About

Our Team

Dana McCauley is an internationally recognized food innovation leader whose strategic vision and entrepreneurial expertise have driven wide-ranging advancements within Canada’s food sector. Throughout her career, Dana has successfully launched many food products and programs in collaboration with domestic and international food companies and entrepreneurs. She has long had her finger on the pulse of food innovation as a successful food writer and editor, a television food trends commentator, and a senior executive in the food manufacturing sector.

Dana was the founding Executive Director of Food Starter, a Toronto-based food business incubator that earned the Ontario Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. As Director of New Venture Creation at the University of Guelph, she empowered agri-food innovators to transform inventions into economic growth opportunities that enhance Canada's international reputation.

Dana has been recognized by WXN as one of Canada's Most Powerful Women in the Trailblazers and Trendsetters category and was named the 2024 Food Industry CEO of the Year Award by the Canadian Institute of Food Science & Technology (CIFST)—testaments to her ongoing leadership and impact in the food industry.

Melanie DiReto is a financial management professional with over 18 years of private sector and not-for-profit experience.

Between 2013 and 2021, she provided financial services, advice and reporting for the Canadian Food Innovators, among other food and agriculture industry association clients. Melanie brings considerable knowledge in writing proposals and contribution agreements in collaboration with federal and provincial governments.

Melanie is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and has achieved an additional designation of Certified Association Executive. Melanie has a Bachelor of Administrative and Commercial Studies from Western University. She is fluent in English and French.

Alexandra (Alex) Barlow is an economic development advocate and business advisor with over a decade of experience in writing, researching, and administering government incentives at both the provincial and federal levels. She loves learning about where and how disruptive products, technologies and services originate and has leveraged her curiosity into funding success for her clients, enabling hundreds of Canadian food businesses to access over $300M in government incentives.

An avid and passionate supporter of Canadian innovation, Alex frequently presents cashflow strategies and funding best practices to business audiences. Prior work in economic development consulting and within organizations such as FedDev Ontario, Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, & Rural Affairs gives Alex considerable insight into how to support businesses so that they can contribute to the success of our country.

Max Tremblay has held executive and brand management positions with top-tier Canadian and International companies such as Campbell, Walt Disney, Heinz, Workopkolis, Yellow Pages, Desjardins, Green P, and The Toronto Region of Trade. He also consulted with various enterprises and startups operating in investments, fintech, and branded media.

He has a successful track record for profitably building businesses by connecting consumer insights to brand, digital products or services. Leveraging his deep expertise in digital technology, CRM, marketing automation, client experience, app/web product development and branding, he successfully led transformational projects that simplified and changed how clients and organizations interact and transact digitally.

Originally from Montreal, he holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University. An avid runner, he has completed five marathons, multiple half, 10k and he racked up over 24,000 kilometers over the years.

Mona Afrouz is a strategic business development and partnerships leader with a proven track record of driving revenue growth, commercial innovation, and customer engagement through high-impact partnerships. With experience spanning financial services, loyalty and rewards, travel, retail, and consumer products, she specializes in developing growth strategies and commercial relationships that create measurable value for organizations, partners, and customers alike.

Throughout her career, Mona has led complex partnerships and growth initiatives across North America, with expertise in revenue generation, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, customer engagement, and market expansion. Known for her collaborative approach and strong relationship-building skills, she excels at identifying opportunities that align business objectives, unlock new sources of growth, and deliver long-term business impact.

At CFIN, Mona leads the development of strategic partnerships and commercial initiatives that strengthen the organization's proposition across the food industry value chain, accelerates innovation, and support the long-term vision and growth of the food industry in Canada.

Mohit Garg is a seasoned technology leader with over 20 years of experience helping organizations across banking, insurance, media, and public sectors improve how they operate and serve people in the digital world. He has worked with well-known organizations like TD Bank, CIBC, Co-operators Insurance, and Yellow Pages, leading projects that made systems faster, more user-friendly, and more efficient.

Mohit has a strong track record of turning complex challenges into practical, easy-to-use solutions. Whether it’s helping a company move its services online, improving how data is managed, or modernizing tools used by staff and customers, he brings a thoughtful and results-driven approach. His work has led to millions of dollars in savings, better customer experiences, and smoother day-to-day operations.

Originally trained as a software engineer, Mohit also holds certifications in project management and agile practices. He has a strong interest in innovation, especially where it helps organizations serve people better.

When he’s not working, Mohit enjoys growing vegetables in his backyard and staying active on the pickleball court.

Jamil Karim combines more than a decade of marketing and communications experience with a passion for helping people and companies tell their stories. A creative and energetic team player with a wealth of public sector experience, Jamil has worked with organizations like the Digital Technology Supercluster, Innovate BC, and Western Economic Diversification to launch new programs, secure additional funding, and facilitate cross-sector collaborations.

Jamil also has extensive experience working with industry, where he’s led media and community relations strategies for some of the country’s fastest growing tech companies. He enjoys collaborating with different stakeholders on major projects and has worked with researchers, investors, founders, and innovators on announcements and events that have generated media coverage across North America.

Jamil is deeply committed to having a positive impact on his community. He mentors for the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Leaders of Tomorrow Program and currently serves as President of his local community centre in Richmond, British Columbia.

Adrianne Assenheim is a dynamic and enthusiastic storyteller driven to co-create a better future for the next seven generations. A curious and creative problem-solver she brings to the table over a decade of experience in Operations and Communications, working with founders, stakeholders and innovators to passionately build brands, and the communities that sustain them. Meticulous, driven, and highly empathetic, Adrianne focuses her energy on systems-level transformation – from iteration to implementation.

Sara Hipson is a seasoned program manager and funding strategist with over a decade of experience delivering impactful programs for entrepreneurs, innovators, and rural communities across Canada. She specializes in government funding, stakeholder engagement, and economic development.

Sara is a dynamic community builder who recently founded CW Co-Work, a collaborative workspace and rural business hub in Elora that services the rapidly growing communities within Centre Wellington. Known for her collaborative approach and commitment to impact, Sara proudly serves on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of CW.

Before joining CFIN, Sara led the government grants practice at Asgard Consulting and managed a 350+ client portfolio at Mentor Works Ltd., helping companies access funding across the technology, food, and manufacturing sectors. Early in her career, Sara served as Manager of Business Development at Northern Development Initiative Trust, overseeing large-scale funding programs that supported regional economic priorities such as broadband expansion and forestry innovation in northern BC.

Hello, my name is Ella and I have worked as an Executive Assistant for over 15 years in various industries, with the last 10 years in public accounting. Originally from England, I have had the opportunity to work in Spain, India, Australia, and now call Canada my home. Having worked in different cultures with diverse communities I have a love for learning and I am always looking for new opportunities to push myself outside of my comfort zone.

In my free time, I love to read non fiction books and write, and I am currently working on writing my own book. I am very excited to be joining the CFIN team and look forward to meeting its members.

Jaleh Sasani is a Program Specialist with over 10 years of experience in agriculture, food, research, and innovation sectors across various government, not-for-profit, and academic organizations. She provides exceptional customer service and program expertise and is committed to supporting Canadian innovators.

