Marin Pavlic has over 15 years of food safety and Six Sigma experience in food manufacturing and foodservice sectors. He is currently Senior Director of QA Programs and Compliance at Sofina Foods, one of Canada’s leading manufacturers of primary and further-processed protein products. In addition to food safety, he is passionate about continuous improvement and waste elimination using technology, data and various Six Sigma tools.
Marin holds a B.Sc. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Toronto, an M.Sc. in Food Safety and Quality Assurance from the University of Guelph, and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.
With over two decades of expertise in microbiology and 16 years dedicated to food safety and quality, Arlene is a trusted leader in safeguarding the integrity of our food systems. Throughout her career, she has excelled in supporting quality assurance teams through training, consulting, auditing, and testing, ensuring compliance with stringent quality and regulatory standards.
Arlene’s extensive knowledge spans critical areas such as food safety programs, environmental monitoring, HACCP, PCQI, food microbiology, food chemistry, finished product sampling, and research methodologies. Her hands-on experience and strategic insight have been instrumental in building robust food safety systems that prioritize consumer health and safety.
In her current role as a Field Technical Service Representative at Neogen (Food Safety Canada), Arlene is passionately committed to providing technical support to clients and colleagues across Canada. She plays a pivotal role in advancing food safety initiatives, fostering industry partnerships, and upholding the highest standards of consumer protection.
Arlene’s dedication to food safety exemplifies her mission to protect public health while supporting the industry in delivering safe, high-quality products.
With over 18 years of experience, Jessica began her career in an environmental and food testing laboratory. Following that, she held various roles in quality assurance and food safety in the food manufacturing industry, where she helped multiple companies strengthen their food safety systems and achieve GFSI certification. Jessica has held multiple roles within BRCGS, including Technical Specialist for the Gluten-Free Certification Program and Plant-Based Global Standard, and Senior Technical Manager for the Americas region. In her current position as Delivery Partners Relationship Manager, her role is to support BRCGS Delivery Partners in delivering world class service, through collaboration, facilitation and technical education.
Jessica is a member of the Spring Event, Social Mixer and Website, and the chair for the Fall Event, Constitution, and Finance committees.
Kajam (KJ) Kunarajasingam
Director
Joined 2023
Kajam is currently the Director of Governance & Compliance at Quality Cheese Inc, influencing the development, implementation and continuous improvement of site quality systems to enable long-term company vision and strategic business objectives. Prior to this, Kajam has served in the food industry for 24 years, all of which encompassed significant experience and leadership in quality, food safety and regulatory compliance. He has worked in companies such as Dominion Citrus, Kraft Canada, Silliker Canada and Lounsbury Foods.
Kajam holds a diploma in Industrial Microbiology and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Masters certification. He is an SQF Practitioner and certified PCQI. He is keen on bringing his experience and high degree of passion to strengthen food safety standards while building effective food safety management systems to protect the food supply and shape the next generation.
Kajam is a member of the website/newsletter committee, finance committee, fall event and the student outreach program.
Ellen has been working in Food Safety and Quality roles for ten years. She worked in different product categories such as condiments, dressings, cheese and cream cheese, peanut butter, spreads, coffee and tea, baking and breakfast ingredients, and beverages, to cite a few. She has worked in companies like Kraft-Heinz, Costco and Loblaws. She is currently a Corporate Quality Manager at Nestle Canada, responsible for some food categories and VMHS. A couple of years ago she started her consulting company – Gravi Food Safety Inc.
She is an Advanced SQF Practitioner and PCQI. She has experience with different standards like SQF, BRC, FSSC 22000, RSPO, RFA, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Organic and Vegan. She thrives in solving problems and troubleshooting. Environmental Monitoring Program will always have a special place in her heart.
Ellen’s educational background includes a bachelor’s in Biology, a Food Science certificate, and a Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology. She is always interested in learning something new and developing her professional and leadership skills. She can help you plan your trips (in English, French and Portuguese) as she loves to travel. She also volunteers in different environments (sports, music, fundraisers) and one comfort food is ramen.
Ellen is a member of the Fall Event, Social Mixer, and Membership, and co-chair of the E-blast committees.
Birendra Rajapreyar has over 15 years of experience in providing solutions and strategies to realign core business processes for organizations. Customer success is paramount to him, and he focuses on building a strong and lasting relationship with his customers.
Birendra has lived in 5 countries (and 3 continents) and is fluent in Tamil, Sinhala, Hindi and English. He is a qualified Mechanical Engineer with a Masters degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
Birendra currently works with Veeva Systems, a cloud software provider for Food & Beverage and Consumer packaged goods. His area of focus is providing solutions around Food Safety and Quality. Outside of work, Birendra is a hands-on dad and is working closely to set up a school for underprivileged children in rural south India.
