Our Volunteers
Afton Bell
Afton is new to the Okanagan and is excited to get involved in her new community by volunteering with EcoCooks. For the past five years Afton has worked in the Not-for-Profit world facilitating Food Literacy and Reading Literacy programs for kids in the Lower Mainland. She is excited to bring her passion for food and environment to the program and learn some new things as well. Afton holds a BA in Social Justice from the University of Victoria and a Diploma of Marketing Communications from BCIT.
Bonny Lai DeMelo
Bonny has a professional background in people services/Sales and Marketing for the Hospitality industry, as well as clinical couselling that supported individuals and families. Bonny had volunteered in the past with various groups and agencies servicing local communities, and is looking forward to contributing to the Unbounded & EcoCooks Club family. She enjoys arts and craft, baking, and knitting in her downtime, and is working on being more adventurous in outdoor activities to keep up with her rambunctious six year old.
Morgan Johnson
Morgan is the Lead Zero Waste Educator at Chickpeace Zero Waste in Kelowna and is passionate about sustainable living (and eating!) and food security for all. She has a history of volunteering with various food security initiatives within the Okanagan and is always looking for ways to reduce her footprint on our home planet. She is excited to be volunteering with EcoCooks to teach and learn from future generations about how our diet can play a huge role in the footprint we leave.
Kyra Lowe
Kyra is an undergraduate student studying Food, Nutrition, and Health. They love to be active whether it's playing ringette, rock climbing, or simply being outdoors! As someone who is passionate about nutrition and the earth, they're excited to continue exploring the role food plays in our day-to-day life.
Sheila Pack
Sheila's favourite place to be is at the beach and in the water. She loves to hit the gym or run outside daily and is passionate about health and wellness. Sheila has been a nurse for 20 plus years and feels passionate about learning and creating healthy lifestyle patterns and passing on her knowledge and insight.
Lisa Simonson
Lisa has a background in math, education, and computer science. She is passionate about plant-based cooking and environmental sustainability. In addition to volunteering with EcoCooks, Lisa will also be working on staff as an on-call Educator. Lisa loves being outside in all four beautiful seasons and enjoys rock climbing, mountain biking, and hiking with her partner and two dogs, Nova and Phoenix.
Yuki Strachan
Yuki is a CEA with an MA in English Literature and Cultural Studies. She is passionate about creating inclusive environments where all cultures, exceptionalities and diversities are embraced and celebrated. She owns her own food business, has a FoodSafe certificate and has studied Food Therapy to cook an anti-inflammatory diet. She is a mother of two and enjoys plant-based cooking and exploring food from various cultures.
Christina Watkinson
Christina currently lives in Naramata with her husband, youngest son and 2 dogs. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her dogs and volunteering with animals. She has been passionate about plant based cooking for the past 6 years and is excited to be part of the EcoCooks community!
"Papa" George Webster
George loves volunteering with EcoCooks. He has been a vegetarian for nearly a quarter of a century and loves cooking. George believes that EcoCooks makes important educational links between our food choices and climate change, he especially loves the 'hands on' food preparation each week with awesome EcoCooks' leaders, other volunteers and young people participating in the program.
Happily retired from his work in bioethics and ethics consultation, George enjoys spending much of his free time with his wife Judith, and his grown children and wonderful grandchildren. He also volunteers with two other organizations in the local community.
Tracy Withers
Tracy worked with the school district in both Kamloops and Kelowna since September 2011. First as a CEA in the classrooms and then more recently as a library and office assistant, before retiring in May 2022. Tracy has been a passionate, plant-based, vegan for 6 years. Tracy also volunteers for the program "Chefs In The Classroom" here in the Okanagan, in the school district. When not volunteering Tracy loves to; hike paddleboard, kayak, bike, snowshoe, cross country ski, swim, and loves living in the Okanagan where local fruit and veggies are abundant!