Jaleh’s background in program analysis, business analysis and software testing enable her to support programs and systems while offering unique guidance in process improvement techniques and the use of technologies to enhance business workflow. She is committed to delivering high quality programs and services to CFIN members.

Pearl is a Program and Project Manager with a strong foundation in biotechnology, sustainability, and innovation delivery. She has extensive experience leading complex, multidisciplinary programs from concept through execution, translating scientific and technical opportunities into commercially relevant solutions that deliver measurable impact.

She has managed diverse portfolios of industry- and government-funded initiatives, overseeing cross-functional teams, strategic partnerships, budgets, and stakeholder engagement to consistently deliver high-impact outcomes. Prior to moving into program leadership, Pearl built an international research career across the United Kingdom, Mauritius, and India, focused on industrial biotechnology, biomanufacturing and biopolymers. This foundation enables her to bridge science and commercialization, helping organizations transform innovation into practical, scalable solutions.

She is passionate about building collaborative ecosystems that accelerate sustainable growth, innovation, and long-term impact.

Donna-Marie Ieluzzi is a passionate and dynamic communications professional from Hamilton, Ontario, with a flair for creative storytelling and a proven track record in social media management, content curation, influencer marketing, and community outreach. With a background in English & Cultural Studies from McMaster University and a Public Relations Certificate from Mohawk College, Donna-Marie blends academic insight with hands-on experience to craft compelling narratives that resonate.

Donna-Marie excels at building authentic brand identities, developing effective digital campaigns, and fostering strong community connections—always with a focus on creativity, integrity, and impact. Whether she’s spearheading social media strategies, creating scroll-stopping content, or building brand presence through strategic initiatives, Donna-Marie brings passion, organization, and a positive attitude to everything she does.

But above all her achievements, the most rewarding and important role she holds is being a mom—a job that has strengthened her empathy, time management, and ability to multitask like a pro. Balancing career and motherhood has only enhanced her ability to connect, communicate, and lead with heart.

I am a Data Analyst with 15 years in the telecommunications sector. I like to dig in and understand how data can help shape a narrative of customer experiences and find the hidden possibilities to help enrich my team to achieve more.

I live in Hamilton, Ontario with my wife and seven-year-old son. I like to read, watch movies, and play board games when I can find the time. I aspire to travel more and want to see all this great country has to offer. From Tuktoyaktuk to Tofino, Banff to Bay of Fundy; I want to see it all and would love any recommendations!

Jess Spencer is an event management professional with a passion for creating engaging, well-executed experiences that bring people together. With a strong background in planning and delivering events from concept through execution, she has led a wide range of initiatives that connect stakeholders, support innovators, and drive meaningful engagement.

Known for her collaborative approach and attention to detail, Jess excels at managing complex logistics, coordinating cross-functional teams, and ensuring every element of an event runs seamlessly. She is particularly passionate about building environments where ideas can be shared, relationships can grow, and communities can thrive.

Outside of work, Jess enjoys reading, cross stitching, and spending time with her family, and is always looking for new ways to learn and push herself outside of her comfort zone.

James is a marketing consultant who helps organizations build clear, engaging narratives that connect with their audiences and drive measurable growth. With a focus on strategy, content, and digital channels, James blends data-driven insight with creativity to deliver campaigns that stand out. Outside of work, James is a huge Marvel MCU fan, an avid figurine collector, a gamer, and an active badminton and volleyball player, bringing the same curiosity and energy from these passions into every project.

Samantha Dupuis is a strategic partnerships and business development leader with more than 20 years of experience driving revenue growth, customer engagement, and organizational impact. With experience spanning nonprofit, financial services, retail, automotive, loyalty, membership, and consumer sectors, she specializes in developing partnerships and growth opportunities that create measurable value for organizations, partners, and customers.

Throughout her career, Samantha has developed and managed national partnerships, sponsorships, loyalty programs, and integrated marketing initiatives, with expertise in business development, revenue generation, contract negotiation, customer acquisition, and go-to-market strategy. Known for her collaborative and relationship-driven approach, she excels at identifying opportunities, aligning business objectives, and building partnerships that deliver meaningful results and long-term growth.

Regional Innovation Directors

Photo of Regional Innovation Director (British Columbia)

Lavina is a food scientist and product developer with over 15 years of experience in R&D, process development and ideation. She has worked in various industries such as bakery, soups, beverages, plant-based nutrition and meat alternatives, and has launched numerous new products into club, retail and foodservice channels. She loves the multi-disciplinary aspect of R&D, and started her career immersed in ingredient functionality, process engineering, quality systems, packaging and scale-up. Prior to joining CFIN, Lavina was responsible for exploring the fuzzy front-end of the innovation process and developing long-range strategies for consumer-led product concepts.In addition to her R&D experience, she has also worked as an SR&ED consultant, servicing CPG and agri-food businesses across British Columbia, and, as a food technology instructor at BCIT.Lavina hopes to draw upon her hands-on industry and manufacturing experience to help businesses achieve their innovation goals. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a Master of Food Science from the University of British Columbia, and is also proud to serve on the board of CIFST.

Photo of Regional Innovation Director (Prairies)

Hubba Khatoon enjoys helping foodtech startups and scaleups hit their next milestones, establish trusted stakeholder partnerships, and to take food innovation to new heights. 

Hubba has spent the last decade supporting the intersection of technology and innovation. She is based in Prairies Canada and is a key contact for new CFIN members located there. A leader in Canadian innovation, she advances food and beverage innovation ecosystem initiatives, develops economic growth strategies, and helps food and beverage industry innovators build stronger networks and collaborations. Hubba’s experience includes roles as convener, advisor, pathfinder, and investor for innovation ecosystems at Prairies Economic Development Canada and economic development synergist at Calgary Economic Development. She has contributed to many high-impact initiatives including Calgary’s 10-year economic strategy and leading an award-winning quarterly ‘New Economy LIVE’ event series.  Hubba is passionate about food and beverage industry topics around Prairies’ innovation, cellular food, clean technology, and sustainability. 

She believes in continuous learning and conscientious economic growth. Hubba holds an Evidence in Public Policy certification from University of Oxford and a master’s degree in Economic Policy from University of Calgary. She is also an active member of several international organizations including TCI Network and North American Strategy for Competitiveness. 

Photo of Regional Innovation Director (Ontario)

Abigail Van Riesen is a results-driven self-starter and relationship builder, passionate about advancing Canada’s innovation ecosystem.

She began her career at a university spin-out, building on her doctoral research, which involved collaborating with farmers to develop innovative technology solutions for quality control in Canada’s agrifood sector. Abigail then transitioned into consulting, supporting a wide range of clients—from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 companies—across the food, health products, pharmaceutical, medical device, and cosmetics industries, showcasing her versatility.

As Partnership Executive at CFIN, Abigail draws on her industry knowledge and scientific expertise to strengthen strategic collaborations, advance our mission, and support innovation across Canada’s food sector.

