Karen Handley

Dr. Karen Handley is a Senior Lecturer in the Newcastle Business School (Accounting and Finance) at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She holds a PhD in Accounting from Macquarie University, a Master of Business Administration (Gold Medal) from the University of Cape Town, and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from Rhodes University. Her research focuses on governance, accounting standards for SMEs, and work-life balance in accounting professions. She has held leadership roles such as Assistant Dean International and Director-International in Newcastle Business School.

• Education:
• PhD in Accounting, Macquarie University
• MBA (Gold Medal), University of Cape Town
• Bachelor of Science (Hons), Rhodes University

Her research interests include corporate governance mechanisms for SMEs, accounting standard-setting processes, and social impact evaluation. Notable grants include $144,388 from NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority (2020–2022) and $20,592 from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (2014–2015). She has supervised multiple PhD and Honours students, including studies on mental health in micro-businesses and corporate governance resilience during crises.

Dr. Handley’s 2022 literature review on SME governance highlighted gaps in theoretical frameworks for SMEs, while her 2021 report on micro-business mental health emphasized workplace adaptation post-pandemic. She received the 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award from the Faculty of Business and Law.

• Grants & Awards:
• $330,000+ in grants over the last decade
• 2020 Teaching Excellence Award

Her work spans academic leadership, policy influence (e.g., AASB Research Reports), and interdisciplinary studies on SME resilience. She has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Urbino (Italy, 2023) and collaborates internationally on SME reporting standards and work-life balance initiatives.