Lauren Noël is the voice and vision behind Noël & Co.’s storytelling. As co-founder, she leads social media and brand communication, shaping the way customers connect with the heart of the business. Lauren started Noël & Co. with her twin sister Janie at just 16, driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a belief in creating something meaningful from the ground up. A two-time kidney transplant recipient and advocate for disability inclusion, Lauren brings authenticity and purpose to everything she shares — always with warmth, humour, and heart.

Tanisha Mighty is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in the retail industry, specializing in management, training and HR/talent acquisition. Currently, Tanisha serves as a full-cycle recruiter for Saatva, where she has been for over three years, focusing on a wide range of roles from retail management to associates and corporate positions. Beyond recruitment, Tanisha is also the ERG Council President, overseeing all Employee Resource Groups and fostering an inclusive and supportive environment across the company. Her expertise and commitment drive meaningful connections, impactful hiring, and a vibrant company culture at Saatva.

Dr. Rachel Trinker is a nationally recognized audiologist and thought leader specializing in the complex intersection of hearing loss and cognitive health. With over a decade of clinical and academic experience, Dr. Trinker brings an authoritative yet accessible voice to the evolving conversation around brain-hearing science, an area she passionately champions as fundamental to overall well-being.A vocal advocate for early intervention and inclusive technology, Dr. Trinker is committed to empowering individuals through education, destigmatizing hearing aids and assistive technologies, and spotlighting the vital role hearing plays in healthy aging.Renowned for her ability to translate advanced neuroscience into actionable insights, Dr. Trinker has become a trusted spokesperson in the hearing health community. Her work explores how untreated hearing loss accelerates cognitive decline, disrupts social connectivity, and undermines long-term quality of life, making her a pivotal voice in reframing hearing care as a public health imperative.As a frequent contributor to conferences, industry roundtables, and national media outlets, Dr. Trinker bridges the gap between clinical expertise and public engagement. Her commentary has informed consumers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers alike, offering compelling narratives backed by cutting-edge research and human-centered care.Dr. Rachel Trinker earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from the Indiana University and received her Doctorate in Audiology at Montclair State University (MSU).

Anna founded Ever-Pretty in 2005 with a mission to make elegant, accessible occasionwear available to women around the world. Under her leadership, the brand grew from a small online store into one of the top dress sellers on global platforms like AliExpress, with a strong presence across North America and Europe.With over 18 years of hands-on experience in design, supply chain, and international e-commerce, Anna has overseen the launch of multiple best-selling dress styles—one of which has remained a customer favorite for over a decade. She built Ever-Pretty’s end-to-end supply chain from scratch and established overseas branches in Canada, the U.S., and the UK, allowing the brand to serve over 500,000 global customers with efficient fulfillment and service.Beyond sales growth, Anna is known for her vision in building long-term influencer partnerships and her ability to turn data into product success. She continues to lead Ever-Pretty toward its next chapter of global expansion, while incubating new brands like Alisa Pan to meet the evolving style needs of modern women.

Arjun is a creative director and digital artist with over 15 years of experience spanning branding, motion design, and digital UX. He brings a multidisciplinary approach to Jeweler Collective’s visual identity—translating the stories and styles of global jewelers into striking, story-rich content.Arjun has led brand storytelling across industries and currently directs the creative vision behind Jeweler Collective’s campaigns, including the Hidden Gems shoot across Bangkok and Pattaya. He’s available for interviews on design leadership, cultural visual storytelling, and creative tech in fashion.

Kevin Lee is a brand architect and founder of Pulse, a branding and marketing agency helping businesses stand out and scale. With over a decade of experience building standout brands across consumer, retail, tech, food, beauty, and wellness, he specializes in translating complex products into compelling brand narratives that resonate in crowded, competitive markets.Before Pulse, Kevin spent 8 years in New York’s startup and retail scenes, leading go-to-market and creative efforts for high-growth companies and helping shape brands that balanced aesthetics, functionality, and commercial strategy. He brings a hybrid lens to every project - part creative director, part business strategist - ensuring that brand development ties directly to growth and market traction.In addition to his work with clients, Kevin is an executive member of DC Tech Meetup, where he helps foster community and spotlight innovation across the region’s tech and startup ecosystem.

