulmer Familie. Dr. Carlson also contributes to the planned Albert Einstein Discovery Center in Ulm with a particular interest in highlighting facets of Einstein’s humanitarian impact and she serves on the advisory board of the Princeton Einstein Museum.

Dr. Carlson was an educator for forty years, serving in a variety of roles: teacher, principal, executive director of the Chicago Schools Academic Accountability Council, director of specialized services, associate superintendent in Waukegan and superintendent of Cook County District 92. She was Associate Professor and Director of Leadership Programs at Dominican University, Director of Student Teaching Placement at Lake Forest College and has served as an executive leadership coach and professional developer for school leaders throughout metropolitan Chicago. She holds a doctorate in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University. Karen Glinert Carlson serves on a variety of boards including the Waukegan Historical Society, the United Way of Lake County Community Impact Board, Leadership Greater Chicago Fellows Board, and the Princeton Einstein Museum Advisory Board. Dr. Carlson has given presentations internationally and is writing a memoir, Einstein’s Gift, about her journey.

A Waukegan resident, Karen is married to Don Johnson and has two children, four stepchildren, five grandchildren and four step grandchildren.