From Uncertainty to Impact: Kathleen Connolly’s Journey from NLC to Community Leader
When Kathleen Connolly first walked through the doors of Northern Lights College, she didn’t have a clear plan for her future, only a sense that she wanted something more.
A self described “farmer’s daughter” and member of the Stswecemʼc Xgetʼtem First Nation, Kathleen grew up on her family’s ranch and started her education at a rural school like many others in northern BC. Also, like many students, she didn’t know which direction to take after high school and instead took a gap year.
A year working retail helped her find the direction she was missing.
“I decided that I didn’t want to sell toilet paper for a living,” she explained. “That just didn’t seem to really resonate for me.”
She started by having a conversation with a Northern Lights College counsellor. They suggested she would be a good fit for the Social Services Worker program and she applied, a decision that would change the course of her life.
Kathleen was terrified walking through the college’s doors for the first time as a student, yet she found the support she needed.
“The way I was welcomed in and sort of held like the delicate little bird I was back then, really nurtured and made me feel safe. It was such a reflection of not only the college but the community that we chose to live in.”
That sense of safety helped Kathleen build her confidence, and before she finished her program, she had multiple job offers.
“A professor hired me to work at the Child Development Center here in town before I was actually done my second year. I did a practicum with the provincial government, and literally, they fought over who was going to get to hire me.”
Those early experiences were not without challenges. Like many new professionals, Kathleen faced moments of self-doubt and uncertainty. But the lessons she carried from her time at NLC —like resilience, self-awareness, and an understanding of people—helped her push through.
Her early career with the Ministry of Social Services placed Kathleen in high-pressure environments, working closely with vulnerable populations and navigating complex systems at a young age.
“I can remember like, shaking going into meetings because I was so terrified…and I was young in a really big role. It took, I think, the first year. I thought, ‘I just can’t do this.’ It’s just too hard. And the lesson I learned is that we all have to be responsible for our own journey.”
She attributes that self-assurance to her teachers at Northern Lights College.
“That’s the kind of confidence-building that came from two years of working with professors who just really cared about their students.”
Those confident first steps became momentum.
Kathleen’s career expanded in ways she never could have predicted, from social work to leadership in local organizations, and now owning her consulting company. Kathleen built a path defined not by a single plan, but by a willingness to take opportunities and continue learning.
Today, she works with communities around the region, wearing many hats and sitting on numerous boards and committees. She is supporting initiatives in economic development, community safety and well-being, and strategic planning. Much of her work focuses on building strong, sustainable communities, often in partnership with Indigenous organizations and communities, something close to her heart.
Kathleen’s First Nations heritage is something that has influenced much of her work.
While serving as the Executive Director of the Dawson Creek Chamber of Commerce for 10 years, she worked on building reconciliation pathways between businesses and First Nations. She took that work all the way to the BC Chamber of Commerce.
“There were two really powerful policy resolutions I sent to the BC Chamber. One was on Truth and Reconciliation number 92, which is a call to businesses to start participating in reconciliation, and the other one was around DRIPA and the role of business in the DRIPA action plan.”
Throughout her journey, one theme has remained constant: a deep commitment to service. Whether working directly with individuals or contributing to broader systems and policy, Kathleen’s work is based on the belief that strong communities are built through connection, support, and opportunity.
Despite the many directions her career has taken, Kathleen has remained connected to Northern Lights College. She sees the institution as more than a place of learning. She sees it is a vital part of the community, creating pathways for students and helping to build a stronger future for the region.
“I’m incredibly proud of such a meaningful institution that started in a farming community in a remote piece of the province that often gets forgotten. And to see the leaders and the innovators and the excellence that comes out of this institution every spring is nothing short of inspiring.”
Her message to students considering their own path is simple: it’s okay to feel uncertain. In fact, those moments of doubt can be the starting point for something much bigger.
“I think what colleges do, is they create a breeding ground for opportunity. And so, if you feel like you’re terrified, this is the right place to be. If you feel like you don’t know where to start, this is the right place to be. If you feel like you want to offer more and create pathways, this is the place to be.”