Abigail has a PhD in Chemistry and Toxicology from the University of Guelph and is actively involved with the innovation ecosystem and the entrepreneurial community across Canada.

Photo of Regional Innovation Director (Quebec)

With 26 years of experience at the intersection of foodtech, biotechnology, and food innovation, Julie Daigle is the Regional Innovation Director for Québec and the French national spokesperson for the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN). She has supported hundreds of startups and SMEs in securing funding, bringing innovative food solutions to market, and developing strategic partnerships.

Her career bridges science, management, and international development across Canada, the United States, Latin America, and Asia. She has led the Créneau d’excellence Aliments Santé, an industrial Cluster in food innovation as well as MYCÉLIUM, the food incubator of Québec City. As a trilingual leader (French, English, Spanish), she also developed international markets for marine biotech applications and also for professional growing media at Berger.

As a strategist, connector, and ambassador of the next generation of food innovation, Julie helps companies drive growth, strengthen their technological positioning, and expand into new markets—whether in alternative proteins, functional ingredients, traceability technologies, or food safety.

Photo of Regional Innovation Director (Atlantic)

Tyson MacInnis, based in Prince Edward Island, specializes in mentoring food and beverage innovators with their business model creation, target markets, and how to scale their entrepreneurial ventures successfully. 

Tyson has an MBA from Dalhousie University with an emphasis in International Business and a minor in Finance and Marketing. He has over 20 years of experience in helping food innovators grow. He was the Director of Company Development at Food Island Partnership. In that role, he identified opportunities to improve supports like startup funding for new venture food entrepreneurs, and through a collaborative approach, led the development of a successful food start-up competition, food accelerator mentoring program, food scale up facility, and organized the first Food Automation Atlantic event. 

Tyson draws from his experience commercializing food products, being a small business founder, and start up advising in economic development, to respond to Canada’s food and beverage innovation industry needs. He enjoys helping innovative emerging food and beverage companies get the advice, connections, and funding they need to thrive. 

CFIN benefits from the guidance of a Board of Directors comprised of food industry veterans who oversee the organization's management and an industry-led Innovation Advisory Council (IAC) that reviews program applications and recommends project approvals to the board.

Board of Directors

Belinda is Vice-President of the Food Canada division with Dempsey Corporation, a specialty food ingredients distributor in Toronto. She is a Food Scientist with a passion for helping others achieve their goals. She loves learning about what we eat and how functional ingredients make food better. She has a B.A.Sc. Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, and a M.Sc. Food Science from the University of Guelph. She is licensed as a P.Eng with PEO and is a CFS (Certified Food Scientist).

She started her career working in Alberta in the oil industry. She quickly realized that food was her calling and returned to Ontario to pursue it. She has over 25 years’ experience in the food industry selling ingredients, at small and large companies such as Cargill Inc, and International Sugars. Her roles have included technical service, quality management, and technical sales.

Belinda was President of CIFST (Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology) from 2013-2014 and was a CIFST volunteer for 18 years. She was on the steering committee for the 2014 IUFoST World Congress of Food Science and Technology, which attracted 2000 attendees to Montreal. Belinda also volunteers with the Girl Guides of Canada as a Pathfinder, Ranger and Trex leader, leading adventurous and confidence-building activities for girls from 12-17 years of age. She enjoys open water swimming in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter.

A graduate of George Brown Culinary Management and Italian Culinary Arts program, Kathlyne is a chef by trade and has worked in the restaurant industry for several years. As a chef, Kathlyne was able to travel and live abroad in Italy and Australia for several years before returning home Toronto.

Shortly after her return, Kathlyne became the R&D chef at Summerfresh Salads. In this role, she began to understand more about food science and started to develop her expertise in food manufacturing. In 2001, there was an opportunity to move into a product development role at Loblaw Companies which she happily accepted.

In the following years, Kathlyne developed products for multiple house brands, including President’s Choice, across such categories as dry grocery, frozen meat & seafood, hors d'oeuvres, deli, bakery and readymade food items (HMR).

After a maternity leave in 2006, Kathlyne returned to Loblaw as a category manager ready to take on new challenges. She managed the deli cheese desk for three years and in this time dedicated herself to becoming a true cheese expert.

Kathlyne took several courses through the Cheese Education Guild and was recognized by La Guilde Internationale des Fromagers in France as a Garde et Juré member. In 2010, after gaining much insight and experience within category management at Loblaw Companies, she returned to the Loblaw Brands group as Sr. Director of Deli, Bakery and HMR.

In order to gain additional experience and add to her growth and development, she was given the opportunity to do a six-month secondment at Marks and Spencer in England. Upon her return, Kathlyne took over the role of VP Product Development and Innovation.

Kathlyne has been recognized by the industry, receiving a Star Women in Grocery Award from Canadian Grocer in 2016 and nominated by George Brown College for a Premier’s Award in 2018. An executive board member of the Canadian Food Innovation Network, Kathlyne continues her journey and great passion for the food industry in Canada and abroad.

David Barber has recently retired from Gordon Food Service (GFS) a multibillion dollar, privately held, family managed foodservice distribution company with operations in Canada and the U.S. where he served as the Canadian Vice President of Broadline Distribution.

David worked with GFS for seventeen years serving as President of GFS Edmonton for four year, followed by nine years as President of GFS Calgary before taking on the Canadian Vice President Role. David was responsible to enthusiastically lead, coach and mentor the Senior Leadership Team to high performance while ensuring return expectations were met. Additional responsibilities include building and executing on the strategic plan and cultural initiatives.

David has been in the food distribution industry for over 30 years working with Centennial Foodservice, Scott National in Calgary before relocating to Toronto where he assumed the role of Vice President and C.F.O. for SERCA Foodservices, and later for SYSCO’s Canadian Foodservice operations.

David is a graduate of the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, a Certified Public Accountant (CA) and recently received his ICD.D designation. David was involved in several professional development associations including TEC (The Executive Committee) and is the past Chair of the Board of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta and a member of the Deans Advisory Board with the SAIT School of Hospitality and Tourism.

With an increasing level of accountability and responsibility, David brings valuable insight and knowledge regarding leadership and management to the table.

Jillian MacCallum Sproul is the Executive Director at BioFoodTech, located in Charlottetown, PEI. BioFoodTech is a renowned provider of professional technical services catering to the food and bioprocessing industry. With a wealth of experience in biotech, manufacturing, quality management, and sales, Jillian is a seasoned leader. However, her true passion lies in helping others achieve success through coaching, accountability, and fostering innovation.

Jillian pursued her education at UPEI and Atlantic Veterinary College, earning a distinguished M.Sc. in protein biochemistry. She embarked on her professional journey at what was then known as PEI Food Technology Center, where she contributed to the food microbiology lab until 2005. Following this, she joined Novartis (Elanco), specializing in veterinary vaccine manufacture. Her roles included QC Manager and Quality Training Manager.

