- Keynote: Agri-Food Systems Transformation to Address Food Insecurity and Nutrition in Africa
- The Role of the Diaspora: Mobilizing Expertise and Resources for African Progress
- Changemakers in Action: Innovating for Africa’s Sustainable Future
- Building the Future Together: Stories of Cross-Sector Collaboration for Development
- Agri-Innovation Lab:The Green Leap - Pioneering Africa’s Agricultural Transformation
- The Health-Climate Nexus: Tackling Public Health Challenges in a Changing World
- Leadership in Motion: Building Inclusive Policies for Sustainable Development
- Plenary: Disrupting Norms Through Creativity
Agri-Food Systems Transformation to Address Food Insecurity and Nutrition in Africa.
Anna Lartey
Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana
Anna Lartey is a nutritionist with a career spanning academia, international organizations, and research. She is currently an adjunct Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana.
Anna served as the Director of Nutrition at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy (2013-2020) where she spearheaded FAO's work on Food Systems for Nutrition. Prior to this, she dedicated nearly 30 years to the University of Ghana as a Professor of Nutrition, focusing her research on maternal and child nutrition.
Her other roles included holding the International Development Research Center (IDRC, Canada) Research Chair in Nutrition for Health and Socioeconomic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (2009-2014). She served as President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS, 2013-2017).
She has received numerous awards, including: the University of Ghana's "Best Researcher Award" (2004), the Sight and Life Nutrition Leadership Award (2014), the African Nutrition Society Award for Distinguished Services to Nutrition (2014), Doctor of Science degree, honoris causa, from McGill University, Canada (2018), the IUNS Lifetime Achievement Award (2022), The African Nutrition Society's Nevin Scrimshaw Award (2024)
Anna has authored over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
She holds a doctoral degree from the University of California, Davis, USA where she was a Fulbright student, a Master's degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Guelph, Canada, and a BSc in Nutrition-Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa, Canada.
Anna continues to contribute to the field of nutrition through her involvement in various international and national boards, including the Micronutrient Forum (MNF), where she chairs the 2026 MNF Global Conference Committee.
The Role of the Diaspora: Mobilizing Expertise and Resources for African Progress
Hawa Keita
Lead Concordia Africa Initiative
Hawa leads the Concordia Africa Initiative, nurturing projects that bridge youth entrepreneurship and employment opportunities between Concordia University, a Canadian university, and stakeholders across Africa. As former Executive Director of CEED, an international organization dedicated to youth skills development, she has strong experience in sustainable development in West and East Africa. Recognized among Canada’s top 30 sustainability leaders under 30 in 2021 and among Africa’s top 35 women under 35 in entrepreneurship and innovation in 2024, Hawa is committed to empowering youth and women through education and entrepreneurial growth. Born in Senegal and living in Canada, she is dedicated to creating international bridges for social good. She holds an MBA from McGill University and a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University. Passionate about arts, she enjoys painting in her free time.
Tiffany Callender
Co-Founder Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE)
Tiffany Callender is a dedicated advocate for the advancement and prosperity of the Black community in Canada. She co-founded the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE) in 2021, a non-profit organization primarily focused on accelerating the creation of generational wealth for individuals of African descent in Canada.
One of Ms. Callender’s remarkable initiatives is the co-development and administration of the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund, a significant collaboration with the government of Canada. This fund provides financial support and resources to Black entrepreneurs, fostering economic growth and empowerment within the community.
Tiffany Callender's commitment to community development and social entrepreneurship spans decades. She has actively crafted and implemented programs that uplift and support Canada's Black community.
Her dedication to driving positive change has not gone unnoticed. In 2022, she was recognized for her accomplishments by receiving the Ones to Watch award at the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. Additionally, her influence and impact have been acknowledged by Afroglobal television, where she secured a spot among the 100 most influential Black Canadians. In 2020, she was honoured by MIPAD (Most Influential People of African Descent) as one of the 100 most influential individuals of African descent under 40. She is also a member of the Forbes Business Council.
Tiffany's work exemplifies her passion for driving change, creating opportunities, and contributing to the prosperity of the Black community in Canada through initiatives that promote economic growth and empowerment.
