Our Team

Bio pending.

Ahmed Rahim is the Co-Founder, CEO and Chief Alchemist behind Numi Organic Tea, the largest premium, organic, Fair Trade Certified tea company in North America. Ahmed is responsible for all of the unique Numi blends and products the company introduces to the marketplace. He started the company in 1999 in Oakland, California with his sister, Reem Rahim Hassani.

At Numi, Ahmed travels to remote regions of the world seeking unique herbs and teas unknown in the United States, building partnerships with farmers and their communities. Numi has proudly benefited the farming community by increasing wages, sponsoring schools, hospitals, community centers, road construction and other needs to improve living standards in farming communities.

Ahmed and his sister Reem have been evolving their vision for Numi through the Numi Foundation, with initiatives that focus on local and global programs, acknowledging and addressing the challenges within their farming communities and in their backyard of Oakland, CA; from education to health and nutrition. Numi Foundation’s Together for H2OPE project is providing clean safe drinking water to farming communities across the globe.

Ahmed co-founded OSC2, One Step Closer to an Organic Sustainable Community, a national community of sustainable natural products CEOs and business leaders. OSC2 strives to leave earth and humanity in better condition than we found it by inspiring natural products leaders to work in innovative and collaborative ways toward positive change. The group addresses the toughest sustainability problems facing our industry and our planet by building new regenerative business models and agricultural systems

Ahmed sits on various for-profit and non-profit boards enhancing their growth and sustainability goals. Ahmed’s core goal is to be in service to those focused on caring for their community and creating positive change for our environment.

Amos Marvel formally began his human resources career in 1999 as the Manager of Training and Development at CarsDirect.com. Since then he has enjoyed progressive roles in entertainment, technology, retail, and non-profit award-winning companies such as The Home Depot, The Walt Disney Company, and Insomniac Games. In his most recent position as a Vice President of Global Resources, Amos was the Human Resources leader for a multinational company, overseeing, planning, organizing, and directing all aspects of human resource policy and practice, culminating in a Great Place to Work® certification.

Amos is currently the Vice President of People Operations at Thrive Market and is passionate about diversity and inclusion in the workplace. He recently led the company’s initiative to offer 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for new mothers, Paid Parental Bonding of 4 weeks for significant others (including foster care, adoption, and legal guardianship), the implementation of All Voices to report unwanted harassment, as well as coordinated Thrive Market joining PledgeLA to collaborate with other LA tech companies and venture capitalists in improving diversity, equity and inclusion within their organizations and investments in Los Angeles. Amos is currently working with Thrive Market Leadership to create additional programs to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the company’s mission, values, and business practices.

Amos is SCP certified from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), PHR certified from the Human Resources Certification Institute, certified in Conflict Mediation from the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and is an active member of SHRM and the Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA). He has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree from California State University at Northridge and a Master’s degree in Executive Human Resources Management from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University.

Aparna (she/her) is a former natural resources and business litigator who has devoted the last seven years to helping outdoor and environmental organizations attract and engage a diverse and inclusive base of people and cultivate inclusive cultures. Aparna has facilitated workshops on inclusion, equity, cultural competence, cultural relevancy, and implicit bias for over thousands of outdoor educators, nonprofit leaders, outdoor industry professionals, land managers, conservation grantors, and conservationists. She has also spearheaded projects that encourage public dialogue about diversity and inclusion in the outdoors, including Expedition Denali: Inspiring Diversity in the Outdoors. Most recently, Aparna co-founded and has served as director for the People of the Global Majority in the Outdoors, Nature, and the Environment Summit.

My J.E.D.I Why: “As a female leader in a predominately maleindustry, finding a seat at the table wasn’t easy. It is very important that I mentor and guide other women to find their voice and take their seat.  

The Diversity & Inclusion Council at KeHE is excited to join JEDI in its mission to make our industry more inclusive on a variety of fronts. At KeHE, we are one undivided team. We are led by our KeHE Civility Code; where empathy, trust and equality are the foundation of our desire to be the change in the world. Change starts by loving one another and treating each other with dignity and respect.”

Ari Goldsmith, KeHE’s Vice President of Marketing, has led the distributors’ marketing function since 2010. She is an innovation igniter, strategic partner, and the lead champion of ensuring the Goodness Follows brand reaches every delivery dock and store shelf KeHE serves.

During her more than a decade at KeHE, she and her team have produced over 45 award-winning trade shows, published one million publications, and led the company’s digital buying evolution. She revitalized the KeHE brand from the former family crest to the categorically relevant globe, which ties together KeHE’s three pillars natural & organic, fresh, and specialty.

Ari is a co-founder of KeHE’s CAREtrade® initiative, which supports brands that promote a higher business purpose, and a leader on the Diversity & Inclusion Council. She was recognized for her work by being named Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Rising Star: Women in Grocery and The Shelby Report’s 2020 Women of Influence.

Outside of work, she is the co-Chair of the Myra Rubenstein Weis Leadership Board and serves on the Board of Directors for the ARK Chicago, which aligns with KeHE’s mission: “We Serve to Make Lives Better®”.
Prior to joining KeHE, Ari served in marketing positions for Saks Fifth Avenue, 7-Eleven, White Hen Pantry, and started her career at The Chicago Sun-Times.

