Leadership & Staff
Board Members
Ira Wells
President
Jean Teillet
Vice-President
Elaine Kierans
Secretary
Carolyn Poirier
Treasurer and Chair, Writers in Peril
Gezahegn Mekonnen Demissie
Chair, Writers in Exile
Esi Edugyan
Chair, Literary
Anouchka Freybe
Chair, Events
Kathy Koch
Chair, Fundraising and Membership
Lori Sterling
Chair, Canadian and Legal Affairs
Karen Walton
Chair, Communications
Peter Donolo
Member at Large
Sarmishta Subramanian
Member at Large
Grace Westcott
Member at Large
Advisory Council
Richard Stursberg
Chair
Randy Boyagoda
Member
Neil Bissoondath
Member
Kristin Cochrane
Member
Valerie Connor
Member
Douglas Coupland
Member
David Cronenberg
Member
Ronald Deibert
Member
Louise Dennys
Member
Suzanne DePoe
Member
Charlie Foran
Member
Kevin Hanson
Member
Mark Kingwell
Member
Elana Rabinovitch
Member
Devyani Saltzman
Member
Philip Slayton
Member
Tanya Talaga
Member
Michael Wernick
Member
Ken Whyte
Member
Grace Westcott (2021-2025)
Richard Stursberg (2017-2021)
Randy Boyagoda (2015-2017)
Philip Slayton (2013-2015)
Charlie Foran (2011-2013)
Ellen Seligman (2009-2011)
Nelofer Pazira (2007-2009)
Constance Rooke (2005-2007)
Haroon Siddiqui (2003-2005)
Reza Baraheni (2001-2003)
Sandra Martin (1999-2001)
Ann Ireland (1998-1999)
Katherine Govier (1997-1998)
Ron Graham (1996-1997)
Nino Ricci (1995-1996)
Marian Botsford Fraser (1994-1995)
Alison Gordon (1993-1994)
Louise Dennys (1992-1993)
John Ralston Saul (1990-1992)
June Callwood (1989-1990)
Graeme Gibson (1987-1989)
Timothy Findley (1986-1987)
Margaret Atwood (1984-1986)
Committees
Canadian and Legal Affairs Committee
Members: Lori Sterling (Chair), Grace Westcott, Michael Bookman (external to board).
The Canadian and Legal Affairs Committee monitors and makes interventions in government legislation, policy and action in Canada to ensure compliance with the right to freedom of expression guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Writers in Peril Committee
Members: Carolyn Poirier (Chair), Peter Donolo.
This committee leads PEN Canada’s work on behalf of writers and journalists who are persecuted for expressing their imaginations or writing the truth as they see it. Identifying individual imprisoned writers and taking steps to help them is the heart of PEN’s work.
Writers in Exile Committee
Members: Gezahegn Mekonnen Demissie (Chair).
This committee works to provide support and opportunities for PEN’s Writers in Exile community. The committee’s work also includes bringing to PEN’s attention new writers in exile and assessing the needs of these writers in order to create new programs that fall within PEN’s mandate.
Staff
Brendan de Caires
Executive Director
Phone:
416 703 8448 x2223
Email:
bdecaires[at]pencanada.ca
Theresa Johnson
Director of Operations
Phone:
416 703 8448 x2221
Email:
tjohnson[at]pencanada.ca
Eilish Waller
Communications Coordinator
Email:
ewaller[at]pencanada.ca