Katie Wilson brings a unique background as a former professional matchmaker to her role revolutionizing the wellness industry. After a successful career as a Chief Dating Expert at Match, Katie applied her talent for understanding what people truly want to an entirely different field: digestive health.  Spotting a gap in the market for digestive supplements, the BelliWelli team created Daily Fiber mixes that deliver results, are easy to take, and actually taste good. The team quickly scaled—from homemade test batches to partnering with top GI doctors to develop clinically-proven formulas that combine fiber, probiotics, and functional ingredients.  Katie runs BelliWelli with a consumer-first perspective. Her social media savviness has helped grow the brand into a movement with products in thousands of stores nationwide. She's transformed the product we’ve all been hiding in our medicine cabinets into a daily wellness ritual we’re proud to display on the counter. 

Kristin Piper is the Vice President over Walmart’s Wellness Merchandising organization, leading teams that expand access to essential wellness products through technology, supplier partnerships, and creative solutions. In her current role, she has overseen the addition of an exciting assortment of trusted and innovative wellness brands, helping customers find solutions that fit their needs across vitamins, supplements, digestive health, performance, and nutrition — including high-protein options like drinks and bars. With more than 12 years at Walmart, Kristin has led teams through transformative initiatives spanning financial services, directed spend, and wellness merchandising. She is passionate about empowering teams to navigate complexity and deliver solutions that make critical products and services more accessible to customers everywhere.

Luke grew up in Cape Elizabeth, ME – a third generation lobsterman. He attended college at Georgetown University, after which he moved to New York to start a career in investment banking. He was remiss to find that every lobster roll available was overpriced, drowning in mayo, and diluted with celery. He craved a real Maine-style roll and simply couldn’t find one. In 2009, Luke turned to his roots and longstanding relationship with the Maine lobstering community to cut out the middleman and bring Maine lobster to the heart of NYC, with the help of his father, lobsterman and the first licensed lobster processor in the state of Maine, Jeff Holden, and later joined by his brothers Bryan and Mike. Luke’s lobster is a vertically integrated seafood business. Luke’s Lobster has investments in Maine wharfs and Coops, its own state of the art seafood production facility, ecommerce and consumer packaged good businesses and has grown its restaurant business beyond its founding city of New York City, with homes in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, Newport, Tokyo, Singapore and Maine. What sets Luke's Lobster apart is its commitment to sustainability and traceability. They pride themselves on working directly with fishermen to ensure that their seafood is responsibly harvested, supporting local communities and protecting marine ecosystems. Luke sits on the board of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. In 2018, Luke’s Lobster furthered its commitment to sustainability and socially conscious business practices by becoming a certified B Corporation®. The same year, Luke’s was named the Global Supplier of the Year by Whole Foods Market and received the Purpose Driven Empowerment award by the retailer. Luke Holden has been named one of Real Leaders 2018 Top 100. Over the years, Luke has also been included on the Forbes’ 30 under 30, Inc 30 under 30, Zagat’s 30 under 30, and Crain’s 40 under 40, and was most recently interviewed on NPR’s How I Built This podcast and The Today Show. In 2024, Luke’s received Travel + Leisure’s Global Vision Award. Luke lives in South Portland, Maine with his wife, Laisee and three daughters, Poppy, Banks, and Hadley, and loves sharing his passion for fishing and the ocean with all four of them.

Jeni Britton is a pioneering entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and one of the most original voices in American food and brand culture. She founded Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002 in an Ohio farmers’ market, transforming it into a national phenomenon with over 90 scoop shops and retail presence in thousands of grocery stores across the U.S. Known for its inventive flavors, ingredient integrity, and joyful design, Jeni’s helped define a new era of modern American food brands. A champion of sustainability and human-centered innovation, Jeni’s latest venture, Floura & Co., reinvents fresh produce trimmings—like watermelon rind and apple cores—into delicious, fiber-rich snacks that help close the fiber gap and combat chronic illness in America. As with Jeni’s, the mission is bigger than food: it’s about well-being, beauty, and reclaiming what nourishes us. Jeni is a 2017 Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute and a U.S. Culinary Diplomat. Her leadership style blends artistry and pragmatism, intuition and data. She speaks powerfully on entrepreneurship, creativity, sustainability, brand-building, and the power of pleasure and beauty to transform lives and businesses. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, and spends as much time in the forest as possible.

