Senator Karen Berg Contact information

Karen Berg, born on December 30, 1961, is a distinguished physician and professor who also serves in the Kentucky State Senate, representing the 26th District. She was elected to the Kentucky Senate as a Democrat in a special election held on June 23, 2020, defeating Bill Ferko. She succeeded Senator Ernie Harris, who resigned on April 15, 2020.

Berg is a graduate of Central High School in Louisville, Kentucky. She furthered her education at the University of Kentucky where she earned her Bachelor of Arts, and the University of Louisville, where she earned a Doctor of Medicine in 1987. She is the daughter of Harold Berg, a physician and artist.

Professionally, Berg is a diagnostic radiologist. She also serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Louisville. Berg ran for the Kentucky State Senate in 2018, losing the seat to incumbent Ernie Harris. However, she won the seat in a special election in June 2020 after Harris announced his retirement. This was the first time in 25 years that the seat was won by a Democrat. She is the only Jewish member serving on the Kentucky State Senate.

Berg supports Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s efforts to reinstate Kentucky’s health insurance exchange, a program that was abandoned by previous Republican governor Matt Bevin. Berg is a member of the Kentucky Antisemitism Task Force started by Governor Andy Beshear on December 21, 2023. The task force was founded as a response to bomb threats across the United States that targeted many locations including Kentucky synagogues. The task force is also responsible for revising training for law enforcement and Holocaust curriculum in Kentucky public middle and high schools.

During the 2023 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly, Berg sponsored five amendments to Senate Bill 150: AN ACT relating to children. Her advocacy for LGBTQ+ youth in Kentucky prevented the passage of the bill.