Karen Gunter

Karen Gunter is a board-certified Physician Assistant with over 23 years in plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, and orthopedic oncology.  She is currently the Physician Assistant to Dr. Renato Saltz. 

Karen’s experience includes practicing as a Physician Assistant with the world-renowned University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center in the Texas Medical Center Orthopedic Oncology Team.  During this time, she provided care for adults and children diagnosed with musculoskeletal tumors, providing multidisciplinary care in a comprehensive cancer center for patients with benign and malignant bone tumors, soft tissue tumors, and metastatic lesions. This unique opportunity was one of the most rewarding professionally for Karen. Being a part of a skilled team that could improve the quality of life of those afflicted with cancer is an emotion that is indescribable.

Before becoming a Physician Assistant, Karen had a unique career as a medical and life sciences instructor with NASA Johnson Space Center. From 1996 to 2003, she provided specialized instruction to Astronauts, Cosmonauts, Foreign Astronauts, and Ground Experiment Crews. She assisted with the development of NASA medical experiment equipment, research protocols, and writing and testing of NASA protocols. Karen provided specialized instruction for NASA Life Science Missions, Flight Experiment Support, and Crew Medical Officers for the missions including the NASA Shuttle, NASA/ MIR Russian Space Station, and NASA International Space Station to prepare for space travel as well as NASA ground experiments. 

Karen is a native of Texas who relocated to Utah in 2015. She has seen firsthand that cancer does not discriminate. She understands that it is the support of family, friends, colleagues, providers, and so many special people that allows a patient to process hearing a diagnosis, fight the disease and thrive during and after treatment. Karen is honored for the opportunity to join the Image Reborn Foundation and Dr. Renato Saltz on the mission of fulling lives with no-cost, restorative, and reassuring retreats building companionship and loving relationships that last forever.