Dwight Best
Co-Founder of the African and Caribbean Synergic interorganizational Network of Canada (ACSioN Canada)
Dwight Best is a founding member of the African and Caribbean Synergic interorganizational Network of Canada (ACSioN Canada), a nonprofit social enterprise that incubates and amplifies the entrepreneurial leadership potential of Afro-descendent students and young professionals. Passionate about leadership development and economic empowerment throughout the African diaspora from an early age, Dwight further expanded his cultural competence through studies in Political Science and Modern Chinese Language & Culture at Concordia University and Université de Montréal.
With ACSioN's vibrant, grassroots community as a constant inspiration, Dwight has built and mentored teams of outstanding Afro-descendent rising leaders and change-makers for over 19 years. Most recently recognized in 2024 with the Urban Economy Award by Youthful Cities and Tamarack Institute, Dwight's professional experience also spans 10 years in the Canadian financial services & wealth management sectors – most notably as an investment advisor and consultant to fintech start-ups. Dwight leverages his broad expertise in finance, technology, and social capital formation to help communities and organizations develop effective, authentic responses to human sustainability challenges.
Changemakers in Action: Innovating for Africa’s Sustainable Future
Edwin Aluku
Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of British Columbia
Founder of EcoRice Ghana
Edwin is a goal-driven young man who completed his undergraduate degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with first-class honours. He was then selected to serve as a Teaching Assistant for his Department, Land Economy.
He is currently a Mastercard Scholar at the University of British Columbia where he is studying the Master of International Forestry. He has a keen interest in Critical Social and Global Issues related to Forest management and their impact on Climate Change.
His venture, EcoRice Ghana, was among the top three businesses to be awarded the Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund (SEF). EcoRice Ghana seeks to address reduced farmers' income post-harvest losses and by creating a sustainable rice value chain with processing facilities to empower local rice farmers.
In the short term, Edwin aspires to be a Forest Consultant and envisions himself to become a Seasoned Sustainability Consultant.
Ibrahim Kasujja
Mastercard Foundation Scholar Alumnus, McGill University
Clinical Nutritionist and a Food Technologist
Chief Executive Officer of Composite NutriFlour Millers (U) Limited, Director of Nurture Posterity International
Ibrahim Kasujja is a Clinical Nutritionist and a Food Technologist, working towards making the global food system more sustainable, inclusive, equitable and regenerative; and actively affiliated with the Chicago-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).
Ibrahim pursued a Bachelor’s degree (Human Nutrition) under the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Scheme (Uganda); and a Master’s degree (Human Nutrition) under the 2020 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at McGill University (Canada), in which he developed the Day Scholars Food Insecurity Experience Scale (DSFIES), a food security measure for evaluating school feeding programs, based on children’s self-reports of food insecurity, in Africa.
Awarded the 2023 King’s Africa PGR Scholarship, Ibrahim is a PhD candidate at King’s College London (UK), who is investigating the complex bi-directional link between food insecurity and mental health among children in Uganda.
He is the Director of Nurture Posterity International, a social impact enterprise which trains pumpkin and maize smallholder farmers on regenerative agriculture in Uganda; and the Chief Executive Officer of Composite NutriFlour Millers (U) Limited, a private milling company which produces safe, nutritious and affordable NutriPosh flours for feeding children in Ugandan schools.
Ibrahim was a “Seeding The Future” keynote speaker at the 2024 IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo (in Chicago, USA), demonstrating his NutriPosh approach, as a good example which encompasses the intersection of nutrition, sustainability and consumer acceptance. He was a delegate and a panellist at the 2024 Global Bioeconomy Summit (in Nairobi, Kenya), representing his organization which strives to create work opportunities for youth and women, across an environmentally sustainable value chain.
Building the Future Together: Stories of Cross-Sector Collaboration for Development
Sabaa Quao
Founder and President of PlusCo Venture Studio
Co-Founder of Wealthie.Works
Sabaa Quao is the founding president of PlusCo Venture Studio, the corporate venture and innovation arm that launched from Cossette, Canada's largest marketing and advertising agency. He is also the co-founder of Wealthie.Works, a fintech company dedicated to building financial security and long term investment accounts for kids and young families.
As a career entrepreneur, business strategist, and a digital media veteran, Sabaa has built and grown several platforms and companies across content, tech, and culture spaces. Sabaa believes that the "innovation" mandate is as urgent today as it was for companies and professionals who faced the start of the digital era 25 years ago.
