Team CAAIN
Meet our Staff
Darrell Petras, P.Ag.
CEO
Darrell Petras embodies the maxim that, “You can take the boy out of the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the boy.” Growing up in Viking, Alberta, he was surrounded by agriculture, including the Petras family beef operation. Despite that immersion, including joining the family farm and helping take it through a full business exit, he chose then-Red Deer College’s pre-chiropractic program. It didn’t stick, and he soon transferred to the University of Alberta, majoring in Agriculture Sciences with a specialization in Economics—the perfect mix for a young guy with a hankering for ag, an interest in technology, and a penchant for business.
His early career set him up for long-term success as he came under the influence of exceptional professionals who mentored him in the world of entrepreneurship and steeped him in the processes and rigour required to build a technology company from the ground up while protecting and benefiting from its core intellectual property.
Not satisfied to sit on the sidelines and only watch others benefit from his guidance, Darrell has walked the talk, co-launching or purchasing successful enterprises himself over the years.
His experience in, and passion for, business and agriculture make him an ideal CEO for CAAIN with its focus on supporting the development of Canadian agtech and encouraging the growth of SMEs that are the lifeblood of our nation’s economy. Because of his background, Darrell believes he has a responsibility to help fast-track the adoption of the agri-food innovation needed to ensure food security domestically and internationally.
Darrell, his wife, and their three children call Sherwood Park home, but they are never far from his rural roots, and when they are not attending basketball games and martial arts tournaments, the family can be found hiking, horseback riding, and taking their quads for a spin.
Darrell can be reached at [email protected].
Tracy Bowers
Executive Assistant
Tracy Bowers, our remarkably competent Executive Assistant, sees her position with CAAIN as a return to her roots (pardon the ag pun). After all, she’s an Edmonton-area farm girl who launched an eventual 30-year Government of Alberta (GOA) career with the department of Agriculture as a summer student. Her broad practical experience, which includes stints with the GOA’s Agricultural Research Institute, Livestock and Meat Agency, and the ministries responsible for Pensions and Children’s Services, has been bolstered by certifications in human resources, benefits, and project management.
A firm believer in the importance of family and work-life balance, late in her government tenure Tracy took a year off to travel the rodeo trail with her teenage daughter. Which brings us neatly back to her personal and professional agricultural background and the impetus of a decision to leave the GOA in favour of Team CAAIN—a move we wholeheartedly applaud. Tracy grew up on a farm, and she lives on one now with her husband of 20 years, a daughter, two stepsons, and a menagerie that includes 13 horses, four goats, three dogs, an alpaca, a cat, and her “baby” Taco, a 136-kilogram micro mini pig. What more proof of her love of agriculture do we need? Right? Right!
Tracy can be reached at [email protected]
Garson Law, MSc
Program Director
Garson Law has spent his entire adult life in a range of positions across the research continuum. His impressive portfolio includes diverse roles, ranging from graduate student to funding program administrator, with stops in between as academic researcher, industry funding partner, and project lead. Being active throughout the research spectrum has instilled in Garson a strong appreciation for, and deep understanding of, the needs and qualities of stakeholders along the innovation value chain, which makes him a valuable member of Team CAAIN. When not working, he enjoys exploring the great outdoors at home and abroad, as well as chasing balls, pucks, and curling stones.
Garson can be reached at [email protected].
Douglas Mills
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Anyone wanting insight into what drives CAAIN’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, Douglas Mills, need only consider his favourite question: “What if?” It is this insatiable curiosity to determine what is possible that makes him a perfect fit for his work here. We are, after all, in the business of pushing boundaries and supporting visionaries who seek to go where no one has gone before. The ideal landing pad for a self-proclaimed navigator and future-focused optimist.
