Jessica Riddell

Dr. Riddell is Full Professor (Early Modern Drama) in the English Department at Bishop’s, and the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. She has served as Chair of the English Department (2016 - 2018), and Founding Chair of the Teaching and Learning Centre (2011 - 2019) and most recently as the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Teaching Excellent (2017 - present).

Dr. Riddell engages in public-facing activities and projects, including as an active contributor to public scholarship as a longstanding columnist for University Affairs Magazine, as a keynote speaker at international conferences, and an active researcher in fields that include Shakespeare, gender studies and performance theory, institutional culture change, high impact practices, and transformative learning.

Dr. Riddell was appointed the Executive Director of the Maple League of Universities in 2018. With her experience in collegial governance, program development, pedagogical innovation, labour relations and negotiations, and institutional culture change, her knowledge of navigating institutional pathways helps to illuminate how similar - and different - the four universities in the Maple League consortium are, and how together they can learn from one another to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing post-secondary education in Canada.