I graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City with a BFA in Illustration.

Books I have illustrated include CALVIN- winner of the 2022 Lambda Literary Award, A BOY LIKE YOU- winner of the 2019 EUREKA Gold Award, THE BOY WHO GREW A FOREST- winner of the 2020 Crystal Kite Award, and THURSDAY- featured in the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show.

I love animals, playing volleyball, hiking, and eating cookies with frosting. I live in Minnesota with my husband (the incredible tattoo artist Peter Harren) and our adorable dogs.

My name is pronounced like the “kay” in “okay + “la” as in “fa la la” and Harren rhymes with “barren” or “Karen.” My pronouns are she/her.

Clients include: Penguin Random House, Random House Children’s Books, Dial, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Two Lions Amazon Publishing, Highlights Magazine, Sleeping Bear Press, Capstone, Minnesota Historical Society Press, Skyhorse Publishing/Sky Pony Press, Ladybug Magazine, Wild Nature Institute, Lion Landscapes, Zoodinos Magazine, Click Magazine, FarFaria.