STEWARDSHIP GROUP WORKING TABLE

Stewardship Group Working Table

The Stewardship Group is the coordinating body that supports the overall Simcoe County Food Council by providing communications and developing a shared and coordinated vision, purpose and voice.

The Stewardship Group is responsible for setting strategic directions, monitoring the overall health of the Simcoe County Food Council, and aligning constellations to effectively and efficiently meet the Simcoe County Food Council goals.

Stewardship Group Members

The Stewardship Group meets monthly to provide guidance, oversight, and strategic direction for the council’s initiatives. This group ensures that our activities align with our mission and values, supporting the overall effectiveness and sustainability of our work.

Stewardship Group Chair &
Food Systems Working Table Chair -
The Orillia & Area Food System

Lesley McMullin is a Registered Dietitian and food advocate with experience in public health nutrition, food security policy, and community development. She is currently coordinating the development of the Orillia & Area Food Strategy. Lesley has been actively involved with the Simcoe County Food Council for several years, including previously serving as Chair of the Food Skills and Education Working Table and supporting a range of Food Council initiatives and projects. She assumed the role of Chair of the Stewardship Group in January 2026, where her focus is on strengthening shared knowledge across the local food system and facilitating collaboration and coordination among community food partners to support systems‑level change.

School Food Working Table Chair
& SCFC Trustee-
The Karma Project

With the support of community partners, The Karma Project has designed an intensive education program with hands-on training in gardens, kitchens, and markets.

SEED is giving youth in North Simcoe opportunities to address issues of food security while getting the experience of launching and promoting a social enterprise within the local community.

SEED is a research project of the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation.

Member At Large -
Operation Grow

Michelle Carter is the Program Supervisor at Operation Grow, a social enterprise in Midland, Ontario, dedicated to supporting women who have lived experiences of violence. With a strategic focus on community development, Michelle oversees a holistic program that bridges the gap between sustainable agriculture and social equity. Her leadership spans farm and kitchen operations to retail and member services, ensuring that the program doesn't just provide food, but fosters long-term food security and economic independence for its members.

Operation Grow is a part of Huronia Transition Homes.

Food Access Working Table Chair -
The Sharing Place Food Centre

Chris Peacock has been the Executive Director of The Sharing Place Food Centre in Orillia, Ontario since 2017 and has served on the Simcoe County Food Council since 2020. Over the past eight years, he has led the organization’s transformation from a traditional food bank into a diverse food centre and regional leader in food access and social innovation. Chris brings a systems‑ and policy‑informed perspective shaped by strong cross‑sector partnerships—including community, health, education, and regional food system leaders—and an awareness of provincial, national, and global trends that influence local food systems. This approach supports collaborative, evidence‑based food system change across Simcoe County.

Child, Youth & Family Services(CYFS) Coalition & Poverty Reduction Task Group

As director for the Child, Youth, and Family Services (CYFS) Coalition, Irena guides the operational functions and strategic planning to support the Coalition's mission of maximizing the capacity, effectiveness, and cultural uniqueness of the child, youth, and family services system through collective efforts. Irena is also co-chair of the Poverty Reduction Task Group (PRTG) and supports information sharing and opportunities for synergies across the many allied networks across the region. Irena is a collaborative leader guiding community research, collective impact, data management, community development, social innovation, and knowledge mobilization.

Member At Large -
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit

Vanessa Hurley is a Public Health Registered Dietitian and Public Health Nutritionist working within the Community and Family Health Department at the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. A priority area of work involves monitoring and reporting on local food affordability and household food insecurity and encouraging action on evidence-based income and policy solutions to decrease food insecurity. Vanessa was a past Chair of the Food Council and member of the Food Skills Education Working Table.

Food Skills & Education Working Table
Chair - Town of Innisfil

Food Literacy & Education Working Table Co-Chair - Canadian Mental Health Association
Simcoe County Branch

Canadian Mental Health Association Simcoe County offers a variety of programs and services from youth to adults to seniors. Our programs help individuals and families to lead lives filled with meaning and promise.

Ex-Officio Members -
County of Simcoe

Food Council Community Coordinator

Tiffany brings experience from across the education, agricultural, housing and social service sectors. Guided by Indigenous teachings, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and Western education, her work is rooted in shared treaty responsibilities, environmental stewardship, and systems-level change. A member of Beausoleil First Nation, Tiffany brings a grounded, collaborative approach to supporting community-led initiatives that strengthen long-term food security for everyone across Simcoe County.

Stewardship Group Members

Food Skills & Education Working Table Chair - Town of Innisfil

Ex-Officio Members - County of Simcoe

Food Skills & Education Working Table
Chair - Town of Innisfil

Ex-Officio Members -
County of Simcoe