The Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) is saddened to announce the passing of Professor Emeritus Katherine A. H. Graham on December 16, 2025.
Katherine Graham was a distinguished scholar, leader, and public servant whose career profoundly shaped the fields of public policy, local governance, community development, and Indigenous policy in Canada. She served for many years as a Professor of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University and was Dean of the Faculty of Public Affairs from 2003 to 2009 and Associate Dean (Research and Faculty Development) from 1998 to 2002.
Dr. Graham was deeply committed to community-university partnerships and sustainable community development. She served as coordinator of the Carleton Batawa Initiative, aimed at making the community of Batawa a model for rural sustainability and community innovation. She was also chair of Community-Based Research Canada, a national network promoting collaboration between universities and community organizations to advance engaged research across the country.
Dr. Graham served as one of the founding members and a senior fellow of the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation (3ci). In 2009, the university established the Katherine Graham Annual Lecture in Indigenous Policy in her honour.
Her impact on the university, and particularly FPGA, was profound, and she will be missed by so many in our community. Our deepest condolences go out to Katherine’s family, friends, colleagues, and all those whose lives she touched through her work and contributions to our field.