Joining the federal government in 1964, she served as a secretary and interpreter/translator in the office of Northwest Territories MP Eugène Rhéaume.
Hanson appeared, credited under a pseudonym "Pilitak", as the character Neevee in the 1974 film The White Dawn, which featured many Inuit actors speaking Inuktitut.
In addition to her work in journalism, Hanson also served with the government of the Northwest Territories as a community development worker, counsellor and deputy commissioner.
Hanson has spent considerable time as a volunteer, helping to start a number of organizations in Iqaluit.
Hanson's work in community development and the continuation of Inuit heritage was recognized in 2003 when she became a Member of the Order of Canada.