Janelle Carlin

Director, Quality & Processing at Pulse Canada

Janelle Courcelles is Pulse Canada’s Director of Quality & Processing. Her role involves supporting growth in the pulse ingredient processing sector through engagement with pulse flour millers and fractionators. In addition to providing marketing and technical support to processors, she also facilitates research partnerships to further the development of the pulse processing sector. Janelle received her MSc from the University of Manitoba focusing on the effects of genotype and environment on the milling and end-use quality of Canadian wheat. Prior to joining Pulse Canada, she worked in both sales and technical support of analytical equipment related to food processing.

Julie Mann

Founder, Appropriately Rogue Consulting LLC

Julie is a passionate and connected food science/research and development consultant, focused in plant-based ingredients, finished products, and education. She was previously was the Chief Innovation Officer at PURIS Holdings, LLC. Her responsibilities included managing the R&D innovation process, while developing and executing new technologies in finished food and beverage products. Julie was also responsible for identifying new business opportunities and innovation strategies in the growing market of plant-based foods. The integration of this role enabled new capabilities, new architectures with partners, new business models and unconventional industry structures to educate and serve those opportunities-all while driving the growth of the plant-based arena. Previously, Julie led Ingredion’s global plant protein strategy and innovation program. This role was essential to Ingredion’s future growth in plant protein and pulse-based ingredients. Mann was tasked with identifying, building, and maintaining strategic relationships with partners and customers in the global plant protein landscape and driving internal go-to-market and technical teams to achieve global leadership and breakthrough innovation in plant protein. Before taking the position at Ingredion, Mann spent 20 years at the Hershey Company. Her most recent role there was as senior manager of protein research and technology in the snacks division. She holds five U.S. patents. In addition, she holds the following board positions: Institute of Food Technologists BOD (2022-2026), International Pulse Ingredient Consortium leader, The Good Food Institute Scientific Advisory Board, and Naturally Network Minnesota. All of the board positions drive strategy, direction and influence in the critical and emerging topics in food science, nutrition, plant based alternatives and sustainability arenas. Julie has a master’s degree in food science and nutrition from Penn State and Drexel University.

Janitha Wanasundara

Senior Research Scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Janitha Wanasundara is a senior research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Her research program is in protein chemistry and bioproducts focusing on oilseeds and pulses produced in Canadian prairies. In her field of expertise, Janitha has published over ninety peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters on proteins and bioactive compounds particularly from plant sources. She is an adjunct professor of the University of Saskatchewan and contributes to graduate student training. She is the co-editor of the Sustainable Protein Sources book which is currently going through it’s second edition. Janitha is a fellow of American Oil Chemists’ Society.

Lamia L'Hocine

Research Scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Lamia L'Hocine is a research scientist at the Saint-Hyacinthe Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Quebec) since 2008. Her research activities focus on plant proteins (from oilseeds, legumes and cereals), their extraction, characterization and the evaluation of the impact of processing on their molecular, nutritional, functional and allergenic properties using in vitro and cellular models. Her research aims to promote alternative and sustainable sources of proteins by demonstrating their health benefits, and by developing new added value and functional protein ingredients. Her education includes a Bachelor in Food Science from the National Institute of Agronomy (Algiers, Algeria), a Masters and Ph.D in Food Science and Technology from Jiangnan University (Wuxi, China). She also completed five years of postdoctoral training; two at McGill University (Montreal, Quebec), and three years as an NSERC postdoctoral fellow at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec).

Yongfeng Ai

Associate Professor at University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Yongfeng Ai is an Associate Professor and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Endowed Research Chair in Carbohydrate Quality and Utilization in the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. The primary goal of his Carbohydrate Chemistry and Utilization Program is to promote value-added utilization of carbohydrates in foods, feeds and bioproducts. His research areas include carbohydrate chemistry and nutrition, value-added processing of cereals and pulses, and biomaterials.

Phyllis Shand

Emeritus Professor at University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Phyllis Shand is now Professor Emeritus of food and meat science in the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, having worked there for over thirty years. She was raised on a small farm in Manitoba. Her undergraduate studies were at the University of Manitoba followed by a Master of Science from the University of Alberta, and a Ph.D. in Meat Science from Colorado State University. Dr. Shand’s research interests are in the areas of meat protein functionality and gelation, meat quality and tenderness and ingredient interactions in processed meats. She’s been working on functionality of pulse ingredients in meat processing for almost twenty years. Her current research focuses on: 1) development of hybrid meat and pulse dried meat snacks, 2) reducing fat content and changing fatty acid profiles in processed meats through the use of pulse protein-stabilized emulsions and 3) developing a standardized lexicon for sensory evaluation of pulses and pulse-derived ingredients. She has been a supervisor or co-supervisor of 24 graduate students (9 Ph.D. and 15 M.Sc. students) and currently supervises or co-supervises 2 M.Sc. students and 1 Ph.D. student. Phyllis has been active in outreach and extension to the food industry through her participation in short-courses, trouble-shooting and product development. She is the former chair of the Canadian Expert Committee on Meat and Meat Products. Currently, she serves on the board of directors of the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre. Her other interests include “world cuisine” and traveling (~30 countries to-date).