Experts

Kurt entered the world of hair as a licensed cosmotologist and barber, and went on to become a world class educator for presteige salons across the country. An early execuctive with both Aveda and American Crew, Kurt worked to grow these brands into the household names they are today. With his many decades of experience in best-in-class hair products and world-class brands, Kurt understands what separates the high-performance products apart from the rest. So when Highland's Glacial Clay Pomade came into his salon in Minneapolis in early 2023, he immediately noticed something different about it... Something he calls "Highland's magic disposition". When he and Boone connected in spring of '23, they quickly formed a strong relationship. Kurt became the wise and experienced mentor to Boone and Ben, who both had no experience in the hair industry whatsoever. In addition to his wealth of industry chops, Kurt brings validation from a pro's perspective that these entirely natural prdocuts work beautifully in the presteige salon scene... allowing the brand to bring true disruption to a space that historically leans on toxic, harmful, and plastic packaged products.

The story of LACSON RAVELLO begins with strong family roots in the garment industry. Kristina Lacson McConnico was born to Filipino parents and descended from a long line of dressmakers and fashion designers—grandmothers, aunts, and cousins. Upon establishing her own brand, she incorporated her surname, Lacson, and her grandmother’s maiden name, Ravello. For her, this family name captures the heritage and values that define her clothing line—a tradition of strong craftsmanship and quality materials, combined with a modern and design-driven approach.Originally from St. Louis, Kristina knew at a young age that she wanted to follow her family’s path in the fashion world. A skilled visual artist during her teenage years, she moved to Los Angeles to attend Otis College of Art & Design. Early exposure to leaders and icons in the fashion industry had a profound influence on her evolution as a designer.After college, she relocated to San Francisco and worked as a designer for large retailers such as Gap Inc., Bebe, and Target Corporation—in addition to building her expertise as a design consultant for smaller fashion labels and startups. Her two decades of industry experience have led her around the world numerous times, from production facilities in Asia to buying and research trips in Europe and all over the U.S. This global perspective followed Kristina as she created the LACSON RAVELLO brand. Her dedication to being a citizen of the world while keeping a relaxed California sensibility continues to inform her life and her work.Kristina currently lives in Oakland with her husband John of Bespoke Watch Projects and their cats Coco and Clementine. She is also a breast cancer survivor and thriver.

As the visionary founder of AEMBR, Dr. Braly brings a unique blend of expertise as an airway, heart, and lung specialist, backed by years of experience as a board-certified Anesthesiologist. Dr. Braly's journey began with a deep passion for improving lives, both inside and outside the operating room. Recognizing the power of holistic well-being, Dr. Braly embarked on a mission to create a brand that not only enhances physical comfort but also elevates emotional and mental wellness.Drawing from extensive medical background, Dr. Braly founded AEMBR with a commitment to crafting premium products that prioritize health, sustainability, and performance. The brand story is rooted in a desire to provide consumers with innovative solutions that align with their values and aspirations.Driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence, Dr. Braly leads a dedicated team of professionals who share the vision for transformative change. Together, they strive to redefine standards and challenge conventions in the industry, ensuring that every AEMBR product embodies quality, efficacy, and integrity.With a steadfast focus on innovation and compassion, Dr. Braly is proud to steer AEMBR towards a future where wellness is not just a destination but a way of life. Joining on this inspiring journey allows individuals to embrace their fullest potential and live beautifully, inside and out.

Komel Caruso is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of HerMD. Physician-founded, patient-forward, and mission-driven, HerMD has been revolutionizing the future of women’s healthcare through an integrated, evidence-based model delivering comprehensive women’s healthcare all under one roof. In her role, Komel is the lead executor of HerMD’s vision — overseeing operations, marketing, brand and product. A marketing and brand enthusiast, Komel is the creator of HerMD’s patient-centric brand and experience.Prior to joining HerMD, Komel spent 15+ years as a leader in operations, marketing and branding within the ed tech space at Kaplan, Story2 and Applerouth Education. Komel earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan and her Masters of Science in Integrated Marketing from New York University. She was most recently featured as NJ Mom’s MOMpreneur of the week as well as in New Jersey Family. She has been a featured speaker at the Women and Worth Summit and Luminary x HeyMama’s Women Who Innovate Summit 2023. She is also a proud member of the Female Founder Collective. Komel also sits on the board of Under the Sisterhood. Under the Sisterhood is a social impact company that celebrates all women’s voices and perspectives. 