Allen Brouwer – Founder & CEO of WithLoveAllen Brouwer is a visionary entrepreneur and seasoned leader in the D2C space, with a track record of building and scaling purpose-driven brands since 2015. As the Co-Founder and CEO of WithLove, Allen launched his newest venture to help families create more harmony in the home through clean, science-backed nutrition for kids and parents alike.A two-time Inc. 5000 honoree and winner of both the Shopify Build a Business and Build a Bigger Business competitions, Allen has scaled multiple businesses to international success and even had the honor of ringing the NYSE opening bell—twice.Beyond his own ventures, Allen has advised some of the world’s most recognized brands and entrepreneurs. He brings a rare blend of creative vision, operational discipline, and heart-centered leadership to every company he touches.

Dr. Katie Woodley is the proud owner and expert holistic veterinarian of The Natural Pet Doctor. She integrates holistic medicine, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and nutrition, into conventional treatment plans, which improves the efficacy of treatments and enables pets to live longer and more vibrant lives. She offers house consultations and telehealth options in the Northern Colorado region, and partners with conventional veterinarians to improve treatment outcomes and enhance well-being.She is a small animal veterinarian who developed a passion for natural medicine while living in New Zealand. Her vet career was lucky enough to begin in the beautiful country of New Zealand. She was able to see how living off the land by growing vegetables and raising animals was the way to live the healthiest version of human life. Her pets were lucky to have lots of open space to run around in and were always at the beach or the river.When she and her family moved back to the States five years ago, her husband unfortunately developed an autoimmune disease. As they researched natural medicine options for him to avoid the horrible side effects of the treatment options his doctors were providing him, Dr. Woodley realized that she was doing a disservice to animal patients by not offering these holistic options to them. She began down the integrative medicine route and has never been happier. She became certified in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for pets, which has changed her entire practice and treatment outcomes.Through nutrition, acupuncture, herbal medicine, essential oils, and supplements, every animal can achieve optimal health or feel their best even with a chronic illness or disease like cancer. She is continuously learning about other natural modalities and growing her knowledge base every day so she can help pets in new and exciting ways to help them thrive.

Namiko Hirasawa Chen is the creator of Just One Cookbook, the #1 English-language website for Japanese recipes. Nami believes that anyone can cook traditional and modern Japanese dishes with confidence by following her accessible, step-by-step instructions and videos.To help home cooks prepare meals with the right tools and present them beautifully, Nami launched JOC Goods, an online shop dedicated to artisan-made Japanese tableware and kitchenware.Born and raised in Yokohama, Japan, she now lives in San Francisco, California, with her family.

Mat Fraser is a Canadian-American CrossFit athlete and one of the most dominant figures in the sport's history. He claimed victory at the CrossFit Games five consecutive times, from 2016 to 2020, setting a new benchmark for athletic excellence. In addition to co-founding while on earth alongside industry veteran Todd Meleney and fellow CrossFit legend Brooke Wells, Mathew founded the HWPO (“Hard Work Pays Off”) training platform in 2021 to share his high-performance programming. He also co-founded Podium Nutrition as part of his efforts to support competitive athletes.

Ryan Bishop is the co-founder and CEO of Rho Nutrition, a fast-growing wellness company pioneering liposomal supplement technology. Originally from a small town in New Hampshire, Ryan grew up deeply rooted in sports, especially hockey which shaped his competitive spirit and leadership style from an early age.After attending college in Florida, he launched his career in sales and quickly found his way into the world of supplement manufacturing. Ryan led the business development team at a leading manufacturer, where he forged global distribution partnerships across North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia. It was in this role that he gained deep expertise in advanced delivery systems and worked alongside his future co-founder, George.Motivated by a shared belief in the transformative potential of liposomal technology and a passion to drive change in the nutraceutical industry, Ryan and George launched Rho Nutrition in 2022.Under Ryan’s leadership as CEO, the brand has seen rapid growth, earning a reputation for innovation, transparency, and performance. Ryan oversees the day-to-day operations and execution across the business, while George serves as the visionary force, acting as both Chief of Staff and Chief Innovation Officer, with a focus on R&D and strategic direction.Together, they’ve built Rho into one of the most exciting names in next-generation wellness, bridging cutting-edge science with real-world results.

