our team

the purpose of the epid@work management committee is to operationalize recommendations from the advisory board to direct institute activities. the committee was created to ensure that there is active research occurring in each of the theme areas: special populations of interest, musculoskeletal injury, and mental health in the workplace. the management committee reports to the advisory board. the committee recommends topics for research, training, and consultation projects and provides direction for the director and associate director to share opportunities with research institute members to take the lead on these projects.

2024 membership:

photo of dr. vicki kristman

 

dr. vicki kristman
senior scientist and director

 

  

photo of dr. kathy sanderson

 

dr. kathy sanderson
scientist and lead: equity, diversity and inclusion

 

 

photo of dr. lynn martin

 

dr. lynn martin
senior scientist and lead: knowledge mobilization and implementation

 

dr. abigale sprakes

 

 dr. abigale sprakes
 scientist and lead: mental health in the workplace

director:

dr. vicki kristman, department of health sciences, senior scientist

associate director:

dr. kathy sanderson, department of business administration, scientist

full members:

adjunct members:

emeritus member:

dr. william shaw, university of connecticut health center, scientist

the purpose of the epid@work advisory board committee is to provide guiding recommendations to the director and management committee to direct institute activities. the committee was created to ensure guidance from all vital stakeholders: injured workers, unions, employers, health care, compensation and legislation. these perspectives will assist in the development of each of the core research theme areas: special populations of interest, musculoskeletal injury, and mental health in the workplace. members will be advocates for the institute.

members include the epid@work director, the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 vpri (or designate), and two representatives from each of the following groups:

  • injured workers and/or union representatives
  • employer representatives
  • health care representatives
  • compensation or legislation representatives

2024 advisory board membership:

  • amy kembel, synergy north
  • dr. batia stolar, associate vice-president, research and graduate studies; chair of advisory committee
  • elizabeth widdifield, regenmed
  • jules tupker, retired, previous cupe union
  • margaret cernigoj, epid@work kmi lead
  • steve mantis, ontario network of injured workers, thunder bay and district injured workers support group

epid@work research institute is looking for new members on our advisory board committee. please complete this form and email to epid.hbsc@lakeheadu.ca if you are interested in joining our advisory board.

 join our team! epid@work research institute is looking for a health care representative to join our advisory committee.

dr. kristman is currently the director and senior scientist at the epid@work (enhancing the prevention of injury and disability @work) research institute at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 in thunder bay. she is a professor in the department of health sciences at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 and the northern ontario school of medicine, and also an adjunct scientist at the institute for work & health in downtown toronto. the majority of her research is about finding ways for those who are restricted by injury or illness, including mental health issues, to actively participate in the workforce. after moving all around southern ontario for her education (guelph (bsc), kingston (msc), toronto (phd epidemiology)), dr. kristman have spent the last 13 years in thunder bay. she love playing sports, including hockey, softball, golf and most recently, pickleball. dr. kristman also enjoy mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and backcountry camping trips. currently, she can be found sprinting behind her little shih tzu pup, benny, who likes to walk at light speed.

 dr. fahad riaz choudhry has a phd in psychology from monash university. prior to joining epid, he served as a research associate at sunnybrook health sciences centre in toronto, where he conducted research on mental health and addiction navigation. dr. choudhry brings a wealth of international experience, having worked and lived in malaysia, australia, and pakistan, where he also held the academic position of assistant professor/senior lecturer. dr. choudhry specializes in qualitative research methods and has a deep commitment to exploring mental health issues within equity-deserving communities. his research is rooted in social justice, focusing on the experiences of marginalized populations, and advocating for greater inclusivity and support. with a strong dedication to mental health equity, dr. choudhry's work aims to bring about meaningful change in underserved communities and regions. when he is not at work, dr fahad loves spending time with his daughter, traveling & exploring new places and listening to music.

huiqi is the operations manager at the epid@work research institute. she graduated from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 in 2023 with an mba degree specialized in advanced studies in management. with a strong focus on operations, huiqi brings expertise in program management, team development, and system implementation to drive impactful results. she is passionate about fostering collaborative, efficient teams and designing strategies that deliver meaningful outcomes. huiqi welcomes opportunities to connect with others who share her interests in research, program development, and operational strategy.

jane is the administrative assistant at epid@ work research institute. she recently graduated in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism management from toronto metropolitan university and has participated in several research activities. with a strong background in administrative and hospitality management, she will be responsible for the administrative aspects at epid@work research institute. jane looks forward to supporting operations and contributing to the institute's continued success!

mannila is the quantitative research assistant at the epid@work research institute. she holds a master of science degree in computer science with a specialization in data science from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 . mannila is proficient in collecting, analyzing, interpreting, validating, and presenting data to stakeholders to support decision-making. she brings a wealth of expertise in utilizing software such as qualtrics, stata, spss, and r for data management and statistical analysis. her previous research experience includes data-driven algorithm development under dr. vijay mago and dr. philippe j. giabbanelli. feel free to reach out to mannila if you have any questions about epid’s data collection, management, or analysis practices!

brenda is a project coordinator with the epid@work research institute. she has her masters degree in biology studying brown adipose tissue and has worked in the field of immunology. her previous research includes vaccine response as well as haemophilus influenzae type a carriage and characterization. outside of work you will find brenda hiking, gaming, or booking her next tattoo. reach out to brenda for more information regarding participation in our northwestern ontario workplace and worker health study.

