Jennifer Leason

Dr. Jennifer Leason (Anishinaabe name: Kessis Sagay-Yas Egett Kwé, First Shining Rays of Sunlight Woman) is an Indigenous scholar and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Maternal Child Wellness at the University of Calgary, with an Adjunct Professor appointment at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University. She is affiliated with the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and the CIHR Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Maternal Child Wellness.

Her educational background includes a B.A. (2000) from the University of Saskatchewan and a Ph.D. (2017) in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Leason's research focuses on addressing maternal-child health disparities for Indigenous communities through the lens of social determinants of health, reproductive rights, and perinatal care.

• 2019: Reverend Dr. Chief John Snow Award (University of Calgary)
• 2018: PEAK Scholar (University of Calgary) and First Nation Health Authority Blanket Ceremony (Interior Region)
• 2016-2013: Multiple Ph.D. Awards from INDSPIRE
• 2015: Consortium of Universities for Global Health Graduate Student Reflective Essay Competition Winner

Her scholarly work spans Indigenous health equity, cultural safety in medical systems, and the impacts of colonialism on maternal outcomes, with a strong emphasis on community-driven solutions and knowledge translation in Indigenous contexts.