Melissa Hemphill - Secretary

Melissa's passions are all things food related, with a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Guelph and a diploma in Natural Nutrition. She helped to create Revelstoke's first community garden and establish the Local Food Initiative as a society, and continues on in a board member position. 

Melissa works to build socially just and environmentally sustainable local food systems within British Columbia through a variety of projects, studies, and collaborations. When she isn't busy tackling community food security issues you can find her in the garden, on the trails, or teaching her kids the wonders of the world.

Sammy Blair - Director at Large

Sammy has worked in many roles across the food system; in gleaning, food security, waste management, food education, and farming. She has a Master of Science Research degree in Integrated Land and Food Systems from the University of British Columbia. Sammy specializes in community-based work, and recently has been involved with developing school farm implementation resources for Farm to School BC and working as the food security coordinator for Land to Table's regional community food hub.  Sammy moved to Revelstoke in 2022 and is excited to work with the LFI to engage the community in our local food system. During her free time you can find Sammy gardening, skiing, hiking, and playing outside with friends and family.

Claire Davies - Treasurer

Claire has several years of diverse food systems experience, including farming, food education, gleaning, food security, and agriculture policy research. Claire holds a Master's in Public Policy, where her thesis focused on identifying and reducing barriers to the adoption of agricultural nature-based solutions in British Columbia. She has also been involved in sustainable agriculture efforts with organizations such as the National Farmers Union and La Via Campesina. During her free time, Claire can be found in the mountains or gardening in Revelstoke, located on the traditional territories of the Sinixt, Secwepemc, Syilx, and Ktunaxa Peoples.

Claire joined the LFI board in April 2023.

Isabel Kessi - Market Manager

Isabel loves food, anything from bigger scale productions to growing her own carrots in the garden excites her. Isabel is a trained Chef with a BSc in food science and technology. She immigrated from Switzerland in 2017 and now consults food manufacturers in BC. For over ten years Isabel has been selling food at farmers markets in Europe and Canada. Now market days are her social days where she gets to leave the home office and work with vendors to create a successful market.

When Isabel isn’t working at the market or at home you can find her in the woods, skiing, biking or walking her dog Yeti.

market@revelstokelocalfood.com

Samantha Green - Food Security Coordinator

Sam has a strong understanding of and commitment to the connection between food systems, vulnerability and community. She has spent the last 3 years working for Xeni Gwet’in First Nations - first as the Emergency Program Coordinator and then as the Climate Readiness Manager. In both of those roles she centered her work around food security programming and planning knowing that access to healthy, safe and local foods supports community resilience and determinants of health. Her role with Xeni Gwet’in provided her the opportunity to learn about food as culture, as a means for bringing community together and the value of being adaptable to all ways of life. She has spent her last 3 winters in Revelstoke enjoying the snow and has grown to have a deep appreciation for the Revelstoke community. She is always inspired and impressed by the ability of the people in Revelstoke to support one another and is grateful to be able to now call Revelstoke home. 

foodsecurity@revelstokelocalfood.com

Kelsey Gasparini - Garden Engagement Coordinator

Kelsey Gasparini, originally from Sudbury, Ontario, has been part of the Revelstoke Community for over 4 years now and has found her spot in the mountains. While completing her BA in Recreation and Sport Business at the University of Waterloo, she discovered summer job opportunities at lodges out west. This led to a wonderfully nomadic lifestyle until eventually finding the incredible community of Revelstoke. Her love for exploration and the outdoors resulted in a passion for the environment and a focus on her own consumption. Kelsey believes that individuals’ food choices are one of the most powerful ways we can help our planet and has utilized a variety of roles within the community to help share her passion for the environment. She loves to spend the summer months with her hands in the dirt or her head in the mountains, and the winter months on her skis! Most notably, Kelsey recently completed her goal of “30 summits before 30”, where she hiked, biked or skied up 30 mountains in 1 year!

rvacgarden@revelstokelocalfood.com

Isaac Burkam - Compost Education Coordinator

Isaac recently moved to Revelstoke from rural Nova Scotia, where he grew up on an organic farm. Isaac has a masters of science in sustainability and business from the University of Leeds in the UK, as well as a bachelor of arts in economics and environmental studies from McGill University. Isaac is passionate about diverting food waste, improving the sustainability of rural Canadian communities, and helping people learn about the benefits of sustainable practices. In his free time, Isaac enjoys snowboarding, climbing, mountain biking, gardening, and cooking yummy food. 

compost@revelstokelocalfood.com

Carrot Level

Georgie Hyland - Youth Education Coordinator

Georgie grew up and went to school in Edmonton where she attended University of Alberta school of business. After realizing that she wanted to stay far away from the corporate world, she moved to Revelstoke in 2020. That summer she became an avid pandemic gardener. After becoming more aware of the lack of food security and increasing impacts of climate change, she found her way to the UBC Farm Practicum in 2022 where she gained an education in small-scale, organic vegetable farming.  Farming combines her passion for food, working outside, sustainability, and community building. In 2023 she started working for First Light Farm and is with them for a second season as the Greenhouse Manager and Post-harvest Lead.

You can find Georgie biking or skiing in the mountains, but her biggest joy comes from sharing food with fellow farmers, friends, and family. She is also tomato obsessed - apparent by 20 different weird and wonderful tomato varieties in her garden this summer

education@revelstokelocalfood.com

The Revelstoke Local Food Initiative relies on Community Sponsorship to help fund our programs and advocacy work. We want to thank all our sponsors for their ongoing support.

If you’d like to sponsor the LFI please reach out to info@revelstokelocalfood.com