{{Short description|American chiropractor and politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Karen Mathiak | image = File:Official headshot of Karen Mathiak.jpg | office = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives | term_start = January 9, 2017 | term_end = | predecessor = John Yates | successor = | constituency = 73rd District (2017–2023) <br/> 74th District (2023–2025) <br/> 82nd District (2025–Present) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|11|06}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = | children = | party = Republican | occupation = Chiropractor, politician }}
'''Karen Irene Mathiak'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karen Irene Mathiak |url=https://govsalaries.com/mathiak-karen-irene-146590829 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=GovSalaries |language=en-us}}</ref> (born November 6, 1955) is an American chiropractor and politician from Georgia. Mathiak is a Republican member of the Georgia House of Representatives.
==Early life== Mathiak was born in Michigan.<ref name="life_mathiak"/>
==Education== In 1984, Mathiak graduated from the Doctor of Chiropractic program from Life University in Marietta, Georgia.<ref name="life_mathiak">{{cite web |url=https://www.life.edu/faces-of-life-dr-karen-mathiak/ |title=Karen Mathiak, D.C. Leading in Chiropractic and Beyond |website=life.edu |access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref><ref name="votesmart_mathiak"/>
==Career== Mathiak started her career as a chiropractic assistant for Dr. Ron Graves. Mathiak became a chiropractor.<ref name="life_mathiak"/>
In 2003, Mathiak was appointed to become a member of the Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners by Governor Sonny Perdue. In 2011, Mathiak was appointed to the Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners again by Governor Nathan Deal.<ref name="atlanta_matjiak2017" >{{cite web |url=https://atlantaunfiltered.com/2016/07/13/house-candidate-karen-mathiak-hd-73/#.YGPlImllAzQ |title=Karen I. Mathiak (R-Griffin) |website=atlantacunfiltered.com |date=2017 |access-date=March 30, 2021 |archive-date=October 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016025401/http://atlantaunfiltered.com/2016/07/13/house-candidate-karen-mathiak-hd-73/#.YGPlImllAzQ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On November 8, 2016, Mathiak won the election and became a Republican member of Georgia House of Representatives for District 73. Mathiak defeated Rahim Talley with 64.53% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=817748 |title=GA State House 073 |website=ourcampaigns.com |date=November 8, 2016 |access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref> On November 6, 2018, as an incumbent, Mathiak won the election unopposed and continued serving District 73.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=817748 |title=GA State House 073 |website=ourcampaigns.com |date=November 6, 2018 |access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref> On November 3, 2020, as an incumbent, Mathiak won the election and continued serving District 73. Mathiak defeated William Harris.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=895355 |title=GA State House 073 |website=ourcampaigns.com |date=November 3, 2020 |access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.griffindailynews.com/news/local_news/mathiak-fends-off-challenge-from-harris/article_d8decdf4-f740-5ea4-a992-cb333856fc13.html |title=Mathiak fends off challenge from Harris |website=griffindailynews.com |date=November 4, 2020 |access-date=March 30, 2021}}(Required subscription.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.legis.ga.gov/members/house/4894?session=1029 |title=Representative Karen Mathiak |website=legis.ga.gov |access-date=March 30, 2021}}</ref><ref name="votesmart_mathiak">{{cite web |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/168333/karen-mathiak |title=Karen Mathiak's Biography |publisher=Vote Smart |access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref>
In the 2024 Georgia House of Representatives election, she was redistricted to District 82.
==Personal life== Mathiak's husband is Marty. Mathiak and her family live in Griffin, Georgia.<ref name="atlanta_matjiak2017" /><ref name="votesmart_mathiak"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://ballotpedia.org/Karen_Mathiak Karen Mathiak at ballotpedia.org] * [https://weneedkaren.com weneedkaren.com] * [https://www.congressweb.com/gwf/legislators/info/mbr_id/2183/#/legislators/info/mbr_id/2183/ Karen Mathiak at congressweb.com]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ga-hs}} {{s-bef | before = John Yates }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives <br/> from the 73rd district | years = 2017–2023 }} {{s-aft | after = Josh Bonner }} |- {{s-bef | before = Yasmin Neal }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives <br/> from the 74th district | years = 2023–Present }} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}} {{Georgia House of Representatives}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mathiak, Karen}} Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:American chiropractors Category:Life University alumni Category:Living people Category:People from Griffin, Georgia Category:Women state legislators in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Republican Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives Category:1955 births Category:21st-century members of the Georgia General Assembly