Thank you for joining us at the Wheat Retreat!

Dorothy is a passionate advocate of Canadian food & farming. She holds degrees in home economics & education from the University of Saskatchewan, leveraging her background to promote greater consumer understanding, as well as fostering positive relationships between consumers & farmers.

Dorothy has also been instrumental in developing a range of agrifood marketing strategies, including CanolaInfo, SK Bounty, HealthyFlax, and Spread the Mustard. In addition to her marketing work, Dorothy served as the ED of Cuisine Canada and the Greenhouse Growers of SK. She has written a food column for The Western Producer and co-authored the Discover the Pulse Potential cookbook.

Dorothy believes that food is a powerful connector and the most intimate way that consumers come to understand agriculture. Currently, she is the Managing Director of Canadian Food Focus, a national organization aimed at improving Canadians' food literacy from farm to plate. Dorothy also co-chairs the National Consumer Engagement Working Group for AAFCC and sits on the board of Taste Canada & the advisory board of #FoodDayCanada. In 2023, Dorothy was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame.

https://canadianfoodfocus.org/

Elizabeth Chorney-Booth is a Calgary-based food and travel writer and broadcaster. She is the restaurant columnist for the Calgary Herald, a food trends columnist for CBC radio, and a regular contributor to a number of other publications.

https://hungrycalgary.substack.com

Hi, I’m Getty, a food educator passionate about helping home cooks make the most of fresh, seasonal ingredients while reducing food waste and simplifying meals. As a professional home economist, I’ve been teaching, developing recipes and writing about seasonal food since last century! I also love sharing glimpses of living on a remote lake in the wilderness of North West Ontario.

https://www.gettystewart.com

Hannah Magee is a Registered Dietitian, recipe developer and media nutrition communicator based in Halifax, NS. Hannah shares simple, healthy recipes on her food blog and is a regular on Global News Morning Halifax where she shares healthy eating ideas and nutrition tips and tricks. She is also a new mom and this is her first trip away from her baby!

https://hannahmageerd.com

Miranda Galati, MHSc, RD is a media dietitian, healthy recipe developer, and founder of Real Life Nutritionist Inc. Her mission is to make healthy eating easier for everyone through doable recipes and realistic nutrition tips. When she's not creating content for her website or social media, Miranda does freelance writing for various health and wellness publications, including Verywell Health and Clean Plates.

https://reallifenutritionist.com/

Reformed Chef, content creator, regional food and garlic finger expert, Peter Early / EarlyPete (or just Pete) creates short form video content about food with an abrupt, comedic, honest and sometimes cynical take.

Venessa Liang, known as @foodiepharmbabe, is a Chinese Canadian luxury food and travel content creator. She shares delicious adventures around the world and encourages others to try new things by spreading cultural diversity awareness and acceptance in every cuisine.

https://www.foodiepharmbabe.com/

Denise has over 25+ years of experience that spans multiple highly regulated industries in roles of Regulatory Compliance, Policy and Advocacy, Manufacturing, Operations and Education. She is passionate about education promotion, food, nutrition and health, food access and food security.

She actively advocates for the baking and food industry on both domestic and global fronts, through continued discussions on advancements, modernization and harmonization of regulations and policies. Her engagement with policymakers is geared towards supporting the distribution of safe and high-quality food while simultaneously championing the interests of Canadian commerce and small businesses.

Denise spearheads the BAC Food Policy and Sustainability (FPS) Technical Committee. This committee is comprised of industry experts who tackle current policy and industry issues, discuss best practices, address challenges faced by the industry or businesses, and formulate policy positions. The FPS plays a pivotal role in providing valuable and relevant input on policy and regulations, advocating on behalf of the Canadian baking industry and BAC members.

https://www.baking.ca/

I’m the home cook and mom of 3 creating food and lifestyle content that is educational, entertaining and relatable. My catch phrase “we use what we have” has become the pillar for my channels, where I share easy & affordable recipes and tricks that make busy family life easier.

Mairlyn Smith is the only P.H.Ec. (professional home economist) in Canada who’s also an alumnus of the Second City Comedy Troupe, making her the self-proclaimed funniest P.H.Ec. in the entire world. Mairlyn’s forte is her ability to mix learning with laughter.

