Staff
Maria Butler - Executive Director
Maria Butler brings over 15 years’ experience in peace, human rights, and feminist organizing. She held several roles at the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), the oldest women’s peace organization in the world, where she worked from 2010 to 2022. Most recently she was proud to serve as Deputy Secretary-General, advocating for peace in the halls of power and at the UN. She provided co-leadership and management in the WILPF Secretariat and will bring a feminist approach to addressing root causes of violence along with her commitment to centring care and compassion in how we work in this movement. She holds positions on several boards and committees related to women’s rights and peace. She received a Master’s in Human Rights from the London School of Economics and is an Attorney-at-Law and a member of the New York State Bar.
Maria is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Email: mbutler@nobelwomensinitiative.org
Kimberley MacKenzie - Communications and Public Engagement Manager
Kimberley MacKenzie believes in the power of media and social media to strengthen social movements and to inspire people to take action in their own lives. With the Nobel Women’s Initiative since 2009, she has led the development of a concerted and strategic global online presence from the ground-up, and coordinates a team implementing a digital media strategy for the organization as well as specific campaigns and events. Kim has innovated the use of digital media for feminist peace work, coordinating numerous short films and multimedia projects like the We Are Not Afraid photo exhibit highlighting the work of Rohingya women, and an online library spotlighting grassroots women activists and peacebuilders from around the world as Nobel Women’s Initiative’s yearly contribution to the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign. Kimberley also mentors and trains young activists, including from the Global South, in the use of social media for advocacy purposes. Prior to this she was the founding coordinator of the public education program at the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization and has a previous background working with children and youth, and refugee issues.
Email: kmackenzie@nobelwomensinitiative.org
Maureen Prebinski - Finance and Operations Coordinator
Maureen Prebinski’s career in the trade union, social justice and non-governmental communities include serving as a senior staff person to both the Canadian Labour Congress and the federal New Democratic Party. Most recently serving as Assistant to the President of the Canadian Labour Congress, she managed mass communications campaigns, organized public relations events, and provided issues management advice to then-President Ken Georgetti and other national labour leaders. Previously Maureen served as the NDP Director of Administration in the federal New Democratic Party Caucus Research Office. Her work as an adult educator began with her trade union roots in the Transportation Communications Union, and later the United Steelworkers. Maureen is a member of the Board of the Public Services Foundation of Canada, a national research and advocacy organization dedicated to defending and promoting the value of high‐quality public services. She is also a member of Equal Voice, a multi-partisan organization dedicated to electing more women at all levels of political office in Canada. She holds an honours degree in Canadian history and law from Carleton University, and a graduate certificate in Event Management from Algonquin College.
Email: mprebinski@nobelwomensinitiative.org
Jacquelinne Cadena - Program Associate
Jacquelinne’s experience in event planning, treasury and education includes volunteering for the local community with the Colombian Canadian Community of Ottawa & Gatineau, a non-profit organization that alongside the Colombian Embassy and the program “Colombia nos Une” works to help and bring the community together through a variety of fundraisers, recreational, commercial, cultural, and educational events. Jacquelinne wants her work to be meaningful and make a difference in the community. Her love for her culture has motivated her to work as a Spanish Instructor for young children for the International Language program at the Conseil des Écoles Catholiques du Centre-Est. She recognizes language as an intrinsic element to the expression of culture. Jacquelinne holds a degree in Business Administration from EAN University (Colombia) and a graduate certificate in Event Management from Algonquin College.
Email: jcadena@nobelwomensinitiative.org
Susanne Ure - Communications Advisor
Susanne Ure is a long-time activist, dedicated to ensuring that civil society organizations are well-positioned to design, seize and optimize every opportunity to advance their missions, and to thrive as exemplary, accountable, sustainable feminist enterprises pursuing life-enhancing outcomes. For the past 15 years she has provided leadership in strategic communications, project and program delivery and digital innovation while working in social justice, human rights, international development and global public health. She was on staff at Amnesty International Canada and the Micronutrient Forum, and a consultant for Nutrition International, Inter Pares, Cooperation Canada and others. She has built and managed communications programs, developed and delivered policies and campaigns, designed and built digital media platforms for knowledge-sharing, activism and fundraising, and produced global conferences. Susanne is an award-winning social documentary photographer whose work has been published internationally. She has taught photography part-time for over 6 years at the School of Photographic Arts Ottawa (SPAO). She holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in theatre, and diplomas in digital media and photography.
Email: sure@nobelwomensinitiative.org