Koren Lightning-Earle, ’00 BA(Rec/Leisure), ’04 BA, ’07 LLB, ’18 LLM, CIC.C, Blue Thunderbird Woman, is Cree from Samson Cree Nation. She is the Legal Director of Wahkotowin Law and Governance Lodge, is a Board Member for First Nations Caring Society, and is the Acting Commissioner for Alberta Utilities Commission and Board Member for Peace Hills Insurance. She served as the Indigenous Initiatives Liaison at the Law Society of Alberta. She was Vice-President of Kasohkowew Child Wellness Society for 10 years and was President of the Indigenous Bar Association for 6 years.
Koren graduated from Law School in 2007 at the University of Alberta. She was called to the bar in February 2009 and had the honour of having her bar call on her Reserve of Samson Cree Nation. She was called by Chief Justice Wachowich and Federal Court Justice Mandamin. Koren received her Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, with a concentration on Alternative Dispute Resolution. Koren’s work focuses on Indigenous clients and supporting the revitalization of Indigenous Laws. Koren advises in the areas of Indigenous Governance, Indigenous Child Welfare, and Indian Act matters. Koren also is an accomplished speaker on Indigenous Cultural Awareness and Relationship Building.
Koren was recently awarded the “Pringle/Royal sessional teaching excellence” Award from Faculty of Law, University of Alberta for 2021/2022. She was awarded “Tomorrow’s Leader” Award from Women in Law Leadership Awards in 2019. She was also awarded the Alumni Horizon Award from the University of Alberta in 2017. Koren is an alumni of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference; she participated in the 2017 NWT Tour. She was an elected council member for Samson Cree Nation from 2011-2014 and was co-chair of the First Nations Women’s Economic Security Council. She is co-founder of Hub, a community mobilization program to help reduce crime and is currently a sessional instructor at Maskwacis Cultural College and University of Alberta, Faculty of Law.
