Evelyne Paradis is the Executive Director of ILGA-Europe. She is responsible for providing overall leadership, strategic direction and management of the organisation.

Evelyne joined ILGA-Europe in 2005. Before becoming ILGA-Europe’s Executive Director, she held the position of Policy Director, coordinating the organisation’s advocacy work with the European Union, the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Among other things, she led ILGA-Europe’s campaign and lobbying work on the new proposed EU anti-discrimination directive.

Prior to joining ILGA-Europe, Evelyne worked with the UN High Commission for Human Rights, the Council of Europe and human rights NGOs in Canada. She worked as a research assistant to the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and Special Representative for human rights defenders, as well as a member of the preparatory team of the World Conference Against Racism. She also led human rights education projects for an international NGO based in Canada for over two years. Originally from Canada, Evelyne holds post-graduate degrees in history, political science and European studies from Canadian and French universities. She completed a Master’s thesis on racial discrimination and citizenship in Europe.