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Karen K. Reczek (Fed)
Social Scientist
Karen K. Reczek is a Social Scientist within the Standards Coordination Office (SCO). Karen works with high level Federal, State, Local & private sector officials to coordinate standards development to identify and support development of standard activities and programs to meet Federal needs. Karen also advises on the design and development of electronic information products, database applications and internal and external web sites, including system functionality, record and/or site design, and user interface. She is responsible for management and promotion of the “Standards Information Center” and its research and analysis services, including providing standards landscape and alerting services to support the mission of NIST, DOC and the USG. Karen serves as Vice Chair of the Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP.)
Karen is a member of ASTM International’s E30 Forensic Science Executive Committee and serves as Subcommittee Chair for E30.92 Terminology. Karen was the President of the SES: The Society for Standards Professionals Board of Directors from August 2021 - December of 2023.
Previously. Karen worked at Bureau Veritas as Senior Manager, Information Resources Center for 14 years and prior to that at Bristol-Myers Squibb in Scientific and Information Resources and Services for 8 years. Karen has over 26 years’ experience in standards and conformity assessment activities and research. Karen holds a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from the State University of NY at Buffalo and a BS Double Major in Social Sciences and Humanities from Clarkson University.
Awards
2024 ANSI Finegan Standards Medal
Ms. Reczek received the Finegan Standards Medal, which honors individuals who have shown extraordinary leadership in the actual development and application of voluntary standards.
2023 Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award
Ms. Reczek is one of nine people awarded this 2023 Gold Medal. The team is recognized for extraordinary leadership in establishing the infrastructure for the U.S. to increase stakeholder participation in forensic science standards development. They have created an inclusive, collaborative environment that has led to the development of U.S. consensus standards that promote the scientific underpinnings and improve the quality of forensic science practices. Their exceptional leadership harmonized significant differences in U.S. stakeholder viewpoints, promoted cooperation across groups, and rendered the complex standardization world accessible to the forensic community.
2022 NIST Edward Bennett Rosa Award
Ms. Reczek is recognized for leading the implementation of consensus standards development across the U.S. forensic science landscape, moving that community from a tradition of single stakeholder standards development into balanced consensus processes. Ms. Reczek’s coordination efforts have increased NIST’s influence in these critical standards. The result has enhanced the quality and scientific foundation of forensic standards.
2022 Department of Commerce Silver Medal Award
The team is recognized for its exceptional leadership and outstanding technical innovation to strengthen the resilience of the nation’s Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) infrastructure and services. Through intense collaboration with users, service providers, and manufacturers, the group developed PNT cybersecurity guidance to help organizations make risk-informed cybersecurity decisions on their use of PNT services. The team also developed a service to deliver precision timing signals over optical fiber – an innovative new capability in the United States.
2022 Forensic Sciences Award from ASTM International
The committee confers this award in recognition of continuous and outstanding contributions to the development of standards for E30 on forensic sciences and the forensic science industry.
2019 SES/CSA Lorne K. Wagner Memorial Award
The SES/CSA Lorne K. Wagner Memorial Award was established in 2001 to recognize a Society for Standards Professionals (SES) member who has made an outstanding contribution to SES.
2018 John Cotton Dana Award from the Special Libraries Association (SLA)
The John Cotton Dana Award is SLA’s top honor, named for SLA’s founder and first president. It is granted to an information professional to recognize a lifetime of achievement as well as exceptional service to SLA and the library and information profession.
Membership and Professional Activities
ASTM International
Member, 2018 – Present
Membership Secretary, E30 Forensic Sciences, 2019 - December 2023
Chair, E30.92 Terminology Subcommittee, January 2023 - Present
American Academy of Forensic Science Standards Board (ASB) Footwear and Tire Consensus Body
Member, March 2021 – October 2023
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Member, ANSI Executive Standards Council, January 2024 - Present
ISO US Technical Advisory Group / TC 272 Forensic Sciences
US Delegate, Jan 2017 – December 2024
Organization for Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science
Oct 2014 – Sept 2022
NIST Ex-Officio Member, Forensic Science Standards Board, 2019 - 2022; Chair, Quality Infrastructure Committee, 2014 - 2018
SES: The Society for Standards Professionals
Member, Aug 2013 - Present
President, Board of Directors, 2021-2023
Past President, Board of Directors, 2024-2026
Special Libraries Association (SLA)
Jan 1989 – Jun 2022
Various Leadership Positions. Held numerous elected and appointed positions at the SLA International, Chapter and Divisional levels including serving on the Board of Directors two different times.
Women in Standards
Vice President, Board of Directors, Jan 2020 – December 2023