Raised in the small town of Wabowden in northern Manitoba, Laurie Christianson is of mixed Métis, Swampy Cree and European descent. She has strong family ties to the Red River Settlement, as well as the Misipawistik and Opaskwayak Cree Nations, having traced the Indigenous roots on her father’s side all the way back to the 1600s. 

Laurie joined APTN in 2003 as a legal administrator in the network’s programming department. Prior to joining the team, she spent about a decade working as a paralegal at various law firms, with eight years in real estate law and two years in Indigenous law. She holds a paralegal diploma from Red River College, a BA in medieval history from the University of Manitoba and an Osgoode Certificate in Entertainment Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. She has also taken a film production class at the University of Winnipeg.

In 2014, Laurie became manager of contracts and documentation at APTN. In this role, she works with our programming executives to ensure programs are in compliance with our licence requirements. She has a deep appreciation for her coworkers and is proud to work alongside such a caring group of people to help bring Indigenous stories to the screen.