Karen Stanton is a British historian, academic and the former Vice Chancellor of both York St John University and Solent University.

[1][2] Stanton holds a bachelor's degree in history from University of Sheffield and a post graduate qualification in information science from Manchester Metropolitan University.

[3][4] Stanton was the Vice Chancellor of Solent University until April 2023.

[5] She was previously Vice Chancellor of York St John University, deputy Vice Chancellor at Glasgow Caledonian University.

She was responsible for GCU's overseas campuses in Bangladesh, Oman and New York, and was a member of the United Nations Alliance for United Kingdom.