Doris Jeanne MacKinnon was born on a farm in northeastern Alberta. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in English at the University of Calgary in 2004. In 2006, Doris was awarded a Master of Arts Degree in Western Canadian History, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Calgary.

Doris has published numerous historical and lifestyle articles, and is currently working on several projects, including a biography of Marie Rose Delorme Smith, a Métis woman born in the Red River in 1880, as well as children's historical fiction.

Doris lives in Red Deer, Alberta with her husband, daughter, dog and two horses.

Awards and Nominations

• Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation Graduate Scholarship (2006)
• Coutts Family Western Canadian Graduate Scholarship (2006)
• Dean's Entrance Scholarship (2006)
• Provost Doctoral Entrance Award (2006)
• Alberta Graduate Scholarship (2005)
• Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation Graduate Scholarship (2005)
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council - Graduate Scholarship (2005)
• University of Calgary Thesis Research Grant (2005)
• Red Deer College K.I.T.E. Awards in Research and Writing (2004)
• Barbara Roberts Memorial Scholarship (2004)
• Western Canadian History Conference (2003)
• Red Deer College K.I.T.E. Awards in Writing (2002)
• Charles S.H. Campbell Endowment Scholarship (2001)

Memberships

• Canadian Authors Association
• Canadian Historical Association
• Alberta Historical Society
• Red Deer River Naturalists
• Kerrywood Nature Centre
• Nature Conservancy of Canada
• University of Calgary Alumni
• Red Deer College Alumni