The Advocate

Pamela Dawe was appointed as the acting Seniors' Advocate in May 2026. Pamela was a Systemic Advocacy Consultant with the Office of the Seniors' Advocate and has been in that position since January 2018.

Pamela holds Bachelor's degrees in Arts (Education) and Arts and a Master of Education degree. She began her career as an educator and taught within the K-12 system and Memorial University. Pamela spent 13 years in the not-for-profit sector as the Executive Director of an adult literacy program. Beginning 2002, Pamela began working with the Government of NL, including within the Seniors and Aging Division of the former Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development. The primary focus of that work was the research, development, implementation, promotion and monitoring of government policies, services and programs impacting seniors. She has extensive policy development experience and has participated on many boards, committees and working groups at provincial and national levels addressing topics related to seniors and aging issues. Pamela was the lead consultant in the establishment of NL's Office of the Seniors' Advocate which included development of the Seniors' Advocate Act, the legislation to establish NL's Office of the Seniors' Advocate, and the operationalization of that Office. In 2018 when Pamela was asked to consider working with the Office of the Seniors' Advocate, she did not have to think twice.