Meredith Ivany | CN Centre

Meredith Ivany, MSc

Year graduated: 2018 (MSc)

Supervisor: Dr. Arla Day

Thesis: Awareness and Commitment Training for Workers with Chronic Demands: Taking ACTion towards Improved Sleep and Wellbeing

Key take-home messages from your dissertation:

I tested the effects of a phone-based coaching program called Awareness & Commitment Training in Organizational Networks (ACTion) on workers with chronic demands (e.g., health problems, caregiving, or shift work). ACTion was designed to help participants behave more consistently with their values with the goal of improving their wellbeing. ACTion participants reacted positively to the program and reported improving their behaviour, but longer-term measurement may be necessary to detect wellbeing improvements.

What have you been doing since you graduated?
I work as a Recruitment and Testing Specialist for NAV CANADA, Canada’s Air Navigation Service Provider. I focus mainly on developing, implementing, and validating selection systems and associated programs (e.g., onboarding, retention, departure processes), and I also work on Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Receiving the 2019 Kenneth E. Clarke Research Award from the International Leadership Association and the Centre for Creative Leadership for my dissertation.

Advice/Best practices?
Never stop learning! The MSc program gave me a solid foundation in many areas of I/O psychology, but coursework can’t cover everything. A strong asset from this program was learning how to critically read and understand research. When I take on a project in a new area (e.g., onboarding, departure, promotion, etc.), I always start with a review of research and best practices and incorporate them into the programs I build.