Douglas’ career has been all about making connections. Supporting clients by forging links with diverse stakeholders? Yes, certainly, but more importantly, helping-decision makers connect the dots between policy and reality. That ability to sift through the chaff to find the wheat is a valuable skill for any company, but none more so than at CAAIN, where we focus on connecting innovation to agriculture in the name of helping an entire sector find solutions to major challenges. We must look beyond the obvious to solve big problems and find links others may have missed.
In his spare time, Douglas volunteers for Protect Our Winters and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Association Southern Alberta chapter, allowing him to marry his love of the outdoors with his concern for environmental sustainability. This brings him full circle and back to a role with CAAIN that has him supporting the development and adoption of technology that will lead to more sustainable agriculture.
Douglas can be reached at [email protected]
Patience Palmer, PhD
Program Manager
To say that Patience Palmer is highly qualified for her role of CAAIN Program Manager is to state the obvious. Born and raised in the West African nation of Ghana, the Edmonton resident boasts superb academic credentials, with master’s degrees in Animal and Food Science earned at universities in Sweden and Finland, respectively, as well as a PhD in Animal Science from the University of Alberta.
Dr. Palmer’s professional background is no less impressive, including early experience with Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority and the country’s Cocoa Board. While completing her doctorate, she joined the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as a Developmental Meat Inspector. When she finished her studies, she remained with CFIA, working at slaughter and processing plants in Lacombe and Edmonton. From there, she transitioned to CAAIN, which she sees as a natural progression, leveraging, as it does, her significant livestock project management experience, while keeping her involved in agricultural innovation and satisfying her passion for ensuring the efficiency, safety, and quality of our agri-food sector.
Away from the office, Patience prioritizes faith and family, volunteering as a Sunday school teacher and cooking for, and spending time with, her husband, their three children.
Patience can be reached at [email protected].
Elisabeth Widjaja, MSc
Program Coordinator
“Widjaja” is a common surname in Elisabeth’s native Indonesia, and a quick internet search reveals the word itself is often associated with individuals who are ambitious, intelligent, and have a positive outlook on life. Talk about typecasting. What’s that? Talk is cheap? Well, then. Read on and see for yourself.
In addition to an undergrad degree in Biotechnology and a Master of Science in Bioresource Technology (“Intelligent?” Check!), Elisabeth has:
- worked as a program coordinator in a University of Alberta research lab; and
- worked as a clinical trial officer in a pharmaceutical company (“Ambitious?” Check!).
So, we have established her professional credentials and matched her to two of her name’s three meanings. But what prompted this remarkable researcher to join Team CAAIN? Simply put, while her native Indonesia is the world’s fourth largest nation with a population north of 280M, it remains a primarily agrarian society. As Elisabeth explains it, she’s excited to be part of an organization supporting the development of the kind of agricultural technology that could eventually make a huge difference to her homeland.
That about does it for her story. What’s that? We didn’t prove her suitability to the third attribute associated with the name “Widjaja?” No problem. What if we told you Elisabeth is a dog parent who loves the outdoors, enjoys far too many arts and crafts hobbies to list in this short bio, and has volunteered in the past for the Red Cross and the Campus Food Bank? (“Positive outlook on life?” Check, check, check, and check!).
To discuss CAAIN funding programs and projects with Elisabeth, email her at [email protected].
Julie Thibeault, BBA, CIM
Finance Director
Julie’s 25 years of public- and private-sector experience in all things finance and accounting make her the perfect person to develop, implement, and maintain CAAIN’s financial management tools, functions, and procedures. Her duties require that she work closely with the members of our funded projects to ensure their compliance with Government of Canada fiscal reporting requirements. Julie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, is pursuing a Master’s degree in Corporate Finance, and has her Certified in Management designation. Fluently bilingual, she moved to Alberta from Quebec 20 years ago.
Julie can be reached at [email protected].
Michelle Coady
Finance Officer
A ready smile, patience, and a great sense of humour are typical attributes of natives of The Rock— that’s “Newfoundland” to the rest of us. Well, that and an incredible work ethic. Our Finance Officer, Michelle Coady, embodies all those qualities and more. She also has a love of numbers and grasps complex financial problems easily, quickly, and with great pleasure.
