Biographical notes

Sarah Taylor (BA Hon [Anthropology], University of Toronto, 1982; MPhil [Archaeology], University of Cambridge, 1984; PhD [Archaeology], University of Cambridge, 1990) joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1990. During her time at Headquarters, she was departmental liaison officer for the minister of foreign affairs (1996 to 1998), director of the Development Policy and Institutions Division (2005 to 2006) and director general for North Asia and Oceania (2016 to 2019). She also served in the International Assessment Staff (IAS) as director of the Asia Division (2006 to 2008), deputy executive director of the IAS (2008 to 2010) and executive director of the IAS (2010 to 2011). Overseas, she served in Beijing as political-economic officer (1992 to 1995) and in Jakarta as political counsellor (2000 to 2003). She was posted to Beijing again as deputy head of mission (2011 to 2015) and, most recently, served as ambassador to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia (2020 to 2023).