Ari completed Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business’ Digital Marketing Strategies program and The University of Illinois’ Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History program. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Advertising & Marketing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Arielle is the Program Director for Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA). She is committed to collaboratively building just food systems that work for people and the planet by centering the solutions of women around the world. Before moving to the Bay Area, Arielle lived in Africa and Asia designing and managing large-scale agricultural development projects and saw how women’s work in food systems was routinely sidelined to the detriment of communities, ecosystems, and the climate. Now with WEA, Arielle works with women environmental leaders and with mission-driven companies to accelerate, resource, and connect the women-led solutions we need to survive on this planet.

Arielle previously worked and lived internationally with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) managing national agricultural and livelihoods portfolios and then served as Regional Technical Advisor for Europe, Middle East, and Central Asia. Prior to CRS, Arielle co-founded Hands of Mothers, an NGO building women’s micro-enterprises globally, and co-founded the raw juice company Earthjuice. Arielle is a founding Advisory Board Member of Ag Innovation Development Group, a Development Impact Lab (DIL) Practitioner in Residence at UC Berkeley, and a 2014 Fellow of the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy. Arielle earned her M.S. in Agricultural and Resource Economics and an M.S. in International Agricultural Development from the University of California, Davis.

Arno Hesse is dedicated to financing a sustainable and equitable future with thriving food systems and regenerative technologies. He co-founded the community capital services Credibles and Investibule. As a co-leader and investor with Slow Money Northern California, Arno has led multiple investments in food businesses with impact on climate change and social justice. Based in San Francisco, he co-produces the annual FOOD FUNDED community convening. Previously, he was Executive Vice President for Retail Markets at MUFG Union Bank.

Arno received an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley. He grew up in Europe and is easily distracted by new ice cream flavors and typefaces.

Ava (she/her) believes a more sustainable future is dependent on simultaneously working towards social and environmental justice. She has devoted the last six years to researching and working in this field. Currently a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Washington in the department of Anthropology, Ava has designed and implemented a research project that investigates diversity and inclusion efforts in American environmentalism and has designed and taught several of her own university level courses covering topics such as power, identity, environmentalism, health, and wilderness. Beyond her academic life, Ava puts her knowledge into practice by working as an outdoor educator. Most recently, Ava served as a lead advisor and facilitator at the LGBTQ Outdoor Summit.

Caleb was accidentally hired as an assistant pastry chef at Ruppert’s Restaurant, in his hometown of Washington DC, when he was 16 years old, and hasn’t left the kitchen since. He has worked dish lines at national chains, service counters for independent butcher shops and front of the house for some of the best restaurants in the country (and some of the worst too). After graduating from the University of Michigan with degrees in English and Globalization and Culture, Caleb interned with ProMujer in El Alto Bolivia, learning about microfinance in its infancy and bringing those programming lessons to bear at La Cocina when it opened its doors in 2005.

Since joining La Cocina, Caleb has had a hand in shaping the incubator program as it has achieved national recognition. Caleb’s work on the program curriculum and social entrepreneurship innovation has been celebrated by the Hitachi Foundation when they named him a Yoshiyama Young Entrepreneur and by Inc. Magazine’s recognition as one of 5 Community Organizers making a difference. More recently, Caleb was behind La Cocina’s San Francisco Street Food Festival and Conference which ultimately led to involvement in the legislation changes that brought increased mobile vending opportunities to San Francisco. He has been named one of San Francisco’s Tastemakers by 7×7 Magazine, though he might be as proud that before that he was named Best Waiter in San Francisco. Bilingual, a trained diversity leader, HACCP Certified and a California Food Safety Manager, Caleb’s combination of food industry experience and commitment to social justice is what helps define La Cocina, recently named 2011 Best Small Businesses by the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

Caleb brings a love of food and a passion for social justice to La Cocina and a belief that everyone deserves an opportunity to make a living doing what they love to do.

Cassie is the Vice President of Talent at VMG Partners, a growth equity firm which invests in consumer branded products such as KIND Snacks, Justin’s, Daily Harvest, Quest Nutrition, Bare Snacks, Stone Brewing…and many others. Prior to her tenure at VMG Partners, she did executive search at SPMB and various Operations and Talent roles at Goldman Sachs. She’s originally from Arizona where she completed her Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in Mathematics and Business. Outside of work, you’re likely to find her doing something outdoors (camping, hiking, tennis), with friends, celebrating with a delicious sour beer…and posting all of it to her Instagram story.

As the SVP of Content & Insights for New Hope Network, Carlotta oversees the content strategy for all of New Hope’s in-person, digital and print products serving suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, service providers, investors and consumers in the natural products industry. She is also the co-creator and lead editor of the NEXT Natural Products Industry Forecast, an annual trends and opportunities report for the food, CPG and food service industries. Carlotta is a frequent speaker on natural products issues and trends, and co-founder of a paleo snack company that was sold to 1908 Brands in 2016. In addition, Carlotta is the board president of Naturally Boulder, a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing and growing the Colorado natural products community.

Chris got his BA in Economics from Harvard University but quickly realized that economics conveniently forgot about sustaining the environment and protecting people. Through his experience with Guayaki and previously with Natural Flavors, a 100% organic, vegan restaurant that employed 25 people and 60 local farmers, Chris is finding that by recognizing common purpose, seemingly disparate groups can integrate social justice, environmental restoration and economic success.

