Lori McCarthy
Founder & Operator, Food Culture Place
Lori McCarthy identifies fiercely as a Newfoundlander, which means more than just geographical location of birth to her. Her passion for the land is matched only by her passion for food culture.
To be a wild chef, forager , hunter ,educator and avid outdoorsperson is less unusual amongst Newfoundlanders than you might think. The province's culture is based on the values of resourcefulness and working with what the land provides. Lori has made it her life, becoming a leader and advocate in a back to the land approach where traditional food culture is central.
She is the Founder and operator of Food Culture Place, a Cultural Food Residency program crafted to invite people to experience the island's way of life. The days are designed to share a better understanding of the people and place that she holds so close to her heart, ensuring the next generation who will inherit this land will keep the traditions alive and will care for it with great pride.
Dr. Eileen De Courcy
Vice-President, Academic, George Brown College
Dr. Eileen De Courcy joined George Brown College as Vice-President, Academic, in August 2022. She leads the academic enterprise with a focus on innovative programming and academic excellence.
Working collaboratively with the academic team, Eileen oversees the development and delivery of effective programs that result in high levels of student satisfaction, success, and professional achievement. She is committed to creating learning environments that reflect the best elements of faculty expertise, learning services and spaces, industry/community partnerships, and the use of emerging technologies.
Eileen holds a PhD in Curriculum and Pedagogy from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, a Master of Arts in Education Administration from Central Michigan University, a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education from Brock University, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Guelph.
Gloria Lorée
Marketing Strategy & Chief Marketing Officer, SVP
Gloria’s leadership purpose is to help teams feel confident in what they can do. She is proud to lead a team of passionate marketers who share a common vision of inspiring those with open hearts and minds to fall in love with Canada.
Following a 20+ year career in the arts, journalism and tourism, Gloria joined Destination Canada in 2006 where she has gained a reputation as a skilled strategist and passionate champion of the tourism industry.
Jenni Lessard
Interim Executive Director, Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations
Jenni Lessard is a chef and culinary consultant who recently took on the role of Interim Executive Director of the Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations (ICAN).
Jenni is a member of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan and draws inspiration for her cuisine from the boreal forest and lakes where she was raised and the plant and animal nations in the valley she now calls home. Jenni was chef/owner of New Ground Cafe' in Birch Hills, SK, then catered in Saskatoon as Chef Jenni Cuisine and became the first female executive chef of Wanuskewin Heritage Park after helping design and implement the award winning Han Wi Dinner Series.
Through her company, Inspired By Nature Culinary Consulting, Jenni creates immersive culinary experiences, menus and recipes. Some of her current clients include the Remai Modern Art Museum, Batoche National Historic Site, Adventure Destinations and Waterhen First Nation Water's Edge Eco Lodge.
Jenni's passion for Indigenous culinary led to her current position with ICAN, furthering the organization's mission to create capacity and widen the network of chefs and ambassadors.
Jason Bangerter
Executive Chef, Langdon Hall
An influential leader in the culinary industry, Chef Jason Bangerter’s career spans nationally and internationally, working alongside some of the world’s greatest chefs.
Chef Jason’s unbridled passion for excellence is fueled by his dedication to supporting and developing sources for sustainable, responsibly produced ingredients. He has successfully crafted a talented team that shares his philosophy and vision. Living by example, he is equally proud of his role as an innovator and mentor, continuing to profoundly affect Canada’s culinary scene.
Langdon Hall Country House Hotel and Spa welcomed Executive Chef Jason Bangerter in 2013. Chef Jason’s philosophies have grown since by creating a “taste of place,” focusing on the freshest and most flavourful ingredients on the property and surrounding farms.
Paul Owl
Chef & Entrepeneur
Paul Owl is a dedicated chef and entrepreneur from the Serpent River First Nation. As a proud member of the Ojibway Nation, he has made it his life’s work to continuously learn and inspire others through food culture and business. He has a unique approach to preserving and promoting the traditional foods of his people, blending traditional Ojibway cuisine with modern cooking techniques. Throughout his career, he has remained deeply committed to sharing his heritage and passion for food with others. He is self-taught and has honed his skills in various kitchens, and he has opened his own catering and mobile foods company, known for using locally sourced ingredients, including wild game and foraged plants. In addition, he has expanded his culinary expertise to include traditional cooking techniques, signature sauces and spice blends. He teaches cooking classes and presentations on Ojibway cuisine.
He is also a motivational speaker, a Pow Wow MC, and has led motivational and self-esteem workshops. In addition, he has worked as Head Chef for multiple organizations and led construction projects and builds in Northern Ontario and Manitoba. He runs Treeteas Brewing (cedar-infused teas), collaborates on the sub-brand Ziibiins Nibi, and is the Resident Chef at Madahoki Farm in Ottawa. Some of his latest projects include developing a Brewhouse and Smokery, working in Indigenous Tourism, and developing a Traditional Smoked Meats (Charcuterie) company.
