Vass Bednar

Fellow

Vass Bednar is an entrepreneurial, interdisciplinary wonk who currently serves as the founding executive director of McMaster University’s Public Policy in Digital Society program.

Vass works at the intersection of technology and public policy, focusing on ensuring that society has the regulatory structures required to embrace the future of work and new ways of living.

As an enthusiastic and perpetual student of the policymaking process, Vass has held a variety of leadership roles at corporations (including Delphia and Airbnb), governments (including the Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto), and academic institutions (including the University of Toronto). She is currently a member of the Information and Privacy Commission of Ontario’s ad hoc Strategic Advisory Council and chaired the federal government’s Expert Panel on Youth Employment from 2016 to 2017.

Vass writes an influential newsletter about Canadian startups and public policy called Regs to Riches and hosts The Globe and Mail’s Lately podcast. From 2016 to 2018, she was the co-host of Detangled, a weekly pop-culture and public policy radio show and podcast.

Vass’s work as a creative, data-driven thinker helped earn her an Arch Award from McMaster University, which recognizes outstanding alumni.

Vass holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from McMaster University, a master’s degree in public policy from the University Toronto. She also holds a certificate from Competition and Regulation European (CRESSE) Summer School program on competition policy and regulation, and successfully completed fellowships for both Action Canada and Civic Action DiverseCity.

Vass joined PPF as a Fellow in 2021.

Connect with Vass on LinkedIn.