Jonathan G. Karlen is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Montana House of Representatives, representing District 98 in northwest Missoula, Montana. He assumed office on January 2, 2023, after defeating Republican incumbent Kathy Whitman in the 2022 election, and was reelected in 2024. Among the youngest state legislators in the U.S., he serves on the Natural Resources, Business and Labor, Legislative Administration, and Fish, Wildlife and Parks committees, and holds the position of Democratic Whip . Karlen resides in Missoula and works as a Wildlife Research Associate at the University of Montana for the Boone and Crockett Club. He is a board member of the Missoula Climate and Energy Board and coaches youth ski racing.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Earned a BS and MPA from the University of Montana.
• Political Experience: Alumnus of the Max Baucus Leaders Program, where he served as a Legislative Intern for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Max Baucus. Elected to the Montana House in 2022 for District 98 .