Birendda is a member of the Social Mixer and Membership, chair of E-blast and Awards, and co-chair of Newsletter committees.
Hanna Sharafi
Director
Joined 2023
Hanna Sharafi’s career spans over a decade, beginning in a food testing laboratory and manufacturing environment. Over the years, she has taken on diverse roles in the food manufacturing industry, with a strong focus on quality assurance, food safety, and product innovation. Currently, she is the Senior Manager of New Product Development at AIB International, where she leverages her expertise to drive innovation while ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety.
Hanna holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology, reflecting her dedication to advanced research and deep knowledge in the field. She is also a passionate educator, teaching food safety programs at the college level, where she shares her extensive knowledge and real-world experience with aspiring professionals.
Her certifications include ISO 17025:2017 Lead Auditor, SQF Advanced Practitioner, FDQI, and PCQI, Six Sigma, Project management, highlighting her commitment to upholding and exceeding food safety and quality standards. With expertise in HACCP, food microbiology, and food chemistry, Hanna is dedicated to fostering excellence in every aspect of her work while continuously seeking opportunities to learn and grow as a leader.
Tanya Waraich
Director
Joined 2025
Stephen Vijayakumar
Director
Joined 2025
Stephen is a member of the Fall Event, Finance, Student Engagement, Marketing, and Social Media committees.
Hayley Pfeifer
Director
Joined 2025
Hayley is a passionate and motivated food and agriculture professional with over 7 years industry experience across not for profit, public service, manufacturing and primary production organisations. In Hayley’s current role with the CanadaGAP program as an auditor coordinator, she specialises in maintaining auditor and program requirements while supporting the organisation’s GFSI certification, CFIA program recognition and board of directors’ strategic objectives. Previously, Hayley held various roles with the Australian Government and played a pivotal role in the development of food safety policy and governance of primary production and processing sectors such as horticulture, meat, poultry, seafood and eggs. A dedicated lifelong learner, Hayley has obtained a Bachelor of Human Nutrition majoring in biochemistry and a Master of Global Food and Agriculture business, along with Exemplar Global Level 4 high risk auditor qualification and professional recognition in policy, standards development, project management and leadership. Hayley has a keen passion for engaging with people and organizations across all areas of the food and agriculture supply chain. Hayley seeks to deeply understand strengths, challenges and opportunities of the sectors she works with, while adopting a systems thinking and risk-based approach to support continuous improvement across primary production industries.
Hayley is a member of the Fall Event, Educational Outreach, Media, Finance, Awards and Nomination committees.
Nicole Tucker is a seasoned food safety and quality assurance professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in regulatory compliance, HACCP, BRCGS standards, and supplier quality management across the food manufacturing industry. She has led initiatives to strengthen food safety systems, enhance operational performance, and build a culture of continuous improvement. In addition to her industry leadership, Nicole has taught college-level courses in food safety, supply chain management, and human resources, helping to develop the next generation of industry professionals. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Graduate Diploma in Food Safety from Memorial University. Nicole is currently the Senior Central Quality Manager at Skjodt Barrett Foods, a leading co-manufacturer.
Nicole is a member of the Fall Event, Educational Outreach, Media, Awards and Nominations committees.
Jinky Austria has over 20 years of experience, spanning different industries from Environmental, to Life Sciences, and the Food Industry. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management, and has held positions as Laboratory Technician, Project Manager, and Technical Sales Representative. She is currently working as a Sales Manager for Romer Labs, where she fosters relationships and provides food safety and diagnostic solutions to the Food and Beverage Industry, Milling and Grain Industry, Animal Feed and Production Industry, the Pet Food Industry, and Research and Laboratory Industry.
She is passionate about learning and developing new skills. Jinky is fluent in Tagalog and is currently learning Spanish. She is also a foodie and enjoys exploring new and different places.
Jinky is a member of the Fall Event, Website, and Sponsorship committees.
Dharamdeo Singh is currently engaged in his PhD studies at the University of Guelph. His experience stems from a rich academic background rooted in academia. His journey began as a teaching assistant, then as a lecturer where he has made significant contributions to the field of Food Science. During his career, he demonstrated his expertise and dedication by conducting research focused on developing value-added products such as ketchup, salad dressings and cereal. Dharamdeo research also encompassed conducting field studies in rice and wheat, further showcasing his diverse skillset.
His current studies primarily focus on developing effective strategies for controlling Salmonella in low-water-activity foods. Throughout his journey, he has exhibited a deep passion for advancing the knowledge and understanding of Food Science. His outstanding accomplishments and dedication to his field make him an asset in the academic community.
Dharamdeo is a member of the Fall Event, Social Mixer, Marketing and Social Media committees.
Looking To
Join The OFPA Board of Directors
Email info@ofpa.on.ca for more information
