Our Leadership Team

Claudia Lemay

Registered Dietitian, Author
Cofounder, Food Fairy

Stargold Character: Stargold

Claudia Lemay is a Registered Dietitian, mom, friend, wife, author of children’s books (Stargold the Food Fairy series), and house mess-cleaner (a mess that she usually makes!). She believes in the magic of nutrition and made it her life mission to share her passion. She is the Founder of Stargold’s Nutrition Foundation, a foundation that she started with the help of her friend, Dr. Anne- Marie Antchouey, Director of Public Health in Gabon. Together they decided in to join forces to help children of Gabon have better access to nutritious food, school, books and health care. It all started after Claudia visited Gabon and met the wonderful Gabonese people. She fell in love with the country and its people. “It’s like half my heart had always been in Gabon and when I went, I finally found the other half”

Dr. Peter Zakrzewski, MD

Director

Stargold Character: Mayhem Monkey #1

Dr. Peter Zakrzewski is an ophthalmologist in Langley, British Columbia. He is a strong supporter of Stargold’s Nutrition Foundation and shares the same passion for helping the less fortunate in Africa as his wife and co-founder, Claudia Lemay. Peter is a very strong organizer and planner, and his strengths complement Claudia’s imagination and eccentric and bubbly personality very well. Pete and the team truly hope to make a real difference for the children in Africa.

Catherine Carrière

Director

Stargold Character: Mayhem Monkey #2

Catherine is a mom, a wife, a teacher, a business manager and administrator, a flight attendant and a taxi driver (driving her two boys to and from basketball, football, hockey, baseball, etc) and an avid traveller. Catherine is a very busy mom who still manages to take time for her friends and family. She loves children and is happy to give her support to her good friend Claudia as they all develop this project in Africa. She hopes to help children gain better heath and knowledge. She strongly believes that education is the key to all current society’s problems and so teaching has always been a passion for her.

Denise Bedard, RN

Director

Stargold Character: Mayhem Monkey #3

Denise has always loved children but nothing had prepared her for the love she would feel when her own daughter had children. Being a new grandma made her heart extra so much so that she jumped in at the opportunity to help the children of Gabon by becoming one of the directors. Her decision was taken in a heartbeat because her heart is as wide as the size of the whole planet. “Once you become the parent of one child,” she says, “you become a parent for all children. Helping others is the key to happiness after all, and it is in all of us to be able to reach.”

Hannah Vogel

Director and Secretary

Stargold Character: Ana

Hannah is a UBC Dietetics student set to graduate in 2021. She has a passion for animals, nature, and nutrition and her heart is the size of the whole planet. She has been working with Claudia since 2017 and is excited to be part of the team dedicated to improving the health and lives of children in Africa though nutrition.

Claudine Kalinda

Director of Operations

Stargold Character: Bolly

Claudine Kalinda is a Mom, an educational assistant and an entrepreneur. She loves Yoga, she is much dedicated to wellness and made it her life purpose. She joined forces with the society’s volunteers in 2019 after meeting with Claudia Lemay (with whom they had an instant connection, and shared interest). Being of African origin, the urge to support Stargold’s foundation’s mission in Gabon came as second nature.