Rachel Olson, PhD

Experience

Dr. Rachel Olson (she/her) is a citizen of the Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation from the Yukon Territory. She has been a researcher in First Nations communities since 1998, working on various projects, from oral history, traditional land use and natural resource management, to First Nations health and education issues. Rachel earned a Master of Research in Social Anthropology from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and completed a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Sussex, examining the politics of midwifery care and childbirth in Manitoba First Nations communities. 

Rachel is the President of Firelight, and the Business Lead for the Governance & Wellbeing team. Her main areas of focus are health research for First Nations communities, as well as supporting Indigenous midwifery at the local, provincial, and national levels. Rachel has extensive experience leading community-based research, program evaluations, and health service planning initiatives, including work related to maternal and child health, culturally safe care, and health service delivery in First Nations communities. As President and Co-Owner of Firelight, Rachel provides strategic leadership and oversight across the organization, supporting business development, organizational growth, and the delivery of high-quality, Indigenous-led research and consulting services. She brings experience working collaboratively with Indigenous governments and organizations to strengthen governance, build organizational capacity, and advance community priorities.