Ryeon helps with daily operations at Little Beast.

Greta Beck began personal training in 2016 after becoming a mom in 2015, when she earned her prenatal and postnatal fitness certification. What started as a personal curiosity for movement grew into a career dedicated to helping people feel stronger, more mobile, and pain-free. At Bellabooty, Greta blends her expertise in glute training and functional movement with a mission to make strength training accessible and empowering for everyone.

Alex Z. Wang is a New York–based visual artist and the founder of Honesty Brutal, a premium streetwear and accessories brand that transforms his original artworks into limited-edition wearable art. Before dedicating himself fully to his creative practice, Alex spent more than a decade as a strategy consultant advising global fashion, luxury, and beauty brands. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and studied fine art at Parsons School of Design, The Cooper Union, and The Art Students League of New York—an education that bridges both business strategy and creative practice.As an artist, Alex has exhibited widely at art fairs and galleries across the United States and internationally, across New York City, the Hamptons, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris. His work has been collected by private collectors and featured in many juried exhibitions that explore themes of movement, impermanence, and transformation. In August 2025, Alex received his first solo presentation on Artsy via ArtRewards, an online gallery in Norway.Through his paintings, Alex explores atmosphere, movement, and raw emotion, drawing inspiration from dance, music, and the ever-shifting urban environment. With Honesty Brutal, he extends this artistic language into fashion, merging the rarity of fine art with the immediacy of streetwear. His mission is to create pieces that are not only sustainable and exclusive, but also carry the same honesty and boldness that define his work on canvas.

Lisa Pollack is Corto’s Education Ambassador. She leads opportunities to taste and experience fresh olive oil with both professional and home chefs. Lisa has visited olive oil producers all over the world, from New Zealand to Japan, and she found her way to the California industry in 2013. Her background comes from the California Olive Oil Council where she oversaw the organization’s commitment to quality and standards with the sensory taste panel, while also working as an advocate for California producers among discerning chefs, retailers and consumers. When she decided to step away from the COOC, she was elated to join Corto in furthering their education initiatives and sharing the exciting innovations that position them as a leader worldwide. In addition to her experience overseeing the COOC taste panel, Lisa is certified by the National Association of Olive Oil Tasters (ONAOO) based in Imperia, Italy.

A fashion industry vet, Rachel has worked in apparel for nearly years, first cutting her teeth at Authentic Brands Group in 2004. From there she worked her way through the industry— eventually becoming Oscar de la Renta’s Head of Product, after years of learning her craft at Ralph Lauren, The Row, and Ralph Rucci. The pandemic sparked a new entrepreneurial chapter for both Rachel and her team— the March 2020 launch of their non-profit ‘Garment District for Gowns,’ aimed to help under- served healthcare workers, led to the eventual formation of their company ‘Goldatech,’ which manufactures uniforms, medical, and surgical apparel for state agencies and the Department of Defense (U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard). Rachel's team were the first awardees of Empire State Development's Covid Retooling Grant out of 40,000 applicants, and was awarded the 2021 NYS MWBE Innovation Award. Rachel has now launched Welles, an ESG-focused scrubs company on a mission to reset technical performance and environmental accountability standards.

Scott Berkebile is Vice President of Retail at SuperJeweler. He has over four decades of fine jewelry retail, merchandising, marketing, and operations experience. As a senior-level executive, Scott provides a deep knowledge of the customer experience at all touch points for SuperJeweler. He is also actively involved in several ongoing marketing and product development initiatives. Prior to joining SuperJeweler, Scott held executive positions with Fred Meyer & Littman Jewelers; King’s of New Castle; and luxury brands PLUKKA and Marli New York. Scott holds a BSBA from Waynesburg University and is a Gemological Institute of America, Graduate Gemologist.

