Karen Alison Smith MNZM is a New Zealand management academic.

[2] 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[2] and rising to full professor in 2017.

[3] Smith's research focuses on the management of volunteers, particularly at large sporting events.

[6][2] 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.

[7] Notable doctoral students of Smith's include Heike Schänzel.