Tracey Lindberg

Awarded the prestigious Governor General’s Gold Medal in 2007 for her groundbreaking dissertation on ‘Critical Indigenous Legal Theory,’ Tracey Lindberg is a distinguished academic, lawyer, and novelist. Her pioneering academic journey saw her become the first Indigenous woman in Canada to complete a graduate law degree at Harvard University and later, the first Indigenous woman to receive a doctorate in law from the University of Ottawa. Dr. Lindberg’s scholarly work centers on Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, Legal Orders, and Law, a field in which she holds a Canada Research Chair.

Dr. Lindberg commenced her extensive academic career in 1997, joining Athabasca University to teach Criminal Justice. She co-established the Centre for World Indigenous Knowledge and Research in 2001, subsequently directing Indigenous Education. In 2010, she was appointed Athabasca’s fourth Canadian Research Chair, concentrating on Indigenous Legal Orders, Laws, and Traditions.

Transitioning full-time to the University of Ottawa in 2016, she now serves as a Professor of Indigenous law and government and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law. Her work there includes teaching Aboriginal business law, Indigenous women, and dispute resolution, and contributing to the Indigenous Law Program’s curriculum development, launched in 2016. Beyond her academic achievements, Dr. Lindberg is an acclaimed novelist.

Her debut novel, Birdie, published in 2015, quickly became a national best-seller and was selected for the 2016 edition of Canada Reads, defended by entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip. Birdie was also a finalist for the Alberta Literary Award and the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, and was long-listed for the International DUBLIN Literary Award. Further solidifying her impact, Dr. Lindberg was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2018.

Additionally, Dr. Lindberg showcases her creative talents as a blues music singer, further expanding her reach and influence.