Contact Us
Sustain Ontario – the Alliance for Healthy Food and Farming
740 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2P1
Email: info@sustainontario.com
Phone: 647-348-0235
Staff
Director – Lauren Baker
Lauren Baker is a food researcher and activist with over ten years of experience building local food economies, implementing sustainable agriculture projects and addressing food policy. From 1997-2003 Lauren worked at FoodShare as the founding urban agriculture program coordinator. Lauren has a PhD from York University. Her research focuses on the ecological, cultural and political practices of local food economies.
Lauren is the author of a number of reports and publications including The Evergreen Brick Works Food Strategy, Seeds of our City: Case Studies From Eight Diverse Gardens in Toronto, and Healthy Food, Healthy Communities, and has also published her research in scholarly journals. Lauren is a lecturer at the University of Toronto and a research associate with Ryerson’s Centre for Studies in Food Security.
Social Media Intern – Kyle L. McGregor
Kyle L. McGregor has experience with some of the many Social Media platforms, and is currently adding more to his repetoire each week with his work here at Sustain Ontario. He has a background in video editing, social media, marketing, and web design. Kyle is very passionate about creating a more sustainable society, and hopes to leverage the power of social networks to bring about a more sustainable food system for Ontario. He is currently completing his degree in Philosophy at York University.
Food Systems Planner, Metcalf Foundation Intern – Tammara Soma
Tammara Soma is the newest addition to Sustain Ontario. She holds an Honours Bachelors degree in Environmental Studies with a Minor in International Development, and most recently completed a Masters of Science degree in Planning with a specialization in Food Systems Planning from the University of Toronto. As an undergraduate student, Tammara was instrumental in leading the Fair-Trade campaign at York University, which resulted in the University mandating the inclusion of Fair-Trade beverages on campus. She also pioneered and led the Food Security, Volunteer Advisory Council with the NGO Youth Challenge International. During her graduate degree, Tammara brought her passion for food systems planning internationally to Spain where she researched the Protected Designation of Origin labeling and the Spanish municipally funded food markets.
Tammara currently sits on the Steering Committee of Food Secure Canada and is a Student Member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. She is one of the founding members of the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council and was involved as the Vice-Chair of the organization. As Planning Policy Assistant with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Greenbelt Section, Tammara coordinated a “Local and Sustainable Food Initiative” and developed an Inter-ministerial newsletter on Local & Sustainable Foods. During her work as Greening Assistant with the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Tammara developed an urban agriculture framework and action plan for the Foundations’ headquarter in Toronto. She routinely presents on Food Systems Planning at conferences as well as at schools.
Steering Committee
The following people sit on Sustain Ontario’s steering committee:
| Co-Chairs | |
| Karen Hutchinson | Executive Director, Caledon Countryside Alliance |
| Byan Gilvesy | Owner, Y U Ranch |
| Chair, Norfolk County ALUS Pilot Project | |
| Committee Members | |
| Kathryn Scharf | Program Director, The Stop Community Food Centre |
| Rod MacRae | Assistant Professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University |
| Christie Young | Executive Director, FarmStart |
Advisory Council
| Joan Brady | Women’s President, National Farmers Union |
| Coordinator, FoodNet Ontario | |
| Karen Burson | Project Manager, Hamilton Eat Local, Environment Hamilton |
| David Cohlmeyer | Owner, Cookstown Greens |
| Vic Daniels | Beef Sector Consultant |
| Debbie Field | Executive Director, FoodShare |
| Nick Ferri | Chair, Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee |
| Owner, Big Apple Farm | |
| Moe Garahan | Director Just Food Ottawa |
| Bridget King | Member, Sudbury Food Connections |
| Pat Learmonth | Director, Farms at Work |
| Rebecca LeHeup | Executive Director, Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance |
| Anan Lololi | Executive Director, Afri-Can FoodBasket |
| Connie Nelson | Professor, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay Food Security Research Network |
| Katherine Pigott | Manager, Healthy Eating & Active Communities, Region of Waterloo Public Health |
| Jamie Reaume | President, Holland Marsh Growers’ Association |
| Ruth Richardson | Co-Founder, Small Change Fund |
| Wayne Roberts | Manager, Toronto Food Policy Council, Toronto Public Health |
| Lori Stahlbrand | President, Local Food Plus |
| Arlene Stein | Director of Events & Catering, Hart House, University of Toronto |
| Elbert van Donkersgoed | Consultant |
| Gary Wilkins | Humber Watershed Specialist, Toronto Regional Conservation Authority |
| Jodi Koberinski | Executive Director, Organic Council of Ontario |