Awards Jury
It was the desire of the late Stanley Peterson — the founder of the Peterson Literary Fund — that the Literary Fund bearing his name have a Canadian-based jury composed of individuals who understand the unique historical culture of the Ukrainian people.
The jury will, from time to time, include a mix of writers, editors, journalists, academics, literary translators, and other professionals qualified to undertake a balanced review and assessment of the works submitted to the various prize, awards, and grants programs offered by the Peterson Literary Fund. When warranted, the Awards Jury will have access to the Peterson Literary Fund’s advisors and international language evaluators.
In addition to their professional qualifications, members of the Awards Jury are selected with consideration to fair representation of gender, age, language competency, community engagement, and global awareness.
All books and manuscripts submitted to the various prize, awards, and grants programs of the Peterson Literary Fund will be evaluated using a particular set of JUDGING CRITERIA
LISA SHYMKO chair
Lisa Shymko holds an M.A. in Political Science (University of Toronto) and a Four-year Honours B.A. with a Specialist in Canadian constitutional law and Soviet history and a Double Minor in Economics and Slavic Studies (University of St. Michael's College - University of Toronto).
MARKO ROBERT STECH
Marko Robert Stech is a writer, literary scholar, and specialist in the history of culture.
He holds a PhD in Slavic Studies and a MASc in Engineering from the University of Toronto.
ALEXANDER J. MOTYL
Alexander J. Motyl is a painter, writer, and professor. Nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2008 and 2013, he is the author of eleven novels and a collection of poetry. His artwork has been shown in solo and group shows in New York, Philadelphia, Westport, and Toronto and is part of the permanent collection of the Ukrainian Museum in New York and the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Winnipeg. He has done performances of his fiction at the Cornelia Street Café and the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City.
ASKOLD KRUSHELNYCKY
Askold Krushelnycky is a British-born journalist and foreign correspondent for The Independent. Since the early days of Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2014, Krushelnycky has often been embedded with Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines and has reported on the war for leading international newspapers and journals. He has worked in
NADIA GERELIOUK
Nadia Gereliouk holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Toronto. As the youngest member of the Awards Jury, Nadia’s interests complement the variety of perspectives shared by the jury vis-à-vis new publications on Ukrainian themes.