Our Team

Wanda has been involved in the Ground Level Youth community garden for the past 6 years, and just this year also is working with École des Quatres Vents at their school based community garden. Each garden has a unique set-up for who participates and how decisions are made. Wanda also belongs to the Peace of the Whole Holistic Management group and the Peace Permaculture group. These two organizations are a means to share information on stewardship of the land and the mental wellbeing of the caretakers of the land. Her philosophy in life is, enjoy the moment, plan for the future and consider: we are the ones we have been waiting for.

As Vice-President of the Bow Valley Food Alliance as well as a member of the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council, Avni is striving to make the world a better place through complex and systemic food issues.She comes from a background in healthcare for over a decade, and now over 15 years of experience in the food industry as a social entrepreneur and community leader. Committed to affecting change in local food systems, Avni launched and ran a successful organic, fair trade tea company, before she co-initiated and developed Farm Box – a social business that has since merged with The Organic Box. Both teams were initial market leaders in the food box delivery model in Alberta.A passionate cross-country skier, Avni spends her time on the trails envisioning ways to improve local food systems. She is committed to inspiring meaningful change in her community, and will always bring some Alberta carrots to the table.

Claire is an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta. Her career goal is to become a registered dietitian where her interests around food, nutrition, and helping others can coexist. She views diet as an impactful lifestyle behaviour and believes everyone should be able to enjoy the foods they like and still live a balanced lifestyle. She has experience in clinical research and values learning about credible, evidence-based information and practices.

Claire enjoys the outdoors and appreciates all that nature provides us with. She loves to explore gardens and farms, and is always welcome to exciting adventures with healthy food systems.

Gbemiro Adegbuyi is an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta where he is studying Dietetics. He is passionate about community nutrition, public health, children’s health, and food security. He promotes these interests with organizations including Rotary International, the Boys & Girls Club of Edmonton, and the Heart & Stroke Foundation. In the future, Gbemiro would like to work as a dietitian in community and clinical settings to help people of various ages and health statuses develop and maintain nutritional practices appropriate for them to live healthy and happy lives.

Laura is passionate about food, nutrition and food security. She worked as Dietitian with Blood Tribe Department of Health before completing a Masters in Nutrition for Global Health and a post-graduate certificate in Food Security through Ryerson University. After working in international health for a few years, Laura returned to Edmonton and currently leads a team of Dietitians supporting all First Nations across Treaty 6, 7, and 8 in Alberta. While food has been utilized as a historical tool of colonization, food is also a powerful tool for healing and achieving Indigenous food sovereignty. Laura believes food can not only nourish our bodies but also be used to build healthier communities by strengthening our connections to each other and the land. She looks forward to when we can gather together over food again (and also post-pandemic travel!).

Sneha is a high school graduate from Lacombe and plans to study Psychology at the University of Lethbridge in the fall. She is an avid climate advocate who has discovered that no climate conversation is complete without talking about agri-food. While she hasn’t yet settled on any career goals, she enjoys working with kids and just wants to do something that will help people.

Sneha enjoys going to and seeing different places. She intends to see as much of the world as possible, as soon as she thinks of a better way to do it than constant plane trips. In the meantime, she satisfies herself with good books and creating visual art of all kinds.