NSFA Staff

Carolyn Van Den Heuvel grew up on a beef farm in Antigonish, and currently resides in Truro Heights. She graduated from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. Following graduation, she worked on a number of dairy farms before starting her career with the Federation in 2012. Carolyn officially started with the NSFA in 2013; however, she began working in the office in 2012 on a joint project with NSFA and the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.

Good, bad or indifferent, Carolyn has never left the agriculture industry. Growing up on a farm, she always had a passion for agriculture. While studying at the NSAC she knew one thing – she wanted to work in the agriculture industry, at the producer level, in a capacity that helped the industry progress. Carolyn feels that her work at the NSFA does just that and fulfills her desire to support industry in an ever-changing environment. Her favourite part of the job is getting to know our members and gaining a better understanding and appreciation for the agriculture industry as a whole!

Carolyn likes to spend her time outdoors. Although she is not directly involved in farming anymore, that is where her heart lies. She’s quite sure she could be convinced to join anyone during the busy months for a bit of “tractor therapy”.

Janette McDonald is the Director of Programs & Operations at the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture (NSFA). Raised on a dairy farm in rural Nova Scotia, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Agricultural Business, from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Janette has dedicated her career to the agricultural sector, with experience at the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, Agri-Futures Nova Scotia, and the NSFA. Alongside her husband, she co-manages a dairy farm, where they are raising their three daughters. In her role at NSFA, Janette is committed to supporting staff in delivering programs and services to members, embracing the evolving nature of agriculture, and addressing both opportunities and challenges faced by farmers.

John Rix is a public affairs professional from Prince Edward Island moving to Nova Scotia to join the team at NSFA. John has always been passionate about politics, even from a young age, and has keen interest in working with community organizations, businesses, and governments to contribute to ensuring Maritime provinces like Nova Scotia thrive.

After completing his studies in Political Science at the University of Prince Edward Island, John moved to Ottawa to pursue a career in public affairs with hopes that the opportunities for skills development in Canada’s capital would set him up for success in bringing his love for politics, policy, and public affairs back to the Maritimes. While in Ottawa, he also completed his Master of Political Management degree from Carleton University.

John brings a variety of experiences to his role in the NSFA team, including public affairs work for national organizations, government relations consulting for businesses, experience in the federal public service, and time spent as a political staffer. John is looking forward to helping farmers progress and grow their industry.

Shelly MacKenzie lives in Bible Hill with her husband and is a lifelong resident of the Truro area. She has two kids, two beagles and one cat. Shelly attended Success Business College in Truro and graduated as a Legal Secretary. Shelly has been with the NSFA for 11 years after spending 25 years with Pork Nova Scotia. At the Federation, Shelly is responsible for Annual Meeting planning and prep, and overall meeting booking and organization for NSFA. Her favourite thing about her job is the friendly work environment at the Federation!

Tracey Otterson resides in Truro with her husband, and has a grown son and daughter. Tracey found her love for numbers while getting a certificate for another course and has now been with the NSFA team since November of 2019. Tracey is well-suited to this field of work as she is an organizer at heart and likes working with numbers! Her favourite part of her job is reconciliations.

Katherine grew up in the small village of Tatamagouche, on the beautiful North Shore. Rural Nova Scotia has always held a special place in her heart, and she now resides in Wentworth with her husband and daughter. In her spare time she helps out on her in-laws beef farm and grows flowers in a small cut garden.

Katherine graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Public Relations and joined the NSFA team the same year.

April grew up in East Lake Ainslie next door to her grandfather’s mixed-use family farm where they raised some of their own meat, fruit and vegetables. She spent her early childhood planting, weeding, harvesting, and filling the root cellar with turnip, potatoes, carrots and onions. A favorite activity was preserving fruit and vegetables by making jam, jelly, and pickles with her mother and grandmother. As her grandfather aged, he moved on from keeping livestock, but the gardens remained. April is a gardener, weaver, spinner and avid home-chef who lives with her family and their cat on a 1/3rd acre plot with an ever-growing food forest and annual veggie garden. April, her better-half Jon, and their boys, carry on many of the traditions she grew up with through gardening and preserving on their small property in Lantz.