A native resident of the Connecticut shoreline & a first-born daughter with a lifelong affinity for clothes, Hayley Segar is a beach-loving problem solver...who always hated swimwear. "I always loved fashion, but hated swimsuits. I knew there was something wrong with it, but coudn't put my finger on the exact issue. I just sucked it up and wore subpar swimwear that dug and squeezed, year after year."That was, until April of 2019 when Segar had her lightbulb moment after trying on dozens of swimsuits. "I literally said out loud out of frustration, 'I just want a swimsuit that fits like my favorite no-show underwear does.' And it was in that moment that it hit me. I knew had to create it."Fast forward to November 2021 when Hayley launched her patented swimsuit concept that is truly 'onewith' a wearer's body. Size-inclusive, edgeless, dig-free, and elastic-free, onewith is everything normal swimwear, as we know it, is not. Women wanting swimwear that fits like underwear is nothing new; onewith is simply the brand that brought it to life, filling a white space in an otherwise saturated industry. onewith consistently goes viral for this reason.Hayley is a graduate of the University of Connecticut. She is a self-described "cat-person convert," and resides in CT with her three beloved rescued cats.

Suzanne Shade is a creative strategist and entrepreneur based in San Francisco. She has worked extensively with agencies and CEOs shaping consumer brands; specializing in first to market companies. The Dry Gloss Manicure, a method she designed, represents her mission to offer a truly natural and sustainable alternative to the tools and ingredients of traditional at-home manicures.

Sea Bags was founded in 2006 on the principles of being green in product and practice, being made in Maine, and acting as good stewards to our community and state. Sea Bags has employed over 200 people, many of whom Beth mentored and have gone on to run their own companies. Today, Sea Bags has 50 stores, a robust online business, and hundreds of wholesale accounts including Life Is Good and Ralph Lauren - along with a newly-licensed NFL collection. As Sea Bags continues to grow, Beth remains focused on the core mission of the company: being sustainable in product and process, becoming a best-in-class employer, and keeping production local. Beth also serves on the boards for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and serves as Board Chair for the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. She co-founded the Maine Textile Consortium, actively mentors start-ups, and has been named a Woman to Watch by Maine Biz.

Amy Batra received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Temple University – graduating with honors. She has 20 years of experience in start-up companies and big pharma including companies such as Bausch & Lomb, Sanofi Aventis, Merz and Johnson & Johnson. Her core expertise includes aesthetics, dermatology, regenerative and functional medicine in roles ranging from sale professional to management. She successfully developed and launched new products and created a highly successful model for physician training under Continuing Medical Education (CME). Over the last 10 years, she has worked side-by-side with her husband and business partner, Sanjay Batra.

Based in North Vancouver, Patrice Mousseau is a conscious entrepreneur and the owner/creator of Satya Organic Skin Care. Patrice is also a proud single mom and Anishinaabe member of Fort William First Nation.Patrice’s determination to change the world through business began by accident. For years, she was a news anchor for leading television & radio stations in Canada, but that all changed when her baby girl Esme began suffering from eczema at only 8-months old.Today, Satya has helped thousands of skin warriors around the world access clean, effective skin relief.

Matt Rollens is the Founder and CEO of Dragon Glassware, a Sacramento-based boutique and luxury glassware company offering a variety of modern and unique barware and drinkware for the home and kitchen.In 2016, Rollens received a glass tea bottle from Amazon that left him disappointed with its quality, so he decided to make a better one himself. Come 2017, the former exec at a small ad agency embarked on a glass constructing journey and never looked back. Rollens identified a need in the specialty drinkware market, concluding there was a gap in barware embodying bold, modern designs. Inspired by Jeff Bezos, Founder, and CEO of Amazon, Rollens also honed in on the customer experience to understand his consumers and create the best possible products and experiences. Fusing his graphic design expertise and consumer focus, Dragon Glassware, a leader in the barware industry, was born.

With a background in advertising and a passion for skincare and all things beauty, Rachel founded Intoxicated Cosmetics with the idea that injectables don't have to be the only anti-aging skincare solution on the market. Using unique and top of the line ingredients, Intoxicated Cosmetics was able to create completely custom formulas along with their US-based FDA regulated biochemical company. Rachel is also a licensed Esthetician in the state of Massachusetts.