Passionate about creativity and international business, Sabaa has led and worked with marketing and technology teams in over a dozen countries, which has enriched his perspective and approach. He is a frequent keynote speaker and an industry advisor to business and creative schools, specializing in creativity, entrepreneurship, and business model innovation.
Sabaa has led, co-chaired, and been a member of over 20 national and international marketing and short film juries. For Canada, Sabaa sits on the Cannes Lions Advisory Board and is the current Digital Young Lions co-chair. Sabaa holds degrees in Marketing (Concordia), Communication and Design (OCADU), and an MBA (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto).
Martin Webber
Executive Vice President Emeritus and Board Member, J.E. Austin Associates, Inc. (JAA)
Agribusiness and Economic Growth Expert
Martin Webber is a global leader in developing and applying competitiveness, value chain, enterprise development, and other approaches to the needs of agricultural, service and manufacturing market systems and value chains in developing and emerging economies.
Mr. Webber has worked in more than 75 countries, leading insightful analysis, program design and implementation. He has supervised and implemented hundreds of assignments, ensuring transfer of skills and knowledge, impactful deliverables, and close communication with clients. He led JAA’s agribusiness and market systems, decentralized economic development, value chain competitiveness and entrepreneurship & ecosystems practices. Martin has advised national competitiveness initiatives in 12 countries. He has served as strategy consultant and technical advisor to more than 35 agribusiness and other clusters and 50 value chain initiatives. He has developed numerous analytical tools and implementation approaches that are now widely used by practitioners and advisors. Martin has lived in West and East Africa, and has worked in more than 28 African countries.
For 25 years, Martin Webber was co-owner of J.E. Austin Associates, a Washington DC-based consultancy that catalyzes economic growth in developing and emerging economies through responsible and competitive business performance. After a rewarding career with JAA, Martin now serves as the company’s Emeritus EVP, advising and guiding company initiatives and personnel. He also serves on several Boards. He previously held senior positions with consulting firms operating in the fields of transport infrastructure, water and environment.
A graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Management and the Harvard Business School, Mr. Webber is from Montreal, where he maintains strong ties. He was co-awarded the “Making a Difference Award” by the alumni of Harvard Business School.
Martin is a frequent speaker, lecturer and mentor, and has authored several articles and co-authored two books.
Pierre Brunache Jr.
Director of the Secretariat to the Nutrition and Sustainable Agri-food Collaborative
McGill University
Pierre Brunache, Jr. is an international development specialist with 15 years of experience focusing on agri-food systems in more than 20 sub-Saharan African countries. His expertise includes developing partnerships between the public and private sectors to drive investments, managing food systems, promoting youth entrepreneurship, advising farmer cooperatives, Ministers of Trade and Agriculture, and executives at the African Development Bank. Pierre lived in Ghana, South Africa, and Cote d’Ivoire for more than a decade
He has held senior management positions in both private and not-for-profit sectors, leading high-performance teams and contributing to policy initiatives and trade financing aimed at improving food security and economic growth in the region. Mr. Brunache recently joined McGill University as Director of the Secretariat to the Nutrition and Sustainable Agri-food Collaborative in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
Agri-Innovation Lab: The Green Leap - Pioneering Africa’s Agricultural Transformation
Anna Lartey
Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana
Anna Lartey is a nutritionist with a career spanning academia, international organizations, and research. She is currently an adjunct Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana.
Anna served as the Director of Nutrition at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy (2013-2020) where she spearheaded FAO's work on Food Systems for Nutrition. Prior to this, she dedicated nearly 30 years to the University of Ghana as a Professor of Nutrition, focusing her research on maternal and child nutrition.
Her other roles included holding the International Development Research Center (IDRC, Canada) Research Chair in Nutrition for Health and Socioeconomic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (2009-2014). She served as President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS, 2013-2017).
She has received numerous awards, including: the University of Ghana's "Best Researcher Award" (2004), the Sight and Life Nutrition Leadership Award (2014), the African Nutrition Society Award for Distinguished Services to Nutrition (2014), Doctor of Science degree, honoris causa, from McGill University, Canada (2018), the IUNS Lifetime Achievement Award (2022), The African Nutrition Society's Nevin Scrimshaw Award (2024)
Anna has authored over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
She holds a doctoral degree from the University of California, Davis, USA where she was a Fulbright student, a Master's degree in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Guelph, Canada, and a BSc in Nutrition-Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa, Canada.
