Karen A. Smith


Karen Alison Smith is a New Zealand management academic. She is a full professor at the Victoria University of Wellington.

Academic career

Smith did a 1999 PhD thesis titled 'The management of volunteers at heritage attractions : literary heritage properties in the UK' at Nottingham Trent University, working at the University of Greenwich before moving to Victoria University of Wellington in 2003 and rising to full professor in 2017.
Smith's research focuses on the management of volunteers, particularly at large sporting events. She has conducted projects related to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, London 2012 Olympic Games and the Rugby World Cup 2011.
In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Smith was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to education and volunteering.

Selected works