Discover Tracy Pepe, Canada’s leader in olfactive science, TED speaker, author, and innovator transforming dementia care through research and scent science.

Tracy Pepe, Canadian TED speaker and olfactive science researcher presenting Innovation From a Bottle, advancing dementia care through scent science.

Tracy Pepe

Founder | innovator | TED Speaker | Leader

There are experts who study smell.

There are educators who teach it.

There are entrepreneurs who commercialize it.

Tracy Pepe has spent more than 35 years doing all three.

From designing some of Canada’s earliest scent environments to leading one of the country’s most comprehensive initiatives in olfactive healthcare, Tracy Pepe has become one of North America’s most recognized voices in olfactive science.

Today her work spans research, healthcare, public policy, architecture, education, long-term care, dementia innovation, public art, and international keynote presentations.

What began as a career in perfumery has evolved into a movement that is changing how healthcare thinks about one of our most overlooked senses.

Table of Contents

• Who is Tracy Pepe?
• 35 Years of Innovation
• Teaching the World About Smell
• International Recognition
• Publications & Media
• Public Installations & Art
• Innovation From a Bottle
• White Paper & Research
• TED Talk & Books
• International Speaking
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Book Tracy Pepe

Who is Tracy Pepe?

For over three decades Tracy Pepe has challenged conventional thinking.

She is the founder of Innovation From a Bottle, combining scientific research with practical healthcare solutions that improve the lives of people. Her focus: seniors living with dementia.

She is also:

• TED Speaker
• Author
• International educator
• Researcher
• Professional perfumer
• Healthcare innovator
• Policy advisor
• Global conference speaker

Unlike traditional fragrance professionals, Tracy built her career around one central belief:

The sense of smell is one of the most powerful clinical, emotional and behavioural tools we possess.

 About Tracy Pepe

35 Years of Innovation

Innovation didn’t begin in healthcare.

It began by asking better questions.

For over 35 years Tracy has explored how scent influences:

• Memory
• Human behaviour
• Decision making
• Purchasing behaviour
• Wellness
• Emotional regulation
• Environmental design
• Dementia care

Her career has crossed multiple industries while remaining focused on one purpose:

Helping people experience life differently through smell.

Teaching the World About Smell

Long before “olfactory branding” became a popular term, Tracy was teaching architects, designers and corporations how smell changes environments.

Her educational work has included:

• Interior Designers
• Teaching scent as another building material alongside lighting, colour and acoustics.
• Architects
• Helping integrate scent during early design stages.
• Healthcare Teams
• Training long-term care homes across Ontario.
• Government
• Presenting policy recommendations at Queen’s Park.
• Universities
• Supporting research partnerships while mentoring students entering healthcare innovation.

International Recognition

• Today Tracy’s work is recognized internationally.
• Upcoming International Conferences

LeadingAge New York Foundation

September 2026

Presenting how olfactory assessment can improve quality of life in long-term care.

FMDA / FADONA Best Care Practices Conference

October 29 – November 1, 2026

Orlando, Florida

Presenting:

Science. Scent. Better Care.

Her presentation introduces practical frameworks for integrating olfactory assessment into post-acute and long-term care to improve early detection, quality of life and person-centred dementia care.

Published Nationally

Over the years Tracy has become one of Canada’s most recognized voices in olfactive science.

Featured in:

• Globe and Mail
• Toronto Star
• ELLE Canada
• Canadian Interiors
• CARP
• Design publications
• Scented Dinner Party 
• TV
• Radio
• National media interviews

Canadian Interiors profiled Tracy’s work teaching architects how scent becomes an essential element of design, while ASID ICON explored olfactory branding in healthcare, hospitality and commercial environments.

The Globe and Mail highlighted her pioneering work designing signature scent experiences for commercial environments, while Globe Pursuits later explored her influence on residential scent design.

ELLE Canada recognized Tracy as one of Canada’s pioneers in scent marketing and experiential branding.  Public Installations That Changed How People Experience Smell Innovation isn’t confined to laboratories. It belongs in public spaces.

Throughout her career Tracy has created immersive olfactive experiences that invited people to think differently about memory, emotion and environment.

Nuit Blanche

• Interactive scent installations the first scent exhibit in Canada
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (GTAA) Smelling Colours
• The first scent installation, located Terminal 3, introducing millions of travellers to olfactive branding.

PAMA Brampton

• Euphoria
• A public exhibition exploring using scent as the art inspiration for other local artists to create tastes, touch’s, sounds and a masterful painting
• These experiences helped establish scent as both an artistic and scientific medium.
• Innovation From a Bottle

Today Tracy’s work has evolved into one of Canada’s most exciting healthcare innovations.

Innovation From a Bottle combines:

• Scientific research
• Olfactory assessment
• Dementia care
• Non-pharmacological interventions
• Staff education
• Resident engagement
• Quality improvement
• Sensory Design
• Scent Marketing

Already implemented across more than 750 long-term care beds, the program continues to demonstrate measurable improvements in resident outcomes while providing healthcare professionals with practical implementation strategies.

The White Paper

Years of research culminated in one of Canada’s most comprehensive white papers on olfactive science and dementia care.

The paper explores:

• Early detection
• Smell assessment
• Clinical implementation
• Policy recommendations
• Long-term care modernization
• Healthcare innovation

It has been presented to policy advisors at Queen’s Park and continues to support conversations around modernizing dementia care in Canada.

TED Speaker & Author – Ideas deserve audiences.

As a TED speaker and published author, Tracy continues to educate audiences about one of healthcare’s most overlooked opportunities. Her books, presentations and educational programs challenge professionals to rethink smell as an essential component of human health. Whether speaking internationally or serving locally, Tracy believes innovation begins by asking difficult questions and building practical solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Tracy Pepe?

• Tracy Pepe is a Canadian TED speaker, professional perfumer, author, healthcare innovator and founder of Innovation From a Bottle and the My Nose Initiative.

What is olfactive science?

• Olfactive science studies how the sense of smell affects memory, behaviour, emotion, cognition and health.

What does Tracy Pepe teach?

• She teaches through a web based platform or in person, healthcare professionals, architects, designers and organizations how smell influences wellbeing, dementia care and human behaviour.

Where is Tracy Pepe speaking next?

• LeadingAge New York Foundation – September 2026

FMDA/FADONA Best Care Practices Conference
October 29 – November 1, 2026
Orlando, Florida

• What is Innovation From a Bottle?

Innovation From a Bottle is Tracy Pepe’s evidence-based healthcare initiative using olfactory science to improve dementia care and quality of life.

Ready to Learn More?

Book Tracy Pepe

Whether you’re a healthcare organization, conference organizer, government agency or educational institution, Tracy brings more than 35 years of innovation, research and practical experience to every presentation.

→ Book Tracy Pepe

→ Request a Speaking Engagement

→ Download the White Paper

Related Articles

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Boost Memory and Brain Health Naturally with Scent while you sleep

Smelling Pink: How “What the Nose Knows” Sparked Canada’s First Scent Therapy Program

How Scent Became My Superpower

About Tracy Pepe

Tracy Pepe is a Canadian researcher, TED speaker, professional perfumer, entrepreneur and founder of Smelling Pink Inc. and the My Nose Initiative.

Tracy lives and works in Brampton, Ontario and this is one of her connections.

Her work has been featured nationally and internationally through publications, research, conferences and public installations, helping establish olfactive science as an emerging field in healthcare, architecture and experiential design.

Have questions about olfactive science, dementia care or innovation?

Share your thoughts below or contact Team Tracy to learn more about bringing evidence-based olfactory science to your organization.