Nurse practitioner Karen Volas, F.N.P.-C, values the scenery, lifestyle, and the people of Leelanau and Benzie counties.
The 19-year nursing veteran is in her sixth year providing care as a family nurse practitioner. She recently joined Munson Healthcare’s Empire Family Care provider team of Cyrus Ghaemi, D.O, and Katie Krezoski-Evans, D.O., as a means to expand access to local care and further promote health and wellness in the region.
“I’m a really good listener and feel that my patients and I are partners in their health journey,” she said. “We have to look at the whole picture, and all the things in a patient’s life that impacts their health. I bring my medical expertise and incorporate their life and preferences to make decisions together on the course of their health.”
Volas initially came to the area with dreams of becoming an organic farmer. She lived and worked on a farm with hopes of one day purchasing her own while attending Northern Michigan College’s nursing school.
“During that time, I discovered a real passion for nursing. I saw how much the values that had driven me to grow food were the same ones that motivated me to be a nurse,” she said. “I really desired to care for my community and promote health and wellness.”
Volas also appreciates the deep, long-term relationships that come with family practice. As a nurse practitioner, she helps meet needs for patients across the lifespan, from newborns to those in the twilight of life. She specializes in managing complex chronic health concerns, acute medical issues, and behavioral health concerns.
“My favorite advice to give patients is to try your best and keep trying. Healthy lifestyle changes can be hard and everyone is managing their own challenges in life, balancing a lot of different things,” she said. “Be kind and forgiving to yourself and eventually you will succeed.”
Raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Volas said she now enjoys living in Benzie County with her husband, keeping a large vegetable garden, raising animals, and supporting her two children who attend Glen Lake School..
“My instinct was to come somewhere quieter and slower,” she said. “It’s just beautiful. I love the nature. I actually like winter. I love the snow and of course the water.”
Volas completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Ferris State University and received her master’s degree from Michigan State University. She is accepting new patients.
For more information and to schedule an appointment, call Empire Family Care at 231-835-2088.
A list of services available at the clinic can be found at munsonhealthcare.org/empirefamilycare.
Empire Family Care is located at 9975 W. Ottawa Ave. in Empire.