Bairstow joined MDRC as a technical analyst in 2018. She analyzes data for multiple projects, including the New York City Small Schools of Choice evaluation and the evaluation of Academic Language Interventions. Before working at MDRC, Bairstow conducted quantitative analyses for a variety of entities, including the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. She holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley.