My bio:

I was raised in The Bronx, New York and earned a Biology degree from Binghamton University. I have over 25 years of food retail, CPG, food service and advocacy experience, from grill cook, stock clerk and EMT to Vice President of Grocery and prolific Board Member.

I have worked with Whole Foods, Patagonia, Annie’s, General Mills, Fairway, Good Eggs and National Co-op Grocers. I co-founded HERBL, Good Catch, Basics Market and other brands. I am among the most influential natural product merchants of my generation, helping introduce hundreds of brands and dozens of new categories throughout my career.

I led Grocery merchandising for Whole Foods from 2009 until 2016, doubling sales to over $5 Billion annually on top of a 300BP margin gain. NOSH has recognized me as one of their 2023 top 50 food industry notables and Supermarket News selected me as one of their Top 25 Retail Game Changers. I received the Hemp Industry Association Lifetime Achievement Award for over 20 years of hemp and marijuana activism, including founding a campaign to overturn the Rockefeller Drug Laws as well as enabling the first domestic hemp cultivation in over 70 years.

I helped establish Plant-Based foods, Organic, Hemp, Non-GMO, Halal, Kosher, and Fair Trade certifications as leading food trends. I also helped develop strict sourcing standards for Grass-fed dairy, green cleaning products and pasture raised eggs, as well as sustainable tuna.

I believe we can transform our food system to one that is just, equitable and sustainable.

I have experience in all areas of product development, including supply chain, food safety, packaging, ingredient sourcing, pricing strategy, promotions, E-commerce, marketing and distribution.

I am active as a Board Member or Advisor to over 20 natural products marketers, retailers and manufacturers. I am a frequent writer and public speaker, including recent engagements at Natural Products Expos, Yale, UT Austin, Stanford and Rice University.

Please get in touch if I can be of service to you or your organization!