Katie is passionate about consumer products and bringing innovative, impactful options to as many people as possible. Having spent time in the consumer products world at places like Johnson & Johnson, she saw the immense impact of plastic in personal care, and became empowered by the idea that she could help reinvigorate everyday routines with products that were equally effective, elevated, and eco-friendly. She embarked on a mission to create modern, sustainable solutions with a positive impact on both people and the planet, and hasn't stopped since. Katie holds a Bachelor's degree from Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, currently resides in New York City, and is a proud mom to her golden retriever, Riley.

Our journey began in 2019 when Julie Napolitano founded Pup Wax®,  the first & only 100% clean premium skincare for dogs. February 2022, Pup Wax® rebranded as Puppington®, and our assortment evolved into a comprehensive collection of products designed to promote dog mental health and well-being. Julie has cross-cultural leadership experience at Fortune 500 companies and a track record of building successful partnerships with international teams to deliver innovation and scalable, consistent results. Prior to founding Pup Wax / Puppington, Julie led multiple international cross-functional teams in a variety of global strategic projects as head of global legal operations for Bunge, where she also served as Chief of Staff to the Chief Legal Officer. Julie has extensive experience in new business development and establishing new business units, commodity derivatives, managing risk, and treasury management. Over more than 10 years, Julie contributed to various areas of Bunge, having also served as Assistant Treasurer, head of Global Financial Services Group Business Development, Commodity Derivatives Trader, and Cross Asset Solutions Strategist. Prior to joining Bunge, Julie focused on financial market analysis and risk management at Lehman Brothers and HypoVereinsbank.Julie served on the board of GallopNYC, an organization that provides hippotherapy and therapeutic riding services to children with disabilities from low-income families.Julie has an MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell University and a BS in Computer Science from Columbia University, School of Engineering and Applied Science.A dog mom to two adopted rescue hounds, Julie lives in Chappaqua, NY. Each foster that joins the family has a permanent place in her heart.

Before Joy Organics, Barry was an entrepreneurial senior executive and consultant with broad experience managing various business functions with a focus on international business development, sales, marketing, leadership, and organizational development for both new ventures and established companies. Barry constructed detailed business plans, assembled top teams, and built the necessary alliances to launch and grow several successful businesses and divisions over the past 25+ years in the U.S., Canada, Europe, East Asia, South America, and India. Barry is committed to building conscious leadership and businesses incorporating the principles of Conscious Capitalism. He has built values-driven teams committed to higher purpose and the triple bottom line: people, profit, and planet. His commitment to all stakeholders is supported by his complexity of thought to create Win6​ ​solutions where all key stakeholders win. Shortly after Joy Organics’ founding, Barry joined to oversee operations for the newly-founded but rapidly-growing brand. In 2020, he became CEO and has helped cultivate a company culture that empowers and equips employees to grow and thrive both personally and professionally.

Debbi Barber is a highly successful entrepreneur and co-founder of the innovative Vitali Regenerative Skin Care company. After 37 years as the head of a direct-marketing firm serving global nonprofit brands, Debbi embraced the opportunity to come out of retirement and create a product that she believed would benefit countless individuals. Her inspiration to develop this product stemmed from her experiences with peptides and their remarkable effects on her health and skin. Dr. Suzanne Turner, one of the leading authorities in the field of peptide research, was Debbi's mentor and teacher - introducing her to GHK-Cu as an effective way to treat crepey skin. With her husband's admiration for GHK-Cu's incredible healing powers, Debbi set out to create a more cost-effective, high-quality product of this blue peptide that could be accessible to all.  Through extensive research and study, Debbi has become known as an expert in peptides and the optimization of health and skin. She now serves as a resource in her weekly blog posts, which are greatly appreciated by skincare enthusiasts and professionals worldwide. It is thanks to Dr. Suzanne Turner that Debbi has been able to make her dream happen, and she continues her journey toward helping others achieve healthy, radiant skin with Vitali Regenerative Skin Care! 

