Debbie O'Bray, Chair
Director, Marketing Projects, Operations & Transformation | IGM Financial

Debbie is the Director of Marketing Project, Operations, and Transformation at IGM.  Prior to joining Investors Group she worked as a management consultant in 30 countries around the globe, most extensively in China, Mexico and Germany. She has served on numerous Boards including the Canadian Cancer Society Manitoba Division, Meals on Wheels, Winnipeg, and the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation.  Debbie is a  past chair of the Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone, and the Project Management Institute. She was named a Fellow of PMI in 2009.

John Bayliss, Vice Chair
Senior VP, Logistics & Supply Chain | Walmart Canada

John serves as the Senior Vice President of Logistics and Supply Chain for Walmart Canada. In this role, he leads the national logistics and transportation teams which support over 400 retail stores and the company’s ecommerce business. Prior to joining Walmart Canada, John worked for over 16 Years with The Boston Consulting Group. Most recently, he was a Partner and Managing Director with BCG Canada based out of Toronto.

Ilya Bahar, Treasurer
Retired Partner | PWC

Until his retirement in 2018, Ilya managed PwC’s consulting practice for Consumer Markets in Canada, where he led strategic initiatives for leading clients in retail and consumer products. Prior to PwC, Ilya worked for ten years as a partner with IBM, where he held various executive positions in Canada and Brazil. He was also Managing Director with Premier Foods, Industrial Division, a company specialized in nutritional products for the institutional catering market in South Africa. Ilya has served on the Advisory Board of the Ryerson Retail Management School and advised the Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) and Retail Council of Canada (RCC) on numerous industry initiatives.

Mary-Jo Hewat, Secretary
Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Facilities | Genworth Canada

Mary-Jo Hewat brings over 25 years of human resources expertise and is currently the Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Facilities at Genworth Canada. Prior to joining Genworth Canada, Mary-Jo was the SVP, HR Business Partnerships at the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS). She holds the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation and is a Certified Human Resources Executive (CHRE). Along with being a member of the Food Banks Canada Board, she sits on the Advisory Council to Ryerson University’s Human Resource Management and Organizational Design Programs.

David Armour
Director of Philanthropy | The United Church of Canada

David is the President of The United Church of Canada Foundation. He brings forth extensive fundraising and foundation experience from his work as Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Olympic Foundation, as president of the United Way of Canada—Centraide Canada, and as a regional director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. David has also served as Senior Advisor to the Université Laval Foundation and has developed two new foundations, the Canadian Medical Foundation and the Canadian Olympic Foundation. In addition to committing his time to Food Banks Canada, David also supports other national organizations, including the Pembina Institute, the Canadian Red Cross, and the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.

Linda Beairsto
Retired Chief General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer

Linda is an Independent Board Director and Consultant at a top-tier Bay Street law firm. She retired as Chief General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corporation. Her experience spans a variety of Board leadership roles (both for-profit and not-for-profit). She also served in multi-functional executive management and senior legal leadership teams in various industries including power & utilities; pharmaceutical; healthcare; automotive parts; manufacturing; packaging; food; chemicals; commercial real estate; project development and financial services. She earned her Chartered Director (C. Dir) designation from the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University. Linda was a Finalist in two categories of the 2017 National Post & ZSA Recruitment awards: 2017 Canadian General Counsel of the Year; and 2017 Deal Making.

Tony Chow
President | Kellogg Canada

Tony Chow is President, Kellogg Canada and a key member of the Kellogg North American Leadership Team. He began his Kellogg career in Canada in 2003, serving in several customer leadership roles of increasing responsibility across the Canadian Sales organization. In 2010, he was promoted to Vice President, Sales, in the U.S. He repatriated to Canada in 2012 as Vice President, Sales and became Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales in 2017. Prior to his current role, he served as President of the Kashi Company. Tony currently serves on the board at Food & Consumer Products Canada, The Grocery Foundation and, most recently, joined Food Banks Canada’s Board of Directors. Tony received his Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario and completed the Harvard Business School Executive Leadership Program.

Nick Jennery
Executive Director | FEED Nova Scotia

Nick is Executive Director at Feed Nova Scotia – a charitable organization with a mission to “Feed Nova Scotians in need, and to reduce that need”.  Feed Nova Scotia collects, sorts and distributes 16,000 pounds of food each day to 146 food banks, shelters and meal programs across Nova Scotia.  56% of the food distributed are perishables, primarily fresh fruit and vegetables. Prior to joining Feed Nova Scotia, Nick spent most of his career in the food industry, leading a number of provincial and national trade associations, as well as his own consulting practice. 

