Nadine grew up in the Creston Valley on her family’s organic dairy farm, Kootenay Meadows. Nadine continued to be involved in the farm operation during university studies at UBC in Vancouver.
After several years in the NGO sector, Nadine followed her heart back to the Kootenays. She worked closely with her family to grow Kootenay Alpine Cheese Company and develop Kootenay Meadows glass bottled milk. Nadine focused on the processing and business side of the operation, especially product development, regulatory compliance, marketing and sales.
Nadine’s work at Kootenay Meadows led her to a role as the coordinator of the True Local Program at the Kootenay Co-op in Nelson. At the Co-op Nadine had the pleasure of partnering with over 150 True Local Suppliers who are located within 160 kms of Nelson. She served as a liaison and advocate for suppliers, helped on-board new vendors, drew upon her industry experience to support suppliers with everything from packaging to certification, coordinated sales and marketing initiatives, and engaged in community education to enhance the market for local food.
Nadine currently works as a K-12 teacher for School Districts 8 and 20 and as an Environmental Educator for CBEEN’s Wild Voices for Kids Program. She enjoys bringing students to local farms to investigate the intersection of agriculture and the environment and is passionate about sharing her love of food with people of all ages. Nadine is convinced that food is an empowering and effective tool that we have to create change
Nadine enjoys time with her husband and her two young children, rock climbing, mountain biking, and skiing. She feels immense love and gratitude for her home region, the farmers and makers who feed her family, and mountains that ground her.
Sectors: Education
Location: Nelson