claudia is a project coordinator for the northwestern ontario workplace and worker health study (nowwhs) and an msc student in psychological science at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 . her research examines disability stigma and disability disclosure, focusing on how these factors shape interpersonal relationships, including friendships and romantic partnerships. outside of work and studies, claudia is an avid mountain biker and swimmer, often found exploring trails or enjoying northwestern ontario’s natural beauty. at home, she loves relaxing with her kitty, phoenix, while diving into a good book or indulging in her passion for musical theatre. she’s always ready for the next adventure and firmly believes there’s no problem a bike ride or a show tune can’t fix. if you or your workplace would like to participate in the nowwhs, feel free to reach out to claudia.

nolan is a project coordinator with the epid@work research institute. he graduated from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 with a honours bachelor of science in psychology, and has worked in several research labs and for various social service organizations supporting the community. he also currently works as a grief support group facilitator and volunteer through hospice northwest. if your workplace is interested in participating in the nowwhs study, please feel free give him a call!

vanessa is a project coordinator at the epid@work research institute and holds a master of science degree in public health, specializing in epidemiology and biostatistics from mcgill university. she earned her bachelor of medical science honours specialization in one health from the university of western ontario. her research spans various areas, including clinical quality improvement, climate adaptation, and community resilience. outside of the office, you can find vanessa at a hot yoga class or watching survivor.

ryley is the knowledge mobilization specialist with the epid@work research institute. she graduated from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 in 2018 with a masters degree in english, and worked in communications and fundraising with local non-profit organizations before joining epid. ryley is passionate about using storytelling to make an impact, and she is responsible for working with our research team to get knowledge into the community. when she's not at work, ryley can usually be found spending time with her twin daughters or trying to create the perfect spotify playlist. reach out to ryley if you have any questions about partnering with the institute!

jaclyn is the communications specialist with the epid@work institute. she holds a business marketing and marketing administration advanced diploma from confederation college. her passion lays in storytelling; sharing local stories within our community to generate interest and engagement. using her expertise in fundraising, she spends her spare time volunteering for local animal and health related charities. outside of the office, she enjoys swimming, spending time with her extended family and cuddling with her siamese rescue phoebe.

adam is a research assistant for the epid @work research institute. he is a current health sciences phd student at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 where he focuses on the health marginalized populations, older adults, and palliative care. his current projects at epid@work include the employment of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and using data from the nowwhs as the bases for testing a mental health stigma intervention in the workplace. when not analyzing data, adam is usually at the gym or working on home renovations.

 ainsley miller is phd candidate in the health sciences program at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 . she is nearing the end of her phd as she has started analyzing data for her dissertation regarding "nurses' practice environments, burnout and mental health in northwestern ontario". ainsley is also a registered nurse with experience working in the intensive care unit. ainsley’s professional experience working in intensive care is what sparked her interest in pursuing research in the area of workplace mental health. her dissertation is grounded in epidemiology and will examine predictors and protectors of burnout among a sample of nurses in northwestern ontario. this will be the first longitudinal study regarding workplace mental health among nurses working in northern, rural, and remote locations in northwestern ontario. knowledge gained from this research will be essential to recruit, retain, and build a healthy, sustainable nursing workforce within northwestern ontario and beyond.

 anika is a master of health sciences (mhsc) student at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 , specializing in employee mental health and job satisfaction. since 2023, she has been working as a research assistant at the epid@work research institute, contributing to the advancement of health sciences through applied research. tahsin's academic pursuits align with lakehead's department of health sciences' mission to create and mobilize knowledge to protect and promote health and reduce health inequities. her work contributes to the department's vision of being a leader in applied health research and comprehensive health education.

lsa is a student at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 in the masters of public health program. she graduated from the university of waterloo in 2023 with a bachelor of science with a gerontology minor. before epid, she worked with various research teams across ontario. this work included coordinating a team for the development of an rdt app for clinical use and assessing dietary components that could influence alzheimer's disease symptoms. elsa is passionate about contributing to the advancement of public health knowledge and hopes to use her skills and knowledge to make an impact in the field of public health. in her spare time, elsa enjoys spending time with friends and family and watching movies.

jazanne is a master of health sciences student specializing in indigenous and northern health. she is under the supervision of dr. vicki kristman, in which she is working on her master’s thesis that will explore the impact of workplace factors on the mental health of first nations workers that work on- and off-reserve within northwestern ontario. in her free time, jazanne can be found sewing and beading or burying her nose in a book.

thanusan is a research assistant at epid@work research institute. he graduated from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 with a bachelor's degree in applied life sciences with a concentration in biomedical sciences. he is currently in the last year of the specialized honours in psychology program at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 . for his thesis, thanusan is currently investigating the relationship between imagery strength and anhedonia, a sub-feature of depression. one of thanusan's passions is working as a resident assistant at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 where he supports first-year 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in their transition from high school to university life on residence. during his free time, thanusan enjoys running, building lego sets, and watching basketball.

i am umme saika kabir, a phd student at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 in canada, specializing in health sciences. originally from bangladesh, i embarked on the journey to canada to advance my academic and professional career. i graduated from 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 in 2020 with a master’s degree in health sciences with epidemiology specialization. i am particularly passionate about exploring the workplace mental health of immigrant workers and to contribute meaningful insights and solutions to the field. i am actively engaged in the university community through the canadian society for epidemiology and biostatistics 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ’ chapter club, fostering connections and building a support network that bridges cultural gaps. i enjoy exploring the rich cultural tapestry of canada and building lasting relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.