About Karen

​Karen Gros is the Associate Director of Program Development at the Ozark Center for Lifestyle Medicine and the Founder of Karen Gros Wellness Cooking School and Travel. She holds a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell, a Wellness Counseling Certificate from eCornell, and is currently enrolled in the Food Revolution Network’s Plant-Based Coaching Program. Karen is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

For 20 years, Karen taught French cooking classes in her Provençal-style home in Northwest Arkansas, emphasizing organic ingredients sourced from local farms. After watching The Game Changers documentary and facing health challenges of her own, she made a transformative shift in her diet and lifestyle, gaining deep insight into the power of nutrition. Knowing that we can prevent, and even reverse, chronic disease through dietary change is deeply empowering.

Karen is passionate about helping you experience the hope and healing that come from practicing the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections. She is dedicated to building meaningful connections in the community and expanding access to programs that empower you to take charge of your health and well-being.

In addition to her work in lifestyle medicine, Karen designs holistic travel experiences that enable you to maintain well-being while exploring the world. As a French-speaking dual citizen, she curates small-group “insider” tours to Europe that nourish body, mind, and spirit—creating opportunities for you to connect and feel fully alive.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Karen enjoys spending time with family and friends, practicing yoga, hiking, reading, and spending time in nature.