David Allison is the world’s leading authority on human values, a 2X best-selling author, and the founder of the groundbreaking Valuegraphics Project—the first global inventory of core human values. By transforming values into measurable data, David has created an entirely new kind of human-centric insights that are as practical as they are profound, revolutionizing how organizations understand and influence people.

David’s insights, drawn from nearly one million surveys conducted in 152 languages, help global giants like Google, PayPal, lululemon, and the United Nations Foundation connect with people on a deeply human level. His cutting-edge research is taught in college classrooms around the world, and his best-selling book, The Death of Demographics, has been hailed by critics as “convincing, insightful, and revolutionary.” Known for his engaging style and ability to inspire action, David equips audiences with transformative tools they can put to work immediately.

Nicolas Mulroney co-founded Bond Bakery Brands in 2020, bringing together his passion for food, his interest in growing companies, and his vision to build a better bakery company.

The journey into the bakery industry happened by chance, with the investment in Portofino Bakery. Envisioning the company as Canada’s next premier commercial artisan bakery, Nicolas, his co-founders, and a group of supportive investors acquired the company in 2019. Since then, Nicolas and his team have made five strategic investments across Canada, exclusively targeting family- and founder-run bakery companies. When the pandemic disrupted the world in March 2020, Nicolas saw an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Responding to the immediate need for food in local shelters, pallets of bakery products were delivered overnight to communities in need. This became the genesis for Bond Bakery Brands and the vision for an impact-driven bakery company.

Residing in Toronto, ON, with his wife Katy and four children, Nicolas finds joy outside of work in a familiar place. When not immersed in bakery-related matters at work, he’s crafting pizzas in his backyard or perfecting his chocolate chip cookie recipe. Beyond the food industry, Nicolas indulges in his passion for running and golf, rounding out a blend of professional and personal pursuits.

Alan Maddox, was born in Florenceville New Brunswick, a proud son of a New Brunswick Potato Family,

Alan, went on, not to farm but,  to Saint Mary’s University earning his B. Comm. and on to Study International Business at  Western University, in London, Ontario.

Alan, joined McCain Foods in 1980, out of Halifax, and was on a 6 year fast trax to more, much more:  Halifax, St. John’s, Thunder Bay, Brandon, Winnipeg, Regina, and then back to his hometown Florenceville, NB.  With this,  he  experienced sales, living in these various cities across Canada, moving from position to position with each a promotion;   until he was asked by the Chairman and Founder of McCain Foods “Harrison McCain “ to become the New Director of International Business for McCain World Wide, looking after and exploring new countries for McCain Foods, reporting directly to Mr. McCain.  At an early age, this was the life changing opportunity.

In 1994, he had a chance to invest and partner with his Friend Tom Poole and 2 other Gentlemen, James Pratt and Jos Rehli, to rebuild a small challenged  $1.0 Million Bakery  called “Sepp’s Gourmet Foods”, in Vancouver, so he packed up his family and moved from Florenceville NB(Head Office for McCain) to Vancouver.  A journey that altered his life, for the better, opportunity to expand and fulfil his dream of ownership.

In 2019, Alan joined Premium Brands, after enjoying both Corporate Life and Entrepreneurial Life, decided that Premium Brands was the perfect fit.  Alan had gotten to know the CEO George Paleologou over the years and loved what PB was doing and was a company that appreciated Entrepreneurs, understood them and respected them.  Alan joined and became the Vice President of the Premium Brand Culinary Group in 2019 and then became President of the Premium Brands Culinary Group, one of 6 platforms within Premium Brands, in 2021, to which holds that title today.

Alan resides in Vancouver,  married to his supporting wife Joy and two Children:  Jordan who is a partner in a local Architectural Firm here in Vancouver and Erika who is a Senior Marketing Mger at Keurig Dr. Pepper in Toronto.  Alan is the proud new Grandfather of Theo, the most important part of this whole Bio, according to Alan.

Rahul is a seasoned science and innovation professional with over 15 years of leadership experience in academia and industry. He specializes in biotechnology, entrepreneurship, and commercialization, and is an accomplished strategist and partnership builder. As the Director of the BC Centre for Agritech Innovation, he leads the Centre in supporting the agriculture and agrifood sectors to become more sustainable and resilient by adopting innovative technologies, enhancing productivity and food security.

Rahul has worked across BC’s agriculture, agri-food, forestry, mining, and life sciences sectors in an interdisciplinary manner. He is passionate about advancing innovation in these sectors by building public-private partnerships and user-driven programs to make Canada globally competitive.

Before joining BCCAI in 2023, Rahul worked at Genome BC, The University of British Columbia, the Atomic Energy Commission in France and the private sector in India. Rahul holds a PhD in Microbiology, a graduate certificate in invention 2 Innovation from The Beedie School of Business and a mini-MBA from UBC-Sauder.

As a part owner of Hopcott Farms, Travis has been involved in various aspects of the family-owned and operated business since 2006. His sister, brother and Travis manage the butcher/market/bistro, raise/process cattle, grow 72 acres of cranberries for Ocean Spray Cranberries, host weddings/events and are always looking for opportunities to provide unique experiences on their 90+ year old family farm.  Their passion for agriculture, sustainability, and people has earned them Canada’s Most Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year Award in 2023. Travis have also gained valuable skills and knowledge from previous experiences in sales, pest management, and accounting. He has traveled to different parts of the world to learn from other growers and producers. Travis is proud to be part of the Hopcott Farms team and to contribute to the local community and economy.

