Purpose-Driven: Careers Shaping the Future of Food

An event for ALL Degrees! UBC Alumni Industry Professionals in all kinds of roles and from diverse academic backgrounds are coming! SEE WHO THEY ARE BELOW!

About Purpose-Driven

UBC Purpose-Driven is a networking series and career-building experience organized by the UBC Career Centre in partnership with Alumni UBC.

The series is designed to provide students from all faculties with an opportunity to engage their values and purposes and see where and how careers collide with making the world a better place. This series will foster curiosities, test assumptions, and showcase alumni and industry professionals who are problem-solving global issues or facing global challenges. It is focused on creating value for all participants by bringing together faculty, alumni, students, and employers to share related research, current trends, events, challenges, opportunities, and more.

Careers Shaping the Future of Food

On April 2nd, 2025, the UBC Career Centre and Alumni UBC are hosting “Purpose-Driven: Careers Shaping the Future of Food” a career exploration event that is designed to provide students and new graduates an opportunity to learn about the breadth of career options in the Food Security and Food Systems industry, create network connections, and hear from experts from a variety of academic backgrounds and career stages. This event will showcase how this industry can make the world a better place.

The event format will consist of a keynote talk, followed by a moderated panel discussion, and closing with career conversations that involve alumni, industry professionals, and students.

DATE & TIME:

5:30 pm: Doors open

6:00 pm–6:15 pm: Keynote Speaker – Details below

6:15 pm–6:45 pm: Panel discussion – Details below

6:45 pm–8:00 pm: Career conversations with Industry Professionals (Networking with Alumni Industry Professionals) – Details below

Light refreshments are available throughout the event.

 

Keynote Speaker: Amber Heckelman

Panelists:

• Harnoor Gill – SC Finance Manager @ Nature’s Path Foods – UBC Alum BCom-Accounting 2018
• Dhruv Sood – Co-Founder and Co-CEO @ Fresh Prep – UBC Alum BCom 2013
• Heather Escobar – Business Development Manager-Food Security @ United Way BC – UBC Alum BSc-Global Resource Systems 2010
• Jason Hsieh – Social Planner II-Food Systems Planner @ City of Vancouver – UBC Alum MApSci-Community and Regional Planning 2014

Alumni Volunteers (Industry Professionals): 

Maria Christina Panis

• Company: Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society
• role: Board Member
• Degree: BArts in sociology and psychology
• Year of graduation: 2003

Jason Boyce

• Company: Panago Pizza
• Role: Senior Director of Systems & Sustainability
• Degree: BSc, Ecology and MBA
• Year of graduation: 2000

Roy Tam

• Company: Daiya Foods
• Role: Chief Innovation Officer
• Degree: B.Sc (Food Science)
• Year of Graduation: 1998

Shih-wei Wang

• Company: Atira Women’s Resource Society
• Role: Community Kitchen Coordinator
• Degree: BArts, English Literature, Chinese Language and Literature
• Year of graduation: 2024

Alejandro Leiva

• Company: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Role: Science Analyst
• Degree: MSc, Food Science
• Year of Graduation: 2020

Pamely Keung

• Company: Earth’s Own Foods
• Role: Director of Innovation and Development at.
• Degree: BSc in Food Science in 2016 and MSc, Food Science in 2017

Mariana Mangandid

• Company: Nature’s Path Foods Inc.
• Role: Influencer & Community Coordinator
• Degree: BA in Environment & Sustainability
• Year: 2020

Valentina Mata

• Company: Daiya Foods
• Role: R&D Sr. Scientist, Product Development
• Degree: BSc, Food Nutrition and Health, Major in Food Science
• Year of graduation: 2021

Quadri Akinremi

• Company: UP Vertical Farms Ltd
• Role: Food Safety and Quality Assurance Manager
• Degree: MSc, Food Science
• Year of Graduation: 2022

Raphael Roccor

• Company: Daiya Foods
• Role: Senior Scientist II-Advanced Research & Technology
• Degree: PhD, Microbiology and Immunology
• Year of graduation: 2022

Felicia Loo

• Company: SFPM Consulting Inc
• Role: Food Management Consultant
• Degree: BSc Food Science with Minor in Commerce
• Year of graduation: 2012

Lixi Li

• company name: Glico Canada Corporation
• role: Vice President of Sales
• Degree: MFRE (Master of Food and Resources Economics)
• year of graduation: 2012

Daija Hutchings

• Company: Susgrainable
• Role: Marketing Coordinator
• Degree: BCom, Marketing, Data analytics
• Year of graduation: 2025

Franciscus Denny (Preferred: Denny)

• Organization: Organika Health Products Inc.
• Position: Director of Product Development and Commercialization
• Degree: B.Sc in Biotech / MBA
• Year: 2008 / 2015

Erica Li

• Organization: Organika Health Products Inc.
• Position: People & Culture Advisor
• Degree: B.Sc in Integrated Sciences
• Year: 2015

More coming…!

For more information about the event or if you would like to register as a student or alumni, please go to CareersOnline (if you are unable to register through CareersOnline, please send an e-mail to recruit.talent@ubc.ca asking to register for this event with your full name and email).

If you would like to be an Alumni Volunteer, please contact the UBC Career Centre.