Paul’s dedication to learning and inspiring others through food culture and business has earned him recognition and praise from the local community and the culinary world. He is a true inspiration who, through his hard work, dedication and passion, can bridge the gap between traditional and modern cultures.
Kevin Eshawkogan
President & CEO, Indigenous Tourism Ontario
Kevin is an Anishnabek and a member of the M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island. Kevin has been a key player in the development of Indigenous cultural tourism in Ontario since 2003. Kevin was an integral part of the development and growth of the Great Spirit Circle Trail (GSCT) on Manitoulin Island, one of the country’s most renowned Indigenous tourism organizations. They provide culturally authentic Indigenous experiences and marketing support to Indigenous operators. He has provided leadership to GSCT for over 15 years, imparting his guidance to countless individuals throughout Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada, and beyond. Kevin works tirelessly to unite Indigenous tourism providers, grow market reach and bring meaningful employment opportunities to the region.
He is a mentor and visionary who works closely with his community to ensure sustainable and organic growth within the Indigenous tourism industry. In 2015, Kevin was named the Tourism Champion of the Year by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. He has also been recognized by numerous media outlets for his accomplishments within the industry.
Kevin sits on various boards, including the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). He has also helped establish ITO, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), Northeastern Ontario Tourism, Destination Northern Ontario, the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre, and many other tourism organizations and businesses. He also sits on the Destination Ontario Sector Advisory Committee, Tourism Skillsnet Ontario Council, and the Trans Canada Trail Indigenous Advisory Committee.
Scott Beck
CEO of Destination Toronto
He’s a champion of the visitor economy and a proven leader in the destination sales and marketing industry, spending 14 years as the President and CEO of Visit Salt Lake in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also served on the Executive Committee of Destinations International for six years and as the organization's International Board Chair from 2014-2015.
Before Visit Salt Lake, Scott worked in the hotel industry for 18 years, most recently with Ocean Properties Ltd. (OPL) as the General Manager of the Salt Lake Marriott City Center. While at OPL, Scott spent time in B.C. and Alberta working on a task force with OPL's Canadian affiliate, Atlific Hotels. Prior to his time with OPL, Scott served as Director of Sales and Marketing for Sundance Resort in Provo, Utah.
Scott’s a proud father to four daughters, and lives in Toronto with his wife, Angie Welling, along with their two rescue dogs. True to his roots, Scott’s an active skier, biker and outdoor enthusiast.
Royce Chwin
President & CEO, Destination Vancouver
With over 30 years of experience in the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors, Royce has focused the last 15 years of his career in senior leadership roles at the national, provincial, and now civic level of destination management organizations. After spending 10 years at Travel Alberta, Royce relocated back to his hometown Vancouver to take on the role of President, and CEO of the now transformed Destination Vancouver in July of 2020.
While at Travel Alberta Royce oversaw the development and launch of the award winning (remember to breathe) destination brand that resulted in increased awareness and visitation for Alberta. While at the Canadian Tourism Commission, Royce was part of the team that brought the Canada brand to life for millions of viewers and attendees of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics helping to put Vancouver and Canada on the global tourism bucket list.
Before that Royce developed extensive experience working in corporate, franchise and a start-up business in operations, sales, and marketing in various leadership roles.
Royce volunteers on Destination British Columbia’s Tourism Marketing Committee, Expedia Media Select Advisory Board, Business Improvement Association Downtown Vancouver Board Member, and the SAIT Dean’s Hospitality and Tourism Council.
Tammy Maki
CEO & Owner, Raven Rising-Global Indigenous Chocolates
Chef Tammy Maki is the CEO/Owner of Raven Rising-Global Indigenous Chocolates, an award-winning company that specializes in creating artisanal chocolates infused with Indigenous ingredients from around the world. Her love of baking and pastry began at a young age, and after graduating from Culinary school, she honed her craft until deciding to combine her passion for pastry with her love for Indigenous culture and ingredients, and Raven Rising was born. Under her leadership, Raven Rising is fast becoming a recognizable name with a thriving E-commerce site and retail partners across Canada.
Jenna White
Owner, Jenna's Nut-Free Dessertery Inc.
Jenna White is an Indigenous Chef, mom, restaurator, Indigenous food consultant, business owner and founder of A Taste of the Atlantic. What started as a small farmers market booth in 2019; has grown into a multifaceted business sharing Indigenous culture through her restaurants, Bakery, catering, consulting and food processing facility with flour mill.
