Iris Bradford brings her passion and expertise in critical social science research to the Sivummut team. As a consultant, she applies her critical thinking, analysis, writing, and editing skills to assist with a wide variety of Nunavut-based research and development projects.
Iris previously completed a BA and MA in International Development, where she focused on feminist and decolonizing perspectives on development. Following these studies, Iris dived headfirst into the reproductive health and rights sector in Ottawa. She is a trained doula who offered compassionate, client-centered support through the full range of reproductive experiences for a number of years. In response to the gaps and inequities in current health and social services, she remains an advocate, organizer, and researcher involved in improving the quality and accessibility of reproductive care.
These diverse experiences in care work and community organizing guided Iris back to academia to pursue a PhD in Political Science at Concordia University. Specializing in reproductive and midwifery politics, her doctoral research focuses on better understanding the conditions of care and care labor in Canada through the first-hand experiences of midwives. This work addresses the invisibility and devaluation of healthcare workers more broadly and pushes for the inclusion of workers’ perspectives in policymaking.
In her free moments between school and work, Iris can be found exploring thrift stores or live music in Montreal, walking or cycling in nearby greenspaces, or curled up at home with her cat and a good book.
