Patti Laboucane-Benson
Instructor and course contributor in the Bear Paw Indigenous Peace Making Certificate Program
Education and Experience:
Patti LaBoucane-Benson has a PhD in Human Ecology, focusing on Aboriginal Family and Community Resilience. In 2018 Patti was appointed to the Senate of Canada, after working at Native Counselling Services of Alberta (NCSA) for 23 years leading Research, Training and Communication.
Patti remains an honorary director (volunteer) as executive producer and principle investigator for BearPaw Communications, BearPaw Media video productions and BearPaw Legal Education publications, and assisting with the implementation of historic trauma healing programs for NCSA.
Patti was a mentor and lecturer for the Peter Lougheed Leadership College, and remains a lecturer for the University of Alberta Executive Education, and provides Historic Trauma-Informed Service delivery training in Alberta.
Accomplishments and Awards:
In 2015, Patti’s first novel was published by House of Anansi Press. The Outside Circle is a national bestseller, was named an Outstanding International Books 2016 by the United States Board on Books for Young People, winner of the Red Deer Reads competition and the National Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature.
Patti has been awarded the Alberta Aboriginal Role Model Award for Education; the Legal Aid Access to Justice Award and the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.
