She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Central Arkansas, and a Master of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Kansas, studying under Dr. Jack Winerock. Following graduate school she switched gears dramatically and applied to law school. She received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wyoming and is licensed to practice there. Karla is also a self-taught visual artist. Her work has been exhibited in juried shows in Wyoming and Colorado, and her paintings are held in private collections throughout the United States, Canada and France, and in public collections in Wyoming. Pier 1 Imports has been selling reproductions of her paintings since 2014. She recently relocated from Fort Collins, CO to Kansas City where she is writing her first musical.