About the author

I am Mary Scott, an intergenerational settler living on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation, in what is now known as Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. My ancestry is predominantly Scottish, with a quarter French heritage from my maternal grandfather. I grew up on a small organic farm within the same territory, where I was largely self-taught until entering the public school system in grade 11.

My professional journey began in Western medicine, where I trained and worked as a dental assistant. This experience sparked my interest in healthcare, leading me to pursue an undergraduate degree in anthropology. I later transitioned to medical research, which ultimately guided me to complete a Master's degree in Epidemiology—the study of disease patterns in populations.

My own research has focused on Canada's healthcare system. I have collaborated with many other researchers and used large datasets to look at patterns across the population. I have co-authored over 40 publications: listed here. I want to share what I learned from that environment of medical science to combat misinformation and strengthen community health literacy.

In my work, I am committed to shifting the system to build stronger, more inclusive communities where everyone is respected and no one is mistreated. I aim to counter systemically rooted inequality by cultivating humility, empathy, and curiousity. My hope is to support social and systemic environments where every person and community can thrive.