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.
Arlene has 20 years of experience in microbiology and more than 14 years of experience in food safety and quality. She has held various roles supporting quality assurance teams via training, consulting, auditing and testing to meet national and international regulatory requirements. She also has a broad knowledge of food safety programs and systems including environmental monitoring, finished product sampling, HACCP, food microbiology, food chemistry, and research capabilities. In her current role as technical sales manager with Merieux NutriSciences, she is committed to ensuring her clients’ brand protection, but ultimately she is dedicated to ensuring consumer health and safety.
Arelene is a member of the Spring Event and Fall Event, and chair of the Marketing, Sponsorship, Social Media and Newsletter committees.
BRETT DOOLEY
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Culture Advisory Group Inc
Brett provides over 10-years of proven experience in business development, client service and account performance excellence in the food industry. As the Director of Sales and Marketing for Culture Advisory Group Inc, Brett is responsible for defining core business strategies necessary to meet client needs. Brett takes a holistic approach to helping customers and supports them to develop project strategies that address multiple issues with practical and viable solutions.
Brett is a the Chair of the Sponsorship Committee, member of the Fall Event, and Membership committees.
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.
Marin Pavlic has over 15 years of food safety and Six Sigma experience in the food manufacturing and service sectors. He is currently the Senior Director of Risk Programs and Food Safety Lead at Compass Group Canada, the country’s leading food service and support services provider. He focuses on driving innovative solutions to manage risk to customers, clients, and employees in diverse settings, such as hospitals, retirement homes, universities, correctional institutions, sports arenas, and many others. His passions include food safety culture, allergen management, and the use of data and technology to solve food safety problems.
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.
Marin is a member of the Spring Event, Social Mixer, Sponsorship, and Student outreach, and co-chair of the Awards 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.
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.
Hanna Sharafi
Director
Joined 2023
Hanna’s professional journey spans more than 10 years, commencing in a food testing laboratory and manufacturing environment. Subsequently, she assumed diverse responsibilities within the food manufacturing industry, primarily focusing on quality assurance and food safety. She is currently a Quality Assurance Manager at Eurofins Canada Food Division. Furthermore, Hanna has earned certification as an ISO 17025:2017 and Lead auditor, further highlighting her proficiency in ensuring adherence to international standards in various facets of her field. Hanna’s educational foundation boasts a PhD in Microbiology, a testament to her commitment to in-depth knowledge in her field.
In addition to her academic background, Hanna possesses a comprehensive understanding of food safety programs. Her expertise encompasses a wide spectrum, ranging from HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), food microbiology, and food chemistry. She is always eager to learn new things and improve her leadership skills, which shows her dedication to growing professionally.
Certified SQF Advanced Practitioner, Certified FDQI, and PCQI, demonstrating her commitment to excellence in food safety and quality.
Sonny Brar
Director
Joined 2024
Sonny Brar is currently the Vice President of Quality Assurance and Occupational Health & Safety for Fiera Foods.
Sonny comes with over 20 years of professional experience in Food Safety, Quality Assurance, and Occupational Health & Safety. Sonny has had similar leadership roles with IKEA Canada, Maple Leaf Foods Canada, Toys”R”Us/Babies”R”Us Canada, and Sobeys Canada.
Sonny also comes with his Master of Business Administration (MBA) and has been a Lecturer of Food Safety and Centre for Disease Control for York University.
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.
Darshan Gautre
Student Director
Joined 2023
Darshan Gautre is a dedicated professional and Food Safety and Quality Assurance Management Student at Lambton College in Toronto, with around three years of experience in the field. He comprehensively understands Food Safety principles, including sanitation, FSMS, Industrial Hygiene, and Quality Assurance and Management. His educational journey includes a Master’s in Food Technology from Jain University, India, and a Bachelor’s degree from Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural University, India.
He has a practical experience in a variety of positions, including that of HSEQ Executive at Compass India Food Service Pvt. Ltd. and Associate Food Safety Consultant at NXG Food Safety Works Pvt. Ltd. At Aglow Multigrains LLP, he worked as a Quality Assurance Technician. Also, He received practical training in reputable firms like Coco-Cola India, Mondelez India, and Ruchida Spices.
He holds certifications as a HACCP (Food Safety) Auditor and a Quality Management for Operational Excellence. He actively contributes by creating training initiatives to advance team proficiency and effectiveness. Among the key projects he has worked on are developing an extensive training series on food safety and implementing geo-tagging programmes to improve food safety procedures for local manufacturers and suppliers in India.
In addition to his work as a professional, Darshan has an educational YouTube channel. Through this platform, he shares insights on food safety, food science, and food regulations, underscoring his dedication to raising awareness within the industry.
Darshan is a member of the Fall Event, Social Mixer, Membership, Marketing, and Social Media committees.
Arzu Irem Aydogdu
Student Director
Joined 2023
Arzu Irem Aydogdu is a diligent scholar currently enrolled in the Food Safety and Quality Assurance Management program at Lambton College in Toronto. With a solid academic foundation in Chemical Engineering, she interned at Sanofi-Aventis, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
Irem possesses a comprehension of essential industry practices, including SOPs, GMP, GHP, HACCP, and Corrective Action Plans. She is eager to deliver more effective and ecological cleaning solutions to improve food safety in manufacturing facilities. Currently, she works as a Technical Sales Representative at a local chemical sales company, working diligently to empower food establishments with enhanced sanitation methods.
In her free time, you can find her discovering local eateries or cooking delicious dishes in her own kitchen.
Shrikant Indulkar
Student Director
Joined 2023
Shrikant is a well-committed food safety and quality assurance professional with over three years of industrial experience. Shrikant’s experience includes Quality control and quality assurance activities. During his tenure at his last organization, he also displayed his training delivery abilities, which helped him to get recognition from higher management. He has experience working with essential standards such as ISO, FSMS, and BRCGS.
After gaining valuable experience of 3 plus years in India, Shrikant stepped up to pursue a post-grad in Food Safety and Quality Assurance Management from Lambton College in Toronto, Canada.
Currently, Shrikant is associated with beverage company Joriki Inc. as a co-op student, learning culture and applying his previous experience toward organizational growth.
In his spare time, you will see Shrikant creating lifestyle, career, and food sector-related content on his Instagram and YouTube channels, through which he is keen to grow his network and help aspiring students.
Looking To
Join The OFPA Board of Directors
Email info@ofpa.on.ca for more information
