Mary Rita Holland

Dr. Mary Rita Holland is a faculty member in the Women’s Studies department at Mount Saint Vincent University. She holds a PhD in Kinesiology and Health Studies from Queen’s University, along with an M.P.A. in Policy Studies, an M.A. in History, and a B.A. in Honours English & History from the University of New Brunswick.

• Education: PhD, MPA, MA, BA

Dr. Holland’s research focuses on caregiving, health equity, social determinants of health, food insecurity, and feminist research methods. Her work emphasizes community-based approaches, informed by her 8-year tenure as a municipal representative in Kingston, Ontario, where she advocated for housing and health policy reforms. She co-chaired the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing and served on the Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee and the board of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health.

Her recent publications include analyses of family caregiving in rural New Brunswick, free transit policies for social assistance recipients, historical failures in school meal programs, and municipal governance challenges. She is a Research Associate at the Trent Centre for Aging and Society and has published in journals like Health & Place and Canadian Journal of Public Health. Her work bridges academic research with practical policy advocacy.

• Community Roles: Municipal Representative (2014-2022), Ontario New Democratic Party President (2014-2022)
• Research Affiliation: Trent Centre for Aging and Society