Karen Pierce

Karen Pierce
Pierce in 2024
British Ambassador to the United States
In office
23 March 2020 – 2 February 2025
Monarchs
Prime Minister
Preceded byKim Darroch
Succeeded byPeter Mandelson
Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations
In office
23 March 2018 – 23 March 2020
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime Minister
Preceded byMatthew Rycroft
Succeeded byDame Barbara Woodward
British Ambassador to Afghanistan
In office
1 May 2015 – 29 February 2016
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byRichard Stagg
Succeeded byDominic Jermey
Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN in Geneva and WTO
In office
8 May 2012 – 14 April 2015
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byPeter Gooderham
Succeeded byJulian Braithwaite
Personal details
BornKaren Elizabeth Pierce
(1959-09-23) 23 September 1959
Preston, Lancashire, England
SpouseCharles Roxburgh
Children2
EducationPenwortham Girls' High School
Alma materGirton College, Cambridge (BA)
London School of Economics (MSc)
OccupationDiplomat
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Dame Karen Elizabeth Pierce DCMG (born 23 September 1959) is a British diplomat and senior civil servant who most recently served as the British Ambassador to the United States from 2020 to 2025.

She was previously the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations from 2018 to 2020 and the British Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2015 to 2016. She was the first woman appointed to the United States and United Nations roles, and the second in the Afghanistan role.