Since opening the first brick and mortar there has been a lot of opportunity, change and growth. Her Bannock mixes can now be found in multiple stores, subscription boxes and most recently is first to market with a major grocery chain. She has provided bannock experiences for people from all over the world and gotten to share her culture along the way.
She combines her passion for nourishing people through food and sharing culture to help build appreciation for the indigenous culture and fosters relationships to help lift up the indigenous community.
And she’s just getting started.
Jonathan Mabry
PhD
Jonathan Mabry, PhD is the liaison to UNESCO for Tucson Creative City of Gastronomy and Executive Director of the non-profit organization managing the designation. He is also an anthropologist and archaeologist at the University of Arizona Southwest Center and Desert Laboratory. His investigations documented that Tucson, Arizona, with archaeological evidence of more than 4,000 years of settlement and farming, is the oldest continuously inhabited and cultivated place in the USA. He was an early leader in the locavore and heritage foods movements in southern Arizona, and lead author of the application that obtained Tucson’s designation as the first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in the USA.
Mandel Hitzer
Mandel has always had a deep connection with food and feeding people. Influenced by great women in his life, food traditions became gospel in the homes he grew up in. Now serving Winnipeg food lovers for 27 years, he has made deer + almond his home. Since it began in began in 2012, deer + almond has twice been named one of Canada’s 100 best restaurants (2017, 2018) and received numerous accolades from food critics and fans alike for the restaurant’s food, atmosphere and culture. Over the years Mandel has played a vital role at notable Winnipeg restaurants such as, Bridgeport, Step ‘N Out, Gluttons, Fresh Café before carving out his true passion for building temporary dining experiences which all started with “thesecretdinner.” Whether he’s cooking on a frozen river, building a table for 1200 people, picking mushrooms with friends, or collaborating on the next farm dinner, he always dreaming big with a playful spirit.
Katie Bridges
Katie Bridges packed her backpack and followed her wanderlust in 2010, and has been in love with travel and food ever since. After working in advertising in London, she moved to Toronto to pursue a career in journalism, falling head over heels for the city's diverse food and mind-blowing cocktail scene. Katie joined Twenty Two Media in 2018 as a staff writer. She later became Foodism and Escapism's editor, managing an extremely talented team of writers and freelancers who are equally passionate about Toronto's world-class restaurants and bars. Profiling the local makers, bakers and cocktail shakers that make up Toronto's culinary landscape is one of her biggest sources of pride.
Paul Natrall
Owner of a small Indigenous business in Vancouver cooking for up to 2,400 people, Mr. Bannock. Chef Paul received 2019 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year. Paul has been specializing in Indigenous Cuisine for over 10 years. His unique flavours and textures create Indigenous Fusion Cuisine. A key priority for Paul is educating the next generation of chefs on sustainable food supply, cooking methods and preserving culture through Indigenous culinary experiences.
G. Burcu Gezeroğlu
Product Marketing Group Manager / Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA)
Burcu Gezeroğlu is a gastronome with over 12 years of experience in the culinary tourism industry and passionate about the role that food plays in travel with an understanding of how culinary tourism provides some of the most immersive ways for individuals to engage with different cultures. She earned her MSc. Degree in Italian Gastronomy and Tourism from University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG, Italy) and is a PhD candidate at the Tourism Management Program at Istanbul University.
During her career she had been in charge of various food projects in Türkiye and worldwide initiated by Slow Food International, such as EU-funded ESSEDRA (Environmentally Sustainable Socio-Economic Development of Rural Areas) and mapped endangered artisan food products for Slow Food’s Ark of Taste list. As a culinary tourism strategist and marketing professional she collaborated with local businesses, producers, chefs, and food writers to create compelling content that resonates with travelers and inspires them to explore a destination through its cuisine.
Currently, she manages tourism product marketing operations of TGA in both domestic and international tourism markets, with a focus on gastronomy tourism and destination branding.
Liza Frulla
With her extensive experience in marketing, communications and politics, The Honourable Liza Frulla, P.C.,C.M.,O.Q. inspires those around her with her passion for public affairs and the media and knows how to put her expert knowledge of the political process into practice.
As a woman of action, she has marked her career with a series of firsts: the first female sports journalist in the history of electronic media in Québec; the first female marketing director at a major Canadian brewery, Labatt Breweries; the first woman to act as General Manager of CKAC, when it was the most important French-language radio station in Canada; Minister of Culture and Communications in the National Assembly of Québec and Minister of Heritage Canada in Ottawa. She is the only person in Canada to have taken on cultural responsibilities at both the provincial and federal levels of government.
As an analyst, commentator, radio and television show host, columnist, author and speaker, Ms. Frulla takes part in all the debates that drive our society today. In August2015, she took on the role of Director-General of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec. She sits on the boards of numerous organizations as well and chairs the board of Destination Canada since 2021.
