Karmen A. Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Marion, Arkansas. She pursued her undergraduate education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she majored in English Rhetoric and Africana Studies. Notably, Karmen made history in 2020 by becoming the first Black woman elected as SGA Student Body President. During her tenure, she spearheaded the development of a campus anti-discrimination policy, which was passed by the Tennessee House Education Committee, alongside providing essential COVID-19 support to the student body.

Her commitment to community service extended to her membership in the Zeta Delta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and creation of the Young Black Readers Foundation, which provides annual donations of books by Black authors to underfinanced school libraries.

Post-graduation, Jones relocated to Jackson, Mississippi, to reconnect with her maternal family roots. She served as a judicial extern under the Hon. Judge Latrice A. Westbrooks of the Mississippi Court of Appeals and subsequently clerked at the Hall Law Group. Her professional journey also included various communications roles supporting Black women candidates in judicial races in Mississippi and Tennessee.

In a unique endeavor, Karmen participated in a hybrid labor union experience through the Georgetown University WILL Empower program with the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Her responsibilities encompassed managing the union’s political endorsement process, supporting the local teachers’ union as they advocated for improved wages and inclusive curriculum and providing aid to rural Tennessee residents affected by natural disasters.

Jones continued her academic pursuit at the Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a Master of Public Administration in the summer of 2023. Her areas of study included public communications at Wharton Business School, repreparation frameworks for all levels of government, public data collection and financial analysis of how the City of Jackson manages the ongoing water crisis. Her capstone project, "The State of Black Women & Our Vote," focused on enhancing the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable's survey and data collection methods to determine areas of advocacy. As the President of Women of Fels, she facilitated engagement between students and mayoral candidates, organized campus-wide Black History Month events and collaborated with Planned Parenthood, Philadelphia, to offer care baskets for patients.

After moving to Washington, D.C., Karmen Jones served as a Communication Assistant for Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-03), a member of the Ways and Means Committee, and the Digital Director/Press Secretary for Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04). She aims to continue her advocacy for equity and social justice through strategic communications, public policy, and law.