Mark Aspinall O’Dea

Josh Goldin

David Beno

Ava Firth

Ava is a veterinarian and board-certified specialist in veterinary emergency and critical care. Originally from Ohio, USA, she has held both private practice and university positions in the USA, Australia and the United Kingdom, specialising in small animal emergencies and lecturing internationally.

Her interest in critical care nutrition, particularly microenteral nutrition, led to her position as Director of Research and Development for Tonisity. She is responsible for designing and coordinating research and trials, as well as managing the product development pipeline and regulatory affairs.

Tim McAllister

Dr. Tim McAllister grew up on his parents’ cow/calf farm in Innisfail, AB. He obtained a B.Sc. (Agr) and M.Sc. from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, and a Ph.D. (with distinction) in ruminant nutrition and microbiology from the University of Guelph, ON. He accepted an NSERC post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary in 1991, and joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge, AB in 1992. Dr. McAllister has been a research scientist in Rumen Microbiology, Feed and Nutrition since 1997. His research focuses on microbiology, nutrition and beef production and on food and environmental safety issues related to livestock production, strategies for mitigation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, prion inactivation within the environment, and more recently, studies of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria in feedlots. He also has extensive research experience in GHG emissions within animals from manure and the impact of manure handling procedures, such as composting, on emissions. Dr. McAllister has conducted research to examine microbiological and nutritional approaches for mitigating ruminal methanogenesis, and emission of nitrous oxide and methane during composting, using strategies including the use of plant extracts, methanogen inhibitors and dietary formulations to limit methane production. He is the author or co-author of over 520 peer-reviewed scientific papers and 60 reviews, as well as 800 abstracts and conference proceedings, and over 100 final reports for collaborative research projects. Dr. McAllister has been recognized internationally for his leadership role and significant contributions to agricultural research and innovation in the areas of ruminant nutrition/microbiology and molecular biology as they apply to animal health, environmental health and food quality for the benefit of the agricultural industry in Alberta, Canada, and beyond.