Sysco Alberta HC&SL Showcase

NOURISH. EMPOWER. THRIVE.

When

April 29, 2026
From 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM Mountain Time (US & Canada)

Registration

July 30 - April 28, 2026
Ending at 5:00 PM Mountain Time (US & Canada)

Entry Limit

Available Seats
Total:   225

Join us for a full-day, in-person event featuring educational speakers and a vendor showcase where you can delve into trends and labour-saving solutions!

Schedule


9:00 AM  

Sysco Welcome

Amanda Winters
Regional Manager, Healthcare & Senior Living

9:05 AM  

Innovation Lives Here: Rediscovering Playful IntelligenceTM at Work

Brandi Heather
Keynote Speaker

Making Space for Bold Ideas Under Pressure.

10:06 AM  
10:20 AM  

Recipe for Success: Leading Change to Drive Innovation in HC&SL

Kaitlyn Munro
Nutrition Services Consultant

April Lorimer
Manager, National Sales Healthcare Systems

An empowering, hands-on session that will equip you with the key concepts & tools needed to take on change in a meaningful and engaged way within foodservice.

11:35 AM  

Future Forward Menus: Serving Tomorrow’s Senior

Chef Frank Merrill
Culinary Specialist

Learning from the past and present, learn how to engineer compelling menus for the residents of the future.

12:30 PM  

Speakers

Keynote Speaker:   Brandi Heather

Brandi is an award-winning former college professor, best-selling author of Return to Play, and creator of the Playful Intelligence™ framework - a science-backed system for reactivating the part of us that burnout, stress, and survival mode shut down. Her work helps organizations reduce fatigue, improve retention, and reignite curiosity, and collaboration at work. With over 25 years in healthcare, education, and disability inclusion, Brandi brings a deep understanding of the complex, human-centered systems behind senior living and care. As a professor in Health and Physical Education, she specialized in adapted programming and inclusive system design - so she understands what it means to innovate under pressure, meet evolving needs, and create environments of dignity and belonging.

Featured Speaker:   Kaitlyn Munro

Kaitlyn is a Registered Dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Ontario and holds a Master’s degree in Nutrition Communication from Toronto Metropolitan University. She began her career as a clinical dietitian in long-term care, where she developed a deep appreciation for the role nutrition plays in improving quality of life for older adults. Today, Kaitlyn works as a Nutrition Services Consultant with Sysco Canada. She is passionate about making nutrition approachable and meaningful. She also enjoys finding creative ways to combine nourishing meals with great taste and pleasurable dining experiences.

Featured Speaker:   April Lorimer

April is the Manager of National Sales Healthcare Systems at Sysco Canada.  She is a Nutrition Manager and Chef who fell in love with Seniors when she started her career in the Healthcare sector over 25 years ago. For over a decade she worked with one of our customer partners and six of those years were spent as their Dietary System Specialist implementing and managing Synergy Tech Suite for the organization.  In 2018, April joined MealSuite, our Synergy software producers as a Senior Product Designer and then as a Customer Success Manager. At Sysco, she oversees the delivery and adoption of the Synergy Tech Suite as a business solution for healthcare & senior living customers. Please join me in welcoming April

Featured Speaker:   Amanda Winters

Amanda Winters is the Regional Manager, Healthcare & Senior Living for Sysco Alberta and leads a team of dedicated healthcare associates.

Featured Speaker:   Chef Frank Merrill

Frank is a certified Red Seal Chef with 23 years’ experience in the hospitality and healthcare industry. He graduated from Liaison College and did his apprenticeship At the Sheraton Center Hotel in downtown Toronto. In the last 10 years Frank has worked in a wide variety of culinary settings in the healthcare sector within different areas of Ontario including being responsible for food costing, menu development, food quality and plate presentation. For Sysco Frank is the 1st Culinary Specialist for the healthcare region of Ontario and is tasked with being the Culinary Advisor to the City of Toronto LTC to support their day-to-day operation.

Registration


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Location and Venue

Hotel Blackfoot
5940 Blackfoot Trail SE Calgary

  Driving Directions