Interestingly, she worked in various other fields before giving in to her passion and obtaining a Business Management diploma specializing in Accounting from the College of the North Atlantic. Once she was on her correct path, Michelle never looked back, enjoying positions in accounting and auditing in public- and private-sector organizations before finding her way to CAAIN.
When asked why she made the move from large entities to the relative intimacy of CAAIN, she replies, “My job here offers variety and forces me to use my skills and experience to solve different problems every day. It’s a great place to work and I’m so happy to be here.”
Truth be told, Michelle is being humble and not a little disingenuous. Her life has not been boring for a long time, and she puts her mathematical prowess to good use as much at home as in her professional capacity. You see, she and her husband have a dog and—wait for it—five sons. That’s right: Five! Talk about putting your problem-solving skills to good use. Not to mention that famous Newfoundlander sense of humour.
All of which makes us blessed and delighted to have had her join our team. If you need to pick her big math brain about CAAIN-related financial issues, please reach out to Michelle at [email protected].
Eric Morin, CMP
Communications & Marketing Director
Fluently bilingual and a Certified Communications Management Professional, Eric has spent the bulk of his 35-year career working in and for not-for-profit and public-sector organisations. A generalist skilled in project planning and management, writing and editing, public and media relations, crisis communications, and stakeholder engagement, he believes passionately in the intrinsic value of his profession. At home, he enjoys spending time with his two children and the family’s beloved Coonhound cross, Dexter.
Eric can be reached at [email protected].
Ryan Furtas
Manager, Business Development
There are four reasons why Ryan Furtas is perfectly suited to be CAAIN’s Business Partner, Knowledge & Networks. First, he grew up helping his parents on the family’s mixed grain and cattle farm in east-central Alberta, so agriculture is in his blood. Second, he has a BSc in Agriculture Economics, which is pretty much self-explanatory. Third, the bulk of his career has been spent marketing and selling Alberta crops and dealing with primary producers in the Calgary and Edmonton regions, so he gets the issues of importance to the agricultural sector. And last but not least, in addition to being highly competent, he’s a really nice guy, which makes him ideally suited to build our network and grow our brand with a diverse range of stakeholders. Don’t believe us? Just ask the friends of his adolescent kids whom he coaches in minor hockey and baseball. Better yet, send him an e-mail and set up a meeting, and you’ll realize what the rest of his team members do: that we’re lucky to have him, and that he really is the perfect person for the job.
Ryan can be reached at [email protected].
Preeti Choudhary, MBA
Accounting Coordinator
CAAIN’s Finance Manager, Julie Thibeault, is delighted that Preeti Choudhary accepted an offer to serve as CAAIN’s Accounting Coordinator. Since October 2020, Julie has been on her own dealing with the herculean tasks required of the individual tasked with keeping our finances on the straight and narrow. Why is Julie so happy? Because Preeti is an excellent professional with diverse experience gained both in her native India and in her adopted homeland, Canada. Beyond that, Preeti’s commitment to accuracy, financial integrity, and outstanding customer service make her an ideal addition to Team CAAIN, as does understanding that her role is not limited to financial record-keeping. It extends to actively supporting the company’s mission by managing financial resources and ensuring compliance. She knows that doing her job well means she is helping to reinforce CAAIN’s commitment to a set of values that are integral to our reputation as leaders in Canada’s agri-food community.
When she’s not hard at work crunching numbers, Preeti can be found volunteering to support Edmonton Public School Board field trips. This is important to her for a number of reasons, most notably that it allows her to enrich the student experience. Having spent many years earning an undergraduate degree, as well as an MBA from Dr. C.V. Raman University in India, Preeti understands more than most just how important it is to engage one’s audience, making her a valuable member of our small but mighty team.