Hailey Swartz is the co-Founder and co-CEO of Actual Veggies. Actual Veggies makes chef-crafted veggie burgers and fries. Launched in 2021, Actual Veggies is available in over 10,000 retail doors nationwide.

Laurel Orley is the CEO and Co-founder of Daily Crunch Snacks, an Inc. 5000 snack company that launched in 2020. With over 15 years of experience in marketing & strategy, Laurel spent her career working with companies such as Diageo, Hasbro, and Unilever. While at Unilever, she worked on flagship brands including Dove, Hellmann’s, and Lipton. She played a key role in the award-winning Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, which earned an Effie and was named 2011 Media Plan of the Year by Adweek. Laurel was selected in the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women Class of 2024 and recognized as a 2025 NOSH Notable. Daily Crunch is a Uniquely Crunchy™ sprouted nut snack that proves healthy eating can be delicious, satisfying, and crave-worthy. Inspired by her Aunt Diane’s discovery of sprouting in India over 20 years ago, Laurel co-founded Daily Crunch to bring the benefits of sprouted ingredients to everyday snacking. Today, the brand is available in over 16,000 points of distribution and expanded nationally with Whole Foods Market in 2024. Daily Crunch’s biggest launch to date was fall 2025 in over 1,500 Albertson’s doors. Daily Crunch is mission-driven with a strong focus on mental health and sustainability — proudly recognized as one of the first Upcycled brands, where Laurel sits on the board. In 2024, Laurel led Daily Crunch’s Series A round and established a formal board, now chaired by the former CEO of Tate’s Cookies and Tom’s of Maine. Laurel lives in Nashville with her husband and three children. She enjoys hiking, Nashville hot chicken, and traveling with her family…their next trip is Japan in December!

Jason Parasco is Chief Executive Officer of Insignia International, where he leads the company's mission to build authentic Hispanic and Southwestern food brands that resonate with modern American consumers. Under his leadership, Insignia's core brands are posting growth and consistently outperforming category averages as Hispanic flavors gain mainstream adoption across the U.S. Parasco joined Insignia as Chief Sales Officer and quickly transformed the company's commercial operations. He secured major retail wins including expanding craft salsa into 1,400 Walmart stores, placing Hatch Magic Chips across 2,000 Kroger locations, and driving Yucatan Guacamole to the #1 position at Publix. His consumer-first approach delivered standout results, with Lilly B's organic burritos exceeding Costco projections by nearly $2 million in Q1 2025. Prior to Insignia, Parasco served as Senior Vice President, Head of Sales at Sovos Brands (NASDAQ: SOVO), where he was instrumental in scaling the company from under $100 million to over $1 billion in revenue. He also held the role of Chief Commercial Officer at Fly By Jing, leading commercialization efforts from a direct-to-consumer model to mainstream brick and mortar for the premium Asian food brand and driving significant distribution gains. A United States Naval Academy graduate, Parasco served as a Naval Supply Corps Officer, bringing disciplined leadership and strategic thinking to the consumer packaged goods industry. He studied Economics at the Naval Academy, where he also played lacrosse. Parasco's leadership philosophy centers on what he calls "heart, hustle, and purpose" – building companies that create bold, authentic products while maintaining an entrepreneurial "Street Fighter mentality." He is recognized for his expertise in scaling premium food brands and capitalizing on emerging consumer trends in the rapidly evolving CPG landscape.