After dedicating 17 years to the food and biotech sectors, Jillian embraced a new challenge that combined her lifelong passion for fitness with her extensive leadership experience. She introduced the GoodLife Fitness brand to PEI and served as the General Manager of the inaugural GoodLife facility. Under her guidance, the business flourished, eventually becoming the largest fitness facility on the island. In 2022, after six successful years with GoodLife, Jillian returned to BioFoodTech as the Executive Director.

Jillian's return to a leadership position in the food and bio innovation realm has been an exhilarating experience, as it allows her to engage with both budding entrepreneurs and well-established industries. Her goal is to create valuable opportunities for success by fostering connections and driving innovation within the sector.

Harjeet Bajaj is recognized internationally as an AI expert, having won numerous awards for developing commercially viable solutions. Harjeet’s background includes developing Artificial Intelligence driven solutions for the medical and health care industries. He has also pioneered the application of AI in the market and financial analysis industries.

Harjeet also has significant experience in international business development. He has many years of successful on-the-ground experience in establishing businesses in developed and emerging markets. Harjeet is actively involved in the global innovation ecosystem.

Currently Harjeet is President and CEO of Savormetrics, a globally recognized company that provides AI-driven sensor devices to food and ag sector companies.

Harjeet has a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering & Management and a Master’s Degree in Engineering, both from McMaster University.

Ally Bharmal is a corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate/commercial and board governance Partner at Fasken Law based in its Vancouver office. Ally works with clients across the business life-cycle: from start-up and incorporation matters, seed and growth stage financing, to complex M&A, strategic investment, venture capital and private equity transactions. He also often serves as external general counsel for his clients and guides them through ongoing operational business and legal matters.

Ally has particular expertise in the food, beverage and agri-tech industry, and co-leads the firm’s national food and beverage group. He has advised his clients on many of Canada’s leading private equity and M&A transactions, which in the food and beverage industry includes Daiya Foods’ $405 million sale to Otsuka (ACG 2017 deal of the year), SmartSweets’ majority exit to TPG Growth (ACG 2020 deal of the year) and Coho Collective Kitchens’ initial public offering and subsequent acquisition of the Purebread Bakery chain.

He has notable experience and expertise in Board governance matters, and holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. On the corporate side, among other roles, he currently serves as Corporate Secretary for Daiya Foods and as a Board Advisor for DeeBee’s Organics. On the non-profit side, he has served in director roles with the BC Food and Beverage Association, TiE Vancouver, the Ismaili Councils for British Columbia and Canada and Kids Up Front Vancouver.

Ally received Lexpert’s Leading Lawyers under 40 Award in 2018, and is ranked by Chambers Canada, Lexpert, Best Lawyers and IFLR1000 as, among other areas, a leading lawyer in the areas of Startups and Emerging Companies, Corporate/Commercial Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Corporate Finance and Securities.

Tatiana Bossy is an experienced entrepreneur with a proven track record in building a company from a simple idea to a multimillion-dollar business. While her main focus is sales and operations, she is also an expert in plant-based product innovation and brand building across Canada and the U.S. Tatiana is the co-founder of LeGrand, the Plant Indulgence Company, since 1997, building multiple sales channels in various categories and successfully negotiating high value partnerships with Canadian and U.S. leading food retailers and online providers. Her business model led to the creation of a trendsetting and health-oriented brand, nourishing consumers across the country for more than 20 years. Tatiana has played a fundamental part in product development, creating multiple and revolutionary product innovations, such as the renowned pesto in a pouch. She also successfully created a new plant-based dairy product line with state-of-the-art products such as a plant-based butter made with organic carrots and potatoes.

Throughout her career, Tatiana has been praised for her positive leadership that contributed to building and training a dedicated senior management team committed to delivering the best plant-based products on the market. She has also been valued for her trailblazing business model in the plant-based food world, always putting product quality as her top priority.

Heidi Dutton is the Chief Executive Officer of Lovingly Made, a Canadian food manufacturing company specializing in plant-based and gluten-free ingredients. She brings deep expertise in global agri-food supply chains, operations, and product innovation.

Heidi has led the development and commercialization of plant protein and ingredient processing facilities across Western Canada. Her leadership combines technical rigor with strong commercial acumen, enabling rapid scaling, operational excellence, and sustained growth.

She has a proven ability to identify underperforming assets and transform them into high-performing, growth-oriented businesses. With a hands-on, execution-focused approach, she strengthens operations, builds high-performing teams, and unlocks new market opportunities.

Prior to Lovingly Made, Heidi served as CEO & Managing Partner of Alawa Foods and leadership roles at ADM. She has extensive experience navigating global markets and building resilient, scalable organizations.

In addition to her executive leadership, Heidi serves as an independent director of Gibson Energy (TSX: GEI), where she sits on the Sustainability Committee and the Health and Safety Committee. She is also a committed advocate for women in leadership.

A proud citizen of the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan, Heidi is committed to advancing Indigenous inclusion and partnership within Canada’s agri-food sector. She lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with her husband and family.

Jenny Lemieux grew up on a farm. She also spent a decade deploying AI at scale across enterprise, financial services, retail, and industrial sectors. That combination - agricultural roots and hard-won commercial AI experience - is the foundation Vivid Machines is built on.

As Co-Founder and CEO, Jenny is building the intelligence layer that makes healthy food more affordable. Vivid Machines' precision AI platform gives the world's largest fruit producers plant-level data on crop health, sizing, and yield, tying farming decisions directly to outcomes and reducing waste across the food supply chain.

Before co-founding Vivid, Jenny held senior product leadership roles at Torstar, Cerebri AI, and yconic, delivering AI products for global organizations including Walmart, Scotiabank, and Ford. She contributed to over $50M in customer revenue through new product launches and scaled deployments.

She is a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) and industrial designer with a Master's in Design and a Master's in the Management of Artificial Intelligence. Her background combines technical depth combined with product, operations, and commercialization experience.

Jenny brings to the CFIN board a rare perspective: she understands both the field and the frontier. Her work sits at the intersection of food production, deep tech, and commercialization - exactly where Canada has an opportunity to lead.

Peggy is a professional with over 30 years of experience in Business Management, and as a Board Director. This experience provides her with the perspectives and knowledge to offer strategic oversight and promote good governance practices. Peggy has been a member of four Boards, including the Alberta Agriculture and Food Council, and Calgary Co-op, a billion dollar retail business. She served 2 years as the Board Chair of the Calgary Co-op, 9 years in total. Peggy achieved her Director, Institute of Corporate Directors designation in 2013.This nationally established ICD.D program exposes board members to a broad range of financial, governance & ethical perspectives to enable them to be more effective Board members and leaders with a lifelong commitment to excellence.

Since 2011 Peggy has been employed with Alberta Innovates, Alberta’s most comprehensive research and innovation agency. She has conducted hundreds of reviews for a wide manner of innovative research and business proposals, and managed many of the resulting approved projects. This experience has added insights for Peggy into the future growth of the province.

Prior to that, Peggy was a Senior Investment Manager for AVAC Ltd, an entity whose primary focus was to support the growth of early stage commercial opportunities in Alberta and Canada. Advising clients from conception of an idea to full commercialization was the objective.

