All Experts

Sue serves as Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brutus Broth, Inc. Sue is a graduate of St. Lawrence University and has a strong background in marketing and business. Before launching Brutus Broth, Sue co-founded and served as President of Ilios Dairy Brands, LLC, a dairy company focused on offering an innovative and natural alternative in the dairy segment. The Ilios’ Greek Yogurt Butter was lauded as a “Top New Products” by Supermarket Guru in August 2012 and as a “Rising Star” in Specialty Foods Magazine in November 2012. Prior to launching Ilios, Sue spent 10 years as a fundraising and strategic marketing professional in a variety of non-profit organizations. She focused on major giving ($10,000+), endowment gifts and planned giving. She played a key role in securing gifts from Individuals, Foundations and Corporations as well as handling all Media Relations.

I started my professional journey as a medical student, spent 20 years in e-commerce and marketing, and now proudly serve as CEO of Nolah Technologies. While unconventional, I believe my career path has uniquely positioned me to push the boundaries of the mattress industry as Nolah’s CEO and co-owner. The brand’s name, Nolah Technologies, resonates with my personal mission to improve the way people sleep based on the latest medical research using the latest technology. Leading Nolah’s operations and product development, I’m as involved in marketing and branding as I am in product development. Every day, I have the opportunity to put my medical background, marketing acumen, and technical expertise to work, pursuing solutions to the sleep problems that keep people up at night. Between medical school and partnering with Nolah’s co-founders, I sunk my teeth into the technical side of business. With 12 years of experience as an e-commerce and marketing director, I went on to help over a dozen brands launch or expand their online platforms as an advisor. Along the way, I held on to the fascination with biology and chemistry that had originally inspired me to attend medical school. I researched and developed now-patented gene-based health software and a natural beehive pesticide. I’ve also helped formulate products like sleep supplements and multivitamins.At Nolah, I now tap into these passions and my own medical history while developing new products and improving our existing mattress designs. I believe modern mattress technology must be informed by present-day sleep habits and human anatomy every step of the way. I also believe that one’s work environment is as critical to physical health and mental wellness as a good nights’ rest. As Nolah’s CEO, I have the opportunity to foster a workplace that puts the team’s health and happiness first. With a primarily remote team and many parents among our ranks, my partners and I strive to run the company with family-friendly policies and flexibility.

Stephanie Kriebel is a visionary business leader whose innovative spirit and can-do attitude are hallmarks of her success. Since co-founding OMG! Pretzels in 2014, her business and operations strategies have more than tripled the company. As CEO, Stephanie practices straightforward and transparent communication and leads by example – hard work, strong goals, and big dreams. She is leading the charge in changing the narrative around the role snack products play in our lives. Prior to starting OMG! Pretzels, Stephanie was an award-winning educator and program developer. She focused her knowledge on immigrant integration to enhance health, workforce development, and racial equity. Stephanie, MS, CHES®, is also accredited by the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE), Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), American Public Health Association (APHA), and Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE). Stephanie is proud to be a female business owner and is committed to encouraging others in their ventures. As a wellness expert, she appreciates the importance of strong support networks and enjoys developing relationships with like-minded business leaders.

Sonya Query is a certified Master Gardener through Oregon State University’s Extensions program, an amateur beekeeper and a caring mother to many plants and a two-year-old son. She also has a certificate in Land Stewardship from OSU Extensions which she used living on and managing 12 acres in rural Oregon where she kept bees, managed a large extended home garden with a small orchard, and cared for cows, sheep and chickens. She serves as Director of Brand Marketing for Love, Plants., Inc. where she uses both her wealth of knowledge in gardening and her MBA from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Sonya believes in making true connections with nature and practicing sustainability and healthy living in and out of the garden. She is highly knowledgeable in soil health, sustainable gardening, ‘N-P-K’ macronutrients and plant pathology to name a few, and is passionate about spending time in nature, traveling, and cooking with produce from her home garden. 

Snehee Chaplot is a visionary entrepreneur, food scientist, and the founder of Gallivant Ice Cream. With over 15 years of experience in food safety and innovation, Snehee brings a unique blend of expertise and passion to the culinary world.Born and raised in India, Snehee's early exposure to diverse flavors and culinary traditions sparked her curiosity and ignited her love for food. She pursued her academic interests in food science, earning a degree in Food Technology and furthering her studies in Food Safety.Throughout her career, Snehee has been driven by a desire to create food products that not only tantalize the taste buds but also prioritize health and well-being. Her journey with Gallivant Ice Cream began as a personal quest to develop a frozen treat that would cater to her dietary needs while offering a delicious indulgence for others.Drawing inspiration from her Indian heritage and a passion for global cuisine, Snehee embarked on a mission to revolutionize the frozen dessert industry. Through meticulous research and experimentation, she perfected the art of crafting mawa ice creams, infusing Ayurvedic principles of dairy farming and processing to create a truly unique and tummy-friendly treat.Snehee's dedication to quality, innovation, and sustainability has propelled Gallivant Ice Cream to new heights, earning recognition for its commitment to excellence in taste and nutrition. As a leader in the field of food innovation, Snehee continues to inspire others with her creative vision and unwavering dedication to crafting culinary delights that delight the senses and nourish the body.

Sloane Gibney Grossberg is the founder of and sole designer for shortyLOVE bags. A Jersey girl always and forever, she’s devoted to her husband and two children, stays close to her sisters, walks her dogs daily, and falls hard for a smart, stylish bag — that’s why she designs them for a living!

Simon Solis-Cohen combines his three Michelin-star culinary experience with wine industry marketing acumen, driving his vision for a healthier, sustainable energy drink.