Founder and Head Distiller, Kirby Kallas-Lewis, developed a palette and passion for food, wine, and cocktails during his years as an art dealer in Paris, Brussels, New York, and San Francisco. Before finding a passion for distilling, he raised milk goats, created paintings and sculptures while living in Tahiti, worked on Alaskan fishing boats, and ran a gallery in NYC, phew! 

A graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Kim serves as the Co-Founder and President of Brutus Broth, Inc. She has a diverse background in strategy, marketing, finance and nonprofits. Previously, she was Vice President of Strategic Planning for The Leading Hotels of the World, a luxury hotel company with approximately 500 hotels in 90 countries. Kim oversaw the Company’s overall strategic direction as well as the Company’s ancillary businesses. She was also responsible for sourcing and evaluating new business opportunities and subsequently launching those businesses, which added strategic value to the company. During her 7-year tenure at Leading, she was instrumental in delivering over a 400% increase in shareholder value.

Kimberly Snyder is a multiple-time New York Times bestselling author, holistic wellness expert, speaker, meditation teacher, and entrepreneur.  She has authored six books, including Radical Beauty, which she co-authored with Deepak Chopra, and the best-selling Beauty Detox Book series. Kimberly's latest book, You Are More Than You Think You Are: Practical Enlightenment for Everyday Life (Hay House), launched at #1 in the self-help category and #4 in meditation and was published in paperback in Jan 2023. Additionally, she is the founder of Solluna®, a holistic lifestyle brand in tune with the power of nature, empowering individuals to thrive through its Four Cornerstone Philosophy: Food, Body, Emotional Well-being, and Spiritual Growth. Solluna’s offerings encompass the highest quality, clinically researched dietary supplements, essential medicinal powders for optimal health, high-performance skincare, digital wellness courses, and the HeartAlign Meditation System™.Kimberly is also the host of the top-rated Feel Good Podcast with Kimberly Snyder on the Podcast One Network (with over 24 million total downloads).  Kimberly also has an active and engaged following on Instagram (364K) and Facebook (410k). As a holistic wellness expert, Kimberly has also worked with the entertainment industry’s top celebrities, including Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington, Margo Robbie, and Channing Tatum, among many others. She has been featured in media outlets, including Good Morning America, The Today Show, Ellen, The Dr. Oz Show, The New York Times, Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, Elle, Goop and InStyle. Kimberly has also collaborated with many top brands in partnerships, including The Four Seasons, Levi Strauss, Burt’s Bees, Vitamix, Celebrity Cruises, Wanderlust, Goop, Sambazon, Mind Body Green, Lululemon, the National Mango Board, Chopra Center International and Harmless Harvest. Kimberly resides with her husband and children in Los Angeles and Hawaii. 

Kim Alexis Newton is an executive turned independent board director, author, entrepreneur, and fine artist. Kim is passionate about leadership and innovation and has a unique right-brain-left-brain approach to helping people and companies meet their full potential.Kim’s credentials make her uniquely positioned to build creative and emotive brands at scale. During her two decades at Hallmark Cards, she ran a $1B business and led global corporate strategy and transformation across a $4B diversified portfolio of top brands across consumer packaged goods, retail and entertainment. She has been recognized multiple times as a top African American in Corporate America.  As a board director and advisor, Kim specializes in improving business performance through revenue growth prioritization, customer focus, digital capability development, and brand experience. She has more than 20 years of nonprofit board experience. Kim advises several female-led tech startups and is currently active on the board of Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) Inc. where she serves on the Audit and Nominating and Governance committees. Kim was named one of the Most Influential Black Corporate Directors in 2021. Kim is an exceptional developer of people and teams and has passionately mentored hundreds of leaders–including a stint as a contract moderator for Netflix Leadership Programs. Her authentic leadership style which values intense partnership and visionary communication has inspired colleagues at all levels. She has a long-standing history of engaging employees through vision and their personal aspirations to drive measurable profitable results. Kim brings extensive experience in consumer marketing, corporate strategy, business development, omnichannel consumer experience, and digital transformation. Kim believes creative agility is an important skill to keep transformation leaders sharp. That is why for the last 20 years she has left space for creation of her own art, a modern approach to quilting. In 2019, after leaving corporate America, Kim sold her first piece that now hangs on the wall of Oprah Winfrey. Kim has sold over a dozen pieces since that time and has exhibited at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. As the founder of Alexis Enterprises, LLC, Kim brings to life all of her passions. The art studio focuses on her one-of-a-kind fine art quilts. The Intentional PauseTM Project is a platform that helps women embrace pausing as a powerful way to strategize and enable a transformative personal plan. Her five-step approach comes to life in her first book, The Intentional Pause Dream Workbook. And Alexis Gift Quilts , her produced line of handcrafted quilts positioned as extraordinary gifts for self or others. Kim was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area; she received her BA in accounting from Fisk University and her MBA from Vanderbilt University. She is a proud member of the National Association of Corporate Directors; Black Women on Boards The Executive Leadership Council; Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority Incorporated; Jack and Jill of America; The Links, Incorporated; and the 2017 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute. Kim sits on several non-profit boards including the Kansas City Arts Institute and TEDxKC.  

