Ministerial Advisory Board – member biographies

Nancy Croitoru, Chair
Alastair Cribb
JoAnne L. Buth
Dr. David Chalack D.V.M.
Keith Mussar
Suzanne T. Roy
Ruth Salmon
Charles Murphy

Nancy Croitoru

Ms. Croitoru currently chairs the Ministerial Advisory Board for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and is a Director of 3|Sixty Secure Corporation, a publicly traded company. She is also the Founder, President, and Director of the Desmoid Tumour Foundation of Canada, and has held previous director positions at Guelph University and Ontario Telemedicine. Ms. Croitoru was also a previous co-chair of the Consumer Goods Forum Global Liaison Group.

Ms. Nancy Croitoru was the President and CEO of Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) for 13 years and prior to joining FCPC, Nancy was the President of GCI Group Canada, a public relations and public affairs agency.

Ms. Croitoru's other achievements include being named one of the Top 25 Women of Influence in Canada in October 2012; profiled in the book "The NEW Woman Rules" by Fawn Germer, which highlights 50 senior female executives from across North America; as well as being profiled in Grocery Business "The Industry's Most Influential Women": January/February 2013.

Ms. Croitoru holds a Bachelor of Science, with Honours from McGill University, and has completed postgraduate studies at Harvard, Rotman, and the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Alastair Cribb

Dr. Cribb is currently a professor of clinical pharmacology and toxicology, teaching primarily in the DVM program of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary. Dr. Cribb's research focuses on molecular mechanisms of drug and chemical toxicity in animals and humans, and the pharmacogenetic basis of species and individual differences in drug response. His current work includes research on retained heterozygosity and health in beef cattle, veterinary use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and cannabidiol in animal health.

Dr. Cribb spent four years in drug safety assessment with Merck & Co. in West Point, PA. In 1996, he joined the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown as a Professor of Clinical Pharmacology where he spent 10 years. From 2006 to 2016, Dr. Cribb served as Dean of the newly established Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary. He was previously a CIHR/MRC Scholar, a Canada Research Chair in Comparative Pharmacology and Toxicology, and one of Canada's Top 40 under 40. He was a member of CIHR's Governing Council for five years. Dr. Cribb is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Dr. Alastair Cribb completed his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. Following an internship and two years in mixed practice in the Maritimes, he obtained his PhD in pharmacogenetics/clinical pharmacology at the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto in 1991. He followed this with an MRC post-doctoral fellowship at Dalhousie University.

JoAnne L. Buth

JoAnne L. Buth, currently the CEO of the Canadian International Grains Institute, is an agriculture professional who is committed to a sustainable and profitable Canadian agricultural and food sector. She currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Ms. Buth has worked in government and private industry in research, management and leadership positions. Ms. Buth was the President of the Canola Council of Canada from 2007 to 2012 and from 2012 to 2014, Ms. Buth was a Senator representing the province of Manitoba and served on the Agriculture and Forestry Committee and the National Finance Committee.

In 1998, Ms. Buth was a recipient of the Manitoba Agriculture "Motivator of the Year" and she holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Winnipeg and a Master of Science in Entomology from the University of Manitoba.

Dr. David Chalack D.V.M.

Dr. David Chalack is an Owner and President of Rocky Mountain Holsteins Ltd. (RMH), one of the highest genetic index herds in Canada.

He is a veterinarian and has held a broad range of management positions with Alta Genetics Inc., a major livestock genetic improvement source for the world. As part of Alta, Dr. Chalack has been a driving force in the development and growth of both Canadian and international businesses over his 22+ years within the organization.

Dr. Chalack also served as the Chairman and President at Calgary Exhibition & Stampede Limited. He joined the Stampede as a volunteer in 1984 and was elected to the board in 1994. He has contributed as a member of the University of Calgary's Veterinary Medicine Dean's Advisory Council and was a Director of Horse Racing Alberta. He is a certified member of the Canadian Institute of Corporate Directors. He also chaired the Board of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency as well as being on the Board of the Alberta Energy Regulator.

In 2011, Dr. Chalack was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame which honours and celebrates Canadians for outstanding contributions to the agriculture and food industry and publicizes the importance of their achievements to Canada.

Keith Mussar

Keith Mussar is a food safety and regulatory specialist with over 25 years of experience in food manufacturing, marketing, supply chain management, and regulatory affairs. Mr. Mussar is President of Keith Mussar & Associates, a food consultancy organization that assists international and domestic food manufacturers in their compliance with Canada's food regulatory requirements to access the Canadian market. Mr. Mussar has held corporate management positions with Kraft-General Foods, Labatt Brewing Company, the Weston Foods Group, and Cadbury Schweppes prior to founding Keith Mussar & Associates in 2001.

