Shannon fell into the Natural Health Industry attempting to fix her own health concerns. While attending the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Shannon began working at Market Organics in 2001. Starting as a cashier, Shannon worked through many of the departments, and has been the Grocery Manager for the last few years. When not at the store, Shannon spends much of her time outdoors, and dreams of one day living on a farm with her husband, 3 boys, and 2 dogs.

Triston has been around the store for so long, I wanted to tell a creation story...he's our grizzled veteran. A Jack of all Trades with impeccable phone manners, Triston does everything from laying new carpet in the asles to creating our answering machine messages...Triston spends his free time exploring the art of Tattooing.

Danielle Rochon grew up in the kitchen along side her very talented Mom. Danielle went on to own and operate an event vendor serving company, providing a wide variety of home cooked foods. About 7 years ago Danielle began working in the Natural Health Industry in BC, experimenting with Vegan and Vegetarian whole foods. Danielle has been with Market Organics for the last 2 years, working with our kitchen staff to develop a wide variety of recipes for salads, desserts, and entree’s. Danielle and the Market Organics Kitchen participated in the Byward Market 2011 Winterlude Stew Cook Off against 26 other participants, placing 3rd with the only vegan/vegetarian stew!

Check out her Meatless Monday Blog!

Five very important things to know about MOK Chef Tyler King, affectionately known as TK:

• He was rasied by wolves in the vast wilderness of Sieria until the age of sweet 16

• He has NEVER seen Titanic

• He believes that his many tattoos come to life at night while he is sleeping and stage elaborate theatre productions on his beside table...

• He will always jump off a cliff if other people are doing it...thankfully he hasn't found the few cliffs we have here in Ottawa!

• He dosen't know how he got that steel plate in his head...but that's ok, his vegan carrot cake is DEVINE!!!

Kylie’s interests include cat training and the theatre, thus she has spent the last 6 years painstakingly combining the two. When not slaving over a hot vegan stove, Kylie can be found working on her all-cat cast performance of a stage show based on the works of the late, great, beat poet Richard Brautigan. Kylie also builds all the sets and hand sews the tiny costumes herself.

- Leigh has been working at Market Organics since 2008, first as a casheir and then in our In-House coffee bar, as she is a very talented Barrista! She put in a lot of time and supplied a lot of knowledge on what we needed for our coffee bar, doing much work to get it to where it is today!

-Leigh has a degree in social work, but working at the store sparked her interest in nutrition and health, and is now attending the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition to become a Registered Holistic Nutritionist

-Leigh left us last fall to give birth (to one of the cutest Babies I think I've ever seen) and so is still temporarily on maternity leave, but I think if you keep your eyes peeled, you'll still see her around the store on occasion

"Let your food be your medicine" Hippocrates 

Louise has been passionate about cosmetics since she was 10 years old, playing manequin for her elder Sister, and Mom's little make up helper. After practicing make up application and eyebrow shaping since the age of 15, Louise graduated from esthetic's in 2003 from La Cité Collegialle. After burning her skin in acne treatments, Louise became interested in natural products, and discovered how a healthy lifestyle, yoga, and natural products could improve her skin and her quality of life. Louise now eats organic foods and meat, and is always on the look out for ecofriendly alternatives.

Brandy has always had an interest in food.  Growing up with a mother who spent much of her spare time in the kitchen making tantalizing home cooked meals, Brandy was inspired to one day become a Chef herself.  As an apprenticing cook, Brandy worked in some of the city’s most prestigious restaurants. Now a certified Red Seal Chef, Brandy has definitely earned her place in the kitchen. Brandy’s interest in holistic nutrition and alternative health started when her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Realizing that conventional medicine didn’t have much to offer, Brandy became motivated to educate herself and others about the importance of prevention and improving overall well being. Brandy provides Nutritional Consulting and Personalized Menu’s for individuals of all ages – for people with existing health concerns and those simply looking for a healthier path in life. Brandy is committed to working with you to help set realistic nutritional and lifestyle goals that will be unique to you and your specific needs.  Alongside her nutritional consulting, Brandy can also be found presenting informative workshops on topics such as detoxification, candidiasis, and digestion. Brandy is a Red Seal Chef, a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, an Orthomolecular Health Practitioner and a member of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition Alumni (C.S.N.N.A).   

Marie-Michèle Chezzi is originally from Sudbury ON, but Ottawa has been home for the past 7 years. She took Culinary Management at Algonquin College but soon realized she wanted to help people learn how to eat properly in a more in depth way. She graduated from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in 2009 as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist with honours. 

