Board of Directors

Margaret B.K. Shepherd is a professor in Management and Economics at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) where she currently serves as the Chair of the Master of Business Administration program. Moving from the Maritimes to complete her studies, Maggie is a graduate of Laval University, RMC and completed her program on Negotiation through Harvard University. An advocate for social justice, she has a profound commitment to social change through education and empowerment. Maggie serves and has served on several not-for-profit and professional boards and has been a member of Loving Spoonful's Board since June 2017.

Brian joined the Board in June 2017, having retired after spending his working life in the human services field and the last twenty years as Executive Director of the Community Living agency in Prince Edward County. He is a strong advocate for the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, and others who live with disadvantaging social conditions. He attended Queen’s University, and achieved a Master’s Degree in Canadian history. As well as serving on the Board, Brian volunteers with Loving Spoonful in the food reclamation program. Brian also spends a lot of his time learning French and Italian cooking and working in his vegetable garden.

Lisa is new to Kingston and Loving Spoonful but is delighted at the welcoming she and her family have received. Lisa's career has been focused in the financial industry for almost 25 years but has always found time to give back to the community through women's shelters, fundraising at school's her son has attended or volunteering at Loving Spoonful summer event The Night Market and other local fundraisers. Lisa now has the opportunity to combine her passion for numbers with her interest in healthy food as Treasurer with Loving Spoonful. Other interests include travel, photography, knitting and gardening. Lisa joined the Loving Spoonful Board of Directors in June 2020.

Originally from Napanee, Anne has returned to the Kingston area with her husband to enjoy a hobby farm with a large garden, egg producing chickens and ducks, two adopted donkeys, bee hives and assorted dogs and cats.

Early in her career, Anne’s work in Canada’s far north convinced her that community health and the social determinants of health are what make the greatest difference in health outcomes and quality of life. Anne worked for the province of Ontario for many years, delivering programs and projects primarily for housing and health care. As an independent consultant she led and contributed to a number of provincial telemedicine and electronic health record initiatives, with a focus on supporting primary care. Anne is new to the Board in 2021.

Catherine has lived in Kingston since 1999 raising two children and working with community organizations. With a background in commercial design and management, she is the founder of the GROW Project and continues to work with students in the Limestone District School Board teaching about community interaction and social responsibility. Catherine joined the Board of Directors in October 2012.

Jock is a long time Kingston resident and has worked as a manager at Camera Kingston since 1980. He has been a volunteer in the community for a number of years, most notably with Food Not Bombs. He is a founding member of Loving Spoonful.

Carey Bidtnes is an experienced Human Resources Generalist, with expertise in recruitment, training, employee relations and organizational development. She has worked in the hospitality, non-profit, public and private sectors in both human resources and operational roles. Carey has served on the Board since 2011.

Fairleigh joined the Board in July 2014 after volunteering with Loving Spoonful in other capacities. With a background in Public Health Nursing, Fairleigh has a keen interest in food security and community health. Fairleigh’s previous work also includes the Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Program at Kingston General Hospital and Queen’s University School of Nursing.

Jackie has been a member of the Loving Spoonful Board for 2 years. She became involved in Loving Spoonful as a volunteer doing bread pick up and food Distribution. “ This was a rewarding experience for me personally and a chance for several of the clients I worked with to gain valuable volunteer experience during their recovery.” Jackie also worked in the Cooking Connections Program as a coordinator for 2 years, providing cooking skill development, supporting social inclusion and training in Overcoming Stigma to individuals in recovery. Her interest as a Board Member is to continue to champion food security and equity for individuals struggling to reach their desired potential. 

Rachel is a Health Promotion Specialist and a candidate for a Master's in Public Health at Queen’s University. She has experience in facilitation, health education, program development and program evaluation. Rachel also serves on a variety of local advisory committees regarding the climate crisis and is an advocate for urban agriculture, food sovereignty and environmental stewardship. She loves exploring the Kingston area by bike and has been a Fresh Food Delivery Driver since 2017. Rachel is honoured to continue supporting the mission of Loving Spoonful as a Member at Large.

Cheri was born in Kingston and left the city for six years to work in Hamilton. She transferred back in 2011 with her position as a National Representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. She has volunteered for the past few years with Loving Spoonful with the GROW Project and as a helper with programs in Community Kitchens. Cheri loves being part of an organization that champions the need for food security and better health, and is pleased to taking on a larger role on Loving Spoonful’s Board of Directors.