Profile: ABD’s Kristy Jackson becomes published author

November 7, 2024 in News People
Explorer: Fall 2024

When she isn’t busy with her roles as Athabasca Basin Development’s Director of Marketing and Communication, volunteer, wife, and mother of two boys, Kristy Jackson spends her spare time writing. She released her debut novel, MORTIFIED, published by HarperCollins Canada in spring 2024, which was named as Indigo’s Staff Pick of the Month book in June, was featured in CBC’s 15 Canadian back-to- school books for kids and teens, is a finalist in the Ontario Library Association’s national Forest of Reading program, and is a Governor General Literary Award finalist.

“Storytelling is a huge part of my role at Athabasca Basin Development,” said Kristy. “I love that I get to help tell Indigenous success stories as part of my role. There are so many good stories out there. I’m always interested in stories of all kinds, and it’s been a dream of mine to publish a novel since I was a kid.”

Kristy has worked for Athabasca Basin Development since 2011. She looks after the marketing and communications activities as well as the donations program. A member of Whitefish Lake First Nation #128 in Alberta, who grew up near Saskatoon, it was important to her to work for an organization that gave back to Indigenous communities. “I’ve always greatly appreciated that a core part of who Athabasca Basin Development is as a company is that it gives back to its shareholder communities,” Kristy said. “We are who we say we are. We really follow what the leadership envisioned when the company was formed, and it’s exciting to play a small role in helping to achieve that community-led vision.”

Kristy’s first author visits after MORTIFIED was published were to Athabasca communities Stony Rapids and Uranium City. “Kids in remote communities rarely get a chance to have guest presenters, so we try to help make something happen each year, like Persephone Theatre, or Miriam Körner and David A Robertson, who toured the Athabasca communities. It’s so important for students to have a chance to meet and connect with authors,” said Kristy. “Even if they aren’t interested in becoming a published author, it helps encourage kids to read more. And I’m a huge supporter of anything that encourages literacy.”

Kristy is also the Vice Chair of the board for Foundations Learning and Skills Saskatchewan, a non-profit organization that has a 40+ year history of helping adults, kids and families improve literacy and financial literacy skills. “I was drawn to Foundations because of the strong results they achieve in their programming,” Kristy said. “They have taken their successful programs and are expanding across Saskatchewan, including the north, and I was interested in helping them make that happen.”

She has also been a member of the Athabasca Education and Economic Development Committee since its inception in 2018. AEEDC is a group that works together to advance education and training initiatives in the Athabasca region and is made up of Ya’ thi Néné, Athabasca Densuline Education Authority, the Permanent Residence Organization, and the leaders of Black Lake Ventures, Hatchet Lake Development LP, and Fond du Lac First Nation Development LP.

Since 2022, Kristy has been Chair of the Rise Air Advisory Committee, which brings Athabasca community members together with the Rise Air management team to discuss items that are important to the communities. “I’m happy to give my time to these committees that were put in place to improve communication and ensure community voices are heard on these important matters,” she said. “I always hope that my time and my skills are helpful to others who are doing such great work.”

Kristy has plans to continue writing, and her next book is already drafted and scheduled to come out in 2025. “I’m very excited about the next one. I worked closely with a few people on it, and I can’t wait to share this next story with the world.”

MORTIFIED is for ages 8-12 and is available wherever