Dakota McIntosh is a PhD student in Political Science at Carleton University where her primary fields are Gender & Diversity and Canadian Politics. Her research interests include diverse political representation, candidate self-presentation, media coverage of racialized and gender diverse candidates/officeholders, and municipal politics. In 2025, Dakota graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University with an Honours B.A. in Politics and Governance with a minor in Criminology, and in 2026 she has completed her M.A. in Political Studies with a concentration in Gender and Politics. Dakota is also an 1834 Fellow and has been selected to participate in the Ontario Women’s Parliamentary Forum. Outside of academia, Dakota enjoys music, vinyl records, and travelling