Karen D Agricola, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

I’m a family nurse practitioner in the Department of Neurology. I care for patients in the Tuberous Sclerosis (TSC) and Pediatric Neurology Clinics. I work closely with neurologists Dr. David Franz, Dr. Darcy Krueger and Dr. David Ritter in caring for patients with TSC. In addition, I work with Dr. Mark Schapiro, Dr. Marissa Vawter-Lee, Dr. Todd Arthur and Dr. Alex Zygmunt in caring for our patients with other neurological disorders.

I have always loved science and health promotion (assisting people in attaining optimal health). I have a sister with special needs who is the guiding force behind much of what I choose to do in life, including becoming a family nurse practitioner.

I began my career at Cincinnati Children’s in the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Clinic in 2007. The TSC clinic is for children and adults. I have had the honor of working alongside Dr. Franz and Dr. Krueger as a sub-investigator for the research trials that resulted in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the mTOR inhibitor (mTORi), everolimus for the treatment of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) and intractable epilepsy in patients with TSC. I have years of experience managing the side effects of mTORi and the side effects that can occur when more than one anti-seizure medication is needed to treat intractable epilepsy. I also participate in current research at the Tuberous Sclerosis Clinic, addressing the high incidence of epilepsy and developmental delay in our patients. Symptoms can begin as early as one month of age, and we aim to determine whether these can be changed with preventative treatments. I have years of experience treating intractable epilepsy and other comorbidities that our patients with TSC and other neurological conditions experience.

I want to help my patients manage their neurological conditions so that they can live their best life. I keep up to date with the latest treatments and modalities to make them available to my patients. I’m a strong patient advocate and readily communicate with other healthcare team members to ensure that all my patients’ concerns are addressed.

In 2023, I was awarded clinical advancement to the highest level, Advanced Practice Provider IV, by my advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) peers in neurology.

I have been married for 35 years and have two wonderful sons and a lovely daughter-in-law. In my spare time, I’m an avid reader and I’m learning to golf. My activities in my church include being a lector, helping our deacons with baptisms and supervising our Family Promise program. My favorite things to do are traveling in the United States and abroad, cooking with my family, hiking and playing golf or disc golf.