She has well over 6 years experience in the health food and nutraceutical industry including 2.5 years working at an independent pharmacy. She has seen and experienced first hand the transformative powers of individualized proper nutrition. She has a keen interest in digestive disorders, blood sugar imbalances, sports nutrition and the effects of food regarding mental health. She is available for nutritional consulting at the Live Well Family Health Centre Monday's 11-5 and Saturday's 10-1.

She is also a Registered Yoga Teacher having completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India. Yoga helps her manage a hectic schedule all the while being physically active as a runner, year round cyclist and soccer goal keeper. For yoga rates please visit her website.

 http://www.chezzi.ca/index.php 

http://livewellhealth.com/ 

Nandita Narula – THE HEALER 

• Has over 15 years of practice in healing lives through alternative forms of medicine such as Homeopathy, Ayurvedic remedies, and Reiki
• A strong believer of the principle – Healthy body translates into a Healthy Mind. 
• A dietician and nutritionist, understands the demands and fears associated with the world’s  “Eat Healthy” lifestyle trend.

Flip this coin over and you see a whole different side.

• A social butterfly 
• Someone who lives every moment like it were her last and spreads this philosophy around her. 

To say the very least about Nandita’s journey, every new challenge only gives her the confidence to fight the battle harder. Nandita has applied her knowledge and talent in Naturopathy at Market Organics since 2008.

You all know Ed as the friendly, hairy-faced fellow behind the cash, but here’s a few things you probably never knew...or guessed for that matter...

1. Ed’s major in university was film studies, with a minor in philosophy. Despite this, he has never seen Raiders of the Lost Ark, and has been know to weep at the mere mention of Plato.
2. In grade 8, Ed won a car from a milk contest. All he wanted was the lesser, video game prize.
3. Ed hosts his own radio show, Tuesday nights at 11pm on CKCU fm (93.1 fm). The show’s name is a coy reference to a filthy sex act, but don’t worry, he spells it differently! 
4. At parties, Ed will tell an epic tale about the time he was held hostage in a phone booth & was almost arrested! In actual fact, this story was originally told by Dead Kennedy’s front man Jello Biafra, to fill the time while the guitarist fixed a broken string. Ed’s version of the tale has been “Ottawa-fied” to increase the believability quotient.  
5. For a time, Ed was an aspiring playwright. His last piece was a play about 3 men stuck in a bunker during a zombi outbreak. This combined 3 of Ed’s favourite things: Zombies, difficult ethical dilemmas, & apocalyptic settings. It had some nice legs, but something shiny came along and Ed got distracted.... 

Alex took us quite seriously when we asked for a bio...be sure to check out his art around the store and on his website!

Name: Alex Neron

Sex: Male

Age: 34

Birthdate: Feb 25, 1977

Specs: 5' 6-3/4", athletic, light brown hair

Status: Single

Hobbies & Interests: art, hiking, camping, tattoos & tattooing, music (listening & making), travelling, sleeping, laughing, outdoors, cottages, Ancient Aliens sarcasm, Market Organics, Louis CK and women who have similar interests.

Website: www.alexneron.com

For the last 5 years Graham lived in Montreal Quebec where he owned and operated a holistic pet store. Selling holistic and natural pet food and treats, as well as providing a grooming service. Before that Graham lived and worked in Toronto and Calgary as a computer tech. Graham's love for animals still shines through in his possession of 2 dogs and 3 cats! His love of 80's metal, organic cooking, mountian biking, and beer are close seconds!

Marianne is a small town, Francophone girl who enjoy's improv and has competed in provincial tournaments in the past. Marianne has been on two missionary trips to Jamaica where she assisted in building houses for the poor, did renovations in poor areas (such as putting up fences, building gardens, building soccer nets, etc.) and donated clothes, toys, shoes, etc to several different organizations in the poor areas. Now Marianne is a full-time student at University of Ottawa, majoring in Communication with a Minor in Canadian Studies. Marianne has always been eco-minded (picking up trash in the school yard during recess), with a giving nature...donating her hair to make wigs for cancer patients or those suffering from alopecia and similar issues. Marianne encourages everyone to explore their giving nature!

Maggie graduated from both Writing and Photography's programs at Algonquin College and has since been working in and around the fields of digital media, communications and events.

Her favourite things in the world consist of: cottages (especially her own), camping, music, travel, nature, world cultures & spiritualities (particularly paganism, aboriginal spirituality, and eastern philosophies), healthy living, art, psychology, philosophy, and dancing to Bruce Springsteen. She has a profound thirst for knowledge -- craving to learn and experience as much of the world as possible. So much so, in fact, that it is the constant inspiration behind everything she does.

Responsible for the store's demos/events and social/digital media, Maggie loves that she has found a way to combine her passions for writing, art, and alternative health in one great job.