Bruce joins the SBA to provide marketing and related expertise to participants. Bruce is semi-retired and provides contract work in the seafood space. Bruce was the Vice President and Director of Marketing and Sales at Orca Specialty Foods Limited, Canada’s leading value-added seafood processor. He also worked for Icicle Seafoods (United States) as a Canadian National Sales & Marketing Manager. He was involved with the Pacific Seaweed Industry Association to support start-up initiatives and held positions as the Chief Strategy Officer, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Food Advisor Director. Bruce was also a freelance CPG business consultant working with natural and plant-based food entrepreneurs assess and scale their businesses. Bruce is a strong advocate of regenerative business models and supporter of Blue Economy initiatives. 

Vanessa brings her market research and research management background to the SBA. Vanessa spent the early part of her career working with agricultural, food security, and seed savings organizations in Canada and abroad. In 2011, an opportunity to work with community food organizations in the Cowichan Valley brought her back to Vancouver Island and fueled her interest in applied and market research. Today, Vanessa is a consultant who manages research projects within the private and public sectors and instructs research skills workshops for organizations and individuals keen to sharpen their data collection and management practices.

Ellie is a Red Seal Chef with 40 years of experience in multiple industries and settings – hotels, restaurants, luxury yachts, high end catering and large-scale corporate functions. She has extensive experience in product and recipe development, including upscaling recipes for large volume production. 

Ellie will be working with program participants to address their chef-related needs. 

Sean is a food safety expert working in the seafood industry as Plant Manager. With a Master’s degree in food science, strong quality assurance skills and hands-on operations experience, Sean develops and maintains food safety management systems with an operational point of view. Sean is experienced with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Safe Food for Canadians Regulations as well as many certification requirements. He is also able to offer expertise with food plant construction, operations, sales and plant management.  As part of the SBA Team, Sean will present on food safety regulations and is available for expert advice on a limited basis. 

Lara Tiro joins the SBA as a Mentor in the areas of Product Development, Packaging and Labelling and more.  She is the founder of RebelCPG, a food consulting group that helps small and mid-size companies grow and succeed. Lara grew up learning about shrimp farms from her parents, who are both marine biologists. Lara has a degree in Food, Nutrition, and Health from the University of British Columbia. She started her food career by helping set up a crab processing plant in Asia. With her knowledge of food science and business operations, she guides food products from ideas to store shelves. She has worked in baking, frozen and chilled foods, granola bars, and plant proteins, always focusing on what consumers want.

With over 20 years of experience working with Indigenous businesses and nation-led development, Trevor brings extremely valuable expertise to the SBA. As Founder and CEO of Cootes Consulting, he focuses on enhancing economic capacity by developing tailored growth plans, building strategic partnerships, leveraging Indigenous marketing opportunities, and securing funding through grant writing. Trevor is passionate about empowering Indigenous communities by promoting long-term sustainability and growth. He is committed to honoring cultural values while contributing meaningfully to the success and resilience of Indigenous businesses and organizations, fostering a brighter future for these communities. 

Dr. Andrew Tait, Ph.D. in Chemistry, is an entrepreneur and innovator who has transformed natural health products through cutting-edge science, sustainable sourcing, and a passion for traditional herbal medicines. As the founder of Tait Laboratories Inc., Dr. Tait developed MS+ Mandarin Skin Plus®, a breakthrough digestive aid that reached hundreds of stores nationwide. He has raised significant funds to drive research, development, and clinical trials and holds multiple patents and trademarks that protect and elevate his company’s pioneering extraction techniques. In recognition of his contributions, he won the BC Food & Bev Rising Star Award in 2014. With deep expertise in Canada’s Natural Health Product Regulations, Dr. Tait secured numerous Natural Product Numbers (NPNs) from Health Canada, paving the way for trusted, high-potency health solutions that resonate with a modern audience.

Desiree Baker is from the 'Namgis First Nation and was raised by her adopted family in the Fraser Valley. She now divides her time between the Okanagan and the Fraser Valley. As a daughter, mother, proud grandma, and auntie, Desiree is deeply connected to her community. She is the founder of REV Consulting, which specializes in grant and proposal writing, business planning, and more. With over 30 years of experience, Desiree has secured over $8 million in funding. She is dedicated to helping SBA trainees identify grant opportunities, develop grant writing skills, and build successful futures.