Preeti can be reached at [email protected]
Introducing our Board of Directors
Laura J. Kilcrease, C.M.A., MBA
Board Chair
Born in London, England, and recruited from Austin, Texas, where she had spent over two decades as the founding CEO of Triton Ventures, Laura Kilcrease served as a member of the Alberta Research and Innovation Advisory Committee for seven years prior to joining Alberta Innovates (AI) in 2017.
She is widely recognised as a key contributor to the transformation of Austin from its dependence on oil revenue to high-tech prosperity and ultimately becoming the United States’ #1 city of choice for entrepreneurs.
Having spent over 25 years commercialising technology, Ms. Kilcrease brings an extraordinary track record in innovation ecosystem performance and design. In addition to myriad accomplishments delivered during her time in Texas, since arriving at AI she has steered the organisation’s restructuring, spearheaded a program assessment initiative, and launched Inventure$, an annual gathering of innovators, investors, industry leaders, and global researchers, which PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated catalysed some $200M in potential deal flow in 2019.
These achievements have not gone unnoticed, and she has been formally recognised with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Austin Business Journal’s Profiles in Power Award, and the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Trailblazer Award.
A dedicated community builder, Laura has supported the Women’s Leadership Advisory Board of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, the Beyster Institute, World Congress for Information Technology 2006, and the IC² Institute at The University of Texas. She currently serves on the board of the University Federal Credit Union, one of the top 100 financial institutions of its kind in the U.S.
Micheline Ayoub, PhD
Agricultural Innovation Expert
The term “multiculturalism” was coined by a Canadian, and is the bedrock of our society, which is one of the reasons CAAIN seeks out diversity of background and experience. We want our staff and board to bring a range of views to the table. Micheline Ayoub epitomises this value. Her list of accomplishments includes earning graduate degrees in Agronomy and Plant Breeding from McGill University and a BSc in Biology from The Lebanese University, as well as an extraordinary history of volunteerism. We cannot list them all, but how’s this for diverse? She has served as a first responder in a war zone, as a board member of the McGill Society of Montreal, and as a special advisor on sustainable development and strategic environmental directions to the Mayor of Maasser el Shouf, in Shouf, Lebanon. Her international education has been bolstered by skills honed working on intellectual property, research management, partnership development, the legal aspects of collaborative research, technology and knowledge transfer, granting-system management, peer review processes, program performance assessment, and governance. In short, she is an ideal addition to the board of an organisation with the dual mandates of supporting agri-food innovation and building a sustainable sectoral network.
When she isn’t forging and nurturing partnerships for My Intelligent Machines, a Montreal-based start-up leading the way in life sciences AI software, Dr. Ayoub enjoys singing in a choir, supporting her children’s school in various capacities, and walking her family’s very large, very playful malamute.
Joe Dales
Co-Founder & Partner, RHA Ventures, Inc.
CAAIN has been fortunate to attract an extraordinary group of senior professionals with diverse agrifood-sector experience to serve on our board of directors. Nowhere is that more evident than in the two new directors who joined us in late 2024.
One of those is Joe Dales, the co-founder of RHA Ventures. Born and raised in the Ontario agricultural heartland of Bruce County, he grew up in a farming community and studied nearby, obtaining a BSc (Chemistry) from Western in London and an MBA from Waterloo’s Wilfrid Laurier.
Upon graduation, he launched a career in the ag sector, enjoying progressively senior roles at a variety of companies, including Pfizer Crop Protection, United Agri Products, First Line Seeds, Ciba Seeds, and Cyanamid Crop Protection. The latter was where he ended up in marketing management, developing skills that have served him well in his entrepreneurial endeavours. In 1998, Joe cofounded AgCareers.com and Farms.com and helped grow the businesses globally. In 2020, he sold his interest in the business prior to founding RHA Ventures, which invests in early-stage agrifood technology companies and has grown to a portfolio of 36 companies.
