Karen Callahan is the sole proprietor of Adventures Online, a responsive WordPress website design and development firm in Marlborough, MA. Karen launched Adventures Online in 1997 in order to provide local businesses with the expertise required to operate in the new “flat” world.

In the beginning, she designed and developed websites primarily using HTML and JavaScript, then websites with additional functionality via custom PHP/MySQL programs, then websites with blogs, then entire websites built on WordPress for the CMS value, and now, Karen develops websites using WordPress exclusively. In the old days, she looked for reasons “to” build a website using WordPress. Now, in this multi-device world, Karen looks for reasons “not” to build a website using WordPress. Finding no deal-breaking reasons, the website is built with a custom or publicly available responsive WordPress theme.

Karen has built 80 – 100 WordPress blogs & websites. Her experience dates back to when WordPress was known as “b2”. She works in a Linux environment. Associated buzz words are: LAMP, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, jQuery, Ajax, PHP, MySQL, WooCommerce, WishList.

Karen trains clients with all levels of WordPress expertise; from How to build a website using WordPress to How to maintain a WordPress website to How to add functionality to a WordPress website. One client went on to build three of her own websites, one of which is a revenue-producing membership (subscription) website. Karen’s favorite scenario is when a client manages their own WordPress website, and calls on her to complete complex stuff or for more advanced training. (The caregiver, creator, and sage archetypes get satisfied!)

Karen considers herself a student of WordPress. She attends WordPress Meetups and WordCamps (and any other WordPress related seminar/workshop that comes to her attention), and in late 2014, even collaborated with a number of other volunteers to build plugins for Boston WordPress Meetup’s new website. In every WordPress-related activity, Karen finds “that one little nugget” of knowledge, and usually, several new nuggets of knowledge.

“It is terrific to hear others’ experiences with WordPress; to learn how other WordPress developers approach their projects and how they implement plugins and customization. We all come from different backgrounds and I enjoy hearing about how others got to relatively the same place traveling a totally different path” – Karen

When not building websites…I am an avid No Limit Hold’em player and fan; Lover of the Arches, Canyonland and Sorrel River Ranch in Moab, UT; Like laugh-out-loud activities like watching “Last Comic Standing” and reading Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.

I’m psyched for this year’s @WordCampRI. Want to know more about how I feel about WordCamp Rhode Island?
  
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