Fatima Sheikh, MSc, PhD(c) (She/Her) is a PhD Candidate in the Health Research Methodology program at McMaster University. Her research focuses on understanding how social determinants of health influence both the incidence and outcomes of critical illnesses. She also explores how these determinants shape healthcare delivery, with the goal of informing equitable health policies, responsible evidence use, and inclusive care practices. Fatima’s academic foundation includes a master’s thesis centered on equity, diversity, and inclusion, in which she investigated how gender and ethnicity affect N95 respirator fit among a diverse group of Canadian healthcare workers. In addition to her academic work, Fatima holds a role in the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights department at Hamilton Health Sciences. In this role, she leads collaborative initiatives with communities, patients, and regional partners to design and implement processes for collecting sociodemographic data and advancing equity, inclusion, and anti-racism across the organization. At the core of Fatima’s work is a commitment to understanding how social and structural factors shape health and disease, their systemic implications, and the power of cross-sector collaboration to drive meaningful change.