A popular media personality and keynote speaker Mairlyn was a Regular Guest Expert on the award winning national daytime television show Cityline for fifteen years and is currently a regular guest expert on Toronto’s Breakfast TV.

She’s the author of eight award winning cookbooks – her latest cookbook Peace, Love and Fibre: Over 100 Fibre-Rich Recipes for the Whole Family (Appetite by Random House) made the best seller lists at The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Amazon.ca and Chapters Indigo and was short listed for a Taste Canada Cookbook Award.

Her #fartwalk™ reel on Instagram encouraging people to get off the couch and go for an after dinner walk, went viral and started an international fart walk movement with over 14.1 million views to date.

https://www.mairlynsmith.com

Estonian-Canadian Chef Paul Lillakas has worked in the food industry for 20 years in an eclectic variety of venues from restaurants and catering to his work as a private chef and in the media. In 2014, Paul was a winner of Food Network Canada’s Chopped Canada. Paul was formerly the owner of FoodStyles Catering, specializing in custom tasting menus for private events. In 2016, Chef Paul went on to become Food Editor at Canadian Living magazine, developing all forms of food content for Canada's largest food and lifestyle magazine. Today you can find Paul sharing his unique recipes on various Canadian television shows as a contributing food expert. Paul specializes in global cuisine, mashing up flavours from around the world, re-envisioning classics and writing approachable recipes for modern home cooks.

Sharon Swampy holds credentials as a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. Raised in Maskwacis, Alberta, she graduated from the University of Alberta in 2020 with a Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences, specializing in Dietetics. With five years of experience, Sharon has worked as a dietitian in Indigenous communities, first in Treaty 7 Territory and more recently in Treaty 8 Territory. Her work has centered on chronic disease management and pediatric nutrition. In addition to her work in communities, Sharon runs her own private practice and provides nutrition education services to organizations and companies. She is passionate about nutrition and believes that health goals can be achieved through a simple, sustainable, and flexible approach. Her aim is to help others improve their relationship with food and to build healthy, lasting habits, all while keeping traditions and culture in mind.

https://msha.ke/indigenousnutritionist

I'm a content creator with a background in nutrition and dietetics. I have a passion for providing evidence-based nutrition information in a way that’s very simple, while implementing the nuance. I have type 1 diabetes as well.

http://www.edinsehovicnutrition.com/

Dr. Megan Racey is passionate about human health and sharing research to bridge the gap between academia and the public to improve the use of high quality evidence. With an interdisciplinary background, Megan has worked directly with stake holders across the agri-food sector from farm to fork to create impact from research and help in form evidence-based decision making. She has synthesized and evaluated research and research programs through formal systematic reviews and in formal environmental scans, conducted interviews and focus groups, planned workshops with diverse stakeholders, and managed a range of agri-food projects.

Alison Duncan is a Professor and Associate Director of Research at the Human Nutraceutical Research Unit, in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph. Alison’s academic training is focused on nutrition with a BASc in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Guelph, training for a Registered Dietitian at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, a MSc in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Toronto and a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Minnesota. Her teaching and research relate to the effects of functional foods on human health outcomes examined in human clinical trials with a particular focus on the agri-food-health continuum. Alison is a Past-President of the Canadian Nutrition Society, a long-time member of the editorial board for the Journal of Nutrition, and is a Fellow of the Dietitians of Canada and the Canadian Nutrition Society.

https://www.uoguelph.ca/hhns/people/dr-alison-m-duncan

Dr. Michael Gänzle is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Food Microbiology and Probiotics (Tier I) at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2023. In 2021 to 2024, he was recognized as Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher. His research aims to link microbial physiology and ecology to food quality and host health. His research interests include the development of novel technologies for food preservation, aiming to understand mechanisms of bacterial resistance to pathogen intervention technologies, and the characterisation of lactic acid bacteria by functional genomics for use as starter cultures or probiotics in traditional and novel food fermentations.

Heather is an internationally recognized registered dietitian-nutritionist, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, and the author of Fueling Young Athletes. In 2008, she founded Heather Mangieri Nutrition where she provides nutrition counseling, consulting and communication services for organizations and companies focused on evidence-based health and wellness. As a sports dietitian and nutrition counselor, she helps athletes fuel and hydrate to maximize their health, development and athletic performance. Her passion is helping young athletes overcome struggles with low energy availability, body image acceptance, disordered eating patterns & eating disorders.

https://heathermangieri.com

Erin MacGregor is a registered dietitian and passionate food and science communicator.

