Yisak is the lead qualitative researcher with Young Lives in Ethiopia. Since he joined in 2007 he has led four rounds of core and  three sub-study qualitative research fieldwork, in collaboration with colleagues in both Oxford and Ethiopia. He has an MA in Social Anthropology from Addis Ababa University and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Child Research from the Norwegian University of Sciences and Technology (NTNU).

Yisak's research interests include life-course and childhood poverty, intergenerational poverty, well-being and transitions; girls' early marriage, aspirations and achievements, child work and social protection.