Jeff Scult is a Fashion Pro-Activist, Thought-Speaker on Regeneration, and the Creator & Designer of the eco-luxe, lovestyle brand, One Golden Thread. As a Social-Environment Impact Entrepreneur and brand soul “Conscultant,” his life purpose is to live his inner-gold, contagiously illuminating others to also shine and share theirs.Scult pivoted his journey at age 51 from a life amplifying other’s visions to finally expressing his own creations as a clothing designer. Jeff’s purpose-driven mission is One Golden Thread, the environmentally-regenerative fashion brand whose ethical materials, golden message, and regenerative model are devoted to connecting one to self, community, and to nature.Jeff’s spoken-word ignited his personal freedom journey, and his soul consultancy Drops of Gold support leaders to raise the bar on their mission and language. Jeff believes, "When we come into right-relationship with themes of interconnectedness, anything is possible. Everything is medicine. Everything is energy. Transcending the greatest lie - the illusion of separation - is we, nature and us, as one.”

Mary Hood is the Founder and CEO of Hollywood Sensation Jewelry, a WBENC-certified, women-owned brand creating sophisticated, timeless designs with a purpose. Since founding the company in 2012 with just $500 and a baby on the way, Mary has transformed Hollywood Sensation from a small kitchen-table idea into a nationally recognized brand featured at major retailers such as Macy’s and Nordstrom.Mary’s journey is defined by resilience, vision, and a passion for empowering women. With a background in business and years of experience navigating male-dominated industries, she built her company on the belief that jewelry should not only be beautiful but also meaningful—pieces that carry stories, celebrate connections, and inspire confidence.Her leadership has earned Hollywood Sensation recognition in national media outlets, television features, and inclusion in accelerator programs like Macy’s, further solidifying the brand’s reputation for quality and authenticity. Today, Mary continues to grow her company with a mission-driven focus, blending elegance with empowerment and using her platform to inspire women to pursue their ambitions fearlessly.

Dr. Anthony Gustin is a former sports rehab clinician turned amateur farmer, entrepreneur,author, podcaster, and investor. Driven by a commitment to fixing what is broken in our modernhealth and food systems, he has founded several companies that empower people to livehealthier lifestyles.Equip Foods was born out of frustration with a supplement industry full of misinformation,underdosed products, and shady ingredient sourcing. As he puts it, “The supplement industry isdirty and people are getting robbed. Our food system is bereft of nutrients and toxic. People whogive a damn about their health need support and alternatives on their journey. No one else isdoing it, so we will.” Anthony aims to raise the bar across the entire industry, setting newstandards for transparency and quality, and helping people bridge the gap between their dailynutritional needs and real foods.As a recognized expert in food systems and regenerative agriculture, Anthony has invested inand advised over 40 businesses in the health and wellness space, always striving to help goodpeople do good things. He continues to explore what it means to live like a human through hispodcast, The Natural State, and his newsletter, The Feed.

Dr. Jennifer Aranda is the co-founder of Setú and a board-certified dermatologist dedicated to advancing skin health while celebrating the richness of Latin American heritage. Born and raised in Venezuela, Dr. Aranda graduated summa cum laude from Emory University School of Medicine and completed her dermatology residency at the prestigious University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW). Her passion for dermatology and global health led her to earn a Physician Scholar in International Health award from Yale University, allowing her to train in tropical dermatology in Peru. She later spent several months working and teaching in medical clinics across Tanzania and Uganda.Throughout her career, Dr. Aranda has combined clinical excellence with a deep commitment to education and service. She has held academic appointments at leading institutions, including UTSW and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She has contributed to dermatological research and publications, strengthening her reputation as a clinician and a scholar.At Setú, Dr. Aranda helped inform the development of the brand’s skincare products, carefully blending evidence-based formulations with powerful natural ingredients from Latin America. She believes that great skincare should be rooted in both science and tradition, promoting not just healthy skin but a more profound sense of identity and pride.Dr. Aranda lives in Austin, Texas, with her family.

Ricardo Aranda is the co-founder of Setú and a seasoned marketing executive with over two decades of experience in strategic leadership, brand development, and consumer activation. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership roles at renowned global companies such as Fruit of the Loom, S.C. Johnson & Son, and Kellogg’s. As the founder of Global Brand Consultants, Ricardo advises and supports corporate marketing strategies across diverse industries, including consumer packaged goods (CPG), apparel, and retail.Ricardo holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BBA from the University of Georgia. A proud Venezuelan-American, he is deeply committed to elevating Latino and multicultural voices in business and beyond. This passion for cultural representation and innovation led him to co-found Setú, where he blends his expertise in brand strategy with a deep cultural pride to create products that honor the richness of Latin American ingredients.In addition to his professional accomplishments, Ricardo is a published author, having written several books exploring bilingualism and his personal journey as a Venezuelan inmigrant. His career is a testament to his dedication to leadership, creativity, and diversity, leaving a lasting impact that transcends business.Ricardo lives in Boston, MA, with his family.

