Lorry-Ann Austin

Lorry-Ann Austin is an Assistant Professor and Chair of the School of Social Work and Human Service where she has been teaching since 2013. As a registered social worker and critical social justice educator, her practice centres ethical leadership, equity, and collaborative governance. She is a former broadcast journalist with strong communication skills and has more than 15 years experience as a social worker in the fields of disability, mental health, and substance use. Lorry-Ann's research explores the purpose and function of the press in democratic contexts and their ability to foster civil discourse and advance human rights. She additionally explores the politicization of post-secondary institutions and their response to global issues. Lorry-Ann has achieved candidacy in the Doctor of Education program at the University of Calgary where she specialized in curriculum and learning. She will defend her dissertation, Polarization in the Era of News Media Metamorphosis: A Critical Exploration of Implications for Democracy and Human Rights, in June 2025.