Eugene Kang’s journey started in his Korean immigrant parents’ Los Angeles convenience stores where he learned the value of food, community and hard work. Later, on a spring break road trip, he discovered a delicious, hand-crafted beef jerky stand and returned home with an idea that soon became a full-fledged company. He acquired Archer (then Country Archer Provisions) when he was only 22 years old. Fourteen years later, Archer is the No. 1 premium jerky brand in the U.S., known for its real, responsibly sourced ingredients and clean-label products that stand out in a crowded market. Archer’s explosive success is a driving force in the growth of the overall meat snack category. Under Kang’s leadership, Archer’s 90% year-over-year growth in 2024 outpaced the category's 5.8% growth, and the company is on track for $500 million in top-line revenue by the end of 2026.  A pivotal moment for the company came in 2017 when Kang made the decision to expand Archer’s product portfolio from jerky to meat sticks – that bet is paying off; the stick business is booming. In 2024, Archer’s meat stick sales grew by 187.4%, making the company one of the primary drivers of the overall meat stick category growth.  In the first half of 2025, under Kang’s leadership, the company underwent a bold brand refresh, which elevated it in a competitive marketplace. Archer also announced a sponsorship of the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers, which brought Archer products to concession stands throughout Dodger Stadium. In the second half of the year, the company will launch its first national marketing campaign and open its second manufacturing facility that will nearly double its production to meet surging demand and further vertically integrate its operations, an approach Kang strongly champions. 

Jeni Britton is a pioneering entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and one of the most original voices in American food and brand culture. She founded Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2002 in an Ohio farmers’ market, transforming it into a national phenomenon with over 90 scoop shops and retail presence in thousands of grocery stores across the U.S. Known for its inventive flavors, ingredient integrity, and joyful design, Jeni’s helped define a new era of modern American food brands. A champion of sustainability and human-centered innovation, Jeni’s latest venture, Floura & Co., reinvents fresh produce trimmings—like watermelon rind and apple cores—into delicious, fiber-rich snacks that help close the fiber gap and combat chronic illness in America. As with Jeni’s, the mission is bigger than food: it’s about well-being, beauty, and reclaiming what nourishes us. Jeni is a 2017 Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute and a U.S. Culinary Diplomat. Her leadership style blends artistry and pragmatism, intuition and data. She speaks powerfully on entrepreneurship, creativity, sustainability, brand-building, and the power of pleasure and beauty to transform lives and businesses. She lives in Columbus, Ohio, and spends as much time in the forest as possible.

Todd Davis’s journey with Kroger started in 1995 as a fresh-faced Courtesy Clerk, and it didn’t take long for his hard work to pay off—he was promoted to Produce Clerk that same year. By 1996, Todd had already stepped into his first leadership role as a Produce Manager, setting the stage for a career full of growth and fresh opportunities. Fast forward through the years, and Todd’s resume reads like a tour of the grocery world. From Assistant Store Leader in 2001 to Division CAO Specialist in Houston, Produce Field Specialist, and more, Todd has worn a lot of hats. His knack for innovation shone through when he became the District Produce Coordinator in 2010 and then a Produce Subject Matter Expert at the General Office in 2011. By 2019, Todd was leading stores in Houston, and in 2023, he took on a new challenge as Store Leader in Excess at King Soopers. Today, he’s the King Soopers/City Market Division Natural Foods/Local Category Manager, where he blends his passion for fresh products with a flair for creative merchandising. But there’s more to Todd than his impressive career. He’s driven by a calling to help others grow, both professionally and personally. He’s all about those deep, meaningful conversations where everyone walks away with something new. Todd’s curiosity is boundless, he’s got an itch to study quantum physics and a soft spot for Thanos (yes, that Thanos), who could both save and destroy with a snap. When he’s not shaping the future of grocery, Todd’s geeking out on documentaries, diving into self-improvement books, or soaking up stories from strangers that offer fresh perspectives. You might be surprised to know that Todd’s hip-hop collection is the largest in North America—who knew? A self-proclaimed "Inspirational Speaker," Todd aims to inspire and assist others in reaching their goals. Todd is grateful for life and family. Todd loves to inspire others and will always be curious. His advice to his younger self? “Be patient, plan accordingly, and believe.” Todd is a leader who knows that growth and innovation go hand in hand.

Eric Skae serves as CEO of Carbone Fine Food, maker of the fastest-growing national pasta sauce. The only major center-store CPG brand that bridges pop culture, tastemakers, influencers, celebrities, events and social media, Eric has led Carbone to the #2 position in Natural and #6 in Grocery in four short years since its 2021 launch. The results are 100% YOY growth and unique status as the only leading pasta sauce brand that indexes high with both Gen Z and millennials – all against Eric’s goal of making Carbone a billion-dollar brand.

