Dr. Kelsey Blair is an associate professor in the UFV School of Communication and the Indigenous communication specialist who specializes in performance and sports studies.
Dr. Blair joined UFV in January 2025 as an Indigenous communication specialist and associate professor. In addition to her academics, Blair played varsity basketball during her undergraduate at UBC and was a semi-professional basketball player in Sweden for two years. She spoke with The Cascade about her academic journey prior to UFV, her role as an Indigenous communication specialist and why Indigenous communication is important.
Blair has an extensive academic background that covers a wide range of subjects. She holds a Masters in Cinema Studies from the University of Toronto (UofT), a Masters in Theatre Studies at University of British Columbia (UBC) and a PhD from Simon Fraser University (SFU).
“I did my PhD in English at Simon Fraser University, where I focused on different kinds of performance, but mainly sport and performance.”
Blair mentioned there were several factors that led to her desire to work at UFV, one of which was research. She pointed out that while the predominant focus in communications is to teach students about professional writing, it also allows her to research various genres of performances such as music theatre, video games, and circus and large scale cultural performances.
Blair also explained that being a communications instructor connected back to her previous work teaching professional writing at Concordia University.
“Professional writing was one of the streams I taught in, and that resonates clearly with the University of the Fraser Valley.”
As an Indigenous Communications Specialist, Blair shared that part of her job is continuous learning and looking at different ways to foster communication focused on Indigenous knowledge and peoples.
“I don’t identify as Indigenous myself, but rather think about the ways in which all of us can communicate with, to, and around, Indigenous knowledge and peoples. For me, that means doing a lot of learning.”
Another part of her job is to determine the best way to share the knowledge she learns with both faculty and students, such as through conference presentations and participation. She also tries to find ways to implement these various types of Indigenous communication and knowledge into daily practice.
What first drew Blair to specialize in Indigenous communication came from her different life experiences and interactions with Indigenous communities, especially in sports. She reflected on her past experience as the coach of the women’s basketball team at the Native Education College in Vancouver.
“I became interested in thinking about what is in many ways, a form of cross-cultural communication, and thinking about learning more about Indigenous communication and what that can look like.”
Blair added that she thought about how this form of communication can continue to develop, and what people can learn regarding areas such as reconciliation and relationship building.
She emphasized the importance of understanding the different ways in how people communicate with, learn from and acknowledge each other, as well as their histories and genealogies.
“I think this is a particularly important moment to have emphasis on that. [Not just] in universities, but elsewhere. How do we connect to the territories that we’re on? How do we connect to the peoples that we live alongside, from all different cultures [and] people from Indigenous cultures, from whom we have a lot to learn and a lot to give back to.”
In her work as an associate professor, Blair shared that what she loves most about teaching is sharing information, having meaningful conversations with students, watching them grow, and being part of a community.
“I think classrooms are temporary communities. They come together for a short period of time for us to be together. I think that’s really meaningful, and I like being a part of that.”
For students interested in studying Indigenous communication, Blair confirmed that there is a course she is in the process of developing. She believes it is very important to have a course focusing on Indigenous communication because it gives students the opportunity to learn and think on a deeper level about Indigenous communication over a longer period of time.
Blair hinted that there will also be upcoming research opportunities for students to work with her in the future and to keep an eye out for them. When asked what advice she would give to those interested in pursuing an Indigenous communication specialist career, she highly recommended pursuing any opportunity to learn.
“I think the biggest one is to be a listener, a humble receiver, and to forge connections carefully, and when invited to do so.”
Rachel is working towards a BA with a concentration in English and Theatre. She has been employed at The Cascade since Fall 2021 as a Staff Writer and a Jr. News Editor. Currently, she is the sectional News Editor and enjoys meeting and interviewing people as well as taking long walks in nature. Rachel also likes to stay up to date on the latest trends and informs students through her fashion column entitled Campus Fashion.