Congratulations to this year’s recipient, Jessie Heisler
Jessie Heisler is a rural Alberta-based public health and sexual violence prevention professional. Her work focuses on sexual health education, community-based prevention, and improving access to trauma-informed supports, covering a 65,000 km2 service area across rural and northern communities. She is a former King Charles III Coronation Medal recipient and won the Cold Lake Women of Influence Award for Community and Volunteerism in 2025.
Jessie is continuing her education in nursing and sexual health at the University of Calgary, with a long-term goal of strengthening comprehensive, accessible sexual health education and care in rural, northern, and underserved communities.
About the Phyllis Harris Scholarship
Each year, the Phyllis Harris Scholarship builds the skills and experience of students who have volunteered or been employed in the general field of human sexuality and who intend to pursue a related career.
This legacy endowment fund honours the dedication and goals of Walter and Phyllis Harris who were strong advocates of choice and autonomy for every person. The Harris Family created a scholarship fund to encourage future leaders in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Students have been supported through this legacy gift for over 20 years and will continue to have access to meaningful work through funded summer placement opportunities. Action Canada is deeply grateful for the opportunity to share mentorship and expertise with developing leaders in the field who can benefit from the placements offered through the Phyllis Harris Scholarship.
Throughout her career as a public health nurse, Phyllis volunteered with Planned Parenthood, though this was a time when abortion was not legal. When interviewed in the Edmonton Journal about her 1981 volunteer award, Phyllis was asked how she became interested in this type of work.
“I personally like to plan my life and be in charge of what happens to me as far as possible. Even as a young student nurse, I was appalled by the negative effects on individual and family life of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.” - Phyllis Harris
Phyllis was able to give personal support through her career. With her husband and other supporters, she started a chapter of Planned Parenthood to break down barriers and allow all people to make decisions about their own bodies. “Much of the activity in the early years was focused on public education to promote changes in the criminal code, which did occur in 1969.”
In the sexual and reproductive health and rights movement we “stand on the shoulders of giants,” learning from and adapting expertise built through the hard won victories of advocates, volunteers, and health workers like Phyllis and Walter Harris. As we continue pressing forward to connect movements and organizations across Canada and the world, we are honoured to help advance their goal to support future leaders in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights.Details:
The Phyllis Harris Scholarship is awarded bi-annually to help support students who are community leaders in sexual health and rights. Valued at $3,600, the Phyllis Harris Scholarship Fund provides one scholarship to a student with experience working or volunteering in the general field of human sexuality, and who intends to pursue a related career in the future.