Natural Products Canada

Amanda Kolwich is Manager, Member Engagement at Natural Products Canada, where she develops relationships across Canada's natural products community and supports member collaboration. She previously served as Manager of Engagement at Creative Destruction Lab–Atlantic and held roles at Dalhousie University and the Canadian Cancer Society. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and Management from the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University.

Anis Ben Amor has over 15 years of experience in innovation and previously served as senior advisor for innovation and business development at CRIBIQ (Consortium de Recherche et D'innovation en Bioprocédés Industriels du Québec), working with companies, researchers, and government on projects related to industrial bioproducts and the environment. He has also worked with the NSERC industrial research consortium FORAC on forest bioproducts value chain optimization and with the Province of Alberta, Lands Division. He holds a PhD in wood science from Université Laval, an MSc from Université de Bordeaux 1, and an engineering degree in wood studies from l'école supérieure du bois (ESB) in Nantes.

Barbara M. Campbell started in business and clinical development roles in Vancouver's biotech startup scene before joining UBC's technology transfer office, where she came to lead the team managing the university's life sciences technology portfolio and built its Gates Foundation–supported Global Access Initiative. She later worked in technology transfer at Dalhousie University and founded Hammock Facilitation, a consulting firm for life sciences startups, and co-founded medical device companies OrthoMX Inc. and FIVAMed Inc. Her work spans regulatory navigation for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, natural health products, alternative protein ingredients and fertilizers, and she holds a Master of Science in Biochemistry and Immunology from Simon Fraser University.

Chris Lannon is Director of Industry & Partnership Services at Carleton University, where he works on connecting academia, industry, and government. He holds a PhD in cancer biology from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from McGill University, and previously worked in the Canadian biotech sector commercializing stem cell technologies, including IP protection, fundraising, and product launch. He founded a technology management consulting firm, worked as an investment banker across the IT, aerospace, and health sectors, and held senior roles at McGill University and in health- and nutrition-focused not-for-profits.

Colin Garrioch works in commercialization support at Natural Products Canada, drawing on more than a decade of experience in pharmaceutical marketing and contract research. He previously worked at Nutrasource Diagnostics, a contract research organization, assisting science-based companies with clinical trials, product analytics, and regulatory advice. He holds a Master of Science in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences from the University of Guelph.

Darren Bolding has worked for nearly two decades helping companies commercialize new technologies, with experience spanning SMEs, start-ups, multinationals, and government agencies across multiple countries. Before joining Natural Products Canada, he worked with Alberta Innovates conducting due diligence, connecting companies with investors, and addressing commercialization challenges. He has a background in agricultural genetics and technology transfer and focuses on agriculture and forestry, food and beverage, clean technology, and industrial biotechnology.

Dave Cook has over thirty years of experience in animal agriculture, including the livestock and aquaculture industries. He previously served at Cargill as External Innovation and R&D Director, R&D Director for Animal Nutrition, and Global Technology Director, working on aqua nutrition and technology partnerships. He now works as a consultant and sits on the board of Natural Products Canada, and holds a PhD in Animal Nutrition from the University of Illinois along with nine patents.

Dean Mosca has worked in the natural products sector for over 25 years. He founded and led Proprietary Nutritionals Inc., a B2B nutritional supplement ingredient company, which he sold in 2017, and now serves as CEO of Cordra Inc., where he invests in and advises startups developing new products and technologies. He is also a partner in InfusdNutrition and Frontier Utility Locating Services Ltd., with expertise in product launch, distribution strategy, and sourcing financing.

Gail Rabbitts de Montbrun is Chief Growth Officer at Natural Products Canada (NPC), where she develops strategic opportunities and relationships across the natural product innovation ecosystem, including corporations, investors, government bodies, research institutions, and start-ups. She has held sales and marketing leadership roles at Kognitiv Spark, Innovatia, Inc., and the Canadian Police Knowledge Network, with experience spanning technology, industrial sectors, and knowledge management. Her work includes brand management, lead generation, and helping early-stage companies attract investment.

Kim Cumpson is a communications leader with nearly two decades of experience in brand reputation and strategic communications across sectors including banking, technology and cybersecurity, construction and infrastructure, and innovation. She has worked with public companies and mission-driven organizations such as Scotiabank, BlackBerry, eSentire, Aecon Group and NorthGuide, focusing on integrated PR and marketing campaigns, media relations, investor communications, and executive thought leadership. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Sociology from McMaster University and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Public Relations from Humber College.

