Katrina Elizabeth Kirkwa Philpotts is a proud Inuk, originally from Arviat, Nunavut. Before she was born, she was adopted to her parents, Chris and Penny Philpotts. Her biological mother was Margaret Pameolik, originally from Salliq, Nunavut. Margaret moved to Arviat and later met her parents, who were teachers at Qitiqliq school in the eighties. Katrina is an Indigenous woman raised by non-Indigenous parents; she values her upbringing which embraced her two worlds. As a result of engaging in dialogue with people who hold a diversity of views, and through reading and reflection, Katrina’s opinions and goals continue to evolve.
Katrina would like to acknowledge the traditional Lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking Peoples territory in which she lives and the Songhees, Xwsepsum and WSÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
Katrina works at the Council of Prairie and Pacific University Libraries (COPPUL) as the Indigenous Knowledges Coordinator. She is keenly interested in working with, advocating for, and uplifting Indigenous communities and organizations. She also looks forward to extending her service to The Respectful Terminology Platform Project (RTPP) and the communities it serves, by continuing to strive for positive systemic transformation, decolonization, and reconciliation.