Earlier in her career Peggy was the General Manager for Alberta Beef Producers (ABP), an organization that represented the interests of 35,000 beef producers in Alberta. Peggy led ABP in the development and implementation of a new business direction which included a revamping of marketing, communications and partnering strategies, in order to increase ABP’s national influence.

While at Agricore Cooperative Ltd (formerly Alberta Wheat Pool) Peggy was Manager of Prairie Sun Grains. She and her team were responsible for turning this local flour and cereal business into a North American functional food business. Following the introduction of new organic and functional foods, Canadian distribution was increased by 18% and US distribution was initiated, resulting in a 62% growth in sales. The business was sold in August 2000.

Peggy holds a BSc Agriculture and MSc Agriculture, both from the University of Guelph. Areas of specialization were Environmental Biology and Plant Physiology.

Alan Maddox, was born in Florenceville New Brunswick, a proud son of a New Brunswick Potato Family,
Alan, went on to Saint Mary’s University earning his B. Comm. and on to Study International Business at
the University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario.

Alan, joined McCain Foods in 1980, out of Halifax, and was on a 6 year fast trax to more, much
more: Halifax, St. John’s, Thunder Bay, Brandon, Winnipeg, Regina, and then back to his hometown
Florenceville, NB. With this, he experienced sales, living in these various cities across Canada, moving
from position to position with each a promotion; until he was asked by the Chairman and Founder of
McCain Foods “Harrison McCain “ to become the New Director of International Business for McCain
World Wide, looking after and exploring new countries for McCain Foods, reporting directly to Mr.
McCain. At an early age, this was the life changing opportunity.

In 1994, he had a chance to invest and partner with his Friend Tom Poole and 2 other Gentlemen, James
Pratt and Jos Rehli, to rebuild a small challenged $1.0 Million Bakery called “Sepp’s Gourmet Foods”, in
Vancouver, so he packed up his family and moved from Florenceville , NB (Head Office for McCain) to
Vancouver. A journey that altered his life, for the better, opportunity to expand and fulfil his dream of
ownership. Sepp’s became one of Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies reaching sales of just shy of
$100M, sold to Ralcorp in 2010. Alan, then bought an energy bar company with Jim Pratt, built it up and
sold it in 2018.

In 2019, Alan joined Premium Brands, after enjoying both Corporate Life and Entrepreneurial Life,
decided that Premium Brands was the perfect fit. Alan had gotten to know the CEO George Paleologou
over the years and loved what PB was doing and was a company that appreciated Entrepreneurs,
understood them and respected them. Alan joined and became the Vice President of the Premium
Brand Culinary Group in 2019 and then became President of the Premium Brands Culinary Group, one of
6 platforms within Premium Brands, in 2021, to which holds that title today.

Alan resides in Vancouver, married to his supporting wife Joy and two Children: Jordan who is a partner
in a boutique Architectural Firm here in Vancouver and Erika who is a Senior Marketing Mger at Keurig
Dr. Pepper in Toronto. Alan is the proud new Grandfather of Theo, the most important part of this
whole Bio, according to Alan

The path taken by Mariline is anything but conventional. Her journey began with a degree in chemical engineering from Polytechnique Montréal. Over the past 14 years, she has navigated diverse roles in R&D and Marketing, showcasing her creativity and adaptability.

Her career started in packaging R&D, where she contributed her innovative spirit at Kraft, Johnson & Johnson, and Danone. Seeking to broaden her skill set, Mariline transitioned from R&D to marketing, becoming the Brand Manager for Activia at Danone. There, she honed her focus on portfolio and innovation management.

In 2017, after acquiring Scotsburn Cooperative Services Limited, Agropur offered her a position as Director of Innovation & Product Development – Ice Cream. Mariline also led the breakthrough innovation team, contributing to a new product sustainability platform.

In 2021, Mariline took on marketing responsibilities at Agropur. Today, she oversees the entire ice cream portfolio strategy, innovation roadmap, product development, and marketing plans. Her contributions have led to the launch of over 150 new ice cream products across Agropur’s brands and private label brands.

One of her proudest achievements was the creation of Natrel Mochi—an ice cream treat wrapped in rice dough—that has become a nationwide success. Agropur stands out as the manufacturer of ice cream bites in Canada. In addition to the mochis, Mariline spearheaded the launch of the first ice cream bites wrapped in cookie dough in 2023, generating instant buzz on social media.

Mariline’s impact extends beyond product development and marketing. She positioned Agropur as an innovation leader in the ice cream category, securing its position as the #1 private label ice cream supplier in Canada. Her collaborative approach with clients—both front-end and back-end—has accelerated innovation speed to market and supported Agropur’s positioning as a key dairy partner for the food industry.

As VP of Supply Chain Planning & Initiatives, Sarah’s primary focus is on growing our warehouse business and building a world class supply chain. Sarah is also co-chair of the Go Further Women pillar at Loblaw and is passionate about helping to grow future women leaders across all areas of Supply Chain and the enterprise.

Sarah has been with Loblaw since 2011, when she first joined the Loblaw legal team. Since that time, Sarah has held a broad range of progressively senior roles in Loblaw brands, operations, and process improvement, including VP of Food Safety, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs and VP of Loblaw Pharmacy Operations.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters of Science degree from the University of Guelph and a law degree from Dalhousie University. Sarah practiced law at Stikeman Elliot LLP before joining Loblaw and has acted as expert advisor to the President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In her spare time, Sarah acts as a taxi driver to her three children and works on her hobby farm.

Richard is the Chief Executive Officer for Supply Chain Canada (Manitoba), a member association that provides education, advocacy, and networking opportunities for supply chain professionals.

Prior to his current role, Richard has over 25 years of supply chain experience in both the private and public sector. He specializes in helping organizations optimize their supply chains to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and increase profitability.

Richard’s prior experience includes several volunteer leadership roles. He has served as Chair and Vice-Chair for Supply Chain Canada (Manitoba). Richard also served two terms on the Supply Chain Canada National Board of Directors. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Manitoba Auctioneers Association.

In addition to his Board roles, Richard served two terms as Chair of the Supply Chain Canada’s Federation Council; a decision-making body consisting of the Board Chairs and Chief Executive from each of the 11 Federation partners. He also sits on the Immigration Partner Winnipeg Employment Sector Table and the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Academic Committee in Manitoba.

Richard enjoys teaching and giving back to the community. He’s taught in Supply Chain Management Professional Designation Program and still does seminars on supply chain topics. Richard coached youth soccer for many years at the club and recreation level.

