Ancient Pioneers
Honoring the past. Leading the future.
All of Our Ancient Pioneers
Investors who share our vision of honoring the past and leading the future of real food nutrition.

Tom Aarts
Co-Founder, Nutrition Business Journal and NBJ Summit

Andrew Abraham
Founder and CEO, Orgain

Suleman Ali
Founder, Ali Capital; Board Member, Native Co.

Moiz Ali
Founder and CEO, Native Co.; Founder, Ali Capital

Rakesh Amin
Partner, Amin Talati Upadhye

Meghan Asha
CEO, FounderMade Fund

Brad Barnhorn
Leading Board Member in the Food/Beverage Space (Krave, Kevita, Chameleon Cold-Brew, Simple Mills, Health Warrior, Fishpeople, among others)

Keith Belling
Co-Founder, Chairman and Former CEO, Pop Chips

Lonna Borden
Former CFO, Justin's and IZZE Beverage Company

Justin Brown
Vice President of Business Development, Infinity Worlds, Inc.

Chad Bugos
Founder and President, Infinity Worlds, Inc.

Tara Burkley
Strategic Business Development Director, New Hope

Dave Burwick
Former CEO, Peets Coffee & Tea; CEO, The Boston Beer Company

Ryan Caldbeck
Founder and CEO, CircleUp

Casey Carl
Former Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Target

Filipp Chebotarev
COO / Partner, Cambridge Companies SPG

Polina Chebotareva
Managing Partner, Cambridge Companies SPG

Giancarlo Chersich
CEO, Lucky Jack Cold Brew Coffee

Joel Clark
CEO, Kodiak Cakes

Bob Daub
Senior Vice President, The Moscoe Group

Joe DiSalvo
Managing Partner, The DiSalvo Group PLLC

Andrew East
NFL Athlete

Shawn Johnson East
Olympic Gold Medalist

Shawn Edwards
Managing Director, Mindsight

David Eisenman
Co-Founder and CEO, Madwell

Joe Ennen
CEO, SunOpta; Former CEO, Columbus Foods

Karen Farrell
Natural Director of Brand Management-NBC, Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence

Chris Fenster
Founder and CEO, Propeller Industries

Bob Ferraro
Co-Founder, Lantana Foods

Michelle Finizio
Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Partnerships, FounderMade

Kelly Flatley
Founder, Bear Naked Granola

John Foraker
Former CEO, Annie's Homegrown; Co-Founder and CEO, Once Upon a Farm

Adam Francis
CEO, Sun Bum

Ari Friedland
Angel Investor; Former Head of Business Development, Uber; Former Head of Strategic Partnerships, Dropbox

Andrew Friedman
Founder, Amplify Snack Brands / SkinnyPop Popcorn

Nilam Ganenthiran
Chief Business Officer, Instacart

Matt Gase
CEO, Lantana Foods; Former CEO, Stubb's Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce

Sabina Gault
CEO, Konnect Agency

Anubhav Goel
Executive Vice President of Client Growth Solutions, SPINS

Justin Gold
Founder, Justin's

Joey Gonzalez
CEO, Barry's Bootcamp

Leah Gootkind
National Brand Manager, Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence

Ben Greenfield
CEO, Kion; Human Performance and Nutrition Consultant

Ryan Gutzmer
Partner and CEO, The Creative Partners Group

Taylor Hamilton
Owner, Tunies

Hass Hassan
Founder and CEO, Alfalfa's Markets; Founder and Chairman, Fresh and Wild Markets; Former President, Wild Oats; Former Board Member, Whole Foods Market

Lewis Hershkowitz
President and CEO, Big Geyser, Inc.

Gary Hirshberg
Co-Founder and Chairman, Stonyfield Farm

William Hood
Founder and Managing Director, William Hood & Company

Jim Hornthal
Parallel Entrepreneur; Angel Investor; Former Board Member, KIND Snacks

Brian Howard
Partner, The DiSalvo Group PLLC

Bryan Jaffe
Managing Director and Head of Consumer Investment Banking, Cascadia Capital

Erica Jones MHS
Co-Founder, Elevays.com

Dr. Isaac Jones
Co-Founder, Elevays.com

Bill Keith
Founder and CEO, Perfect Bar

Michael Kirban
Co-Founder and CEO, Vita Coco

Dan Klock
CEO, Bridgetown Natural Foods

Greg Koch
Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Stone Brewing

Ruth Kreiger
Managing Director and Co-Founder, Black Bamboo

Janica Lane
Managing Director, Piper Jaffray & Co.

Chris Lansing
CEO, Nature's Bakery; Former General Manager of Premium Nutrition & Venturing, PepsiCo

Ben Lee
Managing Director, CircleUp Growth Partners

Brian Lee
Co-Founder and Former CEO, The Honest Company

Carl Lee
Former President and CEO, Snyder's Lance, Inc.; Managing Partner and CEO, Arbel Growth Partners

Mark Leets
CFO, LBI Entertainment

Ido Leffler
Co-Founder, Yoobi, Yes To and Brandless.com

Michelle Lobo
Vice President of Nutrition Body Care, Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence

William Madden III
Co-Founder, Whole Brain Consulting

Meena Mansharamani
CEO, Maya Kaimal Fine Indian Foods; Former Managing Director, North America Go-Go SqueeZ

Monica McGurk
Chief Global Growth Officer at Kellogg

TJ McIntyre
CEO of Bobo’s

Jillian Michaels
Personal Trainer and Fitness Expert; Founder, Empowered Media

Tracy Miedema
Vice President of Innovation and Brand Development, Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence

Jane Miller
Former CEO, Rudi’s Organic Bakery

Spencer Millerberg
Managing Partner, One Click Retail

Blake Mitchell
Principal, Interact Boulder

Shaun Neff
Founder, NEFF; Partner, Beach House Group; Investor and Board Member, Sun Bum

Pam Netzky
Co-Founder, Amplify Snack Brands /SkinnyPop Popcorn

Brad Oberwager
Founder and CEO, Jyve; Chairman and Founder, Sundia; Former CEO and Owner, Bare Snacks

Michael Olguin
President and CEO, Havas Formula

Tony Olson
Owner and CEO, SPINS

Gil Oren
Co-Founder, Lantana Foods

Santosh Padki
CEO, Bare Snacks

Christine Perich
Chief Financial and Strategy Officer, Craft Brew Alliance; Former President, Perich Advisors; Former CEO, WTRMLN WTR and New Belgium Brewing Company

John B. Phillips
Managing Director, Bentley Associates

Justin Prochnow
Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

Mark Rampolla
Founder, ZICO; CEO, Beanfields

Courtney Reum
Co-Founder, M13; Co-Founder and Former CEO, VEEV Spirits

Carter Reum
Co-Founder, M13; Co-Founder and Former CEO, VEEV Spirits

Tyler Ricks
President, Noah's New York Bagels; Former CMO and VP of Sales, Plum Organics

Tom Rinks
Sun Bum Founder/President

Bob Rubin
President at Therabis; Former CEO, Solid Gold

Alison Ryu
Managing Director, CircleUp Growth Partners

Kenneth Sadowsky
Beverage Industry Expert with Advisory and Directorial positions at brands including Glaceau Vitaminwater, Vita Coco, Hint Water, Bai Brands and more

Katy Saeger
CEO, Harmonica

Kristina Schnieder
Key Account Executive, Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence

Jon Sebastiani
Founder and CEO, Sonoma Brands; Founder of KRAVE, SMASHMALLOW and ZÜPA NOMA

Scott Semel
Founder and Former CEO, BarkTHINS

Joe Serventi
General Manager, Hippeas; Former EVP of Corporate Development, BarkTHINS and Pirate Brands

Greg Shearson
CEO, Ancient Nutrition, Former CEO, Merrick Natural Petworks

Craig Shiesley
Former President at Amplify Snack Brands, Former President at Vega, and Former President of North American Plant Based Beverages and Foods Division at WhiteWave Foods

Mo Siegel
Founder and Former Chairman, President, and CEO, Celestial Seasonings; Former Board Member, Whole Foods Market, Annie's, Breathe Right, NorthWest Nutritionals (Lil Critters), and others; Current Board Member, Chocolove, Wholesome Sweeteners, Colorado Impact Fund, Himalayan Cataract Project, and more

Jeremy Smith
Founder and CEO, Launchpad

Steven Spinner
Chairman and CEO, UNFI

Jill Staib
Managing Director & Partner, William Hood & Company; Former VP of Strategic Initiatives, The Nature's Bounty Co.

Sheila Stanziale
Former CEO, Mighty Leaf Tea; Former President, US Infant/Toddler Feeding, The Hain-Celestial Group; Former President and General Manager, Diageo-Guinness USA

Dr. Dan Sullivan
Founder, Chiropractic Advocate; Co-Founder, Full Potential Family

Jeff Sunberg
Founder, The Creative Partners Group

Brian Swette
President, Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods

Kelly Swette
Co-Founder and CEO, Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods

Brian Taylor
Founder, Kernel Seasons

Ben Telling
Managing Partner, AssessIT

Koel Thomae
Co-Founder, Noosa Yoghurt

Terry Tierney
CEO, Daiya

Jesse Tomalty
Owner, Tunies

John Tucker
CEO, Ellenos; Former CEO, Farmhouse Culture

John Van Spyk
Partner, AssessIT

TJ Varecka
Emerging Brand Advisor and Director, KMG Group

Adel Villalobos
President, Owner and CEO, Lief Labs

William Wadman
Senior Partner, Synergetics Worldwide

Brandon Warren
Senior Vice President, Infinity Worlds, Inc

Ivan Wasserman
Partner, Amin Talati Upadhye

Bill Weiland
Founder, President and CEO, Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence

Liana Werner-Gray
Best Selling Author of The Earth Diet published by Hay House

Jack Whigham
Co-Head of Movie Picture Talent Group, Creative Artists Agency

Rick Yorn
Founder and CEO, LBI Entertainment

John Zabrodsky
Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Inc.

Dr. Chris Zaino
Founder, Abundant Life Chiropractic, Chiro Thought Leaders and IAmHero Project

Eric Zeitoun
Managing Director and Co-Founder, Black Bamboo