It's time for our third speaker announcement for FBC 2013. We've already told you we'll be welcoming David Leite and Dianne Jacob and we are very excited to announce four more names this week.
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to Dana McCauley who will be wrapping up the conference with her talk on Sunday. Dana has been a tremendous supporter of FBC since its infancy and we could not be happier that she will be joining us.
Dana McCauley - Food Writer, Product Developer & Recipe to Riches Judge
Dana McCauley remains a change agent in the food business after almost two decades! While becoming publicly recognized as one of Canada’s most popular food and recipe writers, she was also consulting less conspicuously with internationally known food companies to help them develop new grocery store products. Dana is employed full time as the Director of Product Development and Innovation at Janes Family Foods. She is also a judge on the award winning Food Network Canada original series Recipe to Riches which concluded a second successful season in December 2012.
Dana is a polished speaker and engaging presenter who is a frequent keynote and panel participant. Her audiences range from groups at professional conferences and trade shows to more academic venues such as universities and even the Smithsonian Institution. Follow her on twitter @danamccauley for info about food trends, innovation and more.
We'd also like to welcome a trio of accomplished ladies who will be participating in our Working With Brands/PR panel:
Mary Luz Mejia - Sizzling Communications
Colombian-born, Canadian raised Mary Luz Mejia is a freelance food/travel journalist, food TV producer and food communications professional. She is a regular contributor to Sympatico.ca ‘s food pages and was the brunch columnist for the Toronto Star’s weekly column “The Morning After” for the last year of its existence.
She started Sizzling Communications, a boutique firm specializing in food and food-related communications three years ago with her husband. Based solely on word-of-mouth recommendations, Mary Luz has created launches, campaigns and events for Christine Cushing, The Stratford Chef School, Menchies Frozen Yoghurt, Stirling Creamery and Fred's Bread to name a few. She keeps her finger on the pulse of what's happening in various food circles and offers a fresh perspective to clients given her multi-disciplinary background. She’s been called “one of Toronto’s most dedicated and passionate food journalists” by Saveur Magazine’s editor-in-chief James Oseland and hopes to master her favourite iconic Latin American dishes one plate at a time. You can follow her on twitter @MaryLuzOnFood
Brittany Stager - Marketing Manager, Mushrooms Canada
“Passion. You definitely have to have passion when managing social media. Do I have a passion for it? Yes. I can’t think of anything I would rather do.”
For the past 6 years, Brittany worked as the Marketing Manager for Mushrooms Canada, a role which grew her talents in social media and communications. She has created and executed many different types of campaigns, everything from online video to trade shows, she has experienced it all.
Brittany’s marketing efforts were also recently recognized by the agricultural industry, receiving the ”OMPA Fresh Award” from the Ontario Produce Marketing Association in the Fall of 2011.
Dedicated to charity work and community involvement, Brittany has sat on the Board of Director for the Scleroderma Society of Ontario for the past 4 years, offering her expertise and insight as the Director of Public Awareness.
Her passion for social media and blogging also spills over into her personal life, as she authors her own successful personal lifestyle blog, My Daily Randomness. It is there where she documents and showcases her love for DIY’s, home renovation, food, and of course her family. You can follow her on twitter at @MyDailyRndmness
Heather Travis - Director, Public Relations, Canada Beef
A card-carrying carnivore and voracious vegetable lover, Heather left life in the city for life in the country and now boasts an extensive rubber boot collection. Enjoying food with family and friends is her ultimate pleasure. She talks a lot and smile even more.
Heather spends her days sharing her deep love of Canadian Beef, her nights trying out new recipes, walking her two perfect dogs and enjoying life in the country. Her favourite food is the potato. She displays incredible prowess on the grill. If her house was burning down she would run in to get three things: her dogs, her Dyson and her shoes.
Heather holds degrees in Corporate Communications from Seneca College and Sociology from Queen's University. She have experience developing and implementing public relations and marketing programs for beef and other food product lines at retail, as well as high-end sporting goods and apparel. You can follow her on twitter @heathertravis and @CanadianBeef
Stay tuned for next week's speaker announcement!
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What a great list of speakers! We know for certain that Brittany won’t disappoint and are very much looking forward to the others as well. April can’t some soon enough!!
-Shannon