April’s career path includes museums, the tourism sector, and municipal government roles. She also holds a Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism. April has spent years earning and building trust. She has worked with a wide variety of audiences in various sectors to develop relationships and build trust. April is very much looking forward to getting to know our members and working together to raise the profile of agriculture and continue to build trust in our food system.

Carolyn grew up in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, and now lives in Bible Hill with her husband and two boys. Before she joined the NSFA team, she worked as a researcher at Dalhousie University for over a decade. Carolyn studied ecology and botany at Acadia University and the University of British Columbia, and then Dalhousie University where she moved into agriculture.

Carolyn has always been engaged in environmental issues, even since she was a kid. As she got older and learned more about climate change, she realized how important agriculture is to that and other big societal issues like economy and health. Carolyn saw the huge potential that there is in agriculture to make a big impact on climate change. She sees the soil as a big connector to all of these issues and agriculture – she is very passionate about all things soil!

“I’m looking forward to addressing big problems with practical solutions. Adapting to and mitigating climate change doesn’t necessarily require complicated technical solutions.”

Trevor Davison grew up on a mixed commercial farm in Falmouth, N.S. where his family continues to have beef cattle, orchard and field crops. After graduating from the NSAC with a B.Sc. (Agr.) Pest Management, Trevor worked for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Kentville and an agricultural research company before joining the Nova Scotia Environmental Farm Plan Program in 2004. He enjoys being able to talk to farmers across the province and see how they do things on their operations. Though the EFP Program is an educational one, Trevor often feels he learns as much from the farmers as they from him, which he feels makes him a better coordinator. Having grown up on a farm, it becomes a part of who you are, and Trevor wanted to find a way to contribute to the industry.

The bulk of Trevor’s time is dedicated to farm visits and reports, but the EFP Program is also working on a Species at Risk project (through Canadian Wildlife Service) and working with the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association on a habitat and biodiversity project.

Trevor currently resides in Truro, N.S., with his wife Janet and two children Nate & Julia.

Cory Roberts resides in Colchester County with his four children and his dogs Murphy and Miles. In university, Cory studied Environmental Science and now works as a coordinator for the Environmental Farm Plan program. He was drawn to agriculture by his desire to support farmers in growing nutritious food while minimizing environmental impacts. Cory has worked with the Federation for six years and enjoys interacting with farmers, viewing farms as complex biophysical systems, and using data to help improve systems and find efficiencies. Cory is currently working on updating and implementing changes within the EFP Program!

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Jillian has had a deep passion and appreciation for the natural landscape from a young age, exploring the outdoors with family and making memories on her grandfather’s dairy farm. These experiences have inspired her to complete a B.Sc in Agriculture from the NSAC, a diploma in Ecosystem management from Fleming College, ON, and a M.Sc. from Dal-AC.

Jillian has held various roles related to agriculture, environmental conservation, and assessments in the private, provincial, and not-for-profit sectors. As an Environmental Farm Plan Coordinator, Jillian is motivated to better understand farm owners’ environmental challenges to provide support on their farms as they leave a legacy to the next generations.

Outside of work, Jillian enjoys spending her time with her husband and two children on family adventures including camping, exploring beaches, hiking, and help coach her kid’s sports teams.

Alexandre grew up in Brazil and moved to Canada in 2012. He now lives in North River with his family. He studied agricultural ecology, completing both his undergraduate and Masters at Dalhousie University’s Agricultural Campus. Alexandre is currently finishing his PhD at the University of Guelph, where he is studying insect thermal ecology in tropical and temperate forests.

Alexandre has always been passionate about the natural world and was drawn to this field by his desire to use his ecological science skills to support those whose livelihoods depend on healthy ecosystems. He looks forward to serving Nova Scotia’s agricultural community, building meaningful relationships, and continuing to learn about the industry and the people behind it.

Jessica attended Saint Mary’s University and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies in 2021. Growing up on a hobby farm, Jessica was an active participant in 4-H in her younger years and has always been interested in agriculture. This is her first career in the agriculture field, and she’s looking forward to working on the Living Labs project!

