Melissa was born and raised on an mixed small farm in Ontario Canada. The beef and small grains farm was certified organic in 1987. Melissa has spent her life understanding niche product categories (with a focus on sustainability and health areas) and helps companies grow through her focus on the front end of the customer journey and customer acquisition.

Melissa helped to shape what is now a thriving local food economy in Waterloo Region Ontario. Her company Vibrant Farms was a first to market leader in the direct to consumer model. She has served on boards for local food initiatives and supported the start up technology ecosystem that solves problems for farmers, food distributors and marketers.

Melissa’s chief project at the moment in Christchurch New Zealand (the heart of food and agriculture) is building a blockchain solution to solve transparency challenges that are inherent in the supply chain. Combining the sustainability knowledge at farm level, business level and human health level as well as commercialization of the technology that solves challenges at every step of the supply chain.

When not thinking about food, agriculture, technology and business you’ll find Melissa training for sport, coaching or competing while rugby was her first love she’s branched out to sports of all sorts and is a passionate champion of grass roots sport.