Rita Deverell

location_on Ontario, CA

Pronouns: She/Her

Crafts:


Photographer: Pierre Maravel

Rita Shelton Deverell is an independent scholar, author, as well as a theatre and media artist. Dr. Deverell is Lakehead University’s 10th chancellor, and she currently serves on the President’s Council on Truth and Reconciliation. She is a trustee of the Royal Ontario Museum, and was appointed to the Board of Directors of CBC/Radio-Canada in 2020.
Her honours include: two Geminis; the Black Women’s Civic Engagement Network Leadership Award; Order of Canada (2005); 2022 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, Lifetime Achievement, Broadcasting; 2018 ACTRA Woman of the Year.
2019 saw the publication of her book American Refugees: Turning to Canada for Freedom, and her play Who You Callin Black Eh? won the Teen Jury prize at the Toronto Fringe Festival, and in 2022 a Canada Council Digital Now grant.
BA Philosophy, Adelphi University. MA, History of Religions, Columbia University/Union Theological Seminary. Dissertation on Arts Policy, Ed.D, OISE/University of Toronto.

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