David Long
Chief Executive Officer | Greater Vancouver Food Bank

David has worked internationally in Ireland, Switzerland, Great Britain and Australia before settling in Canada in 1996. He has led many high performing teams and successfully made the bold career change from the kitchen to the CEO office in 2005. David has held senior positions in different disciplines as an Executive Chef, CEO, General Manager and Vice President of Operations before accepting the role as Chief Executive Officer for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Always a passionate engaging leader David builds high performing Teams and has a proven track record of bringing fun, success and inspiration to organizations.

Julie Marchand
Executive Director | Les Banques alimentaires du Québec

Julie Marchand is the Executive Director of Les Banques alimentaires du Québec (BAQ). As ED, she leads BAQ and its members in providing food support throughout the province of Quebec, while helping to maintain network membership by developing partnerships, fostering rich exchanges between members and facilitating a major food recovery program in stores. Julie has over 25 years of experience in communications and marketing. Before joining BAQ, she spent 10 years working for the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, a labour-sponsored investment fund, as the Senior Director, Communications and Marketing.

Rosemary McCrie
Finance Consultant | McCrie & Mundy Professional Services

Rosemary has 30+ years of experience in the consumer packaged goods industry at PepsiCo Foods Canada and currently delivering finance management consulting within the tech industry.  Along with being a board member of Food Banks Canada, she also acts as Director for PepsiCo Canada Foundation. Rosemary is experienced in governance, risk management, strategic change and integrated system implementation. She holds a Chartered Director designation from the Directors College, a joint venture of The Conference Board of Canada and McMaster University.

Lori McRitchie
Executive Director | Airdrie Food Bank

Lori McRitchie became Executive Director of the Airdrie Food Bank in 2006 when the food bank merged with a local elementary school’s breakfast program she was running. Lori leads the operations of the Airdrie Food Bank and has overseen its growth from a grassroots organization to a respected mid-sized agency that won Food Banks Canada’s Excellence in Food Banking Award in 2017. She is passionate about her work and supports other food banks through her role as a Board Member and part of Network Council. In 2012, Lori was a recipient of the Amazing Airdrie Women Leadership Award and Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee medal. In 2014, Lori was chosen as Airdrie’s “Best Citizen” for her work in bringing the community together and advocating for those in need of food support.

Sophie Perreault
Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer | Farm Credit Canada

Sophie Perreault is responsible for the overall management of Farm Credit Canada’s national operations and started her career as a Relationship Manager in 1994. Sophie has an eye on building relationship and has worked in various leadership positions in credit risk. She has served as Vice-President of Operations in Quebec, Vice-President of Enterprise Integration and Innovation and most recently as Vice-President of Agribusiness and Venture Capital. She holds a bachelor of science in agricultural economics from Laval University and the Institute of Corporate Directors designation. Sophie also acts as vice-chair of the Regina Food Bank’s Board of Directors.

Peter Singer
Chairman | Thomas, Large & Singer Inc.

Peter Singer is President of Thomas, Large and Singer and has been since 1986. In 1999, he was additionally named CEO, and in 2020, Peter became the Chairman of both companies as his son, David, assumed the role of President. He has been extremely active in industry affairs. In 2000, he assumed the role of Chairman of that organization which is now a part of the Consumer Brands Association. Peter continues to be a member of the Executive Committee of the Food Industry Association of Canada and has acted as that organizations Chair and Chair of the Nominating Committee. Peter has been proud to have been awarded the food industry’s Golden Pencil award in 2008 and Life Member Designation of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers in 2012.

Keren Taylor-Hughes
Executive Director | Winnipeg Harvest

Keren Taylor-Hughes is a dynamic leader and driven by a passion to create positive change for those in need in Manitoba. Previous experience and expertise include child protection, health, change management and leadership. Keren’s passion is collaboration, relationship building and strategic thinking and her purpose is to lead, succeed and motivate people to accomplish positive change for the better within her organization and their community.

Daman Thable Rayat
Legal Counsel | Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner

Daman Thable is counsel with the Government of Ontario where she has worked for over 10 years. She is currently Counsel for the Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner and provides advice on how to manage conflicts of interest and maintain a politically neutral public service. She is a frequent presenter at local and international conferences. Previously, Daman served as counsel for the Office of the Integrity Commissioner and represented the Family Responsibility Office at enforcement proceedings in court. Daman is a recipient of the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Prix Excelsior Award for Innovation. Daman was a volunteer member of the Board of Directors of Family Services of Peel for five years, and served as president for three years.

Chris Hatch
Chief Executive Officer | Food Banks Canada

As the CEO of Food Banks Canada, Chris leads a team dedicated to deepening collaboration across a national network of food banks and provincial associations and maximizing their collective impact to assist the more than 800,000 people who turn to food banks every month. Prior to joining the team in January 2018, Chris was Executive Director of The Mississauga Food Bank for nine years and was instrumental in numerous innovative projects such as the launch of the first aquaponics farm at a Canadian food bank. In 2012, Chris received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee for dedicated service to the community and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity where he was involved in the building of two new homes in Southern Ontario.