I received my law degree from the University of Victoria in 1996, a Master's in Law from Osgoode Hall at York University in 2001, and a PhD in Educational Theory and Policy Studies from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at University of Toronto in 2011. I was a MITACS postdoctoral fellow in 2014.

I have worked in diverse roles that combine education, law and public policy. This includes serving as the Director of Research and Evaluation for the Future Skills Centre and Director of Research for People for Education, serving as the first Policy Counsel for the new government of Nunavut; a founder and Northern Director of Akitsiraq Law School in Iqaluit, Nunavut; working in a domestic violence family legal aid clinic in Brooklyn, New York.

I am the author of two books: Succeeding Together: Schools, Child Welfare and Uncertain Public Responsibility for Abused and Neglected Children (University of Toronto Press), and Pushing the Limits: How Schools Can Prepare Our Children Today for Tomorrow's Challenges (Random House Canada, with Nancy Steinhauer). Pushing the Limits was shortlisted for the Donner Prize for the best Public Policy Book by a Canadian. I have also written over 40 articles and reports on diverse topics.

The main focus of my research is issues of equality, particularly in educational settings and involving children, youth and families. I've done research on schools and child welfare, "streaming" and systemic discrimination, the policy and data infrastructure required to understand equity of access to postsecondary education, and the connections between playground quality, health and poverty in Ontario.

A major focus for me right now is educational responses to the emergency of the pandemic on schooling.

• Shortlisted for Donner Prize for best Public Policy Book by a Canadian.
• MITACS Elevate Post-doctoral Fellowship, 2013/14
• Leithwood Award for Outstanding Thesis, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
• Greenfield Award for Outstanding Dissertation, Canadian Association for Studies in Educational Administration
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Canada Graduate Scholarship and Aid to Scholarly Publishing Grant

Books

• Gallagher-Mackay, K. (2017). Succeeding together: Schools, child protection and public responsibility for children’s well-being. University of Toronto Press.
• Gallagher-Mackay, K. and Steinhauer, N. (2017). Pushing the Limits: How schools can prepare our children today for tomorrow's challenges, Toronto: Doubleday.

Selected Articles in Refereed Journals

• Gallagher-Mackay, K. (2020). Are students and educators learning during the pandemic? Policy Options. policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/november-2020/are-students-and-educators-learning-during-the-pandemic/
• Brown, R., Gallagher-Mackay, K., Parekh, G. (2020) Redefining risk: Human Rights and elementary school predictors of post-secondary access. Education Policy Analysis Archives, https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.28.4200 
• The duty to report child abuse and neglect and the paradox of non-compliance: Relational theory and ‘compliance’ in the human services. Journal of Law and Policy, 36(3), 256-289. (2014).
• From equal access to individual exit: The invisibility of systemic discrimination in Moore v. B.C. Canadian Journal of Law and Equality, 10, 93-123. (2013, with J. Birenbaum).
• Pursuing equity in and through teacher education program admissions. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 19(24), 1-22. (2011, with R.Childs and K.Broad).

Review Essay

• Thomas Berger’s ‘The Nunavut Project: Conciliator’s Final Report’ Canadian Journal of Education 30(4), 1093-1104 and “Reply to John Bainbridge” (2008) Canadian Journal of Education, 31(3) 767-772.
• Affirmative Action and Self-Government: The Case for Legal Education in Nunavut. Canadian Journal of Law and Society, 14(2), 1-36. (2011).

Selected Research and Evaluation Reports

• Welch, V., Mathew, C., Marins, L.M., Ghogomu, E., Gallagher-Mackay, K. (2020). Adult Skills Development and Training: A Campbell Evidence and Gap Map. Campbell Collaboration. Oslo: Norway. (publication pending).
• Gallagher-Mackay, K. (2019). “Assosa Refugee Camps: Health & Gender Rights for Women & Girls: An educational innovation to address reproductive and mental health needs of refugee women.” Addis Ababa: Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Cooperation
• K. Gallagher-Mackay. (2019) “Roadmaps and Roadblocks: Career and Life Planning, Guidance and Streaming in Ontario’s Schools”. People for Education.
• Data infrastructure for equity in post-secondary access: current opportunities, priorities and challenges (2017), Toronto: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario.
• Gallagher-Mackay, with Cameron, D., Granofsky, D., Hart, D., Kidder, A. Proulx, K. and Strachan, J. (2014) Measuring what matters: Report on public engagement in a broader measure of success (2014) Toronto, ON: People for Education.
• Gallagher-Mackay, K. (2013). Measuring what matters: a discussion paper for building a broader measure of success. Toronto, ON: People for Education.
• People for Education. Annual Report on Ontario’s Publicly Funded Schools, 2014-15 (co-author); 2013-2014; 2012-2013; 2011-12; 2010-11; and 2009-10 (co-author and research director)

• Globe and Mail: Kids are falling behind in school due to the pandemic – and it’s a huge problem
• TVO The Agenda: School Vouchers Anyone?
• TVO The Agenda: Private Partnerships, Public Education?
• Toronto Star: Do Ontario Schoolyards Make the Grade?
• CBC Toronto: Schoolyards Count
• Globe and Mail: The birds, the bees and the schools of the future
• National Post: Innovative approach to math helps indigenous schools push the limits
• Toronto Star: Time to eliminate publicly funded Catholic school funding in Ontario
• Globe and Mail: Surfing lessons
• The Walrus: Posts by Kelly Gallagher-Mackay
• Global News: Pushing the limits of education (video)
• National Post: Future of education is creativity, social-emotional learning: new book
• City Breakfast Television: 'Pushing the Limits' authors stress importance of our school system
• Globe and Mail: Toronto School Sparks Cross-Country Movement
• Toronto Star: Private refugee sponsorships need political boost not stalling