Alexandra Bugailiskis

Alexandra Bugailiskis (born 9 January 1956) is a Canadian former diplomat from Oakville, Ontario. In March 2022, she retired from Global Affairs Canada after a 39-year diplomatic career. In January 2023, she was appointed Chair of the International Advisory Committee of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, known as the UN's Think Tank on Water, based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. In 2025 she was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her contribution to the Oakville community and she was appointed to the Order of Canada for her contributions to shaping Canada's foreign policies and her mentoring of Canadian diplomats.

From August 2017 until her retirement, she served as the Canadian Ambassador to the Italian Republic, as well as Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Food Programme, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, with concurrent accreditation as Ambassador to San Marino and Albania, and as High Commissioner to Malta.

Early life and education Bugailiskis was born on 9 January 1956 in Hamilton, Ontario. She graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs with a Master of Arts.

Career Bugailiskis served in various capacities abroad in Ghana, and Guatemala before becoming Canadian Ambassador to Syria (1997-2000), High Commissioner to Cyprus (1998-2000), Ambassador to Cuba (2003-2007), and Ambassador to Poland (2012-2015).

In Ottawa she served as Director for Central America and the Caribbean, Director General and later Assistant Deputy Minister Latin America and the Caribbean, Assistant Deputy Minister for Europe, Middle East, Maghreb and the Arctic. She was also the Chief Negotiator for the Canada-European Union Strategic Partnership Agreement.

On her last posting Bugailiskis served as the Canadian Ambassador to Italy from August 2017 until December 2021, during which she was also Canada's Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. In addition to her role in Italy, she was accredited as Ambassador to San Marino and Albania, as well as High Commissioner to Malta. She previously served on the advisory board of the Canadian Executive MBA at the SGH-Warsaw School of Economics and on the Board of Directors of FOCAL, The Canadian Foundation for the Americas.