National Arts Centre Leadership

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees of the National Arts Centre is composed of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and six other private citizens from various regions of the country who are appointed by the Federal Government, as well as the Mayors of the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau. The Chair and Vice-Chair are appointed for a term not exceeding four years, and Members of the Board are appointed for a term not exceeding three years. In both cases, Members can be re-appointed for a second term.

Email to the board of directors can be sent to: info@nac-cna.ca

Artistic and creative leadership

Senior Management

Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala

Virginia Thompson
Executive Producer
Biography

Past Chairs of the Board of Trustees of the NAC

Adrian Burns, LL.D.
Ottawa ON
December 2014 to December 2022

Julia Foster
Toronto ON
July 2006 to July 2014

Dr. David S.R. Leighton, O.C.
London ON
May 1999 to May 2006

Ms. Jean Thérèse Riley
Toronto ON
April 1995 to April 1999

Mrs. Madeleine Panaccio (Acting Chair)
Montréal QC
July 1994 to April 1995

Mr. Robert E. Landry, C.M.
Ottawa ON
1987 to 1994

Mr. J. Pierre Boutin
Québec QC
1984 to 1987

The Honourable Pauline McGibbon, C.C.,
Toronto ON
1980 to 1984

Mr. Arthur Gelber, O.C.
Toronto ON
1977 to 1980

Me François Mercier, O.C., Q.C.
Montréal QC
1969 to 1977

Mr. Lawrence Freiman
Ottawa ON
1967 to 1969

Past Executive Directors of the NAC

Peter Herrndorf, C.C., O.Ont.
(President and CEO)
September 1999 – June 2018

Ms. Elaine Calder
(Acting Executive Director)
Nov. 2, 1998 to June 15, 1999

Mr. John Cripton
September 1996 to October 1998

Ms. Jean Thérèse Riley
(Acting Executive Director)
January to September 1996

Ms. Joan Pennefather
December 1994 to December 1995

Mr. Jack Mills
(Acting Director General)
January to December 1994

Mr. Yvon Desrochers
1988 to 1994

Mr. Ronald Blackburn
(Acting Director General)
September 1987 to May 1988

Mr. Bruce Corder
(Acting Director General)
March 1987 to September 1987

Mr. Donald MacSween
1977 to 1987

Mr. G. Hamilton Southam
1967 to 1977