Kerry Gilmartin is a serial entrepreneur, houseplant hoarder, and backyard farmer. She created Love, Plants Inc. to help connect humans and plants through sustainable practices via professional grade organic fertilizer products to help plants (and their people) thrive. She is passionate about environmental and social causes, and serves on the boards for Resource Central and Street Business School and advises a handful of start-up CPG companies. Kerry lives in beautiful Boulder, Colo. where she can be found outdoors or behind her laptop, hiking with her three children and enjoying fresh food from her garden.

Kerry Barrett is an Emmy Award-winning former news anchor with over twenty years of experience in the heart of New York City’s media industry. Now a sought-after PR coach and media trainer, Kerry empowers entrepreneurs and lawyers to master their media appearances, from crafting impactful pitches to delivering with confidence on camera. Leveraging a rich career in broadcast journalism, Kerry helps clients enhance their visibility, credibility, and business growth by turning every media opportunity into a strategic advantage.

Kenyé, a professional Graphic Designer with over 15+ years of experience in the field turned to skincare formulation and founded Skin Flo. Originally from North Carolina and now living in Texas with her family, Kenyé has a passion for sustainable and organic body care that helps the skin and the environment. After struggling to find safe and effective body care products during her own pregnancy, Kenyé decided to create her own bath, body care, and aromatherapy line, Skin Flo, to help other moms find high-quality and safe products. Her dedication to using organic and sustainable ingredients ensures that each product is not only effective but also gentle on the skin and the environment.When not busy in the lab formulating new products, Kenyé enjoys spending time outdoors, cooking, and making memories with her family. With her commitment to sustainability and crafting non-toxic products, Kenyé is making waves in the body care industry and helping moms everywhere feel confident in the products they use.

Since 2001, Ken Roseboro has been editor and publisher of The Organic & Non-GMO Report, the leading publication focusing on the fast-growing markets for organic and non-GMO foods. He has been called “the nation’s reporter on all issues surrounding genetically modified foods” by Acres USA magazine. Ken is also editor and publisher of The Organic & Non-GMO Sourcebook, the world’s only “farm to fork” annual directory of suppliers of organic and non-GMO seed, grains, feed, ingredients, and food products. His articles have also appeared in many food and agriculture publications and websites, including Civil Eats, Harvest Public Media, Natural Foods Merchandiser, Prepared Foods, Food Processing, Mother Earth News, and others Two of Ken’s articles were cited in a 2021 New Yorker magazine article for being the first to uncover the mastermind of the largest organic fraud scheme in U.S. history.   Ken is author of Genetically Altered Foods and Your Health (2004 Basic Health Publications) and The Organic Food Handbook (2007 Basic Health Publications). A recognized expert in organic and non-GMO food production, Ken has been asked to speak at many conferences in the US and abroad. These include All Things Organic, Natural Products Expo West, National Heirloom Seed Expo, GMO-Free Europe Conference, and the Canadian Organic Conference. Ken is a member of the design team of the national Soil Climate Alliance and is a board member of Soil Technologies Corporation. He was a founding member of the board of directors of the Iowa Organic Association and a member of the certification committee of Global Organic Certification Services, a USDA-accredited organic certification firm. In 2006, Ken received an Award of Merit from Seed Savers Exchange for his efforts to preserve genetic diversity through his publications. Ken also appears in the award-winning documentary film, GMO OMG.