Kristopher Wells

Kristopher Wells (born October 7, 1971) is a Canadian politician and academic. Since 2024, he has represented the province of Alberta in the Senate of Canada. He is also an associate professor at MacEwan University and the editor-in-chief of the international Journal of LGBT Youth.

Education Wells has earned three degrees from the University of Alberta: a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Education, and a Doctor of Philosophy.

Academic career Wells was a public school teacher in St. Albert, Alberta. He then worked as a diversity consultant for Edmonton Public Schools, where he helped develop the first sexual and gender identity school board policy in Western Canada. Wells has served on various committees in Alberta, including the Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities, REACH Edmonton, the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee, the Edmonton Police Chief's Community Advisory Council, and the LGBTQ2+ National Monument Committee. He has been a critic of the Alberta government's plan to require parental consent before children under 16 can change their names or preferred gender pronouns in schools.

, Wells is an associate professor in the Department of Child and Youth Care, part of the Faculty of Health and Community Studies at MacEwan University. He holds the Canada Research Chair (Tier II) for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth and serves as the founding director for the MacEwan Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity. His academic work specializes in sexual- and gender-minority youth, education, and culture. He is the editor-in-chief of the international Journal of LGBT Youth.

Political career Wells was appointed to the Senate of Canada on August 31, 2024. He was recommended by the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments and appointed by Governor General of Canada Mary Simon on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.