Ben Schnitzer is a PhD student in Cultural Studies at Queen’s University, and was awarded a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) in support of his current research on Canadian cultural diplomacy. A graduate of the Master of Public Service program at the University of Waterloo, Ben enjoyed a diverse career in the federal public service, most recently as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Department of Canadian Heritage, where he helped develop and implement programs and policies impacting the cultural sector. Ben is also an opera singer. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Manitoba and pursued further studies in Vancouver, Italy and Germany. Ben has performed with organizations in Canada and abroad, such as the Vancouver Opera, the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa), and the Konzerthaus (Berlin).