Trinity College is pleased to announce the appointment of Erin Mooney as Interim Director of the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History, effective September 1, 2026.
A Trinity College alumna, internationally respected human rights and humanitarian affairs expert, and current Senior Fellow of the Bill Graham Centre, Mooney brings more than 30 years of experience working at the intersection of scholarship, public policy and international practice.
“The Trinity community looks forward to Erin’s leadership and to the continued growth of the Bill Graham Centre as a vibrant hub for research, dialogue and engagement on the international issues shaping our world. With a distinguished career bridging the worlds of practice, policy making and scholarship, she has the expertise and experience that will animate the Centre’s contributions to current urgent discussions on Canada’s place in the world,” said Professor Nicholas Terpstra, Trinity College Provost and Vice-Chancellor.
The Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History occupies a unique place within the University of Toronto, bringing together academics and practitioners to explore contemporary international affairs through a historical lens. Through its research, teaching and public programs, the Centre serves as a forum where historians, diplomats, journalists, policymakers, military leaders and public servants engage in dialogue on Canada’s role in the world.
“At a time when mounting global challenges are prompting Canada to rethink its international relationships and role in the world, history offers valuable insights,” Erin Mooney said. “This makes the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History more relevant than ever.”
Mooney’s distinguished career has spanned more than 30 countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Americas and Europe. She has served in senior leadership roles with the United Nations, leading international research institutions and as a consultant to governments and non-governmental organizations. Recognized globally for her work in human rights, forced migration, humanitarian response and peacebuilding, she has authored more than 90 publications that have informed policy and practice around the world. She has served in senior management roles related to forced migration research and policy development at the Brookings Institution, the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the City University of New York’s Ralph Bunche Institute of International Studies. She was recently appointed by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation as a mentor to doctoral researchers.
Mooney’s connection to Trinity is longstanding. An honours graduate in International Relations and History, she taught in Trinity’s International Relations Program from 2008 to 2010 and has remained actively engaged with the College throughout her career. Since 2024, she has served as a Senior Fellow of the Bill Graham Centre and has been a regular guest lecturer in its programming.
As Interim Director, Mooney will lead the Centre through an important period of transition while continuing to advance its mission of connecting historical scholarship with contemporary international policy and practice. She has expressed a commitment to strengthening the Centre’s profile, expanding public engagement opportunities, and fostering deeper connections among students, scholars and practitioners.
Special thanks to our outgoing Director, Dr. John Meehan, for his work over the past five years. The search for a new permanent director will take place in the coming year.
The Centre for Contemporary International History was established in 2011. In 2013, the Centre was renamed the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History in honour of a $5 million gift to the College by The Hon. William C. Graham (Trinity College’s 12th Chancellor) and Cathy Graham. Based at Trinity College, the Bill Graham Centre works in close cooperation with the College’s International Relations and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy’s Master of Global Affairs programs, as well as the University of Toronto’s departments of History, Political Science and Economics. In addition, the Centre promotes international history through partnerships with other institutions and organizations in Canada and abroad.
