Julie Holeksa

Julie holds a PhD in Social Work, with a research focus on the lived experiences of people who use drugs and the ways in which policy, stigma, and interactions with health and social services shape their lives. Before beginning her PhD, Julie worked in a medical research clinic which provided HIV and hepatitis C care for individuals with current or past substance use.

Her doctoral dissertation, Varying Drug Policies and Unequal Access to Harm Reduction, examined both the experiences of people who use drugs in Sweden and social workers’ attitudes toward care and harm reduction. Drawing on surveys and interviews, her work highlights how local differences in harm reduction services, policing practices, and interpersonal stigma may influence social inclusion, mobility, and access to care for vulnerable individuals.