Kelly Lendsay, a social entrepreneur, is a proud Canadian Indigenous Métis-Cree leader, internationally recognized as one of Canada’s foremost innovators and organizational development experts in Indigenous employment, workplace, and economic innovation strategies. He has been leading the charge designing workplace inclusion system and economic innovation programs, growing Indigenous Works and Luminary into an award winning, ISO-certified enterprise. His dynamic communications style has earned him a reputation as an engaging thought leader and effective bridgebuilder fostering trusted partnerships and relationships in Canada and around the world.
He completed his MBA in 1993, and in 1994 became the director of the first Aboriginal business education program in Canada at the University of Saskatchewan from 1994-1998. In 2020 he launched “Luminary”, the only platform that sits deliberately at the intersection of academic research and Indigenous economic enterprise to catalyze and ignite economic innovation to transform economies, employment and well-begin. He is an adjunct instructor with the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) at Rotman’s’ School of Management where he designed and delivers the “Indigenous Governance” module for the Directors Education Program. He serves on numerous advisory boards including the National Indigenous Economic Prosperity Institute Advisory Board.
In 2007, he was honored by the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) as one of their “100 Global Alumni of Influence” in the last century whose accomplishments have been recognized for influencing the growth and development of the university, the province, and the world during the last century. In 2025 Saskatchewan Polytechnic bestowed an Honorary Degree in Applied Sciences.
He is married and has five adult children and five grandchildren; he is an avid competitive pickleball player, kitesurfer, wing foiler, swimmer, jogger, yoga, and Tae Kwon Do (Black Belt 2015).
