Our Staff

Alejandra Pérez
She / her
Garden Education & Engagement Coordinator
capousse@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 217

Behind-the-scenes and on-the-scenes, Alejandra plans, organizes and animates in the collective gardens. She sees food as our medicine and gardening as a way to share knowledge and build and transform community. While she loves languages and bike maintenance, her ideal Friday night involves cooking with friends, making music or reading.

Anara Kydyralieva
She / her
Administrative Assitant
administration@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680

Caitlin Hayward
She / her
Data & Evaluations Manager
data@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 209

Caitlin is a master of all things data and is a key resource in ensuring all programs are running smoothly at The Depot. In her spare time she hikes, swims, gardens, and reads, all the while dreaming of spreadsheets. Every time she wishes her life was more exciting, a database crashes.

Catherine Gilbert
She / her
Communication Coordinator
communications@depotndg.org
(514) 483-4680 x 224

Catherine, a graphist with a penchant for bunny-themed everything, possesses a deep passion for all things technology and video games. She hopes to brings a unique perspective shaped by her past participation in the Depot Market, hopes that her vision of both side will help make The Depot grow and flourish even more.

Chaitanya Hebert
She /they
Good Food Markets Assistant Coordinator
chaitanya@depotndg.org
(514) 483-4680

Chai loves to grow, make, and eat food! As the Good Food Markets Assistant Coordinator, she is excited to bring her experiences in sustainability, farming, and restaurants to the Depot. In their free time, Chai can be found cooking, hanging out with friends, and daydreaming about the sea 🙂

Cristina Cugliandro
She / her
Urban Agriculture Assistant Coordinator
asst.ua@depotndg.org
(514) 483-4680 x 227

Cristina is an artist committed to the care of our planet with a strong interest in ecological farming and food security solutions. She is dedicated to discovering and creating pathways that intersect the arts, the environment, and education.

Cassandra Belliveau
She / her
Boîte à Lunch NDG Assistant Coordinator
assist.bal@depotmtl.org

Dahlia Chan-Tang
She / her
Boîte à Lunch NDG Coordinator
dahlia@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 218

Dahlia coordinates our after-school cooking workshops, sharing her passion for all things food. In her spare time, Dahlia loves nothing more than to lose herself in a good book, however, she is content just to garden, knit or spoil her cats. And also share a meal with friends.

Daniel Roy
He / him
Operations & Social Support Coordinator
danielroy@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 231

Daniel, recently a grandfather, deploys his expertise in logistics and in helping the participants of the Depot. A fan of micro beers, he spends most of his time on weekends, either on a hike or chipping away at his endless renovations.

Sosena Tilahun
She / they
Food Distribution Coordinator
sosena@depotmtl.org

Hi! My name is Sosena and I am super excited to be taking on the role of Market Coordinator at the Depot. I am passionate about food and how central it is to community building. In my spare time you can find me either in my kitchen making and refining my go-to recipes, or out working on one of the various unfinished art projects I have going at any given moment – painting, crochet, pottery, you name it – there’s no medium I am not eager to try! Come by the Depot Market to say hi. 🙂 

Houda Kerkadi
She / her
Community Engagement Coordinator
houda@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 223

Houda Kerkadi joined the team as the community engagement coordinator. There, she runs the social justice club as well as helps our community members with resources and referrals. You can find her either at the Depot restaurant DJ-ing in the resource desk or in the markets hosting a social justice club meeting drinking coffee and discussing local politics with our community members where she feels happy that she managed to find a place that combines her two main passions: coffee and politics.

James Barrington
Food Skills & facilities Manager 
cuisine@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 221

James was the community chef, overseeing the production of over 400 meals a week made by volunteers. He currently oversees the Depot’s food skills programs. James came to The Depot after a decade of work in the industry, from hotels to catering, and has experience in a wide array of different types of cuisine. His passion is food made with anything you grew yourself.

Jennifer Brennan 
She / her
Development Manager

Jen guides The Depot on all things nutrition and supports the development team’s extensive programming across NDG. She is passionate about the importance of access to nourishing whole foods and the role they play in promoting overall health and wellness in our community. In her free time, Jen loves to enjoy the outdoors with her family.

Jennifer Moran
She / her
Volunteer Coordinator
benevolat@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 204

Jennifer has a strong background in community work having spent over 5 years working mainly with the Black community in Cote des Neiges. “I’m very excited to join The Depot team, and contributing to the incredible work we do here.” Jennifer loves all kinds of food, but most especially raisin bread grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches. Come say hi the next time you’re in the resto space.

Jonathan Kourakos
He / him 
Assistant Distribution Coordinator
dist.assistant@depotmtl.org

When not working Jonathan enjoys spending lots of time in nature (hiking, camping, long walks in the woods), and also watching his favourite soccer teams or Montreal Canadiens hockey games. At The Depot, Jonathan oversees the day-to-day operations of the Marché Dépôt, where participants can collect their food baskets. And ensures that this is done in a way that is both respectful and dignified. Jonathan is at The Depot to help local members of the community have easy access to a wide variety of quality, healthy food options. And to ensure that the process of picking up a food basket on-site is easy, and done so in a welcoming, friendly environment.

Julie Kourakos
Development & Donor Relations Coordinator
developpement@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 200

Experienced in community development and public policy, Julie is passionate building a better, more just society by strengthening our collective social programs. When she isn’t buried under grant reports and applications, Julie enjoys sharing meals with her family and quoting Simpsons episodes.