My J.E.D.I Why: “I couldn’t be more passionate about the need to support everyone in our society through the products we develop, the people we hire and how we give back to our communities. It is only by sharing our resources, by recognizing and valuing our differences, by embracing our individuality that we will build stronger companies, a more equitable society and an environment that is better than the one we inherited.”

Ciara Dilley, vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay North America, leads the company’s ever-evolving and diverse portfolio of Transform Brands – including Stacy’s, SunChips, Smartfood, Off the Eaten Path, Red Rock Deli, and IMAG!NE – making it easier than ever for consumers to discover new flavors, ingredients and brands powered by purpose.

A seasoned veteran with more than 20 years of industry experience, Ciara’s passion is supporting women, both inside and outside the walls of Frito-Lay. In addition to being personally involved in a number of initiatives that involve coaching and connecting businesswomen, Ciara recently led the launch of WomanMade, a PepsiCo initiative developed to advance female founders in the food and beverage industry through funding and exclusive mentoring opportunities.

Since joining Frito-Lay in February 2019, Ciara has led Stacy’s Rise Project – a flagship grant and mentorship program by the female-founded Stacy’s brand – to flourish as an industry best-in-class initiative, awarding up-and-coming female entrepreneurs with hundreds of thousands of dollars in business grants and providing them with unprecedented access to PepsiCo people and resources to achieve long-term success.

Also under Ciara’s leadership, IMAG!NE launched its mission to fuel kids’ bodies and minds through a multi-year partnership with No Kid Hungry and Smartfood underwent a full brand redesign that involved a complete swipe of its social channels and packaging updates across the entire portfolio.

Prior to joining PepsiCo, Dilley leveraged her experience in communications and innovation to grow major international consumer brands including Diageo, Campbell Soup Company and Kellogg Company.  

A native of Ireland, Ciara now makes her home in Dallas with her husband and two sons.

David Cooper has 20 years of experience directing the acquisition, financing, ownership, and disposition
of early-stage mission and purpose-driven companies. David brings a deep knowledge of equity and debt
transactions including due diligence, structuring, closing, and operational management. He has a track
record of profitable impact investing, strategic advising, and has long-standing relationships with key
industry participants in multi-cycle finance, growth, and disposition.

David is the senior portfolio advisor at Mission Driven Finance. His focus is business development,
alternative asset finance, and impact due diligence. He and his partners create offerings that match risk
with returns and reconnect investors with the performance of the companies they invest in. David works
with J.E.D.I entrepreneurs in need of growth financing that make a positive impact in the world – without
sacrificing returns.

David has a track record of high impact investing. He was a venture partner at Clean Pacific Ventures, an
early stage Clean Technology Fund, General Partner at InHouse Ventures, a boutique investment fund
focused on building and acquiring multi-generational, impact-oriented organic foods brands, and
Co-Founded Montcalm Capital, where he aligned investing in companies solving the world’s most
pressing environmental and social problems with investors’ desire to make conscious values-driven
investments in alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Prior to Clean Pacific, David led Aquacue’s commercial and consumer market development program.
Aquacue was sold to Badger Meter, a public company (NYSE: BMI). David served as CEO to Clean
Pacific Ventures portfolio company, American Efficient, where he led the restructure and eventual stock
sale of American Efficient to BriteBuild, Inc., a consumer internet services company.
David recently helped raise a Series A investment for Savonix, a global digital health technology
Company solving global cognitive health needs. Post the financing David continued with the company as
interim COO and CFO helping it prepare for international growth.

David is a managing member of his family’s clean technology fund West Coast CleanTech. WCCT was
founded on the belief that the confluence of economic, social and environmental factors driving rapid
technological change in green technologies offer positive investment opportunities. West Coast Clean
Tech invests in capital-efficient companies where time-to-adoption and technological risks are reduced,
and in demand-driven solutions with proven management teams that possess a clarity of purpose and
mission alignment.

David is a board member of the Baja Coastal Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to regional
environmental and socioeconomic research throughout Baja, Mexico, The Whales of Guerrero Research
Project (WGRP) launched in 2013 to study the marine ecology of Southwest Pacific Mexico and is a
member of The J.E.D.I Collaborative taskforce of industry peers and experts leading the project for
the natural products industry to frame the business case for embedding justice, equity, diversity, and
inclusion into our entire food ecosystem. David is a graduate of The University of New Hampshire. He,
along with his spouse Jennifer, thrives in Sausalito, CA.

Bio pending

My J.E.D.I Why: “The Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (J.E.D.I) work supports two of Guayakí’s regenerative aspirations: Conscious Leadership and Social Justice. The J.E.D.I Collaborative provides Guayakí with important learning and tools with which to evaluate and improve our performance. It is valuable to network with other members of the Collaborative and share our J.E.D.I journey as it evolves.”

Gretchen has directed corporate sustainability for two natural product brands over the last seven years. Other experience includes co-founding and leading a corporate foundation, budget management for a national environmental nonprofit, serving on numerous nonprofit boards, environmental consulting, ecopsychology writing, and volunteering at a winery for 10 years. Gretchen is an advocate for personal regeneration and regenerative business as a solution to reversing climate change and social justice.

