Dr. Lori Friesen (BA, BEd ’98, MEd ’03)

A passionate advocate for beginning teachers, Dr. Lori Friesen has dedicated her career to strengthening education and empowering those who teach. From her early years as an elementary teacher to her work as an instructor in the University of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Education, and later as a speaker, writer and mentor, Friesen has championed literacy, student wellbeing and educator support.

Her expertise in early literacy and teacher education has been recognized through prestigious Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Alberta Teachers’ Association doctoral fellowships, and her research and writing have appeared extensively in academic journals and a pair of self-authored books. Her podcast, Beginning Teacher Talk, has surpassed 800,000 downloads, extending her reach to educators worldwide. Through her mentorship and scholarship, Friesen continues to inspire beginning teachers to make a difference in their classrooms.