![](/site-elements/img/fallback-images/chapel.x2ec92e39.jpg)
St Mary’s University, Twickenham has appointed Prof Karen Sanders as Head of the School of Arts and Humanities.
Prof Sanders joins St Mary’s on 1st July 2016 from Spain’s CEU San Pablo University where she is a Professor in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Communication Sciences. Prof Sanders has also served as assistant dean, head of the department of advertising and communication and assistant to the Pro Vice-Chancellor for research.
Karen obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Durham in English and Philosophy and obtained her MA and PhD in Communications from the University of Navarra in Spain and also holds the title of associate Professor at the IESE Business School.
Prof Karen Sanders
Prof Sanders was also a founding member of the Department of Journalism Studies at the University of Sheffield and was director of the MA in Political Communication. Prior to academia, Prof Sanders began her career working in local newspapers and managing media and parliamentary relations for one of the UK’s principal industry bodies in the City of London.
Karen lectures, writes, researches and advises in the fields of public sector communication, populist communication and communication ethics and has a special interest in understanding and fostering respectful and effective communication in high-risk organisations. Her recent publications include Ethics and Journalism (Sage), Communicating Politics in the 21st Century (Palgrave Macmillan), Political Scandals in Britain and Spain (Hampton Press) and co-edited Government Communication (Bloomsbury).
Karen served as President of the Association of Political Communication (ACOP -Asociación de Comunicación Política) from 2012 to 2014 and has been on its board since its foundation in 2008.This is the leading Spanish language association for academics and professionals working in the field of public sector and political communication across the world.
The Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University Francis Campbell said, “I am delighted to welcome Prof Sanders to lead our School of Arts and Humanities. She will bring a wealth of experience to St Mary’s and I look forward to working with her and seeing the School develop under her leadership.”
![Karen Sanders photo](http://www.stmarys.ac.uk/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Karen-Sanders-photo.jpg)