When asked why he continues to push the pedal to the metal, Joe answers simply, “I enjoy introducing innovations to farmers and I feel that in a small way, I am helping feed the world.” Given CAAIN’s mandate to fund innovation that will help meet the dietary needs of a growing global population, his fit with a position on our board is obvious. Beyond that, Joe has been a CAAIN friend and advocate since our 2020 launch, supporting our brand at every turn and providing valuable guidance whenever we approached him.
When he’s not seeking out potential investment opportunities or volunteering for various business and community organisations, Joe enjoys travelling with Sandra, indulging in their mutual passion for visiting farms and sampling food around the world.
Bethany Deshpande, PhD
Founder, SomaDetect
A Haligonian (it’s a real word…honest) by choice who loves Canada’s East Coast, Bethany Deshpande grew up in the agricultural heartland of Guelph, Ontario. She is a successful agtech entrepreneur who attributes her achievements to, “A series of accidents and good luck.” We beg to differ. Undergrad Arts and Education degrees from the Glendon Campus of York University, followed by an MSc and PhD in Environmental Biology earned at Université Laval, are evidence of extraordinary intellect bolstered by an exceptional work ethic. She needed both qualities to conceptualise, launch, and grow SomaDetect from a few folks working out of an apartment to 23 employees in Canada and the U.S.
Scientific innovation runs in the family, as she and her two partners founded the company to commercialise a discovery made by Bethany’s biophysicist father, Dr. Satish Deshpande. He noticed in 2014 that his low-resource medical diagnostic tests could measure fat content and somatic cells in milk. Two years later, SomaDetect was born with a mission to provide dairy farmers with tools that allow them for the first time to monitor milk quality and herd health.
Bethany’s passion for her work stems from its place at the intersection of agriculture, data, and sustainability, which, not coincidentally, aligns perfectly with her responsibilities as a member of CAAIN’s board of directors. When she’s not engaging in extensive community-based volunteer work, focusing particularly on agtech, food, science, and supporting women entrepreneurs like herself, Dr. Deshpande enjoys spending time in nature, creating pottery, painting watercolours, and singing.
Cornelia Kreplin, DVM, PhD
Retired Agri-Food Sector Expert
Originally from Ontario, Cornelia has spent the bulk of her professional life in Alberta, first as a veterinarian, then in a series of increasingly senior roles with government and at Alberta Innovates, from which she “retired” in January 2021 as Executive Director of the Smart Agriculture and Food (SAF) division. While leading SAF she was asked to spearhead the planning, development, and launch of CAAIN, eventually assuming the mantle of interim CEO, a role she relinquished in April 2021 upon the hiring of a permanent chief executive officer. A skilled strategic and operational planner, Dr. Kreplin brings decades-worth of provincial, national, and international agricultural experience and connections to CAAIN’s governance team, providing guidance and helping to grow the network.
When not contributing to various boards and advisory committees, Cornelia occasionally stops to spend time with her veterinarian husband and their Jack Russell Terrier.
Rory McAlpine, M.A. (Economics)
Retired Agri-Food Sector Leader
Rory McAlpine recently retired as Senior Vice President, Government and Industry Relations, with Maple Leaf Foods Inc.
Current directorships include the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (Chair), Invest in Canada (Audit Committee Chair), Oak Bay Advisory Planning Commission, and the BC Premiers’s Task Force on Agriculture and Food Economy.
For 15 years at Maple Leaf Foods, Mr. McAlpine led the company’s engagement with government and industry partners on matters of public policy, innovation and investment support programs, regulatory affairs and international trade.
Mr. McAlpine served as Deputy Minister of the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries from 2002 to 2005. Prior to that he obtained significant experience with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as Director General of the International Trade Policy Directorate and other roles. He started his career at the Trade Commissioner Service with overseas postings to Kuwait, Bangkok, and Brussels.