GW Chew, aka Chef Chew, is the founder of Something Better Foods and has been a vegan food inventor/restaurateur for over 10 years. He has traveled throughout America spreading the life-changing news of health with fun and creative classes. He has been featured on TED Talks, and he recently filmed his first television program, titled “Chew’s Challenge: 28 Days to Well-ness” on the Dare2Dream Network. He has a mission to lift people from health ills that are plaguing our communities.

Grace Rusch serves as the Marketing & Communications Lead for OSC² (One Step Closer to an Organic Sustainable Community) and  JEDI Collaborative. She has 8+ years of experience in the natural product industry and a personal passion for holistic wellness. With OSC², she helped launch OSC²‘s Marketing Working Group in 2016, which served as a catalyst for what is now a full suite of Departmental Working Groups. JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) Collaborative is one of the main projects she oversees with OSC².

Inessa is an angel investor and entrepreneur currently working at the intersection of food and technology, with a focus on addressing two global challenges: food waste and food insecurity. As the Director of Development at Treasure8, she connects social investors, family offices, foundations, and non-profits with opportunities to co-create a regenerative food system of the future. She also is engaged in a project to improve the outcomes of mothers and babies in the First 1,000 Days. In addition to adding to a strong foundation for Treasure8, she co-founded the Future Food Center in San Francisco, a global innovation hub committed to building an abundant 21st-century food system.

Ms.O-Childs serves on the board of Creative Visions Foundations, whose mission is to spark awareness of critical issues through media, art and technology, and a member and investor of the Seraph Group, a venture capital firm specializing in high-growth start-ups, seed stage, and early-stage companies.

Outside of the roles above, Inessa has provided years of smart capital and advisement to countless organizations all over the world who seek to develop women entrepreneurs, startups, and philanthropic endeavors. Noted for her technological inventions, she has also contributed to four U.S. patents throughout her career and served as one of the founding members of the Russian Language edition of PC Magazine in Russian Language. Lastly, as a community member of Treasure Island, she works to create a more sustainable and healthy ecosystem for the children and families of the island. Inessa earned a Bachelor of Arts from Moscow State University of Printing Arts and is fluent in Russian.

My J.E.D.I Why: “As a board member, former CEO and investor in the industry, I’m committed to the ‘J.E.D.I Strategy’. The time is NOW for CEOs, leaders, and companies to transform our industry with a proactive and engaged commitment to creating ‘for all cultures’ they support justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.”

James is a transformational leader with over 30 years as a CEO and operating executive in the Consumer Products, Retail and Restaurant industries. An experienced Board Director/Advisor with 15 years of experience in a dozen public and private Board appointments.

He is the former Chairman, President and CEO of Jamba Juice where he led the successful turnaround
and transformation of the company from a made-to-order smoothie shop to a global, healthy active
lifestyle brand. Prior to his role at Jamba, James also held senior executive positions at Safeway Stores, Inc., the Gillette Company, and Nestlé-Purina PetCare.

James currently serves on the boards of Adtalem Global Education, Panera Bread Company-JAB
Holdings, Simply Good Foods, and Schnucks, and is a Board Advisor at Ocean Spray. He previously
served on the boards of Callidus Cloud, Hillshire Brands and several other boards. His non-profit board experience includes Directors Academy, where he also is a founding member and currently Board Chairman, as well as Fair Trade USA where he is also Board Chairman. He previously served on the non-profit boards of the NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center, The Organic Center and the Network of Executive Women.

My J.E.D.I Why: “By overcoming ignorance and divisiveness with Justice, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we can emerge stronger to create an industry and world that celebrates differences, where each of us are treated equally and have the freedom to live with dignity.”

Jill is a Managing Director and Partner of William Hood & Company, a differentiated  industry-focused investment banking firm covering the Consumer, Food and Retail sectors with a specialization in Health and Wellness.

Jill’s notable transaction experience includes the sale of Persona Nutrition to Nestlé, The sale of W3ll People to E.L.F. Cosmetics, the sale of OLLY to Unilever, the sale of Atrium Innovations to Nestlé and the sale of The Nature’s Bounty Company from The Carlyle Group to KKR and LetterOne.

Prior to William Hood & Company, Jill was Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for The Nature’s Bounty Company, focused on M&A, Corporate Development and Growth Strategy. During her tenure at The Nature’s Bounty Company, Jill also held a variety of operating leadership roles including managing the Nature’s Bounty, Pure Protein, Body Fortress and Met-Rx brands, as well as the company’s Private Label business. Jill’s passion for brands combined with her retailer relationships resulted in her driving a number of the key strategic growth initiatives behind the success of the company leading up to its sale.

Prior to joining The Nature’s Bounty Company, Jill was the Brand Director for natural skincare line Naturopathica Holistic Health. In that role Jill was responsible for product design, marketing and distribution.

Jill also serves on the Global Board of Advisors for Vitamin Angels.

