Westar Institute

The Very Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne is Assistant Professor of United Church of Canada Studies at Emmanuel College, Victoria University in the University of Toronto. She holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Graduate Theological Union (2016), and is an ordained minister in The United Church of Canada (UCC).  From 2022-2025 she served as the first Indigenous woman to be elected Moderator of the United Church.

In addition to her ministry, Carmen has served several nonprofit and social profit organizations, including as Director of Operations at Action for the Climate Emergency and Ecojustice Canada, and as Executive Director at First United Church Community Ministry Society.  She also serves as a social impact advisor at JumpScale - a boutique consulting firm in the US providing advisory and coaching services to help impact leaders navigate organizational change and sustainable growth.

Carmen continues to speak, facilitate and write both inside and outside of the church. She leads with compassion, thoughtfulness, and creativity while maintaining academic interests, church ministry, and Indigenous ways of being, parenting, and partnering. Carmen is a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation (pronounced Helt-Suck). She is passionate about creating a life with great stories and amazing adventures with her family from their home base on the west side of Toronto.

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