Erin is an experienced clinical dietitian in the hospital setting, where she translates the latest clinical research into common sense nutrition advice for a wide range of patients. She is also the owner of Erin MacGregor Nutrition Communications, where she consults with a wide range of clients to create engaging food and nutrition content for a variety of consumer and professional groups.

Erin is most passionate about writing and speaking on topics including misinformation in the media, agriculture, biotechnology, and food marketing, with the goal of helping Canadians understand where their food comes, so they can make food choices based on facts, not fear.

I was born in Treaty 1 Territory. My grandparents on my mother's side were from The Portage Band. They were farmers living close to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. I grew up in Sandy Bay First Nation, moved to the city in 1990 after living 3-years as a student at Lebret Indian Residential School.

Been in Manitoba for 33 years and have worked for Red River College Polytech for almost 6 years on June 9, 2023. Last few years, I have been an instructor for introductory Ojibwe language courses at Notre Dame Campus.

My role is supporting departments across the college community including doing presentations related to language, lunch and learn sessions, Truth and Reconciliation Commission guest speaking events for language calls to action, and more.

Outside of work, I am happy at home in Sandy Bay, where my strategy is one day to have a family reunion and concert on the same weekend.

I am inspired by my late Auntie (2017),...she raised me from 4-15 years old,...those were the foundational-years where I learned in-person Ojibwe conversations and listened to the art of storytelling.

As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cereals Canada, Dean Dias liaises with the Canadian value chain and international customers, contributing to the overall strategy, execution, and successful delivery of activities within the Canadian cereals value chain. Over the past 13 years, Dean has worked his way up through the organization, from managing various programs and serving as Director of Value Chain Relations, to interim CEO where he was instrumental in transitioning Cereals Canada to the organization it is today, centred around communications, policy, market development and support, research, and innovation. Truly passionate about agriculture, Dean leads with enthusiasm, positivity, and strategic vision.

Brando Remonte started at Cereals Canada in July 2021 and holds the position of milling technologist. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Philippines. He has recently completed a Correspondence Course in Flour Milling of the International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM). Prior to joining Cereals Canada, he worked for 15 years in Canadian food industries such as commercial flour mill, research and development company and pulse processing facility.

Karen Pitura joined Cereals Canada in 2019 and currently holds the position of Technical Specialist, End-products (Baking). Her activities include assisting the manager in all operations of the baking facilities, including practical demonstrations for Cereals Canada programs, participation in overseas missions, and working on research projects and fee-for-service activities involving baking products. Prior to joining Cereals Canada, Karen worked as a Bakery Technologist at Weston Foods for 8 years, supporting bread, roll, bagel, tortilla and pie bakeries in Western Canada and USA. Karen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and a Master of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Manitoba.

Kristina Pizzi has worked in Analytical Services at Cereals Canada for 20 years and has a deep understanding of wheat quality and what international customers want when it comes to Canadian grains. Managing a team of lab technicians, Kristina oversees technical demonstrations, investigative studies, and training related to a wide range of analytical and rheological tests on Canadian grains. As well, she provides support to domestic and international customers and serves as a technical resource for both wheat and pulse analytical methodology. Kristina holds a bachelor of human ecology (foods) degree from the University of Manitoba.

As the manager of end-products at Cereals Canada, Lindsay oversees activities in the pilot and test bakeries, Asian products laboratory and pasta and extrusion facilities. In 2007, she began her career at Cereals Canada, formerly Cigi, in the Analytical services laboratory. In 2010, she began working in the pulse department where she focused on evaluating various milling methods and their effect on physical, compositional and functional properties of pulse flours. In 2016, Lindsay became Project Manager – Warburtons Fermenter, when Cigi partnered with Warburtons, the largest bakery brand in the UK, on a multi-year research project to produce healthier bakery products using pulses. Prior to becoming the Manager of end-products in 2022, Lindsay oversaw technical activities involving Canadian cereals including the Cereals Canada annual harvest assessment program.

Lindsay graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutritional Sciences and a Master of Science from the Faculty of Food Science. Her Master’s thesis explored Asian white salted noodles made with pulse flour inclusions.

