Our Team

Canadian Sugar Institute Staff Contacts

The CSI President is the chief operating officer of the Institute and is responsible for the day to day management of CSI activities. CSI staff provide important technical expertise and direction in the areas of nutrition science and communications and international trade policy and communications.

Staff Biographies

Sandra Marsden, MHSc, RD

Ms. Marsden is the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Canadian Sugar Institute. In addition to her overall management responsibilities, Ms. Marsden serves as the industry spokesperson, providing industry consensus to government on trade policy, international agreements and disputes. She liaises closely with other members of the agri-food industry in Canada and internationally. Ms. Marsden also established the Institute's nutrition communications program, including its scientific Nutrition Information Centre and Scientific Advisory Council.

Prior to her work with the Canadian sugar industry, Ms. Marsden held various regional and municipal government positions in the field of public health nutrition. She has a MHSc (Community Nutrition) and BSc (Food Sciences) from the University of Toronto. She also completed a dietetic internship at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and is a Registered Dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Ontario. Continuing university education has focussed on marketing and international marketing to support the Institute's international trade mandate.

Ms. Marsden has made numerous presentations on Canadian sugar trade policy issues in Canada and the United States. She is a Director and founding member of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance and the Global Alliance for Sugar Trade Reform and Liberalisation. She also serves as the industry's representative on Canada's Agriculture Trade Negotiations Consultations Group (ATNCG). Ms. Marsden is well recognized in the nutrition community for her past involvement in national and provincial dietetic and public health associations. She is still active in the nutrition research and communications fields and is a Director and past Chair of the World Sugar Research Organisation.

Flora Wang, PhD

Dr. Wang is the Manager of Nutrition and Scientific Affairs at the Canadian Sugar Institute. In this position she is responsible for ensuring the scientific integrity of CSI's nutrition communications. Responsibilities include national and international research and policy monitoring and input, knowledge translation planning and evaluation, professional and academic collaboration, sponsorship, presentations, and resource development. She also provides expert opinion and support on food and nutrition policy and guidelines related to sugars consumption and health. Dr. Wang is the Chair of the Research Group at the World Sugar Research Organisation and is an active member of the Canadian Nutrition Society and American Society for Nutrition. She has recently completed the Knowledge Translation Professional Certificate^TM course jointly offered by the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto and University of Toronto.  

Dr. Wang completed her PhD (Nutrition and Metabolism) at the University of Alberta, Canada and BSc (Biological Science) at Xiamen University, China. Her work during her PhD was among the first to demonstrate the health benefits of natural  trans  fatty acids (particularly  trans-11 vaccenic acid) from dairy products and ruminant meats under conditions of dyslipidemia and the Metabolic Syndrome. Prior to her work at the CSI, she completed a 3-year post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta working on various projects, including critical reviews and reports on natural trans fat and cardiovascular health, initiatives pertaining to the CODEX definition and nutrition labelling of trans fat, as well as the initiation of a Canadian Institute for Health Research-funded multi-centered randomized clinical trial. In addition, she was involved in a number of clinical studies investigating impaired non-fasting/postprandial dyslipidemia during childhood obesity and early stages of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. As a graduate student, Dr. Wang received numerous scholarships and presentation awards including the Anthony Fellowship in Human Nutrition, Young Investigator Award at the International Symposium on Chylomicrons in Disease, and Best Poster Presentation at the Canadian Nutrition Society Annual Meeting. 

Chiara DiAngelo, MPH, RD

Chiara DiAngelo is a Registered Dietitian and the Director of Nutrition Communications at the Canadian Sugar Institute. Ms. DiAngelo collaborates with the Manager of Nutrition & Scientific Affairs and CSI's Scientific Advisory Council in the development and delivery of science-based resources and programs. She is responsible for CSI communications to key opinion leaders through conference participation, educational events, webinars and other collaborative or sponsored initiatives. As Communications Director, she maintains the Institute's Nutrition Information Centre and responds to the information needs of health professionals, educators, the media and consumers. She is responsible for nutrition communications through the CSI website, email, and social media, and has presented on digital communications at several universities and health professional conferences. She has acted as a preceptor for over a dozen Masters-level and dietetic interns completing a Population and Public Health practicum placement with CSI.  

Miss DiAngelo has previous experience as a Food Regulatory Specialist working for a small food regulatory consulting company. She brings her expertise in the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations as they pertain to Nutrition Facts and Food Labelling.

Miss DiAngelo is a Registered Dietitian and member of the College of Dietitians of Ontario. She received her BASc in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Guelph and completed her MPH specializing in Community Nutrition at the University of Toronto, where she received an Ontario Graduate Scholarship in addition to an entrance scholarship from University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Miss DiAngelo completed a Certificate in Social Media Marketing from George Brown College in 2016, as well as training in infographic design and development through PH SPOT. 

Alex Nguyen, MPH, RD

Alex Nguyen is a Registered Dietitian and the Coordinator, Nutrition Communications at the Canadian Sugar Institute. Ms. Nguyen assists in developing, implementing and evaluating CSI’s nutrition-related programs, communications, and research initiatives. In her role, Ms. Nguyen translates research findings into evidence-based and accessible messages through the development of social media content and educational resources. She responds to information and resource requests from health professionals, educators, and the media. Ms. Nguyen also assists in the areas of educational events, webinars, and other collaborative initiatives.

Ms. Nguyen is a Registered Dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Ontario. She received her MPH in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Toronto and BASc in Nutrition and Food from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her training and dietetic internships focused on health promotion, food service management and Canadian food regulations. Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Nguyen gained foundational experience with resource development, social media marketing and knowledge translation projects related to nutrition and food. 
 

Arasi Vickneaswaran, MA 

Arasi Vickneaswaran is responsible for conducting research and trade data analysis as well as tracking trends related to Canadian and international trade in sugar and sugar-containing products. Ms. Vickneaswaran also provides research and analytical support by monitoring market trends; reporting on policy developments in international sugar markets; and tracking developments in relation to trade policy issues affecting the Canadian sugar industry. All of this analysis and information helps to inform CSI’s trade policy, advocacy and communications activities. 

Prior to joining the Canadian Sugar Institute, Ms. Vickneaswaran held Policy Analyst/ Advisor roles in the Ontario Ministry of Energy and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. She has conducted research and data analysis and tracked trends in renewable energy and energy conservation across many jurisdictions. She brings her expertise and experience in data analysis and the government decision making process.  Ms. Vickneaswaran has a BA (Hons) and MA in Economics from University of Toronto, where she took courses on international economics including trade and finance.