Speakers' Hub
Unlocking Success in Food & Beverage: Our workforce experts are ready for your event!
As the Canadian food and beverage industry’s leading expert in skills and workforce development, Food Processing Skills Canada boasts a team of subject matter experts and thought leaders.
Looking for a speaker to elevate your next event? Our experts at Food Processing Skills Canada are at the forefront of the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry. They offer proven insights, research, and solutions to build a world-class industry and workforce. Let us share their knowledge and expertise with your audience.
Jennefer Griffith
Executive Director
Food Processing Skills Canada
Kevin Elder
Project ManagerLabour Market Information (LMI), Food Processing Skills Canada
Deanna Zenger
Project ManagerFood Processing Skills Canada
Tracy Biernacki-Dusza
Project Manager
Food Processing Skills Canada
Jennefer Griffith is a driving force in Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing industry, recognized for her visionary leadership in workforce development. As Executive Director of Food Processing Skills Canada, she has spearheaded transformative initiatives like the Canadian Food Processors Institute, Skills Training Across Canada, FoodCert, and FoodAbility+, empowering businesses, individuals, and educators with essential resources.
Jennefer’s commitment to delivering comprehensive labour market analysis and tailored programs to food and beverage manufacturers has elevated Canada’s reputation as a global powerhouse in workforce development. Under her leadership, the industry achieved a significant milestone with the creation of Canada’s inaugural Learning and Recognition Framework and Accreditation Strategy standardizing career pathways.
Committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace, Jennefer is passionate about supporting New Canadians, Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth in securing fulfilling careers. She is also at the forefront of international development, sharing Canada’s expertise with emerging food and beverage sectors worldwide.
With a proven track record in past roles within government and the non-profit sector, Jennefer’s expertise and passion have made a significant impact on the growth and success of the Canadian food and beverage industry.
Key Speaking Topics
- What can Food Processing Skills Canada do you?
- Yes, we have a labour problem in Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing industry, but we also have solutions.
- Social emotional learning — the new skills training “must have” for any employer.
- Improving workplace culture with a continuous learning strategy — it is easier than you think.
- Skills training & improved productivity — the perfect match. Learn about making your business more profitable.
- Succeeding with multiple language and ESL training in the workplace. Adapting and innovating to meet new demands of the multicultural workforce.
- Becoming a diversity and inclusion leader. Demonstrating leadership where it counts
Kevin studied International Development at the University of Calgary and has lived and worked all over the globe. He grew up in Alberta and California and now makes his home in Ottawa. His introduction to food and beverage processing was as a Vapour Heat Treatment Facility Manager at a mango plant in Australia. Kevin joined Food Processing Skills Canada in 2017 and has been leading the organization’s Labour Market Information insights since that time. At FPSC, he coordinates and analyzes the latest qualitative and quantitative information for all industry stakeholders. Kevin also represents FPSC and the industry on a variety of national and regional committees to ensure decision makers have access to the best available information. When he isn’t reviewing data, he is likely coaching, playing, or watching sports.
Kevin can speak to the following topics with a national, provincial, or regional lens. The topics can also look at the entire industry or specific sectors depending on the audience.
Key Speaking Topics
- The latest labour market information on Canada’s food & beverage manufacturing sector.
- Perceptions of the industry and career opportunities from different demographics:
- General public
- 5 workforce generations
- Youth
- Indigenous People
- Unemployed
- New Canadians
- Cost of vacancies to the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry
- Industry challenges and opportunities & specifically labour challenges and opportunities
- FPSC’s portfolio of labour market reports and surveys
Tracy has been involved with Canada’s Sector Councils since 2007 in the areas of technology, agriculture, and most recently food and beverage processing with Food Processing Skills Canada. Tracy is a Project Management Professional with several years of experience in the development and deployment of educational programming and skills recognition for secondary school students through to career professionals. At Food Processing Skills Canada, Tracy led the creation of the Canadian food and beverage processing industry’s first Learning and Recognition Framework and the related development of National Occupational Standards and industry certifications.
Key Speaking Topics
- Understanding the value of career awareness and career pathways for students, jobseekers and people in a career looking for new opportunities.
- The Learning and Recognition Framework and its critical importance to educators and industry employers. Working together to create an environment for lifelong learning and career recognition.
- Understanding the value of certification and accreditation to professionalizing the Canadian food and beverage processing industry.
- National Occupational Standards — what Food Processing Skills Canada has and what needs to be developed.The Food Skills Library and its value to your workforce development.”
Deanna Zenger has been a trailblazer in the food and beverage industry for over 30 years. As part of the senior team with Food Processing Skills Canada, she has national workforce programs, such as Succeeding at Work and diversity and inclusion initiative — FoodAbility. Working across the value chain and with community organizations, Deanna facilitates engagement between jobseekers and employers for careers success. Deanna is recognized for her expertise in skills training instruction and curriculum development for post-secondary institutions and employers and is also known as a top-class public speaker able to articulate the real-world challenges and opportunities within the food and beverage manufacturing industry.
Key Speaking Topics
- Jobs in Canada’s food and beverage processing industry — what are they?
- Food Safety & You — the importance of a safe food manufacturing culture including the right training, the employee mindset, and the team requirements.
- Upskilling your workforce for increased productivity, retention, and morale gains. Valuing a workplace committed to continuous learning.
- Taking a deep dive into workforce technical and social emotional training. What training is on offer at Food Processing Skills Canada?
- Three priorities for future leaders:
- Accelerate reskilling people.
- Redesign workplace learning to unlock human potential.
- Strengthen the talent pipeline.
Food Processing Skills Canada is the leader in skills and workforce development for Canada’s food and beverage manufacturers, and the champion of all the people involved in this incredible industry. It’s our pleasure to share labour market research, insights from programs and resources, and future workforce trends with audiences in Canada and around the globe. For specific details on presentation topics and areas of expertise, please visit each of our speaker bios. We are available to present at virtual and in person events.
“Is there a fee to engaging a Food Processing Skills Canada presenter?
There is no fee, but we ask that travel expenses related to in person events be covered.
What kind of events will speakers present at?
Conferences, member workshops, Annual General Meetings, Board of Director meetings, webinars, and live social media events.
Can speakers talk about workforce and skills development outside of the food and beverage manufacturing industry?
Food Processing Skills Canada presenters are experts in the food and beverage processing industry but can speak to most workforce and skills development issues across the food supply chain. Please ask us.
Can I meet with the speaker in advance to review our presentation requests?
Yes, the Food Processing Skills Canada communications team will coordinate a meeting with you and the speaker to review your presentation requirements.
Who should I connect with to answer additional questions?
Please contact Isabel Dopta, Communications Consultant idopta@fpsc-ctac.com
Interested in engaging a Food Processing Skills Canada expert speaker for your next event? Check out our speaker bios and topic expertise to help narrow down your selection and then connect with us. We will schedule an initial session with your speaker, or speakers, of choice to review presentation details and event logistics. Following the event, we are pleased to provide you with a copy of the presentation and meet for related follow up.
