Suzanne Trimel

Senior Advisor, Communications and Media

Suzanne Trimel rejoined PEN America as a senior communications and media advisor in 2022 after a 2019 consultancy in communications and development. She has extensive experience working with organizations to drive ideas into the public conversation on priorities ranging from education and global human rights to health and the environment.

A journalist for a decade in New York and Washington, she served as vice president for public affairs at Barnard College and earlier, associate director of public affairs at Columbia University from the late 1990s to 2008. She then joined Amnesty International as U.S. media director where her work focused on human rights and social justice in the U.S. and abroad. In recent years, she has worked as director of communications at Outright Action International and as a consultant on branding, public relations and media and as a writer with the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition, the International Budget Partnership, and the Hearing Health Foundation.


Articles by Suzanne Trimel

Literary ProgramsPress ReleasesU.S. Free Expression
Sunday September 22

PEN America: “Tragic and Outrageous” That Albany Book Festival Cancels Panel Over Jewish Moderator

(NEW YORK)— In response to the cancellation of a panel at the Albany Book Festival after two writers refused to participate with a Jewish moderator, PEN America issued the following statement: “It is deeply distressing that any writer would be denied the opportunity to speak and engage in conversation about their craft because of their Read more…

U.S. Free ExpressionCampus Free Speech
Thursday September 19

PEN America Criticizes Cancellation of Oct. 7 Vigil at University of Maryland

(NEW YORK)— PEN America today criticized the University of Maryland’s decision to cancel a campus vigil planned for October 7, the one-year anniversary of the Hamas’ attack on Israel. The free expression group said “censorship” shouldn’t be the solution for complex or painful problems. The University announced in early September that “only university-sponsored events that promote Read more…

Banned BooksEducational CensorshipU.S. Free Expression
Tuesday September 17

Author Rex Ogle, Joined by Library Advocates, to Speak at PEN Utah Banned Book Week Event 9/23

(SALT LAKE CITY)– At the start of Banned Books Week, PEN Utah on Mon., Sept. 23 will host award-winning children’s book author, Rex Ogle, EveryLibrary Associate Director Peter Bromberg, and Utah Library Association Advocacy Co-Chair Rebekah Cummings for a discussion about censorship laws. Since HB29 passed the Legislature and was signed into law, 13 books, Read more…