Anna continues to contribute to the field of nutrition through her involvement in various international and national boards, including the Micronutrient Forum (MNF), where she chairs the 2026 MNF Global Conference Committee.
André Diatta
Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Graduate Coordinator of the Master's in Prevention and Management of Food Security Risks in Africa (PGRSA) at Gaston Berger University in Senegal
Research Affiliate in Agroforestry and Agronomy at the Ecological Monitoring Centre (CSE, Senegal)
André Diatta is an advocate for international development, focusing on sustainable strategies to improve global food systems’ productivity, profitability, and resilience while uplifting local communities. As an Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Graduate Coordinator of the Master in Prevention and Management of Food Security Risks in Africa (PGRSA) at Gaston Berger University in Senegal, Dr. Diatta collaborates with agriculture and nutrition organizations to address hunger, reduce poverty, and drive sustainable development across Africa. He has coordinated several national and regional projects aimed at enhancing food security and agricultural sustainability.
Dr. Diatta is also a Research Affiliate in Agroforestry and Agronomy at the Ecological Monitoring Centre (CSE, Senegal) and has previously served as Team Leader for the Joint International Research Project (JIRP) at the Center of Rural Development of Humboldt-University of Berlin (Germany). He also served as a visiting scholar at the Margaret A. Gilliam Institute for Global Food Security at McGill University. Additionally, he holds editorial responsibilities as an Associate Editor for Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems. With a PhD and MSc in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences from Virginia Tech (USA) and an MSc in Agroforestry from Assane Seck University of Ziguinchor (Senegal), his work embodies a commitment to fostering sustainable pathways for Africa’s development.
Valérie Orsat
Professor of Bioresource Engineering at McGill University
Acting Dean for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Valérie Orsat is a James McGill Professor of Bioresource Engineering at McGill University and currently Acting Dean for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She is an expert in global food security and food safety challenges. Her research explores the development of processing methods for enhanced and sustainable production, extraction and drying for functional foods and functional polymers of highest quality. Prior to joining McGill as a faculty member, Valérie coordinated the training activities of international developmental projects in post-harvest engineering. To date, she has graduated 25 MSc and 26 PhD students that have significantly contributed to research innovation and have supported a research productivity of more than 210 refereed publications
The Health-Climate Nexus: Tackling Public Health Challenges in a Changing World
Charles Larson
Adjunct Professor, Department of Global and Public Heath
School of Population and Global Health
Dr. Larson completed his medical degree and subsequent specializations in Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine & Public Health at McGill University. His global health career began in 1987 when he joined the McGill-Ethiopia Strengthening Community Health Project, which he directed from 1989 to 1992. Dr. Larson then returned to McGill as an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health (EBOH). He also headed the McGill Global Health Office within the Faculty of Medicine and led a five year McGill population child health project in Chelyabinsk Russia. In 2002 Dr. Larson moved to Bangladesh where, on secondment from McGill, he directed the Health Systems and Infectious Diseases Division at the International Centre for Diarrheal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). In 2008 Dr. Larson returned to Canada, joining the Department of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia as Professor and Director of the UBC-BC Children's International Centre for Child Health. He subsequently returned to McGill in 2015, joining the new School of Population and Global Health. There he led the establishment of the Department of Global and Public Health and Directed McGill’s Global Health Programs from 2019 to 2023. He is currently an adjunct professor in the School.
Jemila Abdulai
Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Toronto
Master's of Biomedical Engineering Candidate
Jemila Abdulai is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Toronto pursuing a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering. Throughout her academic and professional journey, she has always been passionate about the safety of medical devices, making sure medical devices are compliant with regulatory requirements. This led to her gaining experience in medical device compliance, including research on regulatory pathways and supporting compliance efforts for health technologies across multiple regions. As a researcher at Reach Alliance, she focuses on digital mental health solutions for treating PTSD in refugee populations, exploring the interaction of technology, healthcare, and accessibility to bridge gaps in care through innovative and sustainable solutions. She has collaborated with global teams to develop innovative solutions that enhance healthcare equity. Her work as a biomedical engineer aims to drive meaningful change in underserved communities through sustainable and impactful innovations.
