AVENA WEBINARS

A leading international expert on the gluten-free diet, Shelley is a registered dietitian, author, speaker and consultant with more than 35 years’ experience. She is a member of the medical advisory boards of the Celiac Disease Foundation in the US and the Canadian Celiac Association. Shelley is a sought-after media source, with hundreds of TV, radio, online and print interviews. As a popular speaker, she regularly presents at medical, nutritional and food industry conferences throughout North America. Shelley’s best-selling book Gluten Free: The Definitive Resource Guide has been endorsed by health professionals and celiac organisations. Shelley herself has celiac disease, and she understands the challenges of following a strict gluten-free diet. Shelley and her family live in Calgary, Canada.

Teri Ruecker and her husband farm 3,400 acres of canola, wheat, oats, peas and lentils on their family farm in Abernethy, Saskatchewan. Teri’s parents were pedigreed seed growers, and they were instrumental in the growth of legume production in Saskatchewan. Teri attended the University of Saskatchewan and graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy in 1997. Initially she worked as a pharmacist and took time off to farm during the busy seasons. She transitioned to full-time farming in 2013. Teri’s children both have celiac disease. She has devoted much of her time and energy to researching the disease and nutritious gluten-free baking and cooking. In 2019, Ruecker Family Farms became gluten-free producers for Avena Foods. Their goal is to make the operation 100% gluten-free.

Having worked in the UK baking industry for more than 17 years, Michelle has a wealth of experience in product development and formulation, process development, and sales. Travelling extensively, she has developed an appreciation of the differences in both product range and manufacturing capability in different markets. After spending most of her career working in the chemical leavening sector, in 2019 she joined Avena Foods as Director of Sales and Business Development for the UK. She believes food manufacturers have a responsibility to make their products as nutritious as possible, and that making small changes to a wide range of products can have a positive impact on population health. Her goal is to work with gluten-free manufacturers to improve the nutritional profile of the products they offer.