Mr. McAlpine received an M.A. (Hons) degree in Economics from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and has also studied at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.
Patricia McLeod, LLB, MBA, ICD.D
Corporate Director
Patricia leverages her credentials as an accredited Professional Director (ICD.D) and leadership roles in law and compliance to oversee the strategic direction and governance of corporations. Patricia is a seasoned corporate director and lawyer, working with diverse organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She is a former General Counsel, Vice President, and Privacy and Compliance Officer, with extensive experience in contracts and corporate legal matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, regulatory applications, privacy and compliance. Patricia is a passionate community builder with a strong understanding of innovation, transformation, and change management.
Patricia is the Board Chair of FutEra Power Corp., a renewable (geothermal) power producer and the Board Chair of Cavvy Energy Ltd., a publicly traded integrated midstream/upstream natural gas exploration and production company. She is also a board director and member of the revenue performance committee of Flair Airlines.
She has led board oversight of significant strategic decisions, capital projects and business transformations for many organizations, such as Calgary Co-op, Alberta Innovates, Canadian North (formerly First Air), MINDD Inc., City of Calgary Green Line Board, Real Estate Council of Alberta, Calgary Film Centre Ltd., YW Calgary, Calgary Economic Development, and cSPACE Projects. She has been Board Chair multiple times and Committee Chair of Governance, Human Resources, Nominations and Compliance Committees as well as member of Audit, Risk, and CEO Recruitment Committees.
Patricia has a law degree and a business degree from the University of Alberta and an MBA from Queen’s University, for which she completed an applied thesis in creating a culture of innovation in regulated entities. She was a certified Compliance and Ethics Officer and completed the Competent Boards certification program for board directors in ESG oversight. She was appointed as King’s Counsel in January 2014 (formerly Queen’s Counsel).
In 2022, Patricia received a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. She was recognized by BMO Financial and Women Get on Board in 2021 as one of five Canadian leading women corporate directors. She was awarded Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by WXN in 2018 and 2019 and as Legal Advisor of the Year (2019) by Women in Finance Canada.
Tim Nelson
Livestock Research and Innovation Leader
Tim Nelson has dedicated the majority of his career to advancing livestock research and innovation. Following upon a life long interest in emerging technology, he is the founder of a leading digital biosecurity platform that helps livestock producers prevent disease entry and respond rapidly to outbreaks. Tim also oversees a cutting-edge in-ovo egg sexing initiative on behalf of Egg Farmers of Ontario.
Previous to his entrepreneurial ventures, Tim served as the inaugural CEO of the Livestock Research Innovation Corporation, playing a key role in the development of modern livestock research facilities in Elora, Ontario. His first role in Canada was as Executive Director of the Poultry Industry Council of Ontario, and from 2009 he led PigGen Canada—a research collaboration among several of the world’s largest pig genetics companies.
Originally from Australia, Tim managed WestVic Dairy, a regional program of the Dairy Research and Development Corporation, and operated DemoDAIRY™, a farmer-owned research centre in western Victoria. He also developed Australia’s first ISO 9002-certified organic certification body—the Organic Food Chain—and founded The Organic Foods of Australia, exporting organic ice cream and vegetables to Japan.
Along the way, he established a backpackers hostel in Newfoundland—a venture that sadly closed in 2019 due to COVID-19.
Deb Stark, DVM, MBA
Retired Agriculture Sector Leader
Growing up in Southwestern Ontario and focusing on becoming a veterinarian, Deb Stark never dreamed of a career in public service. In fact, she was practising in a rural community when she had a hankering for more education. The MBA at Wilfrid Laurier University seemed a good choice, as it was a generalist’s degree that would expose her to non-scientific thinking.