Natalie Middlestead joined Cereals Canada in 2014 and currently holds the position of Technologist, End-products (Asian Products and Pasta). She is involved in evaluations conducted in the Asian products and pasta areas to assess the quality of Canadian wheat. Previously she was a Technician, Analytical Services where she assessed the quality of wheat and flour in the laboratory and participated in technical demonstrations. She has over 15 years of experience working in research and analytical laboratories. She was previously employed as a Research Technician with Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, in the areas of molecular genetics, proteomics and cereal quality. Natalie has a B.Sc. (Biochemistry) from the University of Manitoba.

Robyn Makowski joined Cereals Canada in 2013 and currently holds the position of Technologist, Analytical Services. Her position involves conducting a number of analytical and rheological tests on wheat and flour and other grains, as well as participating in technical demonstrations. Prior to joining Cereals Canada, Robyn worked at the Canadian Grain Commission as a Laboratory Technician in Industry Services. Robyn holds a Bachelor of Science (Applied Chemistry) degree from the University of Winnipeg and a diploma in Chemical and Biosciences Technology from Red River College.

Krista Zuzak is the director of crop protection and production for Cereals Canada. Since joining the organization in 2021, her role has focused on market access support on crop protection product and phytosanitary issues, the Keep It Clean program, plant breeding innovation, and wheat research priority work. She also chairs the cereals MRL Assessment Committee. Krista previously worked in a crop diagnostic lab and on risk mitigation for new and emerging plant pests, as well as emergency response as part of the Government of Alberta in agriculture. Krista holds a Bachelor of Science and a master of plant science, specializing in plant pathology, from the University of Alberta.  

Jared Ozuk joined Cereals Canada in 2023 and currently holds the position of Technician, End-products.  His activities include evaluating different wheat flours in various baking applications, supporting the pasta and Asian products departments with processing and product evaluations, and participating in technical demonstrations. Prior to joining Cereals Canada, Jared worked in commercial bakeries in Ontario and the Yukon Territory. He also instructs online and in-person classes focused on breadmaking.

Gerald Kanife joined Cereals Canada in May 2024 as Technical Specialist in milling. He previously worked as a miller for over 5 years in two mills in Nigeria. He comes with an understanding of commercial applications of Canadian wheat in quality and milling processes. He will leverage this knowledge and his experience in company-organized programs, workshops and investigations to provide valuable insights. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Nigeria and has completed the Intermediate modules of the UK Flour Miller’s course. He was also a participant in the Cereals Canada workshop for African practitioners in 2022 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Jean Ryu joined Cereals Canada in 2023 and currently holds the position of Technician in the Analytical Services department. In her role, Jean conducts a number of analytical and rheological tests on wheat, flour, semolina and pulses, and participates in technical demonstrations. Jean holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Manitoba, where she previously worked as a research assistant in plant breeding.

Kelly Tan joined Cereals Canada in 2024 and currently holds the position of Technician in End-Products. She mainly focuses on small-scale test baking to evaluate wheat flour quality, supports the pilot bakery in various baking applications, and participates in technical demonstrations. Previously, she was a lab assistant at Analytical Services, conducting rheological and analytical tests on different wheat, semolina, and flour samples, and participated in technical demonstrations. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Science from the University of Manitoba, where she previously worked as a summer student researcher.

Julia Cann joined Cereals Canada in 2023 and holds the position of Technician, Analytical Services. Her position involves conducting analytical and rheological testing on grain and flour samples as well as participating in laboratory demonstrations for programs. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Winnipeg. Prior to joining Cereals Canada, Julia worked as a Research Assistant for Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Cereal Quality Laboratory.

Matilda van Aggelen (VAHN ACH-uh-lun) is a Market and Trade Specialist at Cereals Canada. Matilda joined Cereals Canada in January 2023. Before joining the organization, she held the position of Market Research Specialist at the World Trade Centre Winnipeg, supporting Manitoba exporters with tailored market intelligence. Matilda holds a Certified International Trade Professional designation from the Forum for International Trade Training, a Project Management Diploma from the University of Winnipeg, and a Master of Arts in History from the University of Antwerp in Belgium.