Mehmet Tulbek is the President of Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre and is responsible to the Board of Directors for the strategy, planning, management, control and the evaluation of The Centre. Mehmet has been a research, technology, and innovation leader with over 25 years of pulses, cereals, oilseeds and plant-based foods’ global research & development, technical services, business development, international technical education, and management experience. Mehmet completed his B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering with emphasis in Food Science and Technology at Ankara University, and his M.Sc. in Food Engineering at Istanbul Technical University in Turkey. He then moved to the United States to pursue his Ph.D. in Cereal Science at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND. Before joining Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre, Mehmet served as the Director of Research and Development at AGT Food and Ingredients in Saskatoon, Canada; and worked at Northern Crops Institute (NCI) at North Dakota State University as Crop Quality Specialist and then as Technical Director. During his tenure at NCI he delivered international technical short courses and programs on pulse and specialty crops market development, pulse protein manufacturing, end market utilization, quality, and product development programs over ten countries. During graduate school Mehmet also founded Great Plains Roasting Inc. an organic roasted flaxseed startup company which was acquired later by Heartland Flax Inc. in North Dakota. Mehmet previously served as a board member on Ameriflax, Northern Pulse Growers Association, Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre and Red River College Prairie Research Kitchen organizations. Mehmet is a sought-after presenter at global industry and academic gatherings, and has authored several journal articles, book chapters, proceedings and six patents. Mehmet is a member of multiple organizations including Institute of Food Technologists, American Oil Chemists Society, Canadian Nutrition Society, Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists and Cereals & Grains Association (former AACC). He currently serves as a Process Authority at Association of Food and Drug Officials; as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan, and as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Saskatchewan Food and Bioproduct Sciences Department and the University of Manitoba Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences.

Kerry’s passion for food originated from her father who is a Chef and with that came the appreciation for the hard working agricultural community that grows our food. Initially focused on food science and business, Kerry took her Bachelor of Commerce at University of Guelph and that unique combination of skill set has parlayed her career into avenues far beyond a traditional dietetic role. This included working In the not-for-profit sector, Kerry supported the marketing arm of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association for 10 years where she influenced incremental growth utilizing marketing, new product and innovation strategies, developing value-added meat products with small, medium and large meat processors across Canada.

For the next 16 years, in the for-profit sector, as a senior consultant to the food and beverage industry at Mallot Creek Group, Kerry supported strategic business and market development involving an array of food categories creating mutually beneficial relationships involving producers and growers, primary and secondary food processors, through to distributors to the food service and retail sectors.

Kerry returned to not-for-profit serving the agri-food sector as CEO of Canadian Agri-food Automation and Intelligence Network, CFIN’s sister organization. Most recently Kerry was promoted to General Manager of Fresh Start Foods in Milton, ON, a Specialty Company owned by Gordon Food Service. Kerry continues to emphasize the importance of the growers, supplying the essential ingredients to provide innovative, value-added solutions to the food service and retail sectors.

In 2014, Professor Rickey Yada was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. Prior to UBC, Dr. Yada was at the University of Guelph where he held numerous leadership roles, including Chair, Department of Food Science, Assistant Vice President Research, Canada Research Chair in Food Protein Structure, and Scientific Director of the Advanced Foods and Materials Network (Networks of Centres of Excellence).

He is currently one of the co-editors of Trends in Food Science and Technology, and serves on the editorial board of several journals. Dr. Yada is an advisor to many research and industry organizations, serving on the Board of the Canadian Food Innovation Network; Board of Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network; and, the Board of Bioenterprise Inc., to name a few. Other positions include External Advisory Committee Member – Arrell Food Institute; Member of the Scientific Advisory Panels – Riddet Institute (New Zealand) and AgResearch (New Zealand).

Dr. Yada is the Past President of the Deans Council of the Faculties of Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine in Canada; Past President and Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, and the International Academy of the International Union of Food Science and Technology; as well as a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists and Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society. Dr. Yada has an honorary DSc from the University of Guelph.

Sandy Somers is an experienced C-Suite executive with a record of success in numerous corporate settings and market sectors. Over a 25-year corporate career, he held progressively senior roles in sales, marketing and general management with a number of global consumer packaged goods organizations serving customers across Canada, the U.S. and internationally. This includes Campbell Soup Co. Ltd, Canada Bread Company Limited, Maple Leaf Mills, Parmalat Canada and Vincor International Inc.

Sandy has been co-founder, management consultant and advisor of Flint Business Acceleration Inc., supporting clients across a range of industries to help them focus on business growth through leveraging their investment in people.

From 2017 to 2019, Somers advised and served Food Starter, a Toronto-based food and beverage innovation incubator and accelerator, where he held roles as Board Treasurer and Interim Executive Director.

Throughout his career, Sandy has been valued for his strategic insight, bias for action, and ability to maximize organizational resources in support of positive change and sustainable, measurable business improvement.

Innovation Advisory Council

Jacinthe Côté is Senior Director, Innovation and R&D at Farinart with a focus on new ingredients and baking applications. Throughout her career, Jacinthe has developed a comprehensive experience in food manufacturing, biotechnology and nutrition, working in various roles spanning: clinical nutrition (as a registered dietitian), quality assurance, technical support, R&D, communications and marketing. Besides her extensive work experience, Jacinthe is the author of several scientific papers and of the nutrition guide “Desobesité”, published in 2005. In addition, for many years she wrote weekly columns in the daily newspaper “La Presse” on numerous subjects related to food processing, biotechnology, functional food, nutraceuticals, etc.

Jacinthe earned a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science and a master’s degree in Food Sciences from McGill University. In 2011, she completed her PhD in Biology at the INRS Institute Armand – Frappier after researching the effects of juice processing on the recovery yield and preservation of cranberry bioactive compounds and properties.

Meaghan Seagrave is a nationally recognized leader in the bioeconomy and has been spearheading bio-based opportunities and industrial transformation across the country for over a decade.

Meaghan’s educational and professional backgrounds include a graduate degree in chemistry, extensive experience leading a number of NGOs, and over two decades of experience in early-stage technology companies, making her a knowledgeable support to Canada’s diverse green, clean, and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Meaghan currently provides leadership to Canada’s only green chemistry accelerator – Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC). As a high-impact NGO, BIC is focused on providing critical strategic investment, advice and services to business developers with clean, green and sustainable technology. She is also CEO to Canada’s Sustainable Chemistry Alliance, a green-chemistry focused Venture Capital fund focused on early-stage green investments.

Ishkandar Ahmed is a senior executive with thirty five years of professional experience with natural, organic and specialty foods.

As the founding managing director of Jentash Marketing in 1985, he was a pioneer in the specialty food industry in western Canada specializing in importing, distribution and marketing of natural and organic foods.

When Jentash was acquired by Preisco Foods and the newly merged company was then subsequently acquired by Tree of Life, Ishkandar developed and implemented a strategy for distribution and marketing of natural and organic foods, including international importing and private label development.

After leaving Tree of Life, Ishkandar worked as a business consultant and executive coach using his significant experience in managing teams of employees and a large network of collaborators, suppliers in Canada and abroad.

In 2013 Ishkandar became the CEO of Choices Markets, a natural foods retail chain based in British Columbia. Under his guidance Choices Markets opened up a state of the art production center and created its own import-distribution division.

While establishing a presence as a natural, organic grocer, Choices also gained recognition as an advocate of local food producers, setting aside time to get to know the people who grow and produce the foods that go home with its customers.

Ishkandar retired from Choices Markets at the end of 2020.