Becca Millstein is the CEO & Co-Founder of Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co. She co-created the company in 2020 during Covid-19, after recognizing a glaring hole in quality, sustainable tinned fish available in the U.S. market. She was recently named as one of Forbes 30 under 30 and has been interviewed by Eater, Cherry Bombe, Nylon, and more, and recently appeared on Shark Tank. She’s currently based in Los Angeles.

Joining Gelson’s in 2007 as a Dairy/Deli/Frozen Category Manager, Rich’s team is currently responsible for all Center Store product assortment, promotions and merchandising at Gelson’s. This includes products in Grocery, Dairy, Frozen, Deli, Non-foods, Liquor and Specialty Cheese. He previously spent 21 years at Vons for a total of over 39 years in the industry. During his time at Gelson’s, Rich and his team have been recognized for sourcing innovative new items and trends. This would include being First to Market with well-known brands like CVT, Health-ade, Califia, Chica’s, Caulipower and Impossible Burger’s national retail launch. Gelson’s is proud to work with small, local brands trying to start out in the industry and is willing to assist in educating brands on the right way to go to market. Rich holds his BA in Business Economics from UC Santa Barbara, a Masters in Food Industry Leadership from USC and is also a graduate of the USC Food Industry Management Program.

Brad partners with leading growth-stage food and beverage companies as an active Board member working with high performance CEOs to optimize their leadership effectiveness across all business dimensions in order to build/scale dynamic brands and create high value, category winning companies effectively positioned to sustainably drive strong, profitable growth and/or exit to strategic acquirers. Current Boards: Country Archer, Gimme Foods, Biena and Barney Butter. Prior Boards from early/growth stage through to Company Exit: Kevita (Pepsi), Simple Mills (Flowers Foods), Krave (Hershey), Flying Embers (JuneShine), Health Warrior (Pepsi), RightRice (Planting Hope), Zola (Karp Reilly), Fishpeople (Bornstein Seafood), Chameleon Cold Brew (Nestle), Red’s All Natural (Bansk Group) and Aura Bora (Next in Natural) … with cumulative exit value surpassing $1.5 billion. After time spent in management consulting and investment banking, Brad’s food/bev journey began over twenty-five years ago as the Founder/CEO of the Fantasia Fresh Juice Co. which he built into a leading superpremium fresh juice/smoothie brand culminating in a merger with Naked Juice and subsequent acquisition by Pepsi. He holds an MBA from the Stanford GSB and a true passion for unlocking the power of human transformation and possibility in life and leadership.

Mollye Santulli is an investor at Springdale Ventures, an early-stage venture fund backing the next generation of consumer brands. She began her career in finance at General Mills and Simple Mills before earning her MBA from Harvard Business School. At Springdale, she leads sourcing, diligence, and investments across food, beverage, wellness, and personal care, and works closely with founders post-investment on fundraising, hiring, and go-to-market strategy. She also serves on the associate board of Naturally Chicago and Chicago Seed, supporting early-stage founders in the region.  

Karen Ivanis-Rogers is the Sr. Director of the Albertsons Venture Group. She joined Albertsons eight years ago specifically for this role, working alongside Jim Foltz. Karen feels incredibly fortunate to be in this position.  In her role, Karen collaborates with Jim on evaluating and signing new investments and working directly with portfolio companies to accelerate their growth. She also serves as an observer on six boards.  Prior to Albertsons Ventures, Karen worked in CPG with the bigger brands at Johnson and Johnson, Clorox, Nestle Foods, Del Monte and Nature Made Vitamins.    Karen is particularly proud of the Innovation Launchpad, a program she initiated two years ago. Since its inception, Albertsons has processed applications from over 1,500 brands, set up 110 brands to compete, and awarded over half a million dollars in prizes. The Launchpad has successfully connected these brands with merchants across the company and promoted them online. The diversity statistics of the Launchpad brands, including women-owned and minority-owned businesses, are impressive.  In 2024, Karen was thrilled to be recognized as a Nosh Notable on behalf of the Launchpad work.   Karen lives in the Oakland Hills with her husband.