My J.E.D.I Why: “I am passionate about JEDI because for our industry to thrive and drive better health outcomes for everyone in our society over time, we need the best talent. Period. Working as an industry to build and boost the diversity of our talent, backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences will bring great benefits to everyone, and will help us ensure that the impact potential of our entrepreneurs and companies can be maximized for the benefit of our entire ecosystem and society as a whole”

John Foraker recently left his role as President of Annie’s, Inc. and is a cofounder and CEO of Once Upon a Farm. He is a leading authority in the organic and natural foods industry. With more than 20 years of business experience and a sharp focus on sustainability and social responsibility, Foraker’s vision for growing Annie’s has always relied on transparent leadership and an over-arching commitment to creativity, innovation and honesty. In addition to his role as President, Foraker also leads within the greater General Mills organization as an advisor for the company’s small business incubator 301, Inc., a new venture group that invests in small promising companies.

Prior to assuming his role as President in October 2014, Foraker led investors to place growth capital into Annie’s in 1999, earning his title as Chairman of the Board. Beginning in 2004, Foraker led as Annie’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), taking Annie’s public under the BNNY symbol in 2012, just prior to the company’s buyout by General Mills, Inc. in October 2014.

A respected expert spokesperson in the organic and natural foods industry, Foraker has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes and Wall Street Journal, in addition to other platinum media outlets. Foraker has also shared his leadership and expertise with business owners and audiences at home in the Bay Area and across the country, addressing organizations like the Berkeley Entrepreneurs Forum, the Lester Center for Entrepreneurship and the Nutrition Business Journal Conference, among others. Most recently, Foraker was awarded EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 in Northern California, recognizing his entrepreneurial excellence in the retail and consumer products category.

Prior to his tenure at Annie’s, Foraker served as Vice President at Bank of America, overseeing commercial banking client relationship management in the bank’s premium wine business portfolio. Foraker holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics from the University of California, Davis and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.

My J.E.D.I Why: “These business are critical to delivering the innovations we need to repair our world and regenerate a future in which all our children can thrive. However, they can only realize that potential by acknowledging the injustices that scaffold our economic system — and authentically striving to represent, reflect, and inspire the change we want to see.”

Joy Basu is currently an senior advisor to innovative food businesses and financial vehicles seeking authentic and impact-integrated growth.  She was the first Chief of Staff at TPG Growth, where she served as an architect and engine of The Rise Fund. She was also The Rise Fund’s inaugural impact sector lead for food and agriculture. Prior to joining TPG, Joy was a consultant at McKinsey & Company; she focused on agricultural development, working with businesses, governments and donors to improve agricultural value chains in emerging markets. Joy served as project manager to the World Economic Forum’s New Vision for Agriculture, and has closely supported strategic projects for the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency and Starbucks Coffee Company. 

Joy earned her JD and MBA from Stanford University with a certificate in public management and social innovation; while at Stanford, she served as President of the Women of Stanford Law, a leader of the Afghanistan Legal Education Project and an Arbuckle Leadership Fellow. Joy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy and Economics from Duke University. She currently serves as a Trustee for the Heifer Foundation, a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a Security Fellow with the Truman National Security Project. Born and raised in Illinois, Joy strives daily to be a mindful global citizen with strong Midwestern roots.

Kyce Chihi is a Managing Director of AUA Private Equity Partners, LLC. Prior to establishing AUA Equity (and its predecessor firm), Mr. Chihi was an investment professional at an international family office. Previously, Mr. Chihi worked in Deutsche Bank’s Leveraged Finance Group in New York where he focused on institutional term loan and high yield underwritings across a variety of sectors. Before joining Deutsche Bank, Mr. Chihi worked at Thomas Weisel Partners in their Technology Investment Banking group where he advised companies on M&A and general corporate finance transactions.

Mr. Chihi currently serves on the board of directors of TruFood, Gourmet Culinary Holdings, LLC, Tijuana Flats Restaurants, LLC, Raymundos Food Group, LLC, and Indulge Desserts Holdings, LLC. Previously he served on the board of directors of Associated Foods Holdings, LLC.

Mr. Chihi received his B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Laina Greene is founder of GETIT Inc, a strategic tech consultancy based in Silicon Valley since 2000 and is co-founder of Angels of Impact. She also served as Senior Advisor to Ashoka, as Associate Director (Community Development) of the Asia Center for Social Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy at the NUS Business School, as Advisor to Acumen plus chapter in Singapore, and currently teaches social entrepreneurship and Lean Startup at NUS Business School in Singapore as Senior Adjunct Lecturer. Her work experience spans 25 years in the telecom industry with a focus on Green telecoms and on bridging the digital divide in developing countries. The last 12 years she invested and worked on tech for good and women led social enterprises. She currently lives between Singapore and Silicon Valley.

Lara works with leading brands in the Natural Foods industry as partner at Pluot Consulting. She deploys her 20 plus years of natural foods experience to work on executive level marketing, sales, and strategic planning with some of the most mission  driven food companies in the world, including  Alter  Eco  Foods, Numi Organic Tea, Nutiva, Jamba Juice, The Fruit Guys, Choice Lunch, and many others. She also serves as Executive Director and Co-Founder of OSC2 (One Step Closer to an Organic Sustainable Community), a group of founders and CEOs working together to support each other’s business growth and more sustainable food solutions. With OSC2, she has launched several industry collaboratives, including the OSC2 Compostable Packaging Collaborative, The Rising Star Chapter, and most recently, the Climate Collaborative.

Lara is a founder in the Climate Collaborative, a project of OSC2 and SFTA.

