our family

Flavours of Hope serves as a gathering table and nexus of relationships. Meet the people who make Flavours of Hope who we are!

Trixie Ling, Founder & Executive Director (she/her)

Trixie Ling was born in Taipei, Taiwan and grew up in many places from Taiwan, Singapore, The United States, and Canada. She launched Flavours of Hope in March 2018 as a labour of love, stemming from her own migration journey and passion for bringing people together, breaking down barriers, building bridges between cultures through food, storytelling, and entrepreneurship.

Trixie has a Masters in Public Policy and strives to create more accessible, inclusive, and equitable systems for newcomer women entrepreneurs to build and grow their feminist food businesses. She finds much joy and hope in sharing food with friends, neighbours and strangers around a table.

Pawan ਪਵਨ Deol, Operations Director (she/her)

Rooted in equity, trauma-informed practice, and years of community-driven work, Pawan brings intention, warmth, and momentum to everything she does. At Flavours of Hope, she blends logistics with heart while managing day-to-day operations, coordinating events, and strengthening the financial and administrative backbone that keeps the organization moving with clarity, care, and purpose.

Pawan has spent over a decade working across arts, culture, and media, including serving as Executive Director of Programming at Indian Summer Festival and producing Leo Award–winning films. She holds a Master of Journalism from Carleton University and has built her career around amplifying representative storytelling through media, events, and community-led initiatives.

Outside of work, she loves existential conversations, rearranging furniture, and chasing the perfect homemade samosa. She grew up on an orchard in Osoyoos, BC, and now lives on Coast Salish, Semiahmoo, and S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō) lands with her partner and her dog.

Jasmine Noble, Communications & Marketing Coordinator (she/her)

Jasmine Noble is a photographer and creative consultant with a post-grad in government relations and extensive experience in communications. Having spent half of her life growing up in the Philippines, food for her is a means to welcome people, show love, and foster community. She is the happiest while eating a spoonful of fresh warm rice dipped in sinigang (tamarind stew), eating with her hands, and finishing each meal with buko pandan (coconut dessert), while sharing stories with her loved ones. Jasmine loves being part of a community that values storytelling, connection, and empowerment through food and culture.

Marialejandra Reyes Valerio, Program Facilitator (she/her)

Marialejandra Reyes Valerio is from Maturin, a small city in Eastern Venezuela. She has loved cooking since she was a child, especially baking. Her favourite aspect of food is its power to connect people and build positive emotions like joy, warmth, and delight. Eating food has helped her learn about her own traditional roots, as well as other cultures around her. For Marialejandra, cooking is a way of taking care of others in the community. It is always an expression of love. She is a Facilitator for Dream Cuisines Food Business Program and runs her own consulting company, Expansion Works, to support the social well-being of organizations, groups and individuals.

Alida Oegema Thomas, Board of Directors (she/her)

Alida Oegema Thomas is a second generation Dutch-Canadian, living on the unceded territory of theSkwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) in the Coast Mountains of BC. She currently works in the field of public health policy, has diverse experience in labour relations, international and community development, and community-based environmental and social research. She holds a Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) from the University of British Columbia, with a research focus on climate justice, gender equity, and human rights. Alida is a mountain enthusiast, runner, triathlete, and avid supporter of women's sports.

Stephanie Chan, Board of Directors (she/her)

Stephanie Chan is a lawyer turned entrepreneur who has a passion for helping seniors and family caregivers. Stephanie owns and operates two businesses in the senior living industry but has also been committed to volunteering in the non-profit sector for the last 18 years. She loves seeing how food brings people together and is looking forward to helping more women achieve their dreams.

Serah Gazali, Board of Directors (she/her)

Serah is a seasoned community economic developer with over a decade of non-profit experience, focusing on high-impact initiatives through a feminist intersectional lens. Holding an M.A. in Community Development and Digital Justice from the University of British Columbia, she has made significant contributions, including setting a precedent in UNHCR case law for gender persecution claims, resettling over 3,000 Syrian refugees, and testifying before the Canadian House of Commons on racism and Islamophobia, currently serving as the Executive Lead at the Canadian Centre for Gender Based Analysis Plus.