To make some extra money while in school, Deb took a parttime job as an extension vet with the Government of Ontario. A planned three-year stint morphed into a distinguished 30-year career that included six years as the province’s Chief Veterinary Officer, and culminated with her being appointed Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
In 2016, wanting to try something new, she retired, and has been busier than ever, serving on numerous not-for-profit boards, participating in mentorship programs, becoming part of an angel investment community, and providing strategic advice to the Ontario Sheep Farmers. In her “spare time,” Deb helps out at her local long-term care facility and writes the occasional short story. She admits that along with all the success, there has been the occasional failure. For instance, in 2022 she and her husband tried to foster some cats, but they failed miserably—or at least, that’s the official humane society finding. The rest of us understand that the Starks merely fell in love with their charges and ended up adopting them. And really, if that is her definition of failure, we are very, very grateful Dr. Stark accepted our invitation to join the CAAIN Board of Directors.
But why add to an already full plate? “I’m interested in how technology is transforming our food system and redefining the role of a farmer. I believe it’s critical that Canadian agriculture adapt quickly. We are one of only a few net exporting countries, and have several natural advantages (land, climate, water).
Fred Wall
Seasoned Executive and Board Member
Fred Wall was most recently VP of Marketing and Digital Agriculture at Farm Credit Canada, where he was responsible for course-correcting challenges and managing complicated, leading-edge projects requiring innovative thinking. His three-pronged expertise in technology marketing, agriculture, and research contribute to his being a perfect fit with CAAIN’s board. An additional reason we’re so glad to have him is his stated preference for advising from a background position in his volunteer roles, which include supporting inner-city projects and helping children with special needs.
The passion for helping youth is a spillover from Mr. Wall’s personal life, as he and his wife completed what they called, “The Six Continents Project.” Over a 10-year period, before their children started leaving the nest, the family went on a series of trips that saw the Walls enjoy meaningful experiences on all six populated continents.
Kallie Wood
President and CEO, National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food
CAAIN has been fortunate to attract an extraordinary group of senior professionals with diverse agrifood-sector experience to serve on our board of directors. Nowhere is that more evident than in the two new directors who joined us in late 2024.
One of those is Kallie Wood, President and CEO of the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF), an Indigenous-led, non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of reconciliation in the agriculture industry and the creation of a national dialogue for Indigenous agriculture.
Born and raised on Treaty Four Territory in Saskatchewan, Kallie is a proud member of Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation. With a Master’s degree in Leadership and Management, and more than 35 years’ experience leading individuals, teams, and organisations, she brings to CAAIN’s governance team a deep understanding of relationship building, reconciliation, and education. Formerly the Senior Indigenous Advisor for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Kallie sits on several boards across Canada, and has garnered considerable attention outside the country, including being named one of 2023’s twenty-two most empowered and influential women internationally.
Given her standing as a leader in Canada and abroad, it stands to reason that Kallie receives far more offers than she could reasonably entertain. When we asked her what prompted her to accept the invitation to join CAAIN’s board, her response was both eloquent and moving. “We live in a fast-moving world characterized by ever-changing agri-food knowledge and technology. I feel I can bring an Indigenous voice to this table, providing a unique perspective based on traditional knowledge while networking to advance opportunities for Indigenous Peoples who will come after me.”
Rickey Yada, PhD
Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta
Dr. Rickey Yada is Professor and Dean, Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Life Sciences at the University of Alberta. From 2014 to 2024, he was 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 Canada).
Dr. Yada is a co-editor of Trends in Food Science and Technology and serves on the editorial boards of several journals. He is an advisor to other Boards of research and industry organizations, such as the Canadian Food Innovation Network and Saltagen Ventures Limited (Hong Kong). Other positions include Technical Advisor, CDL Rockies; External Advisory Committee Member at Arrell Food Institute; Member of the Scientific Advisory Panels at Bioenterprise Canada; Riddet Institute (New Zealand); and External Advisory Committee, Sydney Institute of Agriculture, The University of Sydney, Australia).
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 and the Pro Scientia et Humanitate Medal from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland.
