SASKATOON -- U of S graduate Jennifer Sass has been nominated by U.S. President Joe Biden to be a member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB).
The position is one of 16 administration positions announced by the White House.
CSB is an independent U.S. federal agency tasked with investigating industrial chemical accidents such as explosions and leaks.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the new incoming board members, they all bring their levels of expertise and interests that I think will be really exciting.”
Raised in Saskatoon, Sass is a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defence Council in Washington, DC and says while the vetting process took weeks, it came as a surprise to her.
“I mean this is absolutely a dream job for me, I think it is the best job in the entire world for me and other people coming in because it’s all about hitting the ground running,” Sass told CTV News.
Sass says she spent 28 years in Saskatoon and often travels back once or twice a year, pre-pandemic, to visit her family and friends.
“I’ve put everything I’ve learned into good use and I look forward to trying to do this job to help translate some of the works that we’re doing back to industries in Saskatchewan as well.”
Her work and newly appointed position demonstrates how Sass is following in her father’s footsteps.
Her father, Bob Sass, was the Associate Deputy Minister of Labour in the province in 1974. He was also a professor at the U of S Regina campus in 1969.
Bob helped draft the 1981 regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act which later contributed to the Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS).
Sass says it could be weeks or months before she takes on the position as she has to go through a set of confirmation hearings and a final vote.
