Professor Karen Bryan OBE is the Vice Chancellor of York St John University. She was previously Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Greenwich. Prior to that she was Pro Vice Chancellor for Regional Engagement and Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at Sheffield Hallam University. Professor Bryan is a speech and language therapist. Her research interests are in communication difficulties in young offenders and in forensic populations. She has also highlighted the impact of communication difficulties on access to healthcare. She is involved in the development of Registered Intermediaries working for the Ministry of Justice, and was previously a member of the Health Professions Council. Professor Bryan is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Neuropsychology at the University of Warsaw, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. She is currently Chair of Yorkshire Universities.