Empowering the Next Generation: Cassie Marchand’s Journey with McDonald's Canada and the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Program
- CYL
- Apr 7
- 4 min read
When presented with the opportunity to create social media content highlighting the dedication and support of Platinum Partner McDonald’s Canada to the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) Program, Cassie Marchand, a 2024 Canadian CYL participant, was excited to step outside her comfort zone. Although she was used to producing personal social media content, the chance to work with a major corporation was a new challenge.
Cassie began the process by meeting with the McDonald’s Canada team to gain insight into their corporate direction, style, and target audiences. This collaboration allowed her to work closely with her mentor Sarah Wray from Story Brokers Media House, who provided expert guidance throughout the creative journey. Sarah introduced her to valuable resources that enhanced her skills and helped her develop strategies that would resonate with the target audience.
Once a strategy was in place, Cassie gathered personal video content featuring her family, interviewed fellow Canadian CYL participants, and conducted an interview with Ashwin Ramesh, Senior Manager of Sustainability and Social Impact at McDonald’s Canada. With the content in hand, Sarah and her team at Story Brokers Media House edited the footage and Cassie, Sarah and the CYL staff team worked together to develop a release strategy that involved rolling out the videos in stages.
This hands-on process taught Cassie not only about content creation but also about the value in working with partners who may not be ranchers themselves but are committed to “using their resources and energy to share our story with their networks."
As Cassie’s mentor, Sarah recognized her exceptional ability to understand people. “She has an intuition about others that can’t be taught. I was just there to walk her through the process,” Sarah explained. Mentoring Cassie also proved to be a valuable learning experience for Sarah. “As a woman and a mother, I understand the immense pressure we often feel to do it all. Working with Cassie reinforced the importance of staying true to (yourself).” Sarah adds that Cassie is grounded in her family, community, and commitment to the industry, noting that she learned from how Cassie manages to balance those roles without losing herself.
These incredible learning opportunities wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of program partners like McDonald’s Canada. Their ongoing commitment to the Canadian beef industry has a far-reaching impact, and interacting with their leadership team reinforced this commitment. Cassie shared that the experience reinforced how committed they are to “truly understand the successes and challenges of our industry” and to build long-term, meaningful relationships. She added that through working with McDonald’s Canada, she saw genuine care about the industry and appreciated “the value that they bring to the Canadian beef industry through holding us in such high regard.”
“I’ve always respected McDonald’s as a strong advocate for the industry. It’s impressive to see such a large company genuinely care—not just about their impact on the world and the environment…but also about the producers who make it all possible,” says Sarah. “Truly understanding the deep-rooted values, culture and dedication of Canadian cattle families requires more than just surface level knowledge—it takes getting into the trenches, listening to their stories firsthand. What stands out to me is that McDonald’s doesn’t just talk the talk—they walk the walk,” she adds.
Through her work, Sarah has met countless farm families whose passion, knowledge, and resilience is irreplaceable. Programs like CYL are essential to keeping these remarkable individuals engaged and empowered to shape the future of the industry, she said. She shares that as her career has evolved, she has seen how vast the opportunities within the beef industry are. “We need passionate, knowledgeable people who truly understand the industry. The work being done today impacts farm families, consumers, Canadian households, wildlife, and the environment in ways far beyond what people realize.”
Looking to the future, Sarah emphasized the importance of programs like CYL in nurturing the next generation of leaders. "With programs like the Canadian CYL, we have the chance to cultivate and support these talented individuals, helping them see the opportunities that will keep them in the industry where they belong, where they are needed, and where they will make a difference."
Cassie expressed her deep appreciation for the CYL program and its partners. “Thank you to the Canadian Cattle Association and all the Canadian CYL Partners for not only their financial support but for dedicating their time and energy to the success of the program.” She also wanted to say a special thank you to Sarah for making her experience meaningful and impactful. We can’t thank our program partners enough for ensuring these opportunities are available to the next generation of the Canadian beef industry.
The Canadian Cattle Association's Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Program is made possible through the generous support of Platinum Partners, McDonald’s Canada, and Cargill; Foundation Partners, MNP, New Holland, and Elanco; and Gold Partners, Farm Credit Canada, Alltech, and RBC Future Launch.
About the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Program
Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) welcomes young people ages 18-35 across Canada, involved in various aspects of the beef supply chain, to be paired with an industry leader in their specific area of interest for a nine-month mentorship. Through mentorship, networking, and travel, the Canadian CYL Program acts as an industry succession planning tool to equip the next generation of leaders with the skills and tools they need to continue to drive the growth and profitability of the Canadian beef industry. Since established by the Canadian Cattle Association in 2010, the program has seen over 200 CYL graduates. Program applications are open annually for ages 18-35 on our website from early January to the end of March. Learn more at www.canadiancattleyoungleaders.ca.
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