Bio coming soon

Yasmin is a 16-year-old entrepreneur from Vancouver, Canada, and the founder of Changemakers, an international non-profit dedicated to spotlighting industry leaders and creatives in the health and wellness industry. Growing up in Vancouver, a city at the forefront of health innovation, one is constantly exposed to new food trends, emerging brands, and the power of nutrition. From sampling the latest protein bars at local markets to enjoying plant-based meals at gatherings, individuals in this environment develop a fascination with how food can do more than just nourish the body—it can drive innovation, build community, and shape the way people live.

Driven by her curiosity about the stories behind the brands shaping the wellness industry, Yasmin founded Changemakers to connect with the trailblazers crafting “better-for-you” and nourishing food innovations. Under her leadership, Changemakers has reached over 500K people on socials, donated thousands of healthy meals to underserved communities, hosted live interviews with founders at schools, and conducted 200+ interviews with “changemakers,” including entrepreneurs featured on Forbes, Shark Tank, and Dragons’ Den.

Changemakers’ mission is simple: to showcase companies revolutionizing healthier foods and empower people to prioritize their health.

Chef Steph Baryluk, Co founder of Nihkhah, a proud Teetl’it Gwich’in from Teetl’it Zheh (Fort McPherson) in Treaty 11 Territory,  she draws deep inspiration from her Arctic upbringing, where hunting, fishing, and land stewardship shaped her connection to food and culture. With over 10 years of experience in the culinary industry, Chef Steph is passionate about preserving and sharing Indigenous culinary traditions through her creations and educational initiatives.

Named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2024, Chef Steph is a leader in advancing Indigenous food systems. She combines her culinary expertise with advocacy, inspiring future generations and promoting sustainability and cultural heritage on a global stage.

Asha Wheeldon, the innovative Founder of Kula Foods, is forging a plant-forward path for Afro-Caribbean food. Her journey, from Isiolo to Toronto and Vancouver, inspires her mission to empower communities through KULA®. Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, Asha champions cultural representation and a more compassionate world.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University.

Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries.

Suzie Yorke is a dynamic entrepreneur and brand builder on a mission to revolutionize healthy nutrition.

She is the driving force behind her second start-up: The Little Cacao Co.™ offering delicious, low-sugar Pure Chocolate with protein, prebiotics, and the first-ever Chocolate Vitamins line in Canada. Crafted in small batches, each product is designed to unlock the Extraordinary Goodness of the Superfood Cacao Bean™.

At age 50, from her kitchen table in Toronto, Suzie launched the disruptive brand Love Good Fats in 2017, which went on to break Canadian records by surpassing $100 million in cumulative revenue in just over three years.

Her passion for health emerged after a 25-year marketing executive journey with global powerhouses like Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Kraft, Heinz, and Weight Watchers. Despite being a lifelong athlete who completed 11 Ironman triathlons, countless marathons, and practiced yoga, Suzie developed IBS and high blood pressure. A transformative moment came after reading The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz, It became clear that her low-fat diet was the likely culprit. That insight inspired her to embrace a high-fat, low-carb lifestyle and set her on a mission to help others do the same.

Her product lineup also includes, Canada’s FIRST:

• High Protein Creamy Hot Chocolate (21g protein, 0g sugar)
• Pure Chocolate Protein Mini-Cups (12g protein, 2g sugar)
• Chocolate Vitamins (with less than 1g of sugar)

All products are first of their kind, crafted for the creamiest, richest chocolate experience. They are low in sugar, enriched with fibre and pre-biotics, vitamins and made with 100% Single-Origin Cacao sourced from small family farms in Peru.

With her latest venture, The Little Cacao Co.™, this Quebec-born engineer turned marketer is once again pioneering category-first innovation. She is introducing Canada’s first Bean-to-Bar™, Fair-Trade™ Chocolate Vitamin while also upholding Fair Trade Certified, Canadian-Owned, Women-Owned, and LGBT Certified standards. Her Mission is to bring healthy back to pure Chocolate.

Suzie’s upcoming book, “Chocolate! Part 1: How an Autistic, Lesbian, Woman 50+ Created Better and Healthier Chocolate,” chronicles her personal journey, innovation mindset, and mission to challenge how we think about chocolate and nutrition.

Her trailblazing work has been recognized with over a dozen business awards, including:

• WXN Top 100 BMO Entrepreneur (2019)
• RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur ‘Ones to Watch’ (2020)
• Women of Inspiration ‘Special Recognition Entrepreneur’ (2021)
• RevolutionHer Entrepreneur Role Model (2021)
• Globe & Mail Top Growing Companies (#1 in 2017 to 2020 revenue growth)
• Women of Influence Top 25 Women in Canada (2023)
• LGBT+ Business Advocate of the Year (2022)

As a passionate mentor, Suzie co-Founded Founders Helping Founders in 2022, which now has 300 members, all Founders in the CPG industry in Canada. She supports founders across Canada, especially those who are Women-owned, LGBTQ+, or through her speaking, writing, and hands-on mentorship.