Simone Kendle, Chief Executive Officer of Wove, the venture-backed revolutionary online custom jewelry company, known for its unique approach in helping couples design their dream engagement rings and fine jewelry pieces.Simone, with her most recent tenure as co-founder and CMO at the beauty-tech start-up Parfait, has seamlessly blended her robust corporate and entrepreneurial leadership skill set throughout her career. During her 8-year tenure at Capital One, she ascended through various pivotal roles, marrying strategic customer experience analysis, team leadership, and operational efficacy across her corporate journey. Simultaneously, her entrepreneurial spirit thrived; she established a compassionate hair company supporting women battling cancer and co-founded an educational platform to support the growth of blossoming social media influencers. Ultimately, her venture into tech materialized with the co-founding of Parfait, a computer-vision and AI-powered wig customization platform.A graduate of The Wharton School with an MBA focused in Marketing, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Simone possesses not just profound knowledge but a capability to intertwine it with practical experiences. This has resulted in a leadership style that harmoniously blends innovative, customer-oriented market strategies and business growth objectives.

Shivani Vyas is a residential interior designer who shares her knowledge of various design methods, like whole-room furnishing and décor, space planning, 3D renderings, 2D floor plans, and color consulting. Shivani is also an expert writer who covers interior design, decorating, and home improvement. She's written for Better Homes & Gardens, Gather, The Spruce, My Domaine, Domino, Martha Stewart, and Atlanta Magazine. She has 5+ years of industry experience. She was also listed as one of Fixr's Top 123 Interior Design Experts in 2023. Currently, Shivani is completing her residential interior design certification through the Rhode Island School of Design and works as a full-time designer in Macon, Georgia.

Dr. Shilpa Tiwari is an executive with fifteen years of experience building, growing and managing sustainability, corporate citizenship, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives in complex organizations and in multisectoral contexts. Having worked in financial services, mining, oil and gas, forestry and energy, she is an industry agnostic, versatile and entrepreneurial. She has a strong business acumen combined with a great sense of curiosity and empathy. Shilpa has worked and lived in Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. She has a bachelor’s in biology, master’s in environmental policy and a doctorate in social anthropology.Her client work includes an inclusive marketing workshop for Fasken’s global marketing team, ESG 101 for CREA, DEI workshop for Vancity, Social Purpose Strategy and Communications for Coast Capital Credit Union. Prior to this Shilpa was the EVP of Social Impact & EDII & Sustainability at Communications Agency where she developed the agency-wide EDI Strategy, EDI Communications and EDI Workshops internally for teams and externally for clients such as P&G and Molson. She also held executive roles at OMERS as VP of Sustainable Investing spearheading their work on climate change and EDI and Manulife Financial where she was responsible for Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship portfolio.Shilpa is passionate about exploring natural landscapes and cultures. She has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mt. Everest Base Camp in Nepal, and hiked Torres del Paine in Patagonia. She continues to be amazed by all that nature and travel to far off places offers to us irrespective of age, gender, race or ethnicity. Shilpa speaks English, Hindi, Spanish and some French.She recently launched a direct trade and organic spice company called No Women, No Spice. No Women, No Spice support the development sustainable farm communities through agroforestry and regenerative agriculture projects, empowers women farmers by amplifying their work in agriculture, and provide enriching culinary experiences.

Sheri is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes care & education specialist. She has been in practice for two decades. Within that time, she has worked in a variety of settings- hospitals, wellness centers, outpatient clinics, retail, and corporate wellness. Currently, Sheri is the lead dietitian for a cardiac and pulmonary wellness center in the Bay Area. She also owns Sheri The Plant Strong Dietitian, LLC where she offers recipe development, educational services, and brand partnerships with wellness companies. Sheri’s focus is to help everyone to eat more plants. She encourages an inclusive plant-based diet that is balanced and does not exclude any foods outside or allergies or food intolerances.

Shatoune Shepard is the culinary genius and driving force behind Shepard's Sweets, an emblem of dessert excellence rooted in the vibrant flavors of Los Angeles. With an innate passion for confectionery, Shatoune began her journey experimenting in her home kitchen, transforming simple ingredients into extraordinary dessert masterpieces. Today, her brand stands as a testament to her dedication and artistry, specializing in an array of desserts with a particular emphasis on intricately crafted cakes and her signature chocolate toffees. These toffees, a harmonious blend of rich chocolate and nuanced flavors, have become a sought-after delicacy, setting new standards in the world of sweets. As the owner and founder, Shatoune's commitment to quality, innovation, and the sheer joy of dessert-making has not only garnered her accolades from top culinary critics but has also etched her name as a trendsetter in the global dessert arena. Her story is one of passion, perseverance, and the pursuit of perfection, making every bite of Shepard's Sweets a celebration of her journey. Shatoune Shepard is the culinary genius and driving force behind Shepard's Sweets, an emblem of dessert excellence rooted in the vibrant flavors of Los Angeles. With an innate passion for confectionery, Shatoune began her journey experimenting in her home kitchen, transforming simple ingredients into extraordinary dessert masterpieces. Today, her brand stands as a testament to her dedication and artistry, specializing in an array of desserts with a particular emphasis on intricately crafted cakes and her signature chocolate toffees. These toffees, a harmonious blend of rich chocolate and nuanced flavors, have become a sought-after delicacy, setting new standards in the world of sweets. As the owner and founder, Shatoune's commitment to quality, innovation, and the sheer joy of dessert-making has not only garnered her accolades from top culinary critics but has also etched her name as a trendsetter in the global dessert arena. Her story is one of passion, perseverance, and the pursuit of perfection, making every bite of Shepard's Sweets a celebration of her journey.