Ishkandar has a BSc.(hons) from Queen’s University and an Executive MBA from the Telfer School Of Management at the University of Ottawa, Ontario.

Photo of Vice-Chair, Innovation Advisory Council

Doug Alexander joined Belmont Food Group as Vice President and General Manager- Leadbetter Foods, in early 2021 took on the role of Vice President Sustainability and Government Relations. Belmont Food Group .

Belmont Food Group is a operating group within Premium Brands comprising of 6 independent operating food processing companies, Premium Brands is a leading specialty food manufacturing and differentiated food distribution businesses with operations across North America. Servicing over 22,000 customers, the company and its family of brands and businesses operate in 100 locations.

Doug’s experience running food processing operations spans over 37 years of Meat Processing and other food processing sectors.

Doug is currently a director of Food and Beverage Ontario board and the Meat and Poultry Ontario Board as well as the Innovation Advisory Council for the Canadian Food Innovation Network.

Doug Recently served as Chair of the board of directors of the Agricultural Adaptation Council board and as director for 10 years as well has served in the past as Chair of the Agri-Food Management Institute, Chair of Food Starter and the board of directors for Provision Coalition

Doug has diplomas in Food Science as well as Industrial Engineering.

Dave Bender is the Global Vice President of Research & Development for Griffith Foods. Dave is responsible for 400 Research and Development Associates globally and oversees the strategic direction and implementation of the company’s innovation and research and development initiatives. Dave developed the Griffith Foods’ Global Innovation Council and has led this group over the past 4 years.

Prior to assuming this position, he served as Griffith Foods’ Canadian Vice President of Research and Development. Dave joined the organization in 1997 and has held various roles in the commercial organization including Vice President of Sales.

His previous experiences include progressive management roles at DuPont Canada, Morrison Lamothe Fine Foods, and Cuddy Food Products. Dave graduated with a Master of Science in Marketing Management from the University of Guelph and holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Food Science.

Jashan Brar is a Food Safety and Regulatory professional from British Columbia. He has been working for A&W
Food Services of Canada for the past 4 years. With a Master’s in Food Science from UBC and previous experience
in dairy, baking, frozen RTE, and produce, he has diverse experience in the food industry. In his current role as
Manager Supply Chain FSQA, he spearheads the strategy to achieve Zero Food Borne Illnesses attributed to the
restaurants. He leads continuous improvement in risk management within the supply chain, as well as assists in
restaurant food safety risk management.

Outside of professional life, Jashan enjoys running (completing his first marathon in 2023), hiking, and road biking.

Stephen is a retired R&D and business leader, with 30+ years in innovation and 27+ specifically focused on Food.  He has a track record of developing new products that lead to revenue growth and exceeded business targets.  He has proven experience leading high performing technical teams across multiple product categories, and multiple geographies.  He has successfully delivered innovation and research projects in bakery, grocery, with a specialization in chocolate, confectionary, nutraceuticals and flavour technology.  He has lead projects that covered all aspects of the innovation process, from strategy development, insights, ideation, product design and testing, and product commercialization.  He has worked in both B2C and B2B, with specific expertise in the flavour industry. 

He has worked at both big (P&G, Unilever, Cadbury, IFF) and small companies (recently retired from Island Abbey Foods Science Ltd). 

In addition to experience in Canada, he has worked across multiple geographies and cultures.  He has global experience, driving innovation in the UK and Europe, Chinese and Japanese markets in Asia, and recently Turkey and the Middle East. 

Stephen also has experience at advising food and ingredient startups, providing technical advice as founders build their models and systems. 

Stephen holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Dalhousie, B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Waterloo, and a Master of Arts (in Market Research) from Kingston Business School (UK). 

After travelling the globe and living in multiple countries, he now resides in PEI, Canada.  He continues to provide advice for businesses and volunteers on different committees and not-for-profit boards. 

Aneta Dymerska is a talented, driven, forward-thinking food development professional with more than 12 years of experience in a variety of food categories at top consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies in North America. She is currently the Director of R&D at Ozery Bakery, specializing in the development of innovative breads and snacks and responsible for all elements of industrial baking processes.

As President of LUDA Foods, Robert Eiser leads a well-established Canadian manufacturer specializing in soup bases, sauce mixes, and custom blends, offered under the LUDA brand as well as multiple private labels. LUDA reliably serves the needs of the foodservice and food processing industries nationwide, prioritizing a client-centric model characterized by efficient product development, exceptional order fill rates, and a comprehensive client portfolio. 
 
Robert's professional engagement extends to significant executive roles on the boards of GS1 Canada, Food and Beverage Canada, and the Conseil Transformation Alimentaire du Quebec, reflecting a deep commitment to the advancement of the food and beverage industry. Driven by a keen interest in the application of technology and innovation to overcome complex industry challenges, Robert actively pursues opportunities to enhance operational efficiencies and foster sector-wide progress. 
 
Before assuming the presidency of LUDA, Robert cultivated extensive project management expertise over ten years within the graphic design sector, partnering with leading organizations including the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), McGill University, and the government of Quebec. In his present capacity, Robert is responsible for the comprehensive strategic oversight and coordination of all operational functions at LUDA, spanning manufacturing processes, financial management, research and development activities, and marketing strategies. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberteiser/  

Kelley Fitzpatrick is President of NutriScience Solutions. She has over 30 years of experience in functional food and natural health products (FFNHP) including regulatory reviews and submissions; scientific and consumer presentations, newsletters and articles; and due diligence, feasibility studies, business plans and market trends. Her work has focused on building relationships between the agriculture, food and health sectors and promoting the health benefits of Canadian crop resources.

Jean-François (“JF”) Guillerez is a Professor in the Packaging Engineering program and Structural Packaging Design and Management program at Conestoga College. Prior to teaching, JF spent over 20 years working for major food companies like Nestlé, Maple Leaf Foods and Mondelēz International, in Europe, South America and North America. JF holds a Diplôme d’Ingénieur in packaging from the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (France) and a Master in Environmental Engineering from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland). He is also a lifetime Certified Packaging Professional.

A seasoned food industry executive with over 20 years of progressive leadership experience across Canada, the UK, and the EU, driving product innovation, process optimization, and operational excellence within global food manufacturing organizations. Recognized for the ability to connect strategy with execution, balancing innovation, quality, and sustainability while ensuring commercial success and stakeholder alignment.

Beginning in food safety and quality assurance, built a strong technical foundation in GMP, HACCP, and regulatory compliance, which evolved into expertise in product development, R&D, and operational leadership. Over a 15-year tenure with Sofina Foods, advanced through a series of increasingly senior roles—from Product Development Specialist to Vice President of Product and Process Innovation—demonstrating consistent impact in scaling innovation pipelines, leading high-performing teams, and improving performance across international markets.

Career Highlights:

Spearheading global product and process innovation build across the UK, and EU, delivering sustainable growth and competitive differentiation.

Leading cross-functional R&D, product development, and operational performance teams, embedding continuous improvement and operational excellence practices.

