CANADIAN BOARD OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE

2025 Award of Merit Winners

Dr. Dana Young is a family physician with 25 years of experience who has developed a strong commitment to occupational medicine and the health and well-being of Canadian workers.

She currently serves as a Health Services Officer with the RCMP, where she is a trusted and objective voice in disability case management and benefits administration. She holds the ACBOM credential and has completed all three years of the University of Alberta Foundation Course in Occupational Medicine, including briefly serving as a tutor for Part A.

Dr. Young contributes to the occupational medicine community through her service on the Boards of Directors of OEMAC and CBOM, the Planning Committees for the 2025 and 2026 OEMAC-CBOM Annual Conferences, and as a conference moderator. She has also presented at the “Pearls and Pitfalls” sessions in Edmonton in 2024 and Toronto in 2025.

Dr. Justine Giddens is a prominent academic psychiatrist at the University of Toronto, specializing in occupational psychiatry, with extensive expertise in trauma and addictions. She is an assistnat professor in the department of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine, Occupational Medicine Division. She has a Master’s of Science Degree from University College of London and Yale University and completed her medical training at the University of Toronto. Her work is dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of workers in high-risk, safety-critical environments as well as international organizations. Dr. Giddens was tasked in 2025 for the Federal government initative to write the new Mental Health and Return to Work Guidelines, which have broad implications across the entire industry, enhancing mental health support and promoting effective return-to-work strategies for workers in safety-sensitive sectors. Additionally, Dr. Giddens is a co-author of the Canadian Railway Medical Rules Handbook (For Positions Critical to Safe Railway Operations), contributing to the Substance Use Chapter, which provides essential safety guidelines for safety critical work and is used across North America. A leading expert in the field, Dr. Giddens has authored numerous publications and has presented at conferences worldwide, sharing her research and insights with the global community. Dr. Giddens has served as an expert witness and have been entrusted as an independent medical expert for Global Corporations. She also serves as an adjudicator for one of Canada’s largest employers, Canada Post and the insurer providing expert evaluations on disability decisions. Her hospital practice consists of providing treatment and psychiatric assessments for first responders (police, firefighters etc.) as well as the military and is teaching the Aerospace Fellowship at University of Toronto.

Dr. Justine Giddens is committed to advancing mental health initiatives within the workplace, ensuring that safety, well-being, and effective, evidence-based practices are at the forefront of occupational health.