The Honourable Tony Wakeham, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced the appointment of Karen Stone, KC, as Clerk of the Executive Council and Secretary to Cabinet in the Office of the Executive Council.
Effective immediately, Ms. Stone replaces Denis Mahoney, KC, who has been in the position since May 2025. As Mr. Mahoney departs the public service, he will also no longer be a part of the Churchill Falls Negotiation Team.
Prior to her appointment as Clerk of the Executive Council, Ms. Stone was the Deputy Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Deputy Attorney General where she played a critical leadership role in supporting the humanitarian response to this summer’s wildfires.
Over the course of Ms. Stone’s extensive career of public service, she has served in many senior leadership positions, including Interim Chief Executive Officer of NL Health Services where she led the implementation of recommendations from Health Accord NL. She also served as Deputy Minister of Health and Community Services where she helped the province navigate the global pandemic. She was the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation when the province invited Newfoundlanders and Labradorians living abroad to return home during the successful Come Home Year celebrations, and the Deputy Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills when the province experienced the largest growth in its population since 1998.
Detailed biographical information can be found in the backgrounder below.
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“I had the pleasure of working with Ms. Stone in the Department of Health and Community Services, and later when I was President and CEO of Labrador-Grenfell Health. I have seen firsthand her commitment to the people of this province and she has a proven track record of serving Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. I would also like to personally thank Mr. Mahoney for his support over the course of the transition.”
Honourable Tony Wakeham
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
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Biography
Karen Stone, KC
Karen Stone, KC, completed her articles of law and was admitted to the bar in 1992. She began her public service career as a solicitor at the Department of Justice in 1995. She provided legal advice to numerous government departments before joining the Department of Health and Community Services in 2005 as its legislative consultant.
Since February 2025, Ms. Stone served as the Deputy Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Deputy Attorney General.
Prior to that role, she was the interim Chief Executive Officer of NL Health Services. She has also served as Deputy Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation and the Deputy Minister of Health and Community Services. She has held the positions of Assistant Secretary to Cabinet (Social Policy) with the Office of the Executive Council, Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy and Planning, and Assistant Deputy Minister of Population Health at the Department of Health and Community Services.
Ms. Stone’s law degree is from Osgoode Hall Law School and she has a Bachelor of Arts and a Certificate in Public Administration from Memorial University. She holds a Certificate in Alternate Dispute Resolution from the University of Windsor.