Lara was the CEO of LightFull Foods, VP Retail Sales & Marketing at Numi Organic Tea, and VP of Marketing at the Balance Bar Company, where she helped drive sales growth from $10M to $110M and sell it to Kraft Foods.

Lara has spoken on food trends, sustainability, and innovation at Natural Products Expo West, So Cap, SXSW Eco, Zero Waste Summit, SFTA, Bioneers, Net Impact, the Brower Center, and Esca Bona. Prior to her natural foods industry work, she was a product manager at Reckitt Benckiser. Lara received an MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School, a BS in Finance from the University of Southern California and completed graduate work at Oxford. She lives in Piedmont, CA with her husband, three young children and 10 chickens.

Lisa Curtis is the Founder & CEO of Kuli Kuli. Kuli Kuli is America’s leading moringa company with the highest quality moringa on the market. Moringa is more nutritious than kale and provides a complete plant protein. Over 60% of Americans say incorporating more vegetables into their diet is their #1 priority but only 4% of Americans are getting our recommended serving of veggies per day. Kuli Kuli’s delicious Moringa Superfood Bars, Pure Moringa Powder and Moringa Green Energy Shots make it easy for Americans to get their greens on the go while planting moringa trees and supporting women farmers worldwide.

Lisa began working on Kuli Kuli while in the Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa. As a volunteer in her village’s health center, she gained a first-hand understanding of the common nutritional challenges faced in West African villages and how moringa can play a role in helping to address those challenges while providing Americans with a healthy new superfood. Prior to Kuli Kuli, Lisa served as the Communications Director at Solar Mosaic, wrote political briefings for President Obama in the White House and worked at an impact investment firm in India.

Bio pending.

Magatte Wade is Skin is Skin CEO & and founder. This is her third entrepreneurial venture. She is a leading thinker and speaker on the subject of using business as a solution to poverty and social issues. Magatte was born in Senegal, educated in France and Germany and was drawn to the entrepreneurial spirit of America, where she came to start her career. Skinisskin is her new baby, focused on encouraging curiosity beyond the skin and giving everyone a chance to flourish.

As President and CEO of Ibis Communications, MaryAnne leads a team of consultants and creative professionals to connect visions with purpose to diverse communities through the integration of inclusive conversations, messaging and communications, branding, PR, direct, social and digital marketing, and strategic partnerships to deliver authentic social impact.

As Founder and CEO of the Global Diversity Leadership Exchange, MaryAnne leads a forum designed to facilitate an on-going dialogue with thought leaders, influencers and C-Suite executives who are at the nexus of inclusion and sustainability in the US, BRICS nations, and other emerging markets. The annual summits have been held at the New York Stock Exchange and in the ECOSOC Chamber at the United Nations Headquarters.

MaryAnne currently serves as Vice Chair on the board of the American Sustainable Business Council. The mission of American Sustainable Business Council is to advance public policies that ensure a vibrant, just, and sustainable economy. She is a past chair of Social Venture Network, the premiere organization of mission-driven social entrepreneurs who are transforming the way the world does business.

DEI Advisors-meets quarterly to support and guide progress, available to open doors, attend industry level launch, support networking and fundraising

My J.E.D.I Why:“We know that opportunity is not equally distributed and industries have the greatest opportunity to change that and ensure all voices are heard and all people represented. JEDI is leading with action and with heart to pull all of us together to be a part of the change.”

Rebecca Messina most recently served as Global Chief Marketing Officer of Uber. As Uber’s first-ever CMO, Messina focused on standing up Uber’s first global marketing organization, building a world class marketing network, with the mission of helping the company define a strong brand in the hearts and minds of the consumers, drivers and communities it serves.

Prior to joining Uber, Messina was the Global Chief Marketing Officer of Beam Suntory and was responsible for the company’s global brand strategy development and communications, product innovation, research and development and consumer insights for Beam Suntory’s world portfolio of brands – including Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Courvoisier Cognac, and Yamazaki Whisky, among others.

Prior to joining Beam Suntory, Messina built a 22 years career at The Coca-Cola Company. In roles of increasing responsibility and leadership, Messina joined Coca-Cola in 1994 in Atlanta and soon went on to marketing roles in Chile, Australia, France; and ultimately, back in Atlanta. In 2014, Messina assumed her role as SVP, Marketing & Innovation, Ventures & Emerging Brands (VEB), the internal incubator at TCCC where she was responsible for leading the marketing strategy, innovation and capabilities for Coca-Cola’s VEB portfolio of premium, high growth brands like Zico, Honest team, Fairlife, etc

A native of Batavia, NY, Messina holds a bachelor’s degree from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) and speaks English, Spanish, French and Italian. Messina is currently serving as a Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company, together with private advising and board work. Messina is married, has two children, and currently lives in San Francisco, CA

Ryan Black is best known as the co-founder and CEO of SAMBAZON, the leading manufacturer of açaí (ah-sigh-ee) based products.  Ryan created the company with his brother, Jeremy Black, and friend Ed “Skanda” Nichols, following a surf trip to Brazil in 1999 where they experienced their first açaí bowls and subsequently introduced açaí to North America.  The powerful health benefits of açaí have helped enhance the quality of life among millions of people who now enjoy it on every continent.

