Karen Armitage, M.D.

Karen Armitage is a pediatrician and public health physician. As an associate clinical professor at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, she directs “Vision 2020,” a statewide health improvement initiative. Armitage is founding and co-attending physician for a required rotation engaging family medicine residents in the state legislative process and training residents in essential public health roles. She developed and leads an interprofessional seminar to introduce senior medical and pharmacy students to basic law for health professionals, and teaches public health and health policy to medical students.

Previously, Armitage was chief medical officer for the New Mexico Department of Health. Earlier, as a regional health officer, she managed outbreaks and emerging infections, and provided community health planning, assessment, and direct clinical services. Following 9/11, she was trained at the U.S. Department of Defense in risk communication and message mapping, and then trained health department staff and community partners statewide.

Armitage is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the legislative subcommittee of the New Mexico Pediatric Society. She is a Rotary Club Paul Harris fellow and was a National Public Health Leadership Institute Scholar from 2004 to 2005.

Armitage graduated with honors with a BA in biology and then earned an MD from the University of California, San Diego. She completed a pediatric residency and a postdoctoral fellowship in child health promotion at the University of New Mexico.