Aileen Favilla is the program manager for campus free speech at PEN America. She comes to her role with experiences in higher education, DEI, and nonprofit administration. Prior to PEN, Aileen oversaw LGBTQIA+ Programs and Initiatives at the University of Mississippi. Previously, she spent six years working in the New York non-profit theater industry, most recently as the literary manager for the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She supported new work by Jen Silverman, Shakina Nayfack, Sanaz Toossi, Sylvia Khoury, Adam Rapp, Harrison David Rivers, and many others. She has also held positions at Vineyard Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, and The Juilliard School, and is a reader for Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis. Her background in theater and the arts informs how she wrestles with the questions of how to engage, how to advocate, and how to disagree in contemporary society. She holds a BA with honors from Wesleyan University.
Aileen Favilla
Program Manager, Campus Free Speech
Articles by Aileen Favilla
What is a Heckler’s Veto?
When interruptions become prolonged to the point of silencing a speaker, the expression can cross into a heckler’s veto.
What is Trump’s Compact for Higher Education? — FAQ
PEN America believes the ‘Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education’ signals an acceleration in the White House’s agenda to erode the values of academic freedom.
A Riddle for Modern Academia: Where Can Studying Get You Suspended?
A spate of suspensions at Harvard has been the subject of debate because the “study-ins,” by all accounts, conformed to the norms and activities expected in a library setting.
