Damon Porter - Karen Taylor

Karen Taylor (formerly Winters) first appeared onscreen on April 18, 2007, portrayed by actress Nia Peeples. Initially a small guest role, she departed on May 13, 2008. However, Peeples returned to the role on June 13, 2008. In March 2009, it was announced that Peeples had been let go from the role, and her last airdate was May 14, 2009. A month before her final airdate, Peeples spoke out about her firing from the role, blasting her fellow cast members such as Kristoff St. John who played her onscreen husband, and Eva Marcille. The character was described as "a savvy political operative who, after managing Nikki Newman's senatorial campaign, landed a powerful executive position at Newman Enterprises."

History
Karen arrived in Genoa City as Nikki Newman's campaign manager for her Wisconsin state senate campaign; however Nikki lost the campaign and Karen was fired. She dated Neil Winters after his wife's death. His children, Lily Winters and Devon Hamilton, didn't approve of Karen after their mother's death, however later began to give her a chance. Karen and Neil moved in together; Lily then found herself pregnant by her boyfriend, Cane Ashby; Neil proposed to raise the child with Karen, but Karen was extremely against Neil's proposal, and subsequently moved out. Realizing he was still mourning over his late wife, Drucilla, Karen left town.

A month later, Neil traveled to New York to win Karen back; and proposed marriage. She rejected him however she returned to Genoa City and they got back together. She started to show a different side of herself when a woman named Tyra Hamilton came to town and began to spend time with Neil. Tyra was Devon's adoptive aunt and his birth mother Yolanda Hamilton's adoptive sister. Drucilla's sister, Dr. Olivia Winters, returned to Genoa City, and she recognized Karen as a past patient. After meeting, they agreed to keep the secret between them hidden. Shortly after, Karen confessed to Neil that she had a hysterectomy after learning that she could give her child cancer. She asked him to decide if he still wanted to be with her even though she could not bear children. Neil quickly reassured an uneasy Karen that he still wanted to be with her.

Upon hearing the news of Katherine Chancellor's "death", Neil started to think about his life, and he decided to again propose to Karen, who happily accepted after a little reluctance. They planned to get married, but when Devon's biological sister, Ana Hamilton, was taken away from her aunt Tyra's custody, they decided to get married sooner so that they could become foster parents for Ana. The couple married on New Year's Eve 2008. Karen quickly became jealous of Tyra and Neil's relationship. She decided that she wanted to adopt Ana in order to start a family with Neil. Neil was reluctant yet open to the idea. Meanwhile, Tyra kissed Neil on two separate occasions. The second time, Karen witnessed the kiss; she kept them apart by making it appear as though Neil was attempting to adopt Ana behind Tyra's back. Karen was deeply distraught upon learning that Neil had a one-night stand with Tyra, but she managed to collect herself and continue battling to become a foster parent for Ana. In a turn of events, Neil testified on Tyra's behalf, and Tyra was then granted custody of Ana once again. Appalled, Karen packed her bags and left town, telling Neil that she hated him before she left.