Kim Fox
She / her
Director of Programming
programmation@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 203

With a decade of experience growing urban agriculture and food security initiatives, Kim contributes planning, operational and evaluation support to the Depot’s programs. She is passionate about food’s capacity to connect us to each other and the environment, and how it reflects culture and politics. In a parallel life Kim is a painter with a passion for music, cooking, gardening, biking and travel adventures.

Kristen Perry
She / her
Urban Agriculture Manager
ag.urbaine@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 216

Kristen is a Japanese-Canadian woman carrying her passion for justice and community-building into all aspects of her life. In urban agriculture work, her goal is to use popular education to increase social connectivity, autonomy, and access to fresh produce. As a community organizer, she prioritizes nurturing spaces for connection, healing, and growth, and moving resources towards BIPOC-led groups and movements.

Marguerite Kinfack
She / her
Director of Administration & Human Resources
office@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 219

Marguerite has had several careers in rural development, international cooperation, and training and capacity building. She is passionate about community development. Now, at the Depot, she works in administration, finance and human resources management.

Marie Lise Chicoine
She / her
Receptionist
marielise@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 

Melanie Romer
She / her
Good Food Market Coordinator
marche@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 208

Melanie grew up at the Depot (quite literally) and fondly remembers many years of Christmas food drives, summer block parties and Halloween zombie fundraisers. She loves having the opportunity to participate as staff in this wonderful organization after watching it grow for so many years.  Her caring nature and ability to remember names and details about the people she meets makes her a perfect fit for running the community markets. She also cares greatly about changing our food systems to be more inclusive and more sustainably driven. In her spare time, she explores the world, tends to her various gardens, walks with her dog and embroiders a picture of the beautiful things she sees.

Monica Aluyardo
She / her
 Engagement and Support Assistant
monica@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680

Since Monica began her career, she has seen every opportunity as a way to learn and grow. Her passion lies in helping others grow both personally and professionally. Every day, she dedicates herself to her work with all her heart, seeking not only to achieve her goals but also to make a positive difference in the lives of those around her. Monica has learned that empathy and compassion are essential to connecting with others and finding solutions that suit each person. Every challenge she faces is an opportunity to learn and contribute to everyone’s success. Her goal is to leave a positive impact on the world, using her skills and experience to serve others in the best way possible.

Natalie Berghuis
She / her
Regional Boîte à Lunch and food literacy Coordinator
natalie@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 226

Natalie is a registered dietitian that not only sees food as a means of building health, but also as an incredibly powerful community builder! In her downtime – if she’s not baking up a storm – she’s pulling out her ukulele or curling up to a good ol’ rom-com.

Nicolas Braesch
He / him
Distribution Manager
distribution@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 205

Believing that our society needs a revolution, Nicolas does his part by furthering The Depot’s mission and strengthening local distribution networks within our communities. When not selling fruits and vegetables, he takes care of his family, drinks apple juice and daydreams about being a pop singer.

Patrick Melillo
He / him
Meal Program assistant co-ordinator
patrick@depotndg.org
With 10 years of experience in restaurants, Patrick helps craft and serve the delicious meals offered through the Depot Meal Program. Along with providing healthy and satisfying meals to the NDG community, he aims to support our wonderful kitchen volunteers by making the kitchen a fun, engaging, rewarding and educational place to work. Outside of work, Patrick enjoys music, making art, skateboarding, being active outdoors, and spending quality time with good friends. Working with The Depot, Patrick hopes to learn more about community building, leadership, and improving access to healthy food.

Rachel Schleifer
She / her
Advocacy and Engagement Project Coordinator
rachel@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 210

Rachel is excited to be part of the resource team as the Advocacy and Engagement Project Coordinator. With several years of experience at the Depot, she has a background in program coordination, mobilization and administration. Rachel is passionate about creating community spaces and empowering individuals to share their knowledge, skills and experience. She currently coordinates the Social Justice Club, a citizen action committee at the Depot that works to amplify the voices of our community members while creating a safe space for exchange and for learning. 

Renate Betts
She / her
Manager: Mobilization, Engagement & Support
outreach@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 x 206

Sebastian Britton
He / him
Community Chef
sebastian@depotmtl.org
(514) 483-4680 

Tasha Lackman
She / her
Executive Director
tasha@depotndg.org
(514) 483-4680 x 207

Tasha leads a passionate and diverse team dedicated to working collaboratively to address issues of food insecurity and poverty.  She is a driver of change and bridge builder committed to social justice and equity.  Her journey into the non-profit sector followed a more than a decade long career as a commercial real estate lawyer at a leading national law firm. Tasha was always an active volunteer in a number of key organizations in Montreal, and in 2017, when she decided to pivot full-time to mission driven work, she began at McGill University in a strategic role in University Advancement.  Prior to joining The Depot, she acted as Vice-President of Community and Philanthropy at the Foundation of Greater Montreal. When she is not working, she loves playing in the forest with her family, or curling up with a novel.

Food Skills Facilitators

Our Food Skills Facilitators are a committed group of chefs, nutritionists, teachers, and students who have in common their passion for cooking and sharing healthy food with our community members. You’ll find them running the show in all our Community Kitchen and Boîte à Lunch workshops!

Ça Pousse! Facilitators

Our Ça Pousse! team works hard to build new gardens and offer workshops and garden sessions to students, seniors, and the Montreal community at large. Through our Ça Pousse! projects we improve the urban ecosystem, promote health and wellness, and use the power of growing food to connect people to their environment and each other.