Donna Karen "D.K." Upshaw was born and raised in East Chicago, Indiana, graduating from East Chicago Washington High School in 1977 and Indiana State University, Terre Haute in 1981.  She also served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1982 to 1988.  She has been a professional cartoonist since 1989, with work in weekly newspapers, small magazines, caricature booths at events and commercial artwork in the Calumet Region.  Currently she is learning 2D computer animation, hoping to add that to her list of cartooning specialties.  She still lives in East Chicago.