Hello! My name is Alyssa Blais, and I am a lifelong learner, and emerging health services researcher. I hold a master’s degree in Adult Education and Community Development, and am currently pursuing a degree in Applied Health Services Research. I want to understand how social inequities impact our health and communicate these insights to the broader community.
I’m an ambivert who thrives on deep conversations but finds peace in my garden and joy in solo pursuits. I run (reluctantly), hike, and try to eat mostly plant-based food as a form of quiet resistance against industrial agriculture.
My mind holds constant tension, as I crave the sensory richness of city life—global food, culture, music – and yet I feel most grounded in the stillness and simplicity of rural living.
Podcasts – what can I say – I listen to so many (especially by Kara Swisher), while walking my beautiful and gentle retriever.
RESEARCH
My research interests focus on the intersections of women’s health, ageism, health equity and literacy, with a particular emphasis on how social inequities and patriarchal structures shape bodily autonomy and well-being. I am especially interested in exploring the experiences of older women and examining how societal narratives influence our views on aging, health, and gender.
CV
- Master of Adult Education (M.Ad.Ed.) in Women’s Leadership and Community Development – St. Francis Xavier University
- Postgraduate Diploma in Women’s Leadership – Coady Institute and Canadian Women’s Foundation
- Postgraduate Diploma in Institutional Administration – Concordia University
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology – Concordia University
- Certificate in Creatively Fit Coaching and Open Studio Project Facilitator Training
- Certificates in Mental Health First Aid, Working Mind, and Peer Support
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP/VOLUNTEER
Co-Chair of Annapolis Community Health Board
Member of CASAE | ACÉÉA
AWARDS
Audrey Fenwick Award (2025): In honour of lifelong learning, this award recognized my graduate research in women’s lived experience of menopause and academic excellence.
PUBLICATIONS
Blais, A. (2024). Women, Menopause, and Menopause Learning: A Critical Feminist Analysis. https://stfx.scholaris.ca/items/5d5276f2-19bb-4412-88a6-de538630fa02
Hypersexualization: Countering Exploitative Child Girl Images in the Media
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Blais, A. (2025, June). Women, menopause, and learning. Paper presented at the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE) Conference, Virtual.
CURRENT WORK
I work for the County of Annapolis, focusing on strategic initiatives such as our poverty reduction strategy and the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) committee, where we are developing a plan to reduce racism and hate in the county. Additionally, I serve as a part-time project coordinator for a five-year initiative involving four universities, including St. Francis Xavier University, that focuses on Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change. In this role, I oversee the project’s financial reporting and ensure compliance with the requirements outlined in the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) agreement.