Get to Know Me

Get to Know Me

About Karen Melissa-López Scott, MS

Karen Melissa-López Scott is a bilingual, Afro-Latina, cisgender woman who has dedicated more than a decade to serving communities impacted by trauma, violence, and systemic injustice. She brings both lived experience and professional expertise to her work, blending empathy with strategy to support survivors of gender-based violence, promote equity, and create lasting change.

A Career Rooted in Advocacy and Impact

Karen is a certified Domestic Violence Advocate in the state of New Jersey and has worked in the field of gender-based violence prevention and survivor advocacy since 2011. Her work has spanned multiple states and organizations, expanding her reach and deepening her impact. Throughout her career, Karen has guided survivors through their healing journeys—offering trauma-informed emotional support, legal advocacy, and personalized safety planning.

Workshop & Training Facilitation

Karen is a seasoned facilitator who has led hundreds of workshops and trainings on gender-based violence, trauma recovery, coercive control, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,Belonging, and Accessibility (DEIBA). Her sessions are known for being engaging, honest, and transformative—empowering participants to recognize harm, challenge bias, and build safer, more inclusive spaces.

Committed to Justice for All

Karen’s advocacy extends beyond gender-based violence work. She is deeply committed to uplifting and supporting communities that are historically oppressed and marginalized. Whether working with reentry programs, youth-serving organizations, legal professionals, or educational institutions, Karen champions culturally humble, survivor-centered approaches that emphasize dignity, empowerment, and access.

Education & Credentials

  • Master of Science in Human Services
    Specializing in trauma, crisis, and systems of care

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a Concentration in Addictions
    Foundation in mental health, behavioral change, and substance use recovery

  • Certified Domestic Violence Advocate (New Jersey)

  • Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate

Areas of Expertise

  • Survivor Advocacy: Over a decade of direct service in gender-based violence, domestic abuse, and trauma recovery

  • Expert Facilitation: High-impact, culturally humble trainings for nonprofits, legal teams, reentry programs, and schools

  • Legal & Systems Advocacy: Supporting survivors navigating legal systems; advising attorneys on trauma-informed practice

  • Transformational Leadership: Building partnerships across sectors to advance equity, healing, and safety

Karen is also a wife, mother, and lifelong learner. She is an activist and advocate for intersectional justice and social change. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her family, reading, and deepening her knowledge of healing, systems change, and human behavior.

A Personal Note from Karen

I am humbled that you’ve taken the time to learn more about me. My work is not just a profession—it’s personal. I’ve walked paths of pain, healing, and rediscovery. I bring that same understanding into every space I hold.

You are not your circumstances. Your past is part of your story—but it is not the whole story. You are enough just as you are. Together, we can begin the process of peeling back the layers and reconnecting with your power.

With love and light,
Karen Melissa-López Scott, MS
Founder & CEO, L.I.F.E. Recovery, Training, & Coaching