About us

Lauren Baker, PhD, has more than 20 years of experience facilitating cross-sectoral research, policy and advocacy for sustainable food systems in non-profit, academic, business, policy and philanthropic contexts. Lauren’s expertise ranges from researching agricultural biodiversity in Mexico to negotiating and developing municipal food policy and programs.

Lauren is currently Director of Programs with the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, an alliance of philanthropic foundations working to transform global food systems. At the Global Alliance, Lauren’s work is focused on the intersections between food systems and health, climate change, agroecology and true cost accounting. Previously, Lauren led the Toronto Food Policy Council, a citizen advisory group embedded within the City of Toronto’s Public Health Division, and was the Founding Director of Sustain Ontario — the Alliance for Healthy Food and Farming. Lauren lectures in the Global Food Equity program at the University of Toronto, and is a research associate with Ryerson University’s Centre for Studies in Food Security.

Lucia Stephen is an organizer, educator and activist for food and social justice. With over a decade of achievements in advancing the future of food systems, she has led and supported dozens of initiatives focused on farm renewal and regenerative agriculture. She has assisted organizations across Canada and the United States in uniting common goals and leveraging unique resources to strengthen community impacts for the food movement.

During her tenure with the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network (ACORN), Lucia co-founded and coordinated the Grow A Farmer Apprenticeship and Mentorship Programs for new and aspiring organic farmers across Atlantic Canada. From 2016-2018, she served as co-chair for Food Secure Canada's New Farmer Initiative. She has advised and served on numerous boards, including Food Secure Canada, FarmWorks Investment Co-operative, and Slow Food Nova Scotia. Guided by the belief that food unites all, her work aims to reduce barriers and establish creative solutions to complex issues affecting small farm sustainability.

Julie's family is from a small farm in Southwest Manitoba. She has always been interested in the power of food and food systems. She has an Agriculture degree, a Masters of Natural Resource Management, and work experience in the private and not-for-profit sectors. However, over the last 15 years, she learned so much from the people, communities and organizations that she has had the pleasure to work with (Food Matters Manitoba, Harvest Moon Local Food Initiative, Farmers' Markets Association of Manitoba, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Peguis First Nation, and many more). She appreciates learning from Indigenous people and learning how food plays a role in cultural reclamation, community sovereignty, and community strengthening. She currently works for the Northern Manitoba Food, Culture & Community Collaborative, hosted by Tides Canada and has been privileged to work and learn with communities in Northern Manitoba about Indigenous Food Systems. She also has three kids and leads a garden program in their school.

Julie has experience in fundraising and community building and shares what she has learned in working with rural and remote parts of Canada on food systems.

Janet Dean is the ED of the NWT Agri-food Association, working to build a sector that is sustainable and demonstrates great environmental stewardship while acknowledging and responding to the reality that agriculture in the Northwest Territories has a solely colonial history and has both a role in and a responsibility for, food security and sovereignty.

Janet sits on the board of Food Secure Canada (a sister organization to PFI) and has a unique combination of education and experience in business and psychology and food production and retailing. Social activism runs in her veins.

Hina Yousuf is a CPA from Toronto. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto. Hina started off her career at Deloitte and is currently working as a controller at Park N Fly. Hina has volunteered in various initiatives and believes in making a difference and contributing to society. She has volunteered in soup kitchens, working with People-to-People organizations, food banks, and city festivals, mentoring, and working with special needs children, and coordinating after-school programs for children. 

Learning and sharing about food traditions has been an important part of exploring Nicole’s Indigenous identity and a way of connecting with her ancestors. She is a proud Indigenous woman from Treaty One Territory, where she lives with her dog Penelope and cares for her younger cousin Joshua. Her Mamere is a Michif woman from St.Laurent, Manitoba and Granny was a First Nation woman of Anishinaabe-Saulteaux roots from Crane River, Manitoba also known as O-Chi-Chak-ko-sipi First Nation. Growing up she spent a lot of time out on the land playing with her cousins, listening to fiddle tunes and swimming at Sand Piper Beach. 

Nicole’s career has focused on the Indigenous Food Movement working alongside Indigenous communities in Northern Manitoba and Nations across Canada. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban and Inner City studies from the University of Winnipeg which fuelled her passion for community development and Indigenous rights.  As a long-time Helper to the Northern Manitoba Food Culture and Community Collaborative, Nicole brings a deep understanding of the importance of building reciprocal relationships and a passion for collaboration. Through work with the People’s Food Institute Nicole hopes to continue amplifying Indigenous voices, creating spaces to learn from one another and take down barriers in the philanthropic sector to better support communities.

Kristen brings wide-ranging expertise to the Peoples’ Food Institute. Her areas of responsibility span governance and policymaking, finance, operations support, communications, fundraising, and partnership relations. She joined the People's Food Institute in July 2021 after four years of managing several associations in the capacity of Executive Director. She received a certification in Association Management from the Canadian Society of Association Executives. Kristen has over ten years of experience working in the food movement with teaching, gardens, composting, and environmental education and has joined PFI to align her values and passion with her experience.

Holly Solomon is a lawyer with expertise in non-profit organization structure and charity law. She provides legal services to nonprofits throughout Ontario, and to charities and federally incorporated nonprofits throughout Canada. Solomon has served on several volunteer boards.