Karen Morrison Recognized as 2025 Inspiring Woman by Columbus CEO Magazine
Karen Morrison, president, OhioHealth Foundation and senior vice president, OhioHealth, has spent over three decades expanding the possibilities of community health across central Ohio. In recognition of her impact, Morrison has been named one of Columbus CEO magazine's 2025 Inspiring Women.
Morrison's path was clear from an early age. Raised in a home where wellness wasn’t just a goal but a way of life, her father, an OB-GYN, and her mother, a medical researcher, were her first teachers.
“I always saw myself behind the scenes, figuring out how to create a big impact in the community,” she told Columbus CEO. “When I learned about public health, it really clicked with my values.”
She got her start as a hospital candy striper in high school and continued volunteering while attending Vanderbilt University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology. After returning to Columbus, she pursued a graduate degree in preventive medicine at Ohio State University and began her career in 1988 as an epidemiologist at Riverside Methodist Hospital.
It didn’t take long for her passion for community health to be noticed. Morrison was invited to take on broader responsibilities in government and community relations and later enhanced her skills with a law degree from Capital University.
Today, she leads OhioHealth’s strategy for external affairs, where her focus is clear: increasing access to care, promoting health equity and building stronger, healthier communities.
A key priority is decreasing infant mortality. A challenge she’s meeting head-on through OhioHealth’s Wellness on Wheels program. Mobile units are dispatched to underserved neighborhoods, offering prenatal and postpartum care to mothers and their infants. Other community programs support chronic disease prevention through resources for weight reduction, nutrition, exercise and diabetes screenings.
“I’m very fortunate to be here at OhioHealth and lead initiatives that encourage and enhance community service among our associates and colleagues and develop programs to impact and improve health and decrease health disparities,” Morrison said.
She also hopes her work will inspire younger women to recognize the many opportunities available to them for personal growth and to live their healthiest, most fulfilling lives.
“I believe that what really drives Karen’s leadership, both at work and in our community, is the idea that while personal efforts can lead to quick wins, real progress and lasting change come from working together,” said Donna James, secretary of the OhioHealth board of directors. “She builds connections with government, businesses, community groups and individuals for the greater good.”
Morrison’s dedication to service extends beyond her role at OhioHealth. She is involved in numerous community organizations, serving on the boards of Park National Corp., Greif Inc., Palmer-Donavin and the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. She is also a founding director of Adelphi Bank and a member of the Executive Leadership Council, The Links Inc., the National Association of Corporate Directors, Women Corporate Directors and Deloitte’s Board Ready Women.