Ellen Pruden is the Vice President, Communications & Value Chain Relations at Cereals Canada. Her enthusiasm for agriculture has her constantly sharing why her community should buy Canadian ingredients and support farmers. She was recognized by Dietitians of Canada as Honorary Recipient for her work that she does in creating learning opportunities for dietitians, and she has appeared on the Top 100 Most Fascinating Manitoban’s List for her work advocating for farmers, her love of fishing and cooking, and being an all-around great woman. Ellen graduated with a Bachelor of Education from the University of Winnipeg, and prior to joining Cereals Canada, Ellen worked in the canola industry as the director for Canola Eat Well.

As Vice President, Technical Services at Cereals Canada, Elaine oversees technical activities related to the assessment of cereal quality. She has worked in various roles in the organization over the past 24 years, from analyzing cereal quality and managing the Analytical Services laboratory to her current role. Elaine has considerable knowledge on wheat quality requirements gained through extensive travel and discussions with customers of Canadian cereals. She has led, or co-led, several multi-year research projects at Cereals Canada focused on the quality of wheat, oats, food barley and pulses, including production and assessment of these various grains as milled ingredients and their use in various end-products. Elaine is a member of the Quality Evaluation Teams for Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye, and Triticale, as well as the Ontario Cereals Crop Committee where she shares her knowledge about customer needs and provides guidance on the quality requirements that help guide the development of new wheat varieties. Elaine was awarded the AACC International Edith Christensen Award for Analytical Chemistry for her contributions to analytical methodology. She holds a M.Sc. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Manitoba.

Jen Woodall is an Account Manager with Synthesis Agri-Food Network and works closely with the Cereals Canada team to bring What About Wheat? to life. Jen is always focused on exceeding client expectations with the energetic enthusiasm she brings to her work.

Jen is a powerful communicator, and she has a strong background in experiential learning. For the past 3 years, Jen has been focused on developing, creating and delivering the What About Wheat? campaign. She works closely with the Scientific Advisory Committee and Cereals Canada to ensure each element of What About Wheat? is well-researched, relevant and engaging for Canadians looking to learn more about wheat nutrition.

Rebecca is the content writer and digital communications coordinator at Cereals Canada and is passionate about sharing the story of Canadian agriculture. In her free time, she co-hosts a podcast about Winnipeg and is always on the lookout for the city’s best bites and brews.

Andrea is the Communications Manager with Sask Wheat. Her communications experience has been shaped by years of education, travel, work and volunteerism. Andrea's interests lie in exploring communications and relationship-building in the digital and face-to-face world, a perfect fit for her many communications and public relations roles over the years.

Andrea has an undergraduate degree in English literature from the University of Saskatchewan, a Bachelor of Applied Communications degree in public relations from Mount Royal University, and a master of arts degree in communications and technology from the University of Alberta. Outside of work she is an aspiring violinist, avid sports fan, globe trotter, cyclist and voracious reader.

Andrew Hector is the Agronomy Extension Specialist - Cereal Crops with the Manitoba Crop Alliance. He joined the MCA in August 2023. As an extension agronomist Andrew works to provide farmers with the latest research findings and best management practices for their operation. Andrew is passionate about knowledge transfer and translation and recognizes its importance for continued successful crop production in Canada. Andrew grew up in Manitoba, but his interest in agriculture and soil science has taken him to cities and towns across the country, providing fresh perspectives on food production in Canada.

Away from work Andrew enjoys being outside and visiting with family and friends. Reading, hiking, biking, and spending time at his family cabin are some of his favourite activities.

Brianne Curtis is a communications specialist in the agriculture industry, dedicated to educating consumers about the origins of their food. When not fostering connections between people and their food stories, she works alongside her family on their grain and beef farm as a fourth-generation farmer.

I am Senior Account Manager and Strategic Communications Advisor with Cole's Ag, based in Calgary, AB. Through my role with Cole's Ag, I manage communications and marketing activities for Manitoba Crop Alliance. I am an enthusiastic home cook and like to use local ingredients as much as I can, including products made with Canadian wheat. When I'm not working, you can usually find me out and about enjoying the Calgary food and drink scene with friends and family, or participating in one of the many sports I love (slo pitch, basketball, golf, skiing).

Ian Doig is the editor of GrainsWest, the farm magazine of Alberta Grains, which is the commission that represents the interests of the province’s barley and wheat farmers. While writing numerous agriculture stories each year, he also co-develops The GrainsWest Podcast. He is a recipient of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Star Prize for feature writing and a co-recipient of a Star Prize for audio feature.

https://grainswest.com