Building strong relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders, ensuring alignment between innovation strategy, customer needs, and operational capabilities.

Driving sustainability-focused initiatives in product and process design to support corporate ESG goals.
Proven track record of collaborative leadership, recognized for developing talent, fostering

Core Competencies

Product & Process Innovation

Research & Development (R&D)

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

Food Quality & Safety Systems (GMP, HACCP, QA)

Cross-Cultural & International Leadership

Stakeholder Engagement & Strategic Partnerships

Sustainability in Food Manufacturing

Change Management & Collaborative Leadership

Innovation, and delivering measurable business impact

Linda is the Applied Research Chair in Agri-Food Sustainability at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). She leads NAIT’s Centre for Culinary Innovation, which specializes in culinary-driven product development grounded in food science, the valorization of agricultural byproducts, and value-added agriculture. Linda oversees a multidisciplinary team of food scientists, culinary experts, and chefs to develop craveable, market-ready products.

Her research also explores food security and the role of product development in advancing food sovereignty—leveraging innovation to improve community access to culturally relevant foods. She views food as a powerful medium for storytelling and cross-cultural connection.

With expertise in food quality assurance and control, sensory evaluation, product development, and post-secondary education, Linda has mentored numerous students and collaborated with over 50 industry partners—from startups to global corporations—guiding them in scaling and commercializing food products.

She earned her Food Science degrees from the University of Alberta, with a specialization in meat quality and safety. Her industry experience has broadened her knowledge across all protein sources and food categories.

Julie is a strategic Product Development executive with over two decades of experience in the food industry, spanning bakery, sauces, entrees, and meat products. After earning a B.Sc. in Food Science from the University of Guelph, Julie joined Maple Leaf Foods, where she advanced through progressive roles, ultimately managing the company-wide Stage-Gate® process and embracing Six Sigma methodologies to drive process excellence.

Julie’s leadership continued at Chudleigh’s, a family-owned dessert manufacturer, where she led product development and strengthened customer partnerships. Her ability to navigate both technical and strategic domains flourished in this entrepreneurial setting.

Julie joined Puratos Canada in 2018, and as the Vice President Research & Development, she leads a team of Product Development and Technical Advisor professionals. She thrives in a global organization that balances innovation and entrepreneurial spirit while delivering customer-centric solutions and fostering cross-functional collaboration.

Julie’s career reflects deep expertise across multiple food categories, a track record of progressive leadership, and a robust network built across both multinational corporations and agile, family-run businesses.

She enjoys spending time with her family, pets and the great outdoors of Canada.

Mark's career journey, driven by his passion for sustainable food systems, aligned with the leadership team at Maia Farms. His experience driving changes in the poultry and egg industry, focusing on reducing food loss and waste and creating positive environmental impacts, aligns with our mission to nourish life. Mark aims to improve the food system with our nutritionally superior, environmentally friendly ingredient that also maintains excellent flavour and texture.

Addressing challenges in the alternative protein industry, Mark emphasizes changing its reputation to reach a broader market. Maia's superior protein material will positively impact the environment and be a premium B2B ingredient, winning back trust in alternative proteins with improved taste and texture.

Mark's leadership style is inclusive and example-driven, fostering creativity and initiative within the team. He believes in empowering team members, contributing to Maia's strategy and success.

Outside work, Mark's dedication to his family, his experience in elite sports, and his love for nature drive his professional goals. These personal passions fuel his commitment to making a positive environmental impact and leaving a lasting legacy.

Alastair ‘Alf’ Trower was born in Cheddar in England, home of the famed cheese! Studied geology in London with field trips in throughout England, Wales, Scotland and North Africa. Cycled extensively around Southern Europe after school and when employment prospects in geology were hard to come by, took the opportunity to work as a gaucho on a 15,000 acre cattle ranch in the Patagonian Andes. This was the perfect opportunity to learn to ride, work cattle and castrate things!

Returning to the UK in 1992 to start a varied career starting supporting IT in the finance industry, moved quickly into computer software sales and ended up in a global product marketing role. Moved to France in 2004, to restore a watermill and provide a rural upbringing opportunity for 2 children. 2005 saw a direction change, when he took a position with Welaptega Marine, an Oceans Technology company based in Halifax, Canada. Alastair remained in France while travelling the globe working to build the business of 5 continents. A change in role saw relocation to Halifax to take over the day to day running of the business. The highlight of this time was running one of the many responses to the BP Macondo/Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The company was asked to use their underwater photography and 3D imagery to capture information 2,400m below the sea to provide answers to both BP and Transocean as they attempted to secure the wellhead and assess damage caused by the accident. The wellhead data that allowed the well’s eventual sealing came from a 15 person business in Nova Scotia.

In 2013, Alf had the fortune to meet Ben Garvey , owner of the local engineering firm Enginuity, hitting it off and possessing skills needed by the business to start an aggressive growth period. Focussed on solving complex engineering problems for the industrial sector in the Maritimes, designing new products for entrepreneurs and commercialising their own ideas. Including a marine connectors business (Snap Innovations) and a medical device start-up, FIVA-Med Inc in Halifax. Enginuity is quickly becoming a local powerhouse, employing graduates, attracting out of region talent and helping businesses remain competitive through automation and robotics. Enginuity is the powerhouse design team behind much of the Innovation coming out of Atlantic Canada.

Alf volunteers on the Executive and Search Management Team of Halifax Search and Rescue, loves to cook, keeps chickens, kayaks and collects antique maps.

Josef Zankowicz is a serial technology entrepreneur and business consultant who has worked in the technology industry for the past 25 years at JTA where he is Managing Director. He has engaged with founders, startups, multinationals, and Silicon Valley stalwarts such as Apple and Symantec.

Zankowicz is currently Corporate Advisor at Canvass AI, Canada’s leading industrial AI company. In his role he participates in fundraising, strategy development, and corporate communications. He has been instrumental in the raise of $23 million to date for the company.

Zankowicz is also an Executive Advisor with Vancouver-based Gearlay Technologies, one of the world’s leading Web3 infrastructure companies supporting more than $100 billion in cryptocurrency trades globally to date.

Prior Zankowicz was co-founder and COO at NXM Labs, an innovative IoT security provider that utilizes blockchain and quantum proof technologies. There he became a co-holder of three patents and was instrumental in raising more than $10 million for the company. He was also an entrepreneur in residence at XDL Capital and investor/mentor in several SaaS start-ups focused on digital health, social networks, and market insights.

Zankowicz was also recently selected as a Reviewer for U of T’s Connaught Innovation Awards for his technology commercialization and IT subject matter expertise. He’s a frequent speaker at industry conferences and his work has been featured in Forbes, Time, The Economist, BBC, USA Today, WSJ, and the Globe and Mail.

During his career, his work with investors and entrepreneurs has supported more than $2 billion in private placements, M&A, and public offerings on the TSX, TSX Venture, and NASDAQ. Zankowicz holds a Bachelor of Science degree, Applied Math, from Western University, in addition to undertaking three-year study in Architecture at the University of Toronto.