I graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration. I have always been interested in the intersection of public policy and advocacy; the main reason I decided to go into law school was so I could better understand the institutions and legal frameworks that inform the type of policy changes that can be made.

I am now in my third year in the law program at McGill University. Throughout my degree, I have enjoyed the opportunity to apply my interdisciplinary understanding of policymaking and the law to several advocacy projects related to social and economic changes at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government. Some interesting policy projects that I have had the opportunity to work on include changes to consumer protection regulations and pay-day loans, the effects of grocery rebate programs and universal basic income, and the effectiveness of poverty reduction through tax credits.

During my most recent policy position at the Bank of Canada, I helped to conduct research and analysis on regional access to banking services. This work allowed the Bank of Canada to understand the barriers in place related to the use of cash and non-digital payments. This opportunity allowed me to understand the importance of evidence-based policy-making and public access to information. The experience highlighted how important it is to communicate with relevant stakeholders and clients impacted by the research about what the findings would mean for the future policy changes implemented by the Bank.

I am excited to learn more about E4D’s research and advocacy work related to evidence-informed decision-making while using my public policy background to support the team this summer.