Dr. Kelly Laurila

Kelly is an Indigenous Sami and Irish woman, lecturer and tutor who was born on the original territory of the Anishinaabe and Cree peoples in Northern Ontario, known as Treaty 61 (Robinson-Huron Treaty) territory and she has acquired close to 30 years of knowledge and experiences working with Indigenous peoples, particularly those who identity as Anishinaabe. Kelly now lives and works on the original territories of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Chonnonton peoples which is the Halidmand Tract Treaty, Dish With One Spoon, and Two-Row Wampum Treaty territory.

Kelly has been a Social Worker for close to 30 years. Much of her work has been in counselling, advocacy, justice, and Truth & Reconciliation. Her PhD connects to the ethics that are needed in building relationships between Indigenous and settler peoples. Kelly is a long-time songcarrier (facilitator) in community and with incarcerated Indigenous women and two spirit individuals at the federal correctional facility in Kitchener: Grand Valley Institution for Women. Drumming provides a space for identities to be expressed, ceremony to be engaged in, and for building community amongst one another. Kelly brings both her Indigenous and Western lens to her teaching pedagogy and utilizes Indigenous concepts of relationships, wholism, and interconnectedness to invite analysis, critique and discussion of various concepts and topics.

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Research interests

• Masters of Education
• Masters of Social Work
• PhD in Social Work

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Professional affiliations

• Kelly is registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and with the Ontario Association of Social Workers.