Kim Johnstone has about a decade of experience helping researchers and innovators through the commercialization process. She previously served as senior technology transfer and industry liaison officer with Synapse at the University of Prince Edward Island, working on research contracts, grant opportunities, market analysis, and intellectual property across more than 400 industry-related contracts, and held business development roles at Genome Atlantic. At Natural Products Canada she oversees the Commercialization Programs, including Access To Talent, Proof of Concept, and Fast Track to Financing. She holds a BSc Honours in Biology from Memorial University and a PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Simon Fraser University.

Lacey MacLauchlan is a Chartered Professional Accountant with more than ten years of experience at Grant Thornton LLP, where she oversees teams handling audits, reviews, compilations, financial statement preparation, corporate tax returns, and adoption of new accounting standards. She has worked with clients ranging from start-ups to businesses transitioning to the next generation. She graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island and earned her CPA designation in 2015.

Lorna Vanderhaeghe has worked in the health and nutrition industry for over 40 years, with early roles at Alive magazine, the Canadian Schizophrenia Foundation, and the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. She founded and led Lorna Vanderhaeghe Health Solutions, a women's nutritional supplement brand that was acquired by Jamieson Wellness, and has authored 13 books on nutrition. She currently mentors and consults with early-stage nutrition companies internationally.

Mark Cluett is a B2B marketing leader with over ten years of experience, most recently leading the marketing team at illumin, where he grew marketing-attributed sales substantially. He was the founding marketing hire at PolicyAdvisor.com, where he built the go-to-market strategy. He holds a BA in English from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Najla Guthrie is President and CEO of KGK Science Inc., a contract research organization focused on clinical research and regulatory support for natural health products, nutraceuticals, cannabis, and psychedelics. She has more than 28 years of industry experience, has authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers, and has worked on clinical trial design and product claim substantiation. She has been involved in policy advocacy for the dietary supplement, cannabis, and psychedelic industries and advocates for diversity and women in STEM.

Patti Miller is a retired senior executive in Canada's agri-food and grains sector, with experience across government, industry associations, and the private sector. She most recently served as Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission and was previously President of the Canola Council of Canada, where she led development of a national industry strategy and handled trade, regulatory, and market access matters. She holds a Bachelor's and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan.

Rishikesh (Rishi) Mankidy has nearly twenty years of professional experience spanning human health and environmental toxicology. He previously held executive leadership at SYLVIS Environmental, where he led a team delivering consulting projects across the green and circular economies, including waste stream repurposing, phytoremediation, and ESG strategy alignment. His scientific work has included preclinical drug discovery for hematological and neurodegenerative diseases, biomarker discovery, and toxicology research, and he developed IP for an Alzheimer's disease therapeutic formulation. He holds a BSc in Chemistry, an MSc in Biochemistry, a PhD in Molecular Biology & Genetic Engineering, and an MBA in Global Energy Management & Sustainability.

Robert Orr runs a specialized consulting firm and serves as CEO and managing partner of Cuna del Mar LP, a US-based private equity fund focused on environmentally sustainable aquaculture and global food security. From 1996 to 2011 he was co-founder, CEO and president of Ocean Nutrition Canada, an omega-3 fish oil supplier that was sold to Royal DSM N.V. in 2012. He co-founded and chaired industry groups including the CRN omega-3 working group and the Global Omega-3 Trade Association (GOED), and his career spans over 35 years in private equity, marine biotech, and nutritional ingredients.

Scott Farrow serves as Regional Director for Ontario at Natural Products Canada, with a background in synthetic biology, biomanufacturing, and commercialization. He previously held senior leadership roles at Ontario biotechnology start-ups and helped develop biomanufacturing programs for post-secondary institutions such as Fleming College, with additional experience in the UK and in intellectual property strategy and the university research system. He holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Calgary and an M.Sc. in Environmental and Life Sciences from Trent University.

Shelley R. King has over 20 years of experience in Canada's innovation and commercialization field, working as both an entrepreneur and within not-for-profit and academic organizations, helping researchers and companies address regulatory, IP, scale-up, R&D, and financing challenges. She previously served as VP, Research and Business Development for Genome Atlantic, where she supported the formation of over $60M in research and development projects, and as CEO of Synapse, the University of Prince Edward Island's applied research and industry services organization. She holds an MSc in Medicine and an MBA from Memorial University.