Ms. Frulla is also a member of the Order of Canada, a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec, a Companion of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec and Officer of the Ordre de la Pléiade.
Nicole Groot Zevert
Nicole Groot Zevert is a project manager at VISITFLANDERS, the official tourism board of the Flemish Government in Belgium. With her specialization in culinary tourism and her more specific focus on beer tourism, Nicole is responsible for developing and promoting exceptional beer experiences throughout Flanders. Before joining VISITFLANDERS in 2019, Nicole gained invaluable experience working in the global tourism sector as a consultant at the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and at the European Travel Commission, promoting the sustainable development of tourism destinations. Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree from the Saxion Hospitality Business School (the Netherlands) and a master’s degree in tourism from the K.U. Leuven (Belgium), both prestigious institutions in the field of hospitality and tourism. When not shaping unforgettable beer tourism experiences in Flanders, Nicole can be found discovering (mainly tasting) other culinary tourism destinations.
Monica Orr
In January 2017, Monica Orr joined Tourisme Montréal to lead the teams managing the International Media and the Tour and Travel markets. Born to a Scottish diplomat father and a French mother, Monica grew up with two very different versions of the Second World War, speaking both English and French fluently at home.
Passionate about food, history, travel and art and deeply curious about the world and its people, Monica spent her early childhood in Africa followed by numerous stays in Europe, finally choosing Montréal as her true home. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from the Université de Montréal, she attended McGill University to complete a degree in Public Relations and launched her career in the hotel industry.
Monica became known for her enthusiasm, communication skills and engaging storytelling, and combined these winning qualities with extensive sales training to craft a successful career that has spanned over 30 years. In 1997, Monica moved to Paris to serve as Director of Business Development for the Air Transat A.T. group for seven years and was responsible for selling Canada as a destination to European travellers. In Montréal, she has led sales and marketing teams for prestigious organizations, such as Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Château Versailles, as well as for several boutique properties.
Monica has an appetite for life and a spirit of adventure that infuses every aspect of her life, driving her to learn, grow, travel, meet new people and explore her city to experience first hand what makes Montreal such a vibrant, creative and welcoming destination.
Tannis Baker
Tannis Baker is the co-founder of Food Tourism Strategies Inc., bringing her combined knowledge of culinary, agri-tourism and education to the Alberta-based national consulting firm. Specializing in collaborative strategic development for destinations through culinary and agri-tourism, FTS integrates food, culture and tradition to enhance regional economic development opportunities.
Recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential Albertans by Alberta Venture Magazine, Tannis and her FTS partner, Rheannon Green, have been nominated and won numerous awards for development and marketing including regional and national awards for Collaborative Marketing and the inaugural Canadian Tourism Award for Best Culinary Experience.
As a leader in culinary tourism, Tannis shapes local, regional, national and international initiatives including Alberta Open Farm Days, Cultural Chef Exchange Series, and Terroir Symposium.
Dr Laeticia Jacobs
Dr Laeticia Jacobs is a Deputy Director at the Department of Tourism. She has over 15-year experience in the tourism industry, previously also working as the tourism research analyst in the Western Cape Province and tourism product development for the Northern Cape Province. Dr Jacobs is also pivotal in the development of the National Astro-Tourism Strategy in South Africa and the establishment of the SKA Science Carnarvon Exploratorium. She has obtained her Bachelors and Master’s degree at the University of Stellenbosch, majoring in international relations and cultural and heritage tourism. She has completed her PhD in Tourism Management at the University of Pretoria in 2018. Her PhD research topic investigated the aspect of Astro-Tourism as the key niche to drive rural route development. Dr Jacobs has further co-authored a number of academic articles on Astro-Tourism, destination branding, transformation and skills shortages in the tourism sector respectively.
Maylene Broderick
Maylene is a results-oriented executive, with over fifteen years of executive and senior managerial experience at municipal, provincial and national government level as well as in Corporate and Business Banking and Public Affairs. She has extensive experience in Tourism Policy and Programme Implementation, Economic Development, Environmental Management, Land Use Planning, SMME Development, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, Strategy Development, Business Planning and Government Stakeholder Relations.
Suzanne Kelly
Suzanne has spent 40 years helping to develop and organize rural programming, events and celebrations of community. While Suzanne is currently a city dweller calling Calgary home, she spent most of her life and early career living in rural Alberta, and recognizes the importance and beauty of small town communities. Suzanne has provided her expertise ranging from her years with the Strathmore & Airdrie Ag Societies organizing aspects of the Rodeo and Chuckwagon events and the development and planning of fall fairs. Suzanne brings her vast experience to her current role with the Alberta Association of Agricultural Society (AAAS). Representing local ag societies and as a key lead for Open Farm Days as she provides organization and structure by helping to shape the industry from the inside.