Colonel Karen A. Esaias is the Vice Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), a field operating agency headquartered at Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Prior to this assignment she served as the Commander of AFOSI' 8th Field Investigative Region, where she exercised command and control of AFOSI personnel operating from Air Force Space Command bases throughout the US.

Colonel Esaias was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She entered the Air Force and received her commission in July 1980 from Officers' Training School. She has commanded two AFOSI detachments and was selected to establish and command the AFOSI Washington Field Office. She most recently was dual-hatted as the AFOSI representative to the 16th Air Force Commander and Commanded AFOSI 53rd Field Investigations Squadron. She is a Joint Service Officer and has served in a variety of staff positions in the joint, headquarters and intermediate command levels.