WLU Press Announces the Appointment of Next Director and Publisher Mat Buntin

Wilfrid Laurier University Press is thrilled to announce that, starting October 15, Mat Buntin will join us as our new Director and Publisher.

Buntin has been an active participant in the university press and publishing industry for 17 years across a variety of positions, including editorial, sales, and marketing, at Broadview Press, University of Toronto Press, and University of Alberta Press. He contributes to committee work and policy proposals as a member of the Association of Canadian Publishers, the Association of Canadian University Presses, and the Book Publishers Association of Alberta. He is currently an Acquisitions Editor at University of Alberta Press.

Siobhan McMenemy is delighted to return to her role as Senior Editor after a busy and successful year as Interim Director and Publisher. WLU Press is grateful to McMenemy for the leadership and dedication she demonstrated during the Press’s 50th anniversary year.  McMenemy commented:

“Mat has been a highly regarded member of the university press community for many years and I’ve had the good fortune to work with him first as colleagues at University of Toronto Press and, more recently, as peers moving in similar editorial circles at our respective presses. Mat’s considerable strengths as a publishing professional extend beyond his editorial acumen and his lasting contributions to various editorial, sales, and marketing departments. His professionalism and his breadth of experience are enlivened by Mat’s deep-rooted commitment to social justice, to the principles of equity and inclusion, and to the work of decolonisation within the publishing industry, commitments that define WLU Press and will continue to guide our work together.”

Of his new appointment, Buntin remarked, “WLU Press holds a special place in university press publishing, with its deep history of innovation and creativity. Recognized internationally for its contributions to multimodal and accessible scholarship, and cherished locally for its commitment to regional publishing, the Press’s publishing program is vital and ambitious. WLU Press’s guiding principles of community-building, equity, justice, and inclusion shine through in everything it does, demonstrating the Press’s leadership in the academy and beyond. I’m thrilled to be joining the Press’s dynamic team and the broader Laurier community soon.”

Laurier’s University Librarian Scott Gillies observed:

“Mat Buntin comes to us with a wealth of experience in scholarly publishing, with a strong track record of author relationship-building, front- list development, and successful grant oversight. Mat has worked concertedly to highlight Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, and feminist scholarship through his editorial work in the Canadian academic publishing landscape. I am confident that Mat’s collaborative leadership, deep industry connections, and vision will lead WLU Press towards a vibrant next 50 years.”

About the Wilfrid Laurier University Press

Wilfrid Laurier University Press is located on the Haldimand Tract, part of the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, Anishnaabe, and Neutral Peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe Peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, to protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict. We are grateful to the Indigenous Peoples who continue to care for and remain interconnected with this land. Through the work we publish in partnership with our authors, we seek to honour our local and larger community relationships, and to engage with the diversity of collective knowledge integral to responsible scholarly and cultural exchange.