About

Clarissa Smith

Treasurer

Clarissa is a Registered Dietitian who currently resides in Kentville with her partner, Ken, and fur babies. Clarissa’s passion for nutrition started when she saw the difference it made with managing her own health conditions. Since studying dietetics at Mount Saint Vincent University (2015), and completing her internship at The Hospital for Sick Children (2016), Clarissa has been working in many settings in the Annapolis Valley including long term care, private practice, and Nova Scotia Health. Clarissa has always believed that everyone has a right to nutritious food and joined the Food Council in 2023, with a particular interest in basic income and infant food insecurity.  Clarissa is excited to work with such passionate partners and organizations to work towards a more equitable food system in the valley, and our province. When not working and volunteering, Clarissa enjoys doing yoga, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Johanna Kwakernaak

Director

My interest in food goes back to my childhood. I grew up in the Annapolis Valley, an immigrant, the daughter of a landscaper, nurseryman, and small scale produce farmer.  My Uncles were dairy and pork producers. I grew up eating exceptional food almost exclusively home grown. In the early 1970's after gaining a diploma in Physiotherapy from Dalhousie University, I worked briefly in Nova Scotia before heading to Alberta.  During my almost 40 years in Alberta I returned first to the University of Alberta to earn a Bachelors of Physiotherapy and then to the University of Calgary for a Masters of Business Administration.  My professional career was in Health Care.  In 2009 I retired from Alberta Health Services where my last role was as Director of Clinical Support Services in the Calgary Region managing an array of clinical services, a staff of over 1,000. My husband and I retired to Berwick in 2010. I have taken up gardening once again and volunteer with a number of organizations: currently; the Berwick Community Garden Group, Kings Senior Safety Society – Treasurer,

FarmWorks Investment Fund Cooperative – Chair, Annapolis Valley Community Food Council,, volunteer “cook” at Evangeline Club .

In Oct 2024 I successfully ran for a Councillor seat with the Town of Berwick.

I believe as a member of our communities each of us can do our part in helping the community grow, prosper and be healthy. I believe that access to healthy affordable food is a right and is a critical ingredient to ensuring a healthy prosperous community.

Heather Morse

Co-Chair

Heather Morse, former educator, has held many roles including teacher, curriculum supervisor, principal, educational coach for teachers and principals in Belize in Central America and Health and Wellness Consultant for the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board. Now retired, Heather continues to support and lead the way focusing on the         “ Power of Community.”  She has a great desire to continue her work for Food Security and Community Connections which are all focused on the health and wellness of every community.

Heather chairs the Kings West Community Health Board, Sits on the Board of Directors for Nourish Nova Scotia,  serves as the Vice - Chair for the Kingston Greenwood Mental Health Association, sits on the Board of Directors for the Kings County Food Council, sits on the Board of Directors the Western Kings Memorial Health Society,  chairs the CHBs for Annapolis Valley School Food, sits on the Board of Directors  ( Personnel Committee ) for the Evangeline Recreation Society,  is a member of the Community Development Committee for Berwick Town Council, is a member of the Community Alcohol Partnerships,  and a co - facilitator for Valley Restorative Justice. Heather lives with her husband in Berwick.   When not volunteering within their community and beyond, they like to spend time with their son and family in Truro.

Megan Coles

Director

Bio coming!

Rebecca Tran

Secretary

Bio coming!

Ginny Point

Director

Ginny is a retired Dietitian who has been passionate about food, human health and the environment all her adult life.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from Acadia University, Internship at the VG Hospital and Master’s degree from MSVU, Ginny worked in various nutrition related jobs before becoming Clinical Dietitian and Director of Food Services at Kings Regional Rehabilitation Centre for many years. There she worked hard to increase use of local foods within the menu, and engaged in numerous food education initiatives intended to make healthy food consumption fun and desirable. 

After retiring, she was proud to join the Board of FarmWorks Investment Cooperative from 2018 – 2024, actively promoting food security from field to fork via increased local food production. Ginny has also been a member of FANS (Friends of Agriculture) for many years. Many, many years ago when working at Ecology Action Centre she focused on various topics, including food and agricultural issues. Lastly, for many years she has been an avid gardener/farmer, with a huge family garden. Food is always on her mind!

Judy Lowe

Co-Chair

Bio coming!

Lisanna Turner

Chair, Infant Feeding Working Group 

Lisanne called Kings County home for 7 years and now lives in Clare with her partner and their two children. After a decade in community-based organizations, she joined Public Health as a Community Home Visitor, supporting families and engaging them on topics of parent-child attachment and child development. Lisanne recently moved within the Early Years team to a Health Promoter role, with a focus on Baby Friendly Initiative. She is active in the soccer community and enjoys vegetable gardening.

Becca Green-LaPierre

Chair, Food Link Working Group

Chair, Income Security Working Group

Becca Green-LaPierre is an always learning mom and dietitian. 

She obtained an undergraduate degree from the University of Guelph (2003), and a master’s degree from Mount Saint Vincent University (2008).  During her years at the Mount as both a graduate student and faculty member she had the privilege of working on many participatory action research projects focused on individual and community food security under the leadership of Dr. Patty Williams.   Much of this research exposed the need for effective income based policies to address food insecurity.  Becca works as a Public Health Nutritionist and enjoys that the AVCFC provides a community-based avenue for continued examination of how policy and programs impact access to nutritious food, as well as partnerships with local, provincial and national initiatives advancing food security.

Sarah Mullen

Chair, School Food Working Group 

Chair, Municipal Food Policy Working Group

Sarah Mullen is a dietitian with Public Health, where her work focuses on creating supportive environments, healthy public policy, and community action to promote the health and well-being of our communities in the Annapolis Valley. Sarah has been a registered dietitian for over 10 years, graduating with a nutrition degree from St. Francis Xavier University in 2008. She completed her master’s in Public Health from the University of Alberta in 2015.  Her career has spanned the health care sector, starting in acute care in northern Alberta, to now, where she works with community partners on solutions to food insecurity. She has been part of the Food Council from the beginning and has been thrilled with the group’s passion for local food, community, and equity in our food system. Sarah is originally from Digby County, and now calls Berwick home where she lives with her 2 young boys, and partner James.