Meet Our Board
Board Membership
Food Matters Manitoba is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors which meets regularly to provide direction for the organization. Directors are Members of the Corporation and act on behalf of the Membership between Annual Meetings.
If you are interested in serving on the board, please contact us.
Chris Maxfield, CPA is a Senior Manager with MNP’s Assurance Services team in Winnipeg. Chris has extensive expertise in private company assurance and tax services, as well as accounting and general consulting services for various commercial companies. Chris has worked with, and currently works with various large private groups of companies with complex structures and has over twelve years of public practice experience. Chris is dedicated to providing reliable, high-quality client service and developing long-term, trust-based relationships. Chris is actively involved in the community. He is currently on the Board of Directors with varying finance roles for the Rossbrook House Foundation and Food Matters Manitoba.
Chris Maxfield
Chair
Alison McCullough-Butchart is a lawyer who currently practices with a large international corporation. Alison is from Belfast, Northern Ireland and has lived in Winnipeg for over twenty years. Previously Alison was Chair of the Winnipeg Public Library Board and Co-Chair at Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre. In her spare time she enjoys tennis, horse riding and spending time at her cabin with her family.
Alison McCullough-Butchart
Vice-Chair
Kaylee Michnik is a Registered Dietitian currently working in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority in population public health focusing on health communication, healthy public policy, food systems education, community development, and infant and maternal health. She holds a Masters of Natural Resources Management from the University of Manitoba, a program focused on policy and practice solutions to environmental sustainability.
Her master thesis research focused on community based and participatory approaches to food security, food sovereignty, and sustainable livelihoods in First Nation communities in Manitoba. Kaylee is excited about initiatives that promote environmental and human wellbeing through exploring and appreciating land and food. In her free time, she likes to be an experimental cook and gardener and read everything there is to know about food and nature.
Kaylee Michnik
Member
Tanshi! My name is Mackenzie Kreitz, and I am a Metis teacher working with teachables in Indigenous Studies and French. I receive my Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education at the University of Manitoba. While getting my degrees, I was a member of Land and Water: The Indigenous Land-Based Learning Education Program and of the Indigenous Students Association.
I am working toward completing my post-baccalaurete in Inclusive Education at the University of Manitoba. I have been working with students for 10 years in a variety of settings. Before being a teacher, I worked with student with intellectual, learning and physical disabilities. I use what I have learned from my various educational experiences, whether formal or informal, to apply to my daily teaching practice. I am a proud to be a member of the Food Matters Manitoba Board since 2023. I love being active, getting outside, learning and travelling.
Mackenzie Kreitz
Member
Thea Green joins the board of directors with a desire to learn more about how to improve food security and support Indigenous food sovereignty in Manitoba. She has a background in education, agriculture and archaeology, and is passionate about improving sustainability in food systems. Thea has worked for Keystone Agricultural Producers, the University of Manitoba’s School of Agriculture, and served as a board member for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA.)
Thea Green
Secretary
Initially pursuing a career in astronomy, Rob’s experience of teaching University courses in West Africa for 2 years led to a shift in attention from the mysteries of the universe to trying to understand the processes of economic development and social change.
For the past 3 decades Rob has been involve in community economic and social development work, mostly in First Nations communities in Manitoba and Northwester Ontario. In this work, he draws on group process practices and the participatory learning methods associated with the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. Some of his most challenging and rewarding work has been in engaging communities to address difficult social problems, including violence, substance abuse and youth suicide, often using music and creativity as tools for healing and wellness.
Rob is passionate about gardening (which is also about caring for the soil) and photography, and is learning how to play jazz guitar.
Rob Millar
member
Grace currently works as Program Coordinator at Harvest Manitoba, where she coordinates a weekend meal program that ensures children in Winnipeg, Brandon, and OCN have access to nutritious food on days when in-school meal programs are unavailable. Her work is guided by a strong commitment to food security, youth empowerment, and sustainable practices that strengthen communities across the province.
Grace holds an advanced degree in Sociology and Human Geography from the University of Manitoba, and her academic background informs her thoughtful, community-centered approach to nonprofit work. Through her professional experience, she brings a practical understanding of program delivery, collaboration, and long-term impact to her role on the board.
Grace Hodge
Member
Paul Labun grew up in downtown Winnipeg and now works for an environmental group on community outreach and partnerships in Manitoba, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. He served as an advisor to the Manitoba government and Manitoba Hydro for over a decade. He also directed development projects in post-conflict Bosnia.
In his youth, he spent many summers guiding wilderness canoe trips in Northern Ontario. Paul holds a BA from University of Winnipeg and a Master’s degree in Canadian history from Queen’s University.