Leadership Team
Our team is a vibrant group of dedicated professionals, each bringing their unique expertise to advance the safety, wellness, and performance of workers across Canada. Here, you can explore the profiles of our Leadership team and discover how their work contributes to CISWP’s mission. The CISWP Leadership team is grateful for the opportunity to steer a remarkable group of talented employees whose passion and expertise enable us to achieve great things. Together, we are shaping a safer, healthier, and more productive Canada.
President & CEO
Dr. Amin Yazdani
Dr. Amin Yazdani holds a PhD in Kinesiology (Work and Health) from the University of Waterloo and is a Board-Certified Safety Professional. His research focuses on preventing workplace injuries, improving job accessibility, and advancing evidence-informed practices that support a diverse and evolving workforce. Dr. Yazdani’s work in health and safety standards continues to inform policy, guide innovation, and support the development of safer and more accessible workplaces across Canada.
Senior Director, Research
Dr. Marcus Yung
Dr. Marcus Yung holds a PhD in Kinesiology (Work and Health) and is a Board-Certified Professional Ergonomist. His research focuses on the etiology of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, exposure assessment, fatigue, and development of prevention strategies and interventions to mitigate injury risk. Dr. Yung collaborates with CISWP’s Lead Researchers and Data Analysts to guide both laboratory work simulations and field studies and population-level data to better understand exposure-disease relationships.
Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships
Nicki Islic
Nicki holds a Master’s in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London. She leads CISWP’s outreach initiatives, focusing on building partnerships and being responsive to industry trends, challenges, and the needs of interested parties. Nicki collaborates with a diverse range of partners, including researchers, industry, government, workers, and businesses of all sizes, to support work and health research and translate findings into practice.
Director, Operations
Dr. Kristen Bolliger
Dr. Kristen Bolliger holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western University and a Master of Science in Athletic Training from Ohio University. Her doctoral research focused on gender-equity in sport and recreation settings. Dr. Bolliger creates operational efficiencies and managerial support for the CISWP research team, while integrating her passion for health and wellness.
Manager, People & Culture
Jenna Smith
Jenna Smith is a strategic human resources and labour relations leader with more than 15 years of experience supporting organizations across research, higher education, nuclear, technology, and professional services. As Manager, People & Culture at CISWP, Jenna leads the development and delivery of the Institute’s human resource (HR) function, supporting organizational growth through strategic workforce planning, talent acquisition, leadership development, employee and labour relations, and the development of scalable HR policies and practices.Prior to joining CISWP, Jenna held progressive HR leadership roles with BWXT Canada, McMaster University, Conestoga College, Christie Digital Systems, and the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan. Her experience spans both unionized and non-unionized environments and includes organizational development, change management, workplace investigations, employment legislation, and strategic HR planning.Jenna holds a Master’s degree in Employment Relations from Memorial University and is a Chartered Human Resources Professional (CHRL). She also holds certifications in PROSCI Change Management and Alternate Dispute Resolution.