Hannah grew up in Halifax, where she currently resides. She earned a BA in Communications & Public Policy, as well as Environment & Society, from St. Thomas University. With a communications-focused background, Hannah discovered her passion for agriculture and food security while working on an educational farm in New Brunswick. She has since deepened her knowledge through work exchanges in New Zealand, where she spent a year travelling and volunteering on various farms across the country.

Currently, Hannah is studying part-time at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Food Systems & Security. Outside of her studies and work, she enjoys camping, hiking, skiing, and spending time outdoors. Hannah looks forward to contributing to the development of resilient, happy, and healthy communities in her home province of Nova Scotia.

Caitlyn grew up in Bass River, NS and was no stranger to working in the strawberry and wild blueberry fields of Colchester County. Rural roots coupled with family ties to fishing, agriculture and forestry has led her to a deep appreciation for the work and struggles of primary/ resource industries.
Caitlyn attended Dalhousie University in Halifax for a B.A., double majoring in Economics and International Development Studies. After her studies, Caitlyn stayed in the city for a few years before spending a 14 month stint in Labrador followed by 5 years in northern Saskatchewan before finally returning home to Nova Scotia in 2021.

From working in isolated areas to being an active member of Search and Rescue and a Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer, Caitlyn has always had a community focus in both her work and volunteer life. She is passionate about people and wants to see everyone be given the opportunity to lead a fulfilling and safe life.

Margaret Ells grew up on a mixed farm in Sheffield Mills, Kings County. She now lives in Truro. Margaret graduated from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. She was self-employed as a caterer and in-home chef while raising her four amazing children. She managed the Truro Farmers’ Market for seven seasons and served as the President of Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia.

Margaret has stayed connected to agriculture in Nova Scotia through her family and friends and her keen interest in promoting local food and the people producing it.  Agriculture was always the main topic of conversation around the dinner table and the many faces of food production, the challenges and the opportunities in our sector continue the discussions. Margaret’s role at the Federation is helping to promote careers in agriculture, arranging training for farms and agricultural businesses and working with young farmers is very fulfilling for her.

Adelaide Amuah is the Farm Safety Coordinator with the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture. Originally from Ghana, West Africa, Adelaide now resides in Halifax with her husband. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany from the University of Ghana, which she completed in 2016. Adelaide’s career began at the Ghana Forestry Commission, where she served as a Forest Range Manager and later as a Field Audit and Verification Officer. Her six years of experience there heightened her awareness of workplace safety, particularly in the forestry sector, sparking her interest in occupational safety.

In 2022, Adelaide moved to Nova Scotia to further her studies in Occupational Health and Safety at the Nova Scotia Community College. “My driving belief is that everyone deserves to go home safe and healthy to their families while making ends meet. This conviction motivates my efforts to promote a positive safety culture in every work environment.”

Adelaide is excited to bring her expertise to NSFA, coordinating safety resources and initiatives that promote best practices for farmers and their employees. “It’s a privilege to help farmers and their employees operate safely and efficiently.”

In her free time, Adelaide enjoys watching suspenseful drama series and caring for her houseplants.

Born and raised in Halifax, Allison carries a deep-rooted connection to her home province and an appreciation for the importance of industry in Nova Scotia. Growing up, she spent considerable time in rural areas, witnessing firsthand the impact of various sectors on the local communities. These early experiences instilled in her a strong appreciation for the vital role these industries play in shaping Nova Scotia’s identity.

Allison’s journey led her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts with Honours degree in Psychology at StFX University, where her passion for promoting mental wellness flourished. Now, she is thrilled to be channeling her knowledge of mental health into her role with NSFA, supporting an industry that is crucial to the province’s growth.

Outside of work, Allison enjoys spending time outdoors, preferably near or on the ocean. Whether in the company of friends or accompanied by her beloved four-legged companions, she cherishes these moments of connection and relaxation.

Colin grew up in the Annapolis Valley and now resides in Dartmouth. He has three children, all of whom married within the past year. He studied at both Saint Mary’s and Acadia Universities where he developed a passion to help other people.

Prior to joining the NSFA team, Colin worked as a Project Coordinator facilitating Fish and Lobster Processing Plants to attain sustainability through recruitment and retention of potential employees. Colin understands the barriers and issues facing industry in rural Nova Scotia and is excited to bring his knowledge and experience to the Agriculture Sector.