Leadership in Motion: Building Inclusive Policies for Sustainable Development
Jennifer Welsh
Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy
Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGill University
Jennifer M. Welsh is the Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGill University, and the Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy. She was previously Chair in International Relations at the European University Institute and Professor in International Relations at the University of Oxford, where she co-founded the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict. From 2013-2016, she served as Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, on the Responsibility to Protect. She currently sits as a member of the IDP Protection Expert Group, based in UNHCR.
Jennifer’s research has focused on contemporary challenges in global governance, conflict management, and Canadian foreign policy, including humanitarian action, collective responses to genocide and war crimes, the protection of civilians in armed conflict, and forced displacement. Her most recent academic publications include The Individualization of War: Rights, Liability and Accountability in Armed Conflict (Oxford University Press, 2023) and Civilian Protective Agency in Violent Settings (Oxford University Press, 2023). While at McGill, Jennifer has led several collaborative research projects with Canadian and international scholars, built a vibrant community of faculty and students interested in global affairs and Canada’s role in the world, and co-directed a Canada-wide research network on Women, Peace, and Security. She has frequently provided input into policy initiatives for the Canadian government and the United Nations, as well as for international NGOs. She is also a leading public intellectual in Canada, through her CBC Massey Lectures (published as The Return of History: Conflict, Migration and Geopolitics in the 21st Century), her op-ed writing for Canadian newspapers, and her role as co-host of the bilingual podcast, Tour de Table. Her research and policy engagement have been recognized through her election as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and as International Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Jennifer has a BA from the University of Saskatchewan in Political Science, and a M.Phil. and D.Phil. from the University of Oxford, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar.
Martin Webber
Executive Vice President Emeritus and Board Member, J.E. Austin Associates, Inc. (JAA)
Agribusiness and Economic Growth Expert
Martin Webber is a global leader in developing and applying competitiveness, value chain, enterprise development, and other approaches to the needs of agricultural, service and manufacturing market systems and value chains in developing and emerging economies.
Mr. Webber has worked in more than 75 countries, leading insightful analysis, program design and implementation. He has supervised and implemented hundreds of assignments, ensuring transfer of skills and knowledge, impactful deliverables, and close communication with clients. He led JAA’s agribusiness and market systems, decentralized economic development, value chain competitiveness and entrepreneurship & ecosystems practices. Martin has advised national competitiveness initiatives in 12 countries. He has served as strategy consultant and technical advisor to more than 35 agribusiness and other clusters and 50 value chain initiatives. He has developed numerous analytical tools and implementation approaches that are now widely used by practitioners and advisors.
For 25 years, Martin Webber was co-owner of J.E. Austin Associates, a Washington DC-based consultancy that catalyzes economic growth in developing and emerging economies through responsible and competitive business performance. After a rewarding career with JAA, Martin now serves as the company’s Emeritus EVP, advising and guiding company initiatives and personnel. He also serves on several Boards. He previously held senior positions with consulting firms operating in the fields of transport infrastructure, water and environment.
A graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Management and the Harvard Business School, Mr. Webber is from Montreal, where he maintains strong ties. He was co-awarded the “Making a Difference Award” by the alumni of Harvard Business School.
Martin is a frequent speaker, lecturer and mentor, and has authored several articles and co-authored two books.
Disrupting Norms Through Creativity
Sabaa Quao
Founder and President of PlusCo Venture Studio
Co-Founder of Wealthie.Works
Sabaa Quao is the founding president of PlusCo Venture Studio, the corporate venture and innovation arm that launched from Cossette, Canada's largest marketing and advertising agency. He is also the co-founder of Wealthie.Works, a fintech company dedicated to building financial security and long term investment accounts for kids and young families.
As a career entrepreneur, business strategist, and a digital media veteran, Sabaa has built and grown several platforms and companies across content, tech, and culture spaces. Sabaa believes that the "innovation" mandate is as urgent today as it was for companies and professionals who faced the start of the digital era 25 years ago.
Passionate about creativity and international business, Sabaa has led and worked with marketing and technology teams in over a dozen countries, which has enriched his perspective and approach. He is a frequent keynote speaker and an industry advisor to business and creative schools, specializing in creativity, entrepreneurship, and business model innovation.
Sabaa has led, co-chaired, and been a member of over 20 national and international marketing and short film juries. For Canada, Sabaa sits on the Cannes Lions Advisory Board and is the current Digital Young Lions co-chair. Sabaa holds degrees in Marketing (Concordia), Communication and Design (OCADU), and an MBA (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto).