Kathleen Makela

Kathleen Makela is a descent of Old Man Beaulieu from Fort Resolution (Deninu), NWT, on her mother’s side, and Finnish on her father’s side (he is a first generation Canadian). She has 20+ years experience in program development and management, as well partnership building and leadership. Makela studied human rights and international law at St. Thomas University (in Fredericton) and law at UNB. Aside from lecturing with Native/Indigenous studies at the University of Saskatchewan, she worked with the Native Law Centre and Student Services in the areas of international Indigenous issues, justice as healing, legal publications, Indigenous student programming and community outreach. Throughout her studies and work, Makela has had the honor to work with many traditional Elders and Knowledge Keepers. In her spare time, Makela raised her family and volunteered on many community boards including Mediation Saskatoon, John Howard Society and SK Legal Aid Commission. Since 1997 she has served as the Chair of the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Courtworker Program Advisory Board and currently sits as an alternate Indigenous community representative for the Health Canada and Public Agency of Canada Research Ethics Board.