Board of Directors

My name is Salma Yarjani and for over a decade I’ve worked alongside newcomers in different roles and settings. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of supporting immigrant and newcomer families across Canada, and I’ve seen firsthand both the challenges they face and the resilience they bring to our communities.

I believe deeply in our mission to share kindness by making food accessible to newcomer families. Food security is a basic human need, no one should have to worry about how they will feed their family.

With Foodeliver, I manage the grants and research team, supporting the work behind the scenes so we can continue growing our impact. What inspires me most is being part of an organization that not only reduces food waste, but also ensures families feel respected, welcomed, and supported as they build their new lives here.  I’m truly grateful to work alongside such a compassionate, like-minded team and to play a small part in bringing comfort and relief to the families we serve.

Doug Engler, is an experienced business leader, advisor, and entrepreneur with 25+ years of success in manufacturing, technology ventures, and strategic growth. He has held senior leadership roles in aerospace, plastics, and millwork manufacturing, and most recently served as Regional Manager at Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, where he supported dozens of startups and growth-stage companies. With an MBA and a background in engineering, Doug combines deep operational expertise with a passion for scaling businesses, mentoring entrepreneurs, and driving innovation. 

Rostam Mehdi-Pour immigrated to Canada in 1990, studying art history and philosophy during his undergraduate studies, before earning his Master’s degree in architecture. After teaching historical architecture at Carleton University for several years, in 2009, he transitioned into entrepreneurship, bringing creativity and a multidisciplinary perspective to the world of hospitality. He runs Silk Road Restaurant, introducing  Persian cuisine to the people of Ottawa for the past seventeen years.

Ali Shaker, PhD,  is an educator, researcher, and nonprofit leader with a background in education, community development, and program design. As an immigrant to Canada, he has seen firsthand how systemic barriers, including food insecurity, affect families’ ability to build stable lives.

He founded Foodeliver to address a critical gap in the food system: the lack of dignified, accessible support for families who cannot or do not access traditional food programs. Under his leadership, Foodeliver has developed a dignity-first, last-mile delivery model that combines food rescue with direct distribution to support newcomer and low-income households.

Ali leads Foodeliver’s strategic direction, partnerships, and program development, working with community organizations, institutions, and private sector partners to advance a more inclusive and effective response to food insecurity.