Karen Gourley, born in Sheldon, Iowa, attended undergraduate school at Augustana College, graduating in 2003 with a B.A. in Computer Information systems. Karen attended law school at the University of South Dakota, where she authored an article for the South Dakota Law Review titled "The Environmental Protection Agency's 'major emitting facility' Definition and Its Effect on Ethanol Facilities: a Review of the Amended Rule and Its Potential Pitfalls and Successes in South Dakota" and served as Lead Articles Editor for Volume 54 of the Law Review. Karen received her juris doctorate and master of business administration in 2009 and joined May & Johnson P.C. in September of that same year.
