Karen Dunnell
The National Statistician, Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, and Head of the Government Statistical Service
Karen Dunnell began her career as a researcher, and subsequently a lecturer, in medical and social studies. She joined the Civil Service and the Office for Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) in 1974 and, during her time there, helped to lead the OPCS through a period of tremendous technological change, culminating in the merger of the OPCS with the Central Statistical Office (CSO) to form the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 1996.
At ONS, Karen was first a Divisional Director and subsequently rose to Group Director of the Social Directorate. Prior to being appointed as the National Statistician in 2005, Karen was the Executive Director with responsibility for Surveys and Administrative Sources, including the Statistical Modernisation Programme.
Besides her work at ONS, Karen has published widely on statistical topics, including three books on health and demographics. She is active in professional as well as academic life. She is a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and has been chair of the Society for Social Medicine, visiting Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Research Associate at the London School of Economics.