Lara Smith, economics major, cut her teeth at two of the biggest fashion houses in the world – Ralph Lauren and Gucci – and quickly worked her way up as a senior executive at some of Canada’s largest retailers. There, she traveled the globe to discover and create innovative apparel solutions that would make a difference in the lives of her women audience.  Waking up in service of women through problem solving apparel solutions goes back 15 years.  But it wasn’t until Lara watched her sister battle with breast cancer and the uncomfortable, long-term side effects that resulted from her treatments that she set out to find the most important solution of all – a solution to preventing overheating and night sweats in the clothing that is meant to make us feel beautiful and be comfortable. Lara looked throughout North America and Europe for a sleep brand with beautiful style and fabrics, but they were using 100% polyester and chemicals in the finishing process. Not to mention, their cooling technology never truly worked. That’s when Lara decided to create her own solution, one that fuses beauty, comfort and science. Her vision came to life through Lusomé, now a 10-year-old pajama brand that promotes the health and sleep of its wearers through first-of-its-kind technology that stops night sweats before it starts. While the demand for Lusomé pajamas surged during the pandemic, Lara also fought off a hostile takeover by one of the biggest players in this category. Post the takeover attempt and in the post covid health renaissance, Lara envisioned making a much bigger impact on people’s wellness through sleep.  LUSOMÉ has evolved to include the first and only luxury temperature regulating sleep mask and an anti aging sleep mask fused with collagen to deliver hydration. To further support the women Lara serves, The Sweaty Pillow community and podcast launched early 2024 to deliver evidence based content, resources and support for women in menopause. Lara is also a philanthropist and advocate for women’s overall health and wellness, including SheWorth. 

Tero Isokauppila is a Finnish entrepreneur, author, and the founder of Four Sigmatic, a company known for its innovative approach to functional mushrooms and adaptogens in everyday products like coffee, tea, and protein powders. Raised on a family farm in Finland, Tero grew up with a deep connection to nature, learning about foraging and natural remedies from a young age. This upbringing fostered his passion for wellness and natural health, leading him to study chemistry, business, and nutrition.Tero's interest in mushrooms grew from his personal experiences with their health benefits and his Finnish heritage, where the consumption of wild foods is deeply embedded in the culture. This passion culminated in the founding of Four Sigmatic in 2012, with a mission to make functional mushrooms and adaptogens more accessible to people around the world. His company quickly became a leader in the wellness industry, praised for its commitment to sustainability, clean ingredients, and transparency.As an advocate for natural health and functional foods, Tero has authored several books, including Healing Mushrooms, which educates readers about the science and benefits of medicinal mushrooms. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets, and he is recognized as a thought leader in the health and wellness space. Through Four Sigmatic, Tero continues to inspire people to make simple, everyday choices that can improve their health and wellbeing.

Robert (Robby) Sansom is Co-Founder & CEO at Force of Nature, a regeneratively sourced meat company based in Austin, TX. Robby’s roots run deep in the natural food community. Previously, as CFO/COO at EPIC, Robby spent much of the last decade studying regenerative agriculture at ranches all over the world.Through this education, Force of Nature was co-founded with the intention to accelerate the creation of a global regenerative supply network. Force of Nature works in partnership with land stewards, ranchers and farmers committed to creating a positive return on the planet. With Force of Nature, consumers now have the ability to invest in environmental regeneration by consuming meat that is good for the planet.Born and raised in Austin, TX, he received both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Texas. When he’s not building businesses aimed at saving the planet, Robby can be found on a trail, ocean, mountain or field, always making time to appreciate nature and explore his surroundings.Robby is also a land steward at ROAM Ranch where he owns regeneratively managed bison.