SAMBAZON is an acronym for “Sustainable Management of the Brazilian Amazon,” as the açaí berry is a food staple and source of income for over a million people in the Amazon’s Varzea, the flooded forest basin of northern Brazil.  Guided by the business principles of the “triple bottom line” (social, environmental and economic success), SAMBAZON has created positive change in the Amazon Rainforest and beyond by protecting biodiversity, sustainably managing thousands of acres of forest and increasing the socio-economic status of thousands of small family farmers. In addition to the United Sates, the company has operations in Brazil, Australia, the UK, Japan and Korea.

Previously, Ryan played professional football in both the NFL and European Football Leagues, where he played his final season in 2000. Ryan received a BA in Finance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Ryan lives near the beach in San Clemente, CA and his passions include social entrepreneurship, travel, music, and surfing.  Ryan speaks multiple languages, and credits his time at Boulder and international football career as the stepping-stone to a socially responsible, international business.

Bio pending.

Bio pending…

Sharon Miller is Skin is Skin CMO and brand steward. She has worked in advertising and marketing for over 25 years. A London native, Sharon started her career working for Jim Henson at the Muppets. She is drawn to creative mavericks and has learned from some of the best. She met Magatte on a plane a few years ago where they got into a deep conversation about the state of Xenophobia in the world and the role of brands in changing culture. 4 coffee meetings later, they decided to partner up to launch skinisskin.

My J.E.D.I Why: “Social justice has been something I have always felt intensely about. For this very reason, working as the CEO of REBBL, a company born out of a non-profit to create a world without human trafficking, was such a foundational experience in my journey to try to bring more justice and equity into this world. 

My desire to actively create change seemed to come from a deep place.  I did not fully understand why for a long time. All I knew from the stories I was told as a kid was that I was born in Jackson, Mississippi and that we fled when I was 2 years old due to the anti-Semitism we experienced and the racism we witnessed. I felt a sense of pride that my mom left a place where she was disgusted by white supremacy.  However, looking back now, I realized we ended up the lily-white suburbs in Southfield, Michigan, where our privilege shielded us from seeing and understanding the entrenched racism just 30 minutes away in Detroit. The more I learn about the privilege that I breathe as a white person, the more that pride evolved to feeling like a hypocrite; to run away from issues of racial injustice is not a source of pride.  Instead of wallowing in that, I am determined to do whatever I can to help change the system.

In 2018, Lara Dickinson and I co-founded the J.E.D.I Collaborative. Over the past two years, I was still yearning to understand why this work so profoundly affects me and why unpacking my white privilege has led me through the many stages of grief.  This internal struggle continues to be a work in progress, and I realize how important it is to engage in this work externally. 

I recently asked my80-year old mom to share the story of Mississippi with me.  She explained that when we moved to Mississippi in the late 60s, her introduction to overt racism was witnessing separate white and colored water fountains and the public pools being closed when the federal government insisted that black citizens be allowed.  She recalled distinct memories of racism: “Black individuals were not considered people at all… a shopping center was destroyed, and the local paper reported ‘No person was killed, only two blacks [sic].’ …A heart doctor I knew thought the black brain was too small to learn.”

While we as white Jews had a level of protection due to the color of our skin, our heritage left us empathetic to systemic discrimination. One painful but prescient connection, as explained in her book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson is that the Nazis had looked to American Jim Crow society as a model to systemically exterminate Jews during the Holocaust. My mom recalled a memory of anti-Semitism in Mississippi: “When White Supremacists bombed the rabbi’s house the paper said, ‘No one was home, so he must have bombed it himself.’”  Although this was in the 1960s in Mississippi, it reflects the lies, distortions, and gaslighting that people play out to this day about BIPOC, and other people with marginalized identities.  It’s so flabbergasting and disgusting that, at times, I think maybe I am the crazy one because it’s so hard to fathom that these are the stories we tell ourselves and each other  But we cannot allow these injustices to happen.  We need to call the lies when we see them and stand for what is real and right. 

Watching my mom’s steadfast commitment to justice, exemplified by the way she raised three young children on her own while always making sure to stand up for those in need, is what lit this fire within me.  Through these conversations with my mom, I realized that the fervor she showed toward addressing intolerance and being vocal about antiracism (she still writes to her local paper to this day when the media reinforces white supremacy) is the source of my inspiration. This is the work that I was meant to do, and it is intrinsically part of my calling. Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are the basis of my core values that I work every day to teach my kids, and are the values I hold at the center of my work with every ounce of energy I have which requires me to listen, learn and take action to create change.

Isabel Wilkerson writes, “The fact is that the bottom caste [African American, Indigenous, and Latinx people] …did not create the caste system, and the bottom caste alone cannot fix it. The challenge has long been that many in the dominant class [white people], who are in a better position to fix caste inequity, have often been the least likely to want to.” It is my duty and imperative to use my power to share space and dismantle systems of oppression. We owe it to each other to show up for our community where we are needed.

I am dedicated to this work to help change the system of intolerance that still permeates every portion of society, including our food and agricultural system.  I am just one person, learning to unpack more of her relationship to power and privilege every day. This lifelong journey to do my part against injustice has just begun.  Through this, I hope to help, in community, to shape an industry where all talent is included, where there is new power at the table, where we can provide our healthy products to all people in a way that is accessible, affordable, and tailored to the needs of all people, where our supply chains and our partnerships are inclusive and just and where everyone feels like they belong in this beautiful industry.“

Sheryl O’Loughlin is an accomplished entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience leading natural products companies with her trademark bold humility rooted in love.

