Karen Kwan

Karen Kwan is a Democratic member of the Utah State Senate representing District 12, which includes parts of Taylorsville, West Valley City, and Kearns in Salt Lake County. She was first elected to the Utah House of Representatives in 2016, serving until 2023, and was appointed to the Senate in January 2023 to fill a vacancy, later winning election to the seat. She serves as Minority Whip in the Senate Democratic Caucus and is running for re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election against Republican Deidre Tyler. Kwan holds a B.A. and M.A. in psychology from Pepperdine University and an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah; she previously worked as a professor of psychology at Salt Lake Community College and is the first Chinese American to serve in the Utah Legislature.