Our Board

Tony Hollett, BA — President

Recently retired, Tony has spent his entire 35-year career in various leadership roles from coast to coast in Canada with international companies like Sobey’s, Frito Lay, and Saputo Dairy Products. In his most recent role as V.P. of Warehouse and Distribution with Saputo Dairy Products, he was responsible for the cost-effective management of all warehousing and distribution activities of over 750 million litres of dairy products annually throughout BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. In his spare time, Tony enjoys all outdoor activities, sports, fitness training, and travelling to Mexico.

Lori Beck — Vice President

Lori has extensive experience in the food industry, having worked as a Development Manager at Overwaitea Food Group from 1998 to 2010, and as a Support Manager at Systech from 2001 to 2007. Lori is currently the General Manager of Inventory Management and Director at Save On Foods. She is passionately dedicated to getting healthy food to families throughout the province.

Kurt Bausenhaus, CPA, CA — Secretary/Treasurer

Kurt is a recently retired partner with KPMG, and had led the firm’s Fraser Valley agri-business practice, providing financial accounting and advisory services to private companies over the past 40 years. Kurt also serves as an active board member of the Abbotsford Community Foundation’s Agricultural Trust Fund. During Kurt’s tenure with KPMG, a significant portion of his clientele represented numerous private companies in the agriculture sector, specifically in the feather industry (egg layers and broiler operations), as well as in the greenhouse, dairy, and berry industry sectors. Kurt has also taught various accounting courses at the University of the Fraser Valley campuses in Abbotsford, Mission, and Chilliwack.

Melanie Lantz BSc (Ag), PAg — Past President

Melanie currently leads the regional Commercial Agriculture Team at RBC Royal Bank. Her passion for Agriculture has been lifelong, stemming from a rich family history deeply rooted in farming. She graduated from UBC in 2001 with major in Animal Science and earned her Professional Agrologist designation with the BCIA in 2004. She has spent much of her career in roles both supporting and directly involved in BC Agriculture. She is committed to supporting opportunities that both engage and educate the general public about the importance of domestic agriculture and food supply.

Directors

David Comrie, BA, MA — Director  

Recently retired, David has spent his career as a dynamic educator in a Distributed Learning (online) classroom. This style of learning increases student access, choice, and flexibility for study especially outside of regular classroom schedules. Always interested in healthy and nutritious foods for kids, David has prioritized time to serve as a member on the Board of Directors for Dedicated Action for School Health (DASH) and the Certified Organic Producers Association. David and his family live on a mixed farm with an organic apple orchard, livestock, and hay in Kamloops. They are involved in the community through 4-H.

Katie Lowe, PAg — Director

Katie Lowe is the Executive Director of the BC Egg Marketing Board. She has spent over 15 years in the in poultry industry working with both Chicken and Egg Producers. Her experience in the industry has taught her how important it is to teach children about agriculture and where their food comes from. Katie holds a Bachelor’s degree in agroecology with a concentration in animal studies from UBC. She is well-versed in animal care as she served as a research assistant on the UBC Dairy Farm. In addition to her education, Katie received her Professional Agrologist designation in 2012 and PAACO certification in 2009.

Gary Moran — Director

Gary has lived in BC all his life and has been self-employed for over 25 years, working in sales and running his own businesses. He and his wife Lisa are the owner operators of Fantasy Farms in Chilliwack, an Agri-entertainment destination. He believes in giving back to the community and has volunteered with various organizations and groups over time including Rotary, Big Brothers, Chilliwack Agriculture Commission, Chilliwack School Gardens Program, Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce and Fraser Valley Farm Direct Marketing Association. He knew after the first year he worked in agriculture that it was the place for him, and he is proud and excited to share the agriculture story with everyone.

Sabrina Bhojani, BSc, BEd, MEd — Director

Sabrina has 12 years of experience as a school-based administrator, in both public and private K-12 educational settings and was the BCAITC Education Specialist during the 2019-20 school year. She has worked as faculty at both SFU and the UBC in their respective Teacher Education Programs, as well as with the Ministry of Education in the development of curriculum and assessment methodologies. Currently, as Principal at Richmond Jewish Day School (RJDS), Sabrina employs leadership through an equity lens, which comes through her lived experiences, cultural competency and a personal commitment to honoring diversity.  She has a deep passion for food literacy and created the "Food Lab Program" at RJDS which teaches students essential skills including making informed decisions about food choices, basic kitchen and cooking competencies, food safety, and healthy nutrition.

Jillian Unrau, CPA, BBA — Director

Jillian is currently a CPA and Senior Manager at MNP with a diverse background leading projects in financial and sustainability reporting. Raised on her family’s farm in Chilliwack, BC, she developed a deep appreciation for agriculture, driving her passion for food security, education, and sustainability.  Outside of her professional realm, Jillian enjoys family time with her husband and daughter and is actively involved in her family’s latest agricultural endeavor growing hazelnuts.

Dave Shumka — Director

Dave Shumka is a seasoned food production leader with a robust background in the bakery, poultry, and dairy sectors in British Columbia. He has transitioned from hands-on roles to executive leadership of large-scale operations with a focus on enhancing efficiency, quality, and sustainability. Recently, Dave has applied his expertise to the environmentally sustainable food packaging sector, driving innovation in this critical industry. Dave's deep-rooted passion for food and travel enriches his professional journey, inspiring his commitment to supporting local food production through education and advocacy.

Matthew Brown, MSc (Nutrition) — Director

Growing up in the wild Canadian west coast, Matthew developed a love for research, multi-cultural diversity and cross-disciplinary thinking. This led him to study microbiology and earn a M.Sc. in nutrition from UBC. Later collaborating to producing a Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic-Food with the National Institute of Nutrition Vietnam.  Subsequently, he worked with Toronto Metro University and Global Affairs Canada to create food processing facilities, fortifying local produce to combat childhood malnutrition. He currently works with Fraser Health as the Community Health Specialist in Abbotsford.  He has a wonderful wife and two sons that bring him lots of joy.