Food Protection Trends - March/April 2021 - 249

BEYOND the BIO

" It was hard to leave a good job with
benefits but I had a lot of support, " Nadia
said. " My husband actually thought of the
name and continued to push me to take
the leap. So many others from the industry
supported my decision which made it easier. "
Focused on auditing, training and
consulting those in the food safety industry,
Nadia is a one-woman shop offering
numerous webinars and virtual and in person
training opportunities, as well as support
third-party audits and implementation. In
addition, Nadia serves as a part-time professor
at Centennial College teaching industryapproved courses such as SQF and BRCGS.
" I'd been out into the workforce long
enough to realize there was a gap in what
employers were looking for and what
post-secondary schools were offering, "
Nadia said. " These types of courses help
give students the knowledge employers
are looking for and allows the student to
have credentials that build their resume,
and more importantly the competencies to
perform key roles in the industry. "
Given it would seem she'd be extraordinarily busy juggling a successful business and
teaching responsibilities, Nadia has found
the work-life balance she sought. She enjoys
a few of her own hobbies and greatly loves
spending time with her family.
" Prior to the pandemic, our family was
big into travel, " Nadia said. " We feel it's
important to expose our children to as many
different places as possible and their unique
cultures, when the kids were on breaks from
school we took advantage of the time. "
The latest trips for the family included
Barbados and the Maritimes in Canada.
Although the global pandemic has put a
damper on their travel plans, Nadia and her

family have found new ways to relax. Nadia
enjoys yoga and has taken up a new hobby
of going for walks. She also continues
to grow her collection of Titanic-related
memorabilia and documentaries.
" I have several magazines, old VHS tapes,
DVDs, books, posters, towels, coasters,
anything I can get my hands on, " she says of
her Titanic collection. " I find it fascinating
that we put so much faith into this ship and
there were so many famous people onboard
and it was all a loss. "
The pandemic, which halted travel for
Nadia and her family, has also created
challenges for her company. Where in-person
training, certifications and audits once were
the norm, Nadia has quickly found ways to

adapt and offer virtual options for training, as
well as hybrid consulting services.
" We moved all of our offerings to virtual
options which actually opened them up
to industry professionals from all over the
world, " Nadia said. " We had done virtual
training in the past, but it was minimal.
With this new norm, it's fun to see others
from different countries sharing best
practices and learning from one another. "
Nadia says she plans to continue offering a
mix of virtual and in-person options following
the pandemic to allow for that continued
collaboration. Until then, she'll continue to
enjoy time at home with her family until they
can safely resume travels, and she can get back
to visiting with clients in person abroad.

Q: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?

A: Seafood!
Q: WHAT FOOD DO YOU AVOID?

A: Sushi, unless it's cooked. But is that really sushi? I also avoid four-legged
animals as a health choice.
Q: FAVORITE FOOD SAFETY TIP?

A: Records are for the reader and not the writer. In our industry, this is key
and I always share this valuable point when I train and consult. A phrase I
stole from one of my mentors, role model and friend, Gordon Hayburn.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS?

A: Be open to all opportunities in your career path and entertain them.
You never know where they may take you.
Q: FAVORITE TITANIC ITEM IN YOUR COLLECTION?

A: A piece of coal from the ship. I also have postcards that have copies of
the messages that were sent between the ship and others as it was sinking.
I have them framed and just think they are really cool.
March/April Food Protection Trends

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Food Protection Trends - March/April 2021

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