Karen Ruth Keesling (July 9, 1946 – July 4, 2012^[1]) was the United States Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs) from 1988 to 1989.

Keesling was Assistant Dean of Women at the University of Kansas for 1971–72.^[2] From 1972 to 1975, Keesling worked in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare as executive secretary of the Secretary's Advisory Commission on Rights and Responsibilities of Women.^[3] From 1975 to 1977, she was Director of the White House Office of Women. She was then a women's rights analyst in the Library of Congress's Civil Rights Division.^[3] She then attended the Georgetown University Law Center, receiving her J.D. in 1981. From 1979 to 1981, she was also a legislative aide of Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R–Kan.)^[3]

In 1981, Keesling joined the United States Department of the Air Force, serving as Deputy for Equal Opportunity and Director of Equal Employment Opportunity, 1981–82; as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower Resources and Military Personnel, 1982–83; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Installations, 1983–87; and as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Readiness Support, 1987–89.^[4]

On September 7, 1988, President of the United States Ronald Reagan nominated Keesling to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs).^[4] She held this position until 1989.^[3]

In the early 1990s, she joined the United States Department of Labor, serving as Acting Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division.^[5]

Karen R. Keesling was born in Wichita, Kansas, on July 9, 1946.^[4] She was educated at Arizona State University, receiving a B.A. in 1968 and an M.A. in 1970.^[4] She moved to Sun City, Arizona, in 2000 and practiced law there until her retirement in 2009. She died July 4, 2012, in Sun City.