Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems Panel -12pm EST (Virtual)

Anan Xola Lololi is a Food Sovereignty & Food Justice advocate, musician, and vegan (44 years). Anan is one of the founders of the Afri-Can FoodBasket (AFB) a non-profit Food Justice & Food Sovereignty organization that began in 1995 in Toronto. He has been the executive director of AFB for 26 years promoting Community Food Security, Food Sovereignty, and Food Justice in Toronto, North America, and the Caribbean. Anan has a master’s degree in environmental studies from York University with a focus on Community Food Security and a diploma in Business Administration from Centennial College. Anan is presently a Research Associate Fellow @ Ryerson University & Chair of the Black Food Sovereignty Toronto Working Group. His passion is working in low-income communities to help create food secure communities.

Anan Loli

Food Sovereignty & Food Justice Advocate

Sarah Dent

Executive Director and Co-Founder of Young Agrarians

Sara Dent of Young Agrarians, which hosts farm tours, potlucks, workshops and a website with networking tools like connecting retiring farmers with land to young farmers seeking it. (photo from Sara Dent) Whether it’s visiting a farmers market, signing up for a CSA (community-supported agriculture) box or just paying attention to where the produce in the grocery store was grown, local and sustainable eating has been in the zeitgeist for nearly a decade and it shows no signs of flagging. For many North Americans, food has proven an accessible entry point into issues of consumption,

Joshua Smee

Chief Executive Officer of Food First NL

Joshua Smee is a passionate community-builder basd in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where he works to make the city and the province a greener, more connected, more compassionate place. He is the CEO of Food First Newfoundland and Labrador, a provincial nonprofit organization that collaborates with communities and organizations across Newfoundland and Labrador to advance food security in the province A familiar face in Newfoundland and Labrador, Josh is a community developer with experience in a wide range of nonprofits and social enterprises. He has worked on provincial projects for organizations such as the Community Sector Council NL and Choices for Youth and taken leadership roles on community initiatives such as the St. John’s Farmers’ Market Cooperative, Happy City St. John's, the Tuckamore Festival, and more.

Tracey Robertson

Innovation Lead, Partnership Investments at Ontario Trillium Foundation

Tracey Robertson is a dedicated advocate for social change and a leader in unlocking and mobilizing capital for good. As a systems thinker and natural connector, she builds networks and collaborates across sectors to drive transformational change and impact. With over 35 years of experience in strategic philanthropy, community development, higher education, and the social impact sector, Tracey is a firm believer that innovative solutions emerge when diverse perspectives and experiences converge. She champions the importance of catalyzing various forms of capital, addressing inequities, embracing emergence and failure, and nurturing relationships as essential elements of transformation. For the past 15 years, Tracey has concentrated her efforts on investing in and fostering social change at grassroots, community, and systemic levels. Notably, she has successfully mobilized and leveraged over $100 million in new investments to catalyze and advance community-driven social finance in Canada. Tracey has also provided advice and coaching to philanthropists, high-net-worth individuals, and more than 300 nonprofit leaders, helping them enhance their community impact. Tracey holds a Master of Social Work in Community Development and Social Policy, as well as a Master’s Diploma in Social Innovation from the Waterloo Institute for Social Innovation and Resilience. Tracey is currently the Lead for Partnership Investments, at the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

SFWF - Systemic Investing Virtual Fireside at 7pm EST

Ilse Treurnicht

Managing Partner at Twin River Capital

Ilse Treurnicht’s career spans research and commercialization, venture and impact investing, public policy, and the development of health and cleantech firms. She is managing partner of TwinRiver Capital (an impact investment firm), a general partner at North South Ventures (a health impact fund), chair of the Board of the Public Policy Forum, and a director of the Equality Fund and Zentek. Ilse was CEO of MaRS Discovery District in Toronto from 2005-2017 as it developed from a nascent organization into a leading urban innovation hub. She joined MaRS from her role as CEO of Primaxis Technology Ventures, a seed stage venture capital firm (1999-2005). She was chair of the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance (2010). She served on the Government of Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation Council (2014-2016), Canada’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth (2016-2019), and the Advisory Committee on Open Banking (2018-2021). She currently serves on the Council of Expert Advisors, Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences. She has been a board member and advisor to technology firms, universities, non-profits, and international organizations.