Our Board
Our Board of Directors is comprised of accomplished professionals and passionate community members in and around the Capital Region. Our directors provide strategic governance and champion our vision of raising awareness through education that results in communities engaged in healthy food and a healthy planet.
Sunita Kavati
Sunita's journey showcases her dedication to sustainability and community service. Growing up in Mumbai, she developed a love for rural sustainable agriculture. Beginning as a container gardener, she expanded her involvement to various nonprofit activities. Recently, she transitioned from the oil and gas sector to healthcare. As President of Sustainable Food Edmonton and a human resources professional at Community Hospitals, Sunita merges her professional skills with her passion for sustainability. She advocates for sustainable practices within hospital operations and promotes employee engagement initiatives, reflecting her commitment to creating a positive impact in her community and workplace.
Justina Mak
Justina is Director-at-Large. She is a proud Edmontonian and beginner horticulturalist. Seed germination and plant propagation will never cease to amaze her. After moving to Downtown Edmonton, urban agriculture and alternative composting methods quickly became a new interest. Environmental sustainability and community involvement has always been a passion for Justina, making SFE a natural next step. She is thrilled to be part of a community-focused organization that provides opportunities for local residents and school-aged students to discover and experience urban agriculture, raising a new generation of sustainable citizens.
Whitney Masson
Whitney is Sustainable Food Edmonton’s Vice President. Many hours spent at the local farmer’s markets first piqued Whitney’s curiosity in urban agriculture. This newfound interest, coupled with the desire for community involvement, led her to volunteer for Sustainable Food Edmonton. By day, Whitney utilizes her business background working for a local non-profit and, on the weekends, you will find her supporting the local food scene, trying to develop her green thumb and testing her skills at canning in order to preserve all of the delicious summer fruit. Whitney is a long-standing member of the SFE Board and recently elected to the Vice President role. Lucky for us!
Camille Bowen-Forbes
Camille hails from Jamaica, where agriculture is woven into almost every facet of rural and urban life. As a child she always loved going to the farm with her dad, and now when she visits her parents from Edmonton, her children enjoy being with grandpa on his farm. As a Food Chemistry professor at the University of the West Indies, her research uncovered the health beneficial properties and components of under-utilized local berries, and led to the discovery of a new berry species that has commercial potential. Camille is excited about working with the SFE team towards mobilizing urban agriculture as a tool for stimulating young minds and building community in the Edmonton area and beyond.
Roger Thomson
Roger Thomson is a Chartered Professional Accountant with thirty plus years experience. An advocate of clear communication and storytelling, Roger works with a variety of businesses and not-for-profits to help them understand, clarify, and achieve their financial and strategic goals. His career included a 2 year posting in England. Roger has served on the boards of Canterbury Foundation, E4C, The Churchill Foundation, The Canadian Club, Westmount Community League, and has volunteered with Scouts Canada and various political constituencies. Roger is an avid reader, gardener, camper, art collector, music lover and baseball fan. He and his wife Debbie have one terrific daughter.
Leo M. Garrido
Leo M. Garrido holds a MBA, P. Eng., master’s and bachelor’s degrees in engineering, International Welding Engineer (IWE & EWE), and numerous professional certifications. Coming from Madrid, he is an enthusiastic basketball and soccer fan. Real Madrid is his team! Leo is also a compulsive reader and techno fan. As a good Spaniard, quality food was always around him. His life motive is to create a mindset in younger generations on the importance of sustainable agriculture practices adapted to our local climate implementing the UN-FAO recommendations. Leo joins the SFE Board of Directors on a mission to help grow our organizational impact in Edmonton.
Vikrant Dhawan
Vikrant comes to SFE with over a decade of experience as an agriculturist and a PMP-certified professional. Vikrant brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to our organization. Hailing from a background deeply rooted in environmental issues, organic farming, and sustainability, Vikrant embodies the spirit of innovation and community welfare. His journey spans across diverse landscapes, from his impactful work in India to his current endeavor in greenhouse cultivation of cannabis for the health industry. Driven by a relentless dedication to societal welfare, Vikrant's commitment to research and development shines through with over 50 publications in renowned journals. His fervent love for agriculture and the environment serves as the cornerstone of his mission to make a positive impact on Edmontonians and beyond.
Abdulwadud Mohammned
Abdulwadud or “Wadud” is the newest member to our Board joining us as a Director-at-Large. Wadud has lived in Edmonton since 2020. He spent his formative years in Nigeria where he was involved in community-based initiatives as well as subsistence farming activities. He has a first degree in agricultural economics and currently works with the only lender 100% invested in Canadian agriculture and food. He is passionate about socio-economic development. And that is why he has joined the board of Sustainable Food Edmonton to help advance our vision: to ensure Edmontonians benefit from urban agriculture.