September 15, 2026, TORONTO: The Zoryan Institute is pleased to announce the appointment of Megan Reid as its Executive Director, following a recent decision made by the Institute’s Board of Directors.

Megan’s appointment represents the culmination of more than a decade of dedicated service and leadership at the Zoryan Institute. Throughout her tenure, Megan has played an increasingly central role in the Institute’s operations and educational development, managing the day-to-day coordination of the Institute’s programs, activities, staff, and administrative functions.

She joined the Institute in 2015 as an Outreach Assistant and, through her commitment, initiative, and growing leadership responsibilities, progressed to Operations Coordinator in 2018 and later to Deputy Executive Director in 2021.

Over the past 11 years, Megan has developed a profound understanding of the Institute’s history, programs, publications, partnerships, and community. Her experience working in different facets

of the organization, combined with her institutional knowledge, makes her exceptionally well-suited to lead the Zoryan Institute into its next chapter.

With this announcement, the Institute would also like to extend its deepest appreciation to George Shirinian, who served as Executive Director of the Zoryan Institute for more than three decades. He dedicated much of his life to advancing the Institute’s mission and the fields of genocide and human rights studies at large, and his leadership, scholarship, mentorship, and unwavering commitment have left an enduring legacy at the Zoryan Institute.

When asked about her appointment to this new role, Megan stated:

“I am very grateful to the Board for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as Executive Director of the Zoryan Institute. I understand and appreciate the immense responsibility that this role carries for the organization, and I remain committed to building on the foundational programs, mission, values and legacy of this Institute, while guiding it forward into its next chapter.

I am particularly grateful to George Shirinian for the many years of guidance he has provided throughout my time at the Institute, and I am also deeply appreciative of the Institute’s President andCo-Founder, Greg Sarkissian, who continues to be an important mentor to me and whose vision and strategic leadership remain invaluable to the Institute. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to all the Institute’s staff throughout my 11 years at the Institute, and the Board of Directors for their ongoing guidance and support.”

The Zoryan Institute Board of Directors is confident that Megan’s leadership will build upon the Institute’s longstanding contributions to genocide studies, human rights, and diaspora studies, done from a universal perspective and pulling parallels to the Armenian experience.

We wish to warmly congratulate Megan Reid on her appointment as Executive Director and look forward to supporting her as she leads the Institute into this important new era.