Mr. Mussar has served on a number of Government of Canada advisory boards including: the CFIA's Expert Advisory Committee; Health Canada's Food Expert Advisory Committee (which he co-chaired between 2010 and 2017); Health Canada's Environmental Assessment Working Group; and Environment Canada's Chemicals Management Plan Stakeholder Advisory Council. Mr. Mussar represented the Canadian food sector on the Standards Council of Canada working groups that developed the Canadian national standards for the labelling of genetically engineered foods and the production and labelling of organic food. Mr. Mussar serves as a technical expert for a number of Canadian trade associations, including the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters. Mr. Mussar has also led numerous workshops on food safety and nutrition, emergency preparedness, avian and pandemic influenza preparedness, and foot and mouth disease.

A graduate of the University of Waterloo, Mr. Mussar holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and is a professor in the School of Health Sciences at Humber College where he teaches courses on Canada's food regulations.

Suzanne T. Roy

Suzanne Roy has a diverse background with national and global experience in leading market and product development, strategic planning, stakeholder relations, regulatory affairs and corporate social responsibility. Ms. Roy worked with Acadian Seaplants Ltd for over 25 years as a key member of the leadership team. Ms. Roy worked within the agri-food supply chains and regulatory environments in multiple countries including Canada, Japan, the European Economic Community, and the United States to establish new products and product categories. Ms. Roy continues to support the company as a corporate advisor but now consults independently to entrepreneurial, innovation, exporters, and family enterprises.

Ms. Roy has also been extensively involved and recognized for her community leadership including chairing boards and committees of non-profit and social enterprises as well as mentoring entrepreneurs. Her current roles include board member and audit committee Chair of the Conseil de Développement Économique de la Nouvelle Écosse and member of the National Steering Committee for the 30% Club Canada. In 2019, she was invited to participate as a mentor and University of Kyoto panelist on the First Women Entrepreneur Trade Mission to Japan, organized by the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada.

Ms. Roy was a Director in the Strategic Planning practice of Groupe Sécor in Montreal, where she consulted with executive leaders in strategic development mandates in various industry sectors, including food manufacturing and the then-emerging biotechnology industry.

Ms. Roy holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Ottawa, and a Masters of Business Administration from McGill University. Ms. Roy also holds Board Director, International Trade, Family Enterprise Advisor, as well as Rotman executive development certifications.

Ruth Salmon

Ruth Salmon was born in Smithers, British Columbia, and obtained the degree of Bachelor of Home Economics in 1977. Following graduation she became a Food Marketing Consultant with Alberta Agriculture, then moved to industry to assume the position of Manager, Alberta Dairy Products Promotion Board.

Ruth gained further experience in working within the agri-food industry as General Manager, Alberta Milk Producers Society and Advertising Manager, Dairy Bureau of Canada. Ruth also brings extensive aquaculture experience to her role as Board member of the CFIA Ministerial Advisory Board. For five years, Ruth held the position of Executive Director of the BC Shellfish Growers Association, followed by seven years as a private consultant in seafood communications and marketing. From 2007 to 2017 Ruth gained national experience in association management as Executive Director of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance.

Charles F. Murphy

Charles Murphy has been farming seed potatoes, wheat, and non-GMO soybeans in China Point, Prince Edward Island (PEI), for more than 50 years. Mr. Murphy's main operation is the production of high class seed potatoes, as well as seed wheat, feed grains, small vegetables, and non GMO soybeans. Mr. Murphy completed high school in 1967 and in 1980 enrolled in the University of Prince Edward Island as a part-time business student.

Mr. Murphy is a member of several farm organizations including the PEI Farm Business Management Advisory Committee, the PEI Federation of Agriculture, the National Farmers Union, the Soil and Crop Improvement Association, the Canadian Seed Growers Association, and SeCan (large-scale seed supplier). He also served as Vice-President and President of the Potato Producers Association and was appointed to the Potato Virus Y (PVYN) federal-provincial committee as a negotiator and consultant, and his work on the committee led to the lifting of the ban on PEI potato shipments. Moreover, Mr. Murphy served on the PEI Potato Board, the Farm Practices Review Board, and was a committee member of the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization subcommittee appeal panel.

Since the arrival of the first Murphy family ancestors from Ireland in the early 1800s, six generations have farmed the land. Charles and his wife Wilhelmena purchased the family's farm in 1972. They have three sons, three daughters, and 18 grandchildren. Presently, two of Mr. Murphy's sons are preparing to take over the family farm. Mr. Murphy has seen many developmental changes in agriculture and noted that when he was young, he drove horses with his father, whereas today, he and his sons drive equipment controlled by computers and satellites from outer space.