[3] Her father James Stafford was a former competitive runner and represented Canada at four World Cross Country Championships.

Both sisters were diagnosed with Graves' disease as teenagers, with Stafford's case proving a considerable hindrance in her early career.

[3] In 2017, Stafford won gold at the 2017 Pan American U20 Athletics Championships in the women's 1500 metres event.

[5][6] She qualified to the semi-final, but finished thirteenth overall there, 0.43 seconds behind Spain's Marta Pérez, and missed advancing to the final.

[7] In advance of the 2022 season, Stafford moved to train at the Bowerman Track Club in Portland, joining her sister Gabriela.

"[11] Following her departure from the Bowerman Club, Stafford resumed training in Toronto with longtime coach Terry Radchenko.

[13] After narrowly missing the World Athletics Championship qualifying standard for the 1500 m at the 2023 Millrose Games, she cleared it with a personal best 4:02.03 at the USATF LA Grand Prix on May 27.