Carrie Bourassa was born and raised in Regina.  Carrie pursued both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Regina. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Political Science in 1995, graduated with her Master of Arts degree in 1999, and earned her Ph.D. in Social Studies in 2008. 

Carrie has worked in several different capacities in her career including Sessional Instructor with the First Nations University of Canada (formerly the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College), Ministerial Assistant, Policy Analyst with the Saskatchewan Provincial government and Manager of Employment Equity at the University of Regina.

Currently, Carrie is following her dream of teaching at the post-secondary level.  She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Science at the First Nations University of Canada teaching Indigenous Health Studies as well as selected Environmental Health courses including Environmental Health Communications and Administration.  Carrie’s research interests include the impacts of colonization on the health of First Nations and Métis people; creating culturally competent care in health service delivery; Aboriginal community-based health research methodology; Aboriginal end of life care and Aboriginal women’s health.  Carrie is a member of the National First Nations Environmental Contaminants Program Steering Committee, the Canadian Institute for Health Research Standing Committee on Ethics as well as the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer National Advisory Council.  She is also an accredited Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Program facilitator through the First Nations University of Canada and actively involved in volunteering at community centres including the Regina Métis Sports and Culture Centre.  Carrie is also a co-Principal Investigator and Associate Director of the Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre.  In 2004, Carrie was honoured when she was chosen as one of Saskatchewan’s ten Aboriginal Role Models by the Aboriginal Employment Development Program’s Provincial Aboriginal Representative Workforce Council (PARWC).

Carrie is Métis and belongs to the Riel Métis Council of Regina Inc. (RMCR).  She resides in Regina with her husband, Chad and her daughter, Victoria.