Dean is a third-year Political Science student at the University of British Columbia. As a Bangladeshi-Canadian born and raised in Vancouver on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territory, Dean believes that Canadians must rethink our fractured relationship with food production and food waste while keeping environmental justice, accessibility and Indigenous knowledge at the forefront of action.

Dean is very passionate about food waste, food security, sustainable food production and urban farming. He has volunteered with SPEC and FreshRoots to deliver programs to school-aged youth centred around these themes and is excited to continue this work on a broader, more national scale. Dean has extensive experience with community outreach (with West Coast Environmental Law), maximizing youth engagement within climate action (CityHive) and leading youth-led initiatives (UBC Sustainability Ambassadors).

Since completing her degree in Global Development Studies at Queen’s University, Evelyn has explored her passion in climate and youth engagement through her work with Fairtrade Canada, the TRCA Youth Executive Council and in her current role as an Outdoor Educator. She is excited to deepen her knowledge of the connections between climate and food security and better understand how we can improve the critical issue of food waste across Canada.

In her spare time, Evelyn loves to read, cycle along Toronto’s waterfront, knit and spend time in nature with her dog Lily.

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Roufa is a third year Dalhousie Commerce co-op student majoring in International Business with a certificate in leadership. As part of her studies at Dal and through her exchange, she has taken courses focused on sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing critical issues such as human rights, water scarcity, food insecurity and food waste.  

Previously, she volunteered with Youth Challenege International, where she worked alongside professionals and students to address challenges related to climate change—her group’s focus was on food waste. Today, she is excited to further explore these pressing challenges, which she thinks often go unnoticed but profoundly shape our everyday lives.  

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Seba studied international business in university and has worked in the food industry since he was a teen, because he wants to feed people and doesn’t like wasting food. He's cooked in restaurants, volunteered at non-profits and co-founded a social organization to fight food waste and food insecurity. He currently runs an impact data startup that helps food organizations measure and improve their social and environmental impact.  

Seba wants to continue playing his role in building a better, more sustainable food system.

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Naila is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. During her time there, she worked for the Menus of Change Kitchen. In this role, she implemented sustainable food practices, while creating plant-based dishes using surplus ingredients. Now as a lead cook, she is eager to continue inspiring young chefs to learn about the importance of reducing food waste.  

Naila is passionate about creating more awareness around food waste reduction and encouraging more youth to participate in working towards a more sustainable food system.  

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Salena is a passionate advocate dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voices and fostering inclusion and equity. Drawing from her lived experiences, she works to ensure Indigenous perspectives are represented in every conversation and meaningful change is achieved.  

She is the CEO and owner of Community of Big Hearts, founder of the Anita Project, co-founder of the Reconciliation Road Challenge, and a member of WAGE’s Indigenous Women’s Circle.

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Joy recently graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a minor in International Development.

In their spare time, they enjoy volunteering with food security and anti-poverty organizations. They also love going on walks with their dog, Clyde.

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A recent graduate from Ivy Business School, Sam is incredibly passionate about social change and constantly looking for ways he can contribute to it. After volunteering for charitable initiatives for many years, he realized that solving problems like hunger requires major, structural changes to address their root causes. Since then, Sam became involved in politics, running as an independent candidate in the 2022 Ontario provincial election and supporting community organizing efforts in Toronto.

Shauna was raised in Wîchispa/Mohkinstsis (Calgary) in Treaty 7 Territory along the riverbanks and under chinook arches by two parents from Newfoundland. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from the University of Northern British Columbia and is passionate about all things climate action, environmental education, and food security & sovereignty.  

Now living in Châ Ûpchîchîyen Kudebi (Canmore), she works with The Howl Experience to deliver land and community based experiential learning programs for youth. When she isn't working or volunteering, Shauna can usually be found hiking, biking, knitting, or spending time with her cat Forest.

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Emma is a third year Philosophy student at UBC, where she’s also director of speaker relations for TEDxUBC. Having worked in the food service industry for six years now, she enjoys getting to meet and connect with new people every day. To her, in an increasingly tech-forward world, food is a huge part of preserving and promoting human connection.  

Emma is looking forward to exploring ways to build a more sustainable food system.  

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