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In this latest edition of People of Purview, we are excited to spotlight Karen Lopez.
Karen is a seasoned data architect and passionate advocate for the Microsoft community. With decades of experience and a longstanding commitment to data management excellence, Karen has shaped the way organizations approach data governance and collaboration. Join us as she shares insights from her remarkable journey, her experiences with Microsoft technologies—from the days of MS-DOS to the cutting edge of Purview—and what continues to inspire her as a leader and mentor in the data world.

Read on to meet Karen Lopez: Data Governance Leader and Community Champion!

Let’s get this Purview Party started, Karen! How long have you been working with Microsoft products, as well as Purview specifically?

I’m not sure I can remember that far back. I first started working with SQL Server 7.0, so that’s about 1998.  However, the first product I worked with was MS-DOS, then Windows when it was released.  At the US Department of Defense, I even worked on Wang PCs with MS-DOS.

As a data architect and data management professional, I worked with Azure Data Catalog when it first came out. I was happy to see Microsoft move in the data world beyond databases and storage. I of course moved to the first versions of Purview to take advantage of the data classification and lineage functions.  Data governance is a big part of my practice, so this was a good fit.

I’m looking forward to learning more about Microsoft 365 compliance features, and then whatever AI features it will be getting.

How (and when) did you get involved in the Microsoft Community? Tell us about your journey!

I became a Microsoft MVP (SQL Server, now Data Platform) about 14 years ago.  My technology areas are Azure SQL DB and Microsoft Purview – Data Governance.  I spent time speaking at Microsoft user groups and conferences Along the way, I founded a SQL Server User Group in Toronto.

I’m also a Microsoft Certified Trainer and I’m always working on passing a new exam so I can train in that area.

What do you find most rewarding about being a community member?

Meeting others who are working towards the same goals as I am.  User groups and conferences are like mini-family reunions to me.  We talk about work, life, and families. We share hobbies like running and space exploration.  We debate contentious design patterns, toolsets, and project techniques. I’ve made friends over the years who share the same data passions as I do — plus a lot more.

“What I like about Microsoft in 2025 is that our community recognizes that we work with tools and software from outside the Microsoft ecosystem.  That’s one of the things I like about Purview: it supports data governance for all our data inventory.”

What advice do you have for others who would like to get involved in their Microsoft Community?

Jump on social media like Bluesky and LinkedIn to meet others around the world.  Talk about your work, ask questions, get into debates, and share your wins. Then plan on making it to local and global events to meet others.  

Start writing about your experiences. It could be a blog, or just an article or newsletter on LinkedIn. 

Don’t forget to attend virtual meetings, too. 

Anything else you’d like to share? 👩‍🚀👠

I love that I can mix my interest in data and space as a NASA Datanaut.  We help citizen scientists work with NASA and other space agency open data.  In fact, almost all my demos use NASA open data.  My two favourites are Meteorite Landings and US & Russian EVA (space walks) data.

My other nerd fun is to mentor and judge data-driven hackathons.  I’m a frequent volunteer for Microsoft Imagine Cup and the NASA Space Apps Challenge.  

I travel with a mascot or two: usually astronaut Barbies.  It sounds weird, but they get invited to space agencies and astronaut conferences all over the world and I get to tag along. It has been fun.  I usually have space swag to share during my talks and the events I attend.

Where can people find you?

I blog at www.datamodel.com. I’m on Bluesky as datachick@bksy.social. My favourite book is always the one I last read, so I don’t have one to recommend.

Karen is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and works as a Data Evangelist for InfoAdvisors.

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Stay tuned to meet more People of Purview! If you would like to get involved with the Microsoft Security Community, here are some quick actions you can take: 

• Log in (here, on Tech Community!) and follow:




• The Purview Community – post questions, respond to community members


• The all-up Microsoft Security Blog 




• Join the Security Community mailing list


• Join the Customer Connection Program 


• Check out this Community Choice article for a comprehensive list of Microsoft Security Community offerings.

Karen’s Links: 

• http://www.datamodel.com


• mailto:datachick@bksy.social. 

Questions? Feel free to post below or message blog author RenWoods directly.