In 2017, Sheryl introduced her first book, Killing It: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Keeping Your Head Without Losing Your Heart (HarperBusiness). The book has been featured in Fortune, Conscious Company, Inc., Forbes and Huffington Post, among others.

From 2015 to 2019, Sheryl was CEO and “Chief Love Officer” of REBBL, the first plant-based, super herb adaptogen beverage company. In partnership with Not for Sale, a nonprofit dedicated to creating a future without human trafficking, REBBL works to create regenerative and just supply chains.

With a heart for human rights and mental health advocacy, Sheryl is the co-founder and co-leader of both the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Project and the Women on Boards Product for the natural products industry through One Step Closer to an Organic Sustainable Community (OSC2), a nonprofit whose mission is to address the toughest sustainability problems by building new regenerative businesses.

Earlier in her career, Sheryl served as the CEO of Clif Bar and Company. There she led the concept development and introduction of Luna, the first whole nutrition bar for women, which became a $70 million business in three years and continues to be a core brand in the company’s portfolio. She went on to co-found and serve as CEO for Plum, Inc., a healthy, organic food company that aims to nourish kids “from the high chair to the lunch box.” In 2013, Plum was successfully sold to Campbell Soup Company.

After Plum, Sheryl was the Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and she held a faculty position at Sonoma State University, where she taught hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs and other professionals.

Sheryl currently serves on the board of OSC2 and Foodstirs, and she is on the advisory board of Once Upon a Farm. She is also a member of the Forbes San Francisco Business Council. Previous boards include Zuke’s, thinkThin, Sugar Bowl Bakery, Gardein and the American Sustainable Business Council.

Sheryl earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and her Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. An avid camper and traveler, she lives in Santa Rosa, California, with her husband, Patrick, and their two sons.

Learn more at www.sheryloloughlin.com

Steven was a pioneer in the development of organic virgin coconut oil as a successful mass consumer product, helping to launch Nutiva’s coconut oil product line in 2002. His technical expertise not only helped to overcome the packaging and seal security issues inherent in the manufacture of this product, but was also instrumental in developing and maintaining the primary supply from the Philippines.

In the 30+ years of food & supplement experience, Steve’s evident ability to develop strong businesses, client relationships, and products has culminated in the development of 400+ new products and packaging, including private label items for many major retailers, distributors, and health and nutrition brand owners. Results-oriented, he has also successfully negotiated custom packaging contracts with major multi-national companies.

Steven is grateful to be a part of the health and wellness community offering organic regenerative foods. When he isn’t traveling around the world he enjoys spending time with his four boys in Canada.

Bio Pending

Trisha Hutchison is currently an equity partner at Chartwell Partners and has over 20 years
of experience in retained executive search.  She leads searches and human capital
consulting across a broad spectrum of consumer sectors including personal care, household
care, branded durable goods, and a specific focus in organic and natural food and beverage
products.

Trisha’s primary clients have included start-up and fast growth companies, and she has a
particular interest in working with companies that focus on providing sustainable and socially
responsible products. She also has depth of experience in the recruitment of executives to
family-owned businesses, as well as founder-influenced and private equity backed
companies. Areas of functional expertise include CEO, COO, and Division President levels
and in key team members in the areas of marketing, supply chain and operations, innovation
and R&D, and sales.

Prior to joining Chartwell, Trisha spent 13 years with Boyden Global Executive Search and
was a member of the consumer products practice.  She began her career in executive
search with Heidrick & Struggles where she was an associate in the firm’s industrial practice.
Trisha received her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University.

Vincent launched Dang Foods in 2012 after his mother gave him a recipe for Miang Kum, a Northern Thai dish that requires toasted coconut. At the time, he was cooking experimental dishes for the SF Underground Farmer’s Market. Vincent made the dish, tasted the toasted coconut, and then immediately called his family in Thailand to find more because it tasted so dang good. Dang is named for Vincent’s mother – it’s a popular women’s name in Thailand as well as the word for the color red.

Vincent is a New York City native who started his career research environmentally and socially beneficial products for the City of New York. He moved to the Bay Area to work with GoodGuide, a natural product ratings company headed by a UC Berkeley Professor. There he helped create rating systems for hybrid vehicles, food and beverage items, recycled paper and other categories. His academic background includes two engineering degrees from Cornell University and five years of sustainability and natural product research across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Dang Coconut Chips are sold in 7,000 locations around the US, including Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, Safeway, Stop n’ Shop, The Fresh Market, Sprouts, CVS, Amazon and many independent grocers. The coconut chips are made of sliced copra (coconut meat), seasoned and toasted to perfection. The toasting process caramelizes the sugars and creates a wonderfully buttery umami flavor from naturally occurring aromatic coconut oil. It’s a wonderful snack and a healthy alternative to fried chips, dried fruit and nuts. For home cooks, it’s a versatile topping that can be used to enhance ice cream, yogurt, salads, oatmeal and baked goods.

Vincent holds both Bachelor and Master of Engineering degrees from Cornell University and currently resides in Oakland, CA. He is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and received a SOFI Gold award for “Best Snack” for Dang Original Recipe Coconut Chips.