Robyn Rees
​HFC Founder and General Manager, 2014-present

Through her engagement in the local food movement in Montreal and at Concordia University, Robyn became convinced that focusing on building resilient food systems is the key to engaging society in ensuring a liveable future. For the past 8 years she has been dedicated to learning and engaging in all aspects of building sustainable food systems from ecological, social and economic perspectives, at both practical and theoretical levels. She is committed to building networks and communities of knowledge and practice through her role as the general manager of the HFC, and is excited about the potentials for a more resilient Hudson. 

Briony Lalor
​HFC Co-Manager, 2020-present

In 2020, the HFC was extremely fortunate to have a member of the Hudson community step up in a very meaningful way to take on a greater role in the organization, as co-director: Briony Lalor. In her own words, “Food is the great connector! The holistic mission of the HFC couldn’t be more important right now. It holds a vision of the future grounded in reciprocity and respect - for one another and the land. I am honoured to be joining the HFC team of staff, volunteers and community members. It's a lot of fun collaborating with down to earth folks, dedicated to finding new and creative ways to create more ecological, healthful, fair and inclusive food systems!“ 
Briony has a BSc and PhD in soil ecology. She has diverse experiences managing natural and social research, policy and community engagement projects. She is passionate about finding ways to facilitate grassroots community, soil and ecosystem restoration through sharing knowledge on ecological gardening and growing and sharing healthy food. While not working with the HFC, she works as a gardener, serves on the Board of Directors of local non-profit Nature Hudson and Ottawa-based non-profit Evidence 4 Democracy and is completing a Certificate in Horticultural Therapy.
While Briony has been working on a volunteer basis, we are busy finding funding to keep her in this role. In the meantime, we hope you get a chance to meet or talk with Briony and share your hopes and dreams for a healthy food system in Hudson and beyond!

Noel Dhingra
Farm Manager 2019-present

When Noel became Farm Manager at the Heartbeet in 2019, he brought with him seven years of professional experience in organic agriculture, including two years as co-owner of Cadence Ecological Farm. Noel sees food as an integral part of how healthy environments and communities interact. He dedicated years to developing and delivering programming with Community Food Centres Canada that highlight food as both a social justice issue, and an influence on personal and community health. He seeks to increase access to sustainable agricultural practices and the dialogue around them so that more people participate in the role their local farms play within their community.

Itzel Vazquez
Food Transformation Project Coordinator, 2019-present

---

TEAM MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS...

Gabrielle Caron
Farm Manager and Beekeeper, 2020

Virginie Nadeau,
Farm Manager, 2019
​Farm Apprentice, 2018

Florence Demeules
​Farm Apprentice, 2019

Loïc Freeman-Lavoie
​Farm Founder and Manager, 2017-2018

Rébecca Phaneuf-Thibault
​Farm Founder Manager, 2017-2018

Loïc  (B.A. Urban Studies, Concordia University) was the community and logistics manager of the farm. He has gained valuable experience relevant to community projects through his w​ork with the Concordia Food Coalition, Hudson Food Collective, Santropol Roulant and different experiences on farms and urban agriculture initiatives since 2012. He has an overflowing hunger for making the connection between food and all aspects of life; be it with culture, economics, or the environment. He believes in the potential of the HFC to engage these issues and seeks to do the same with  his involvement. Loïc's passion for food begins and ends with celebration; best shared with others - any time, any place! 

Rébecca Phaneuf-Thibault will take on the role of the agricultural manager after graduating from professional agronomy with a specialization in ecological agriculture at McGill University. She has been working on a community agriculture project for the MRC of Argenteuil during this 2016 growing season, feeding 500 low-income families. She co-managed the student ecological farm at McGill the 2 seasons prior and has worked on farms in the Maritimes before that. Her love for small-scale organic vegetable farming is equalled with her burning desire to share it with anyone interested or curious! She firmly believes in the regenerative and healing powers of the experience on the farm on all levels.
​  
The Hudson Food Collective's vision and mission, to share knowledge around and come together over food, makes them a really good match! She's so thrilled for the opportunity to establish and co-manage the community farm and be apart of this wonderful collective of like-minded folks!

Sara Lazarek
Projects Coordinator, 2017 - 2019

Vanessa Waters
Wild Edible Series Coordinator, 2015-2018

Born and raised in Saint-Lazare, Sara grew up in the neighbourhood, attending the local schools, and submersing herself in the surrounding environment. Initially introduced to horticulture through a community service project, she has now gained over 8 years of greenhouse experience. She is a graduate of a double BA at Concordia University in School of Community and Public Affairs (SCPA) and Political Science. This is Sara's third year with the HFC and she hopes to continue to merge her interests of environmental sustainability, public communications and event management. Sara continues to be very actively involved in the organization on a volunteer basis.

Veteran forager Vanessa Waters shares her knowledge of foraging as a means of empowerment to combat a scarcity mindset. She looks at foraging as a collaborative activity that  requires a deep connection to place.  Vanessa is also an artist, blogger and multi-passionate entrepreneur who enjoys participating in craft fairs and farmer's markets. She believes in the beauty and power of the human spirit. Vanessa volunteers at a female sexual assault intervention centre in the West Island, is a certified reiki practitioner, and collaborator in the creation of Women’s Workshop Weekend. Every fall she leads a foraging tour in collaboration with artist Natalie Doonan founder of le Sensorium funded by the Concordia Sustainability Action Fund.

Ingrid Laplante 
2017 Farm Apprentice

Jimmy Markou
Projects Development Assistant 2017 

Jimmy had joined the Hudson Food Collective team as Projects Development Assistant for the 2017 season. He is a student in the Environmental Science program at Dawson College. Passionate about environmental issues and community involvement, Jimmy completed the Sustainable Campuses Initiative Internship with Dawson: a six-week internship that took him to Cuernavaca, Mexico with the goal of exchanging knowledge on sustainability between Dawson and the local institutions. He also regularly volunteered with Moisson Montréal for their Good Food Box program and as a composter during Dawson College’s compost pilot project last fall.

​Jimmy loves being outdoors and is interested in subjects like Biology and Wildlife Conservation. He knows that everything in the environment is deeply interconnected and so he implicates himself in diversified projects and absorbs as much knowledge as he can along the way.