Adrienne is co-founder of Cultivise ESG, a female-led food and agriculture consulting group with a focus on data-driven corporate sustainability strategy, reporting, investor engagement, and climate research. She also leads the development and execution of sustainable food programming for Compassion in World Farming U.S. She holds an MA in sustainability management from the Extension School at Harvard University and an MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology.

Alice Wistar joined Black Sheep Foods in June 2020, where she currently works as Head of Sales and Growth. She graduated in 2020 from Princeton where she concentrated in Spanish and global health. Passionate about the connections between food systems and climate change, Alice’s undergraduate research focused on environmental communications and health behavior; her thesis explored the most effective ways to promote more sustainable food choices and will soon be published. Alice also authored Princeton’s first ever plant-based eating guide through plant-based tech startup, abillion, founded the Princeton Vegan Society, led a food sustainability club, and prior to joining Black Sheep, worked as a Princeton in Latin America Fellow for EARTH University and an Environmental Policy Analyst for RIPE.

My current employer, Freight Farms, is focused on hydroponic farming in insulated shipping containers which allows nonprofits, individuals, companies, and communities to ensure a consistent, fresh, local, and sustainable supply (365 days a year!) of produce and other vegetables using… get this… only 5 gallons of water per day! Prior to Freight Farms I was fully immersed in the world of plant-based foods and alternative proteins, working with many innovative companies making food from plants, using fermentation technology to create novel ingredients and sustainable protein from mycelium and mycoprotein, and cultivating cells from animals to make real meat. I worked as Business Development Director, Plant-based Foods at Kerry, a global $8b company that is a leader in taste & nutrition, where I leveraged the plant-based Radicle Portfolio of clean-label ingredients to help food manufacturers make excellent meat-free and dairy-free products. Prior to Kerry, I was the Director of Corporate Engagement at the nonprofit Good Food Institute, where I influenced investors, suppliers, restaurants, grocery stores, food manufacturers, and foodservice companies to accelerate the growth of the alternative protein ecosystem. I have 30+ years of consumer, B2B, nonprofit, digital marketing, communications, and business development experience working with top brands like Taco Bell, Levi Strauss & Co., and GAP, regional companies like Boscov’s Department Stores, as well as with global startups like Gourmet Ads.

Anne began her career in finance before transitioning into food tech, food science, and culinary innovation with the launch of her first CPG company. While there, she developed proprietary technology pertaining to manufacturing processes and the product formulations used in a high-protein snacking platform. She scaled the company to national distribution with a multimillion dollar run rate. At Aqua Cultured Foods, she leads a team toward the development and commercialization of whole cuts of seafood alternatives.

Aqua Cultured Foods offers nutrient-rich foods in the form of fungi-based seafood alternatives that will feed the next billion people on the planet, all while protecting the oceans from the detrimental impact of overfishing. They are creating the first “whole cut” fermentation-derived seafood alternative through the growth and fermentation of mycelium. This technology can be leveraged across platforms to create different types of seafood.

Audrey is the founder and executive director of Balanced, a nutrition-security and public health advocacy organization on a mission to improve the healthfulness of menus in community institutions. Audrey leads the team at Balanced as they help communities around the world build, launch, and run campaigns to replace at least 20% of the known disease-causing foods on institutional menus with health-promoting, plant-rich alternatives.

Previously, Audrey spent a decade working in K-12 education as a teacher and school leader coach. Audrey saw firsthand the devastating impacts of nutrition-insecurity and diet-related disease on the children and families she served. After becoming a mother herself, Audrey launched Balanced to empower other families and community leaders to advocate for healthier food environments and to campaign for systems-level changes to nutrition and public health policies.

Cameron is the programs director at World Animal Protection, US, a global animal welfare nonprofit organization with offices in thirteen countries. Cameron oversees two verticals at World Animal Protection: animals in the wild and animals in farming. Cameron focuses on farmed animal welfare standards through a range of advocacy tactics, including engaging with producers, processors, and retailers; increasing shareholder understanding of poor farm animal welfare risks; promoting federal and state policies that strengthen protections for farmed animals; and participating in cross-sectoral coalitions.

Cameron received master’s degrees in natural resources and global environmental policy from American University and the United Nations University for Peace. Before joining World Animal Protection in 2018, Cameron worked for five years in U.S. agriculture policy, liaising with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and legislators.

Caroline is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Engagement at the Good Food Institute, a nonprofit organization developing the roadmap for a sustainable, secure, and just protein supply. Caroline advises some of the world’s largest food manufacturers, meat producers, and retailers, along with startups and investors, on opportunities in the rapidly evolving alternative protein industry.

Previously, Caroline served as the director of marketing for Celestial Seasonings. She has also worked at Moet Hennessy USA and Janus Capital Group. With 15 years of experience in CPG brand management, finance, and consulting, she is deeply familiar with the food industry. Caroline is a graduate of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She also serves as a governor-appointed member of the Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council and a board member for Luvin Arms animal sanctuary.

Program Director at the XPRIZE Foundation working on designing and operating incentivized competitions to leverage innovation and technology for international development and social impact. I work on an array of projects including supporting the Foundation’s research to chart future roadmaps for circular resilient food systems, in addition to designing competitions concentrating on the alternative protein industry, circular water economy, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Prior to XPRIZE, I worked in the international development, governance, and election monitoring sectors in the Middle East and North Africa region as a project manager, researcher, and policy advisor for 10 years. My entire professional career is geared towards advancing human rights and freedoms, civic engagement, and empowering marginalized populations. I hold an MA in Sustainable International Development, with a focus on Conflict Resolution and Coexistence from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a Bachelor of Political Science from Cairo University.

Celia is a multidisciplinary technical leader with expertise in plant-based food technology, having worked at Eat Just and Ripple Foods. Currently, Celia is working as an alternative food and ingredient consultant to advance research and development efforts around plant-based protein and food innovations and outline business development strategies for plant-based food and ingredient companies. She also coaches leaders on how to best build teams and overall culture within technically driven organizations. Previously, Celia worked as the co-director of the UC Berkeley Alt.Meat Lab housed under the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology. While there, Celia led an R&D team while driving external academic and industry collaborations in addition to managing intellectual property portfolios. Most recently, Celia has been focusing on interconnecting the venture capital, private corporation, and academic sectors around alternative foods and ingredients. Additionally, Celia teaches technical and entrepreneurial courses around plant-based foods and ingredients. Celia received her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Dr. Chris Bryant is an expert on meat reduction and meat alternatives. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Bath with a focus on consumer acceptance of cultivated meat. Through his company, Bryant Research Ltd, he consults for alternative protein companies, academic teams, and animal protection NGOs. He has published several academic papers on cultivated meat, plant-based meat, and the social context of the protein transition.

Christie is the founder and CEO of Rebellyous Foods, a food production technology company working to make plant-based meat price- competitive with traditional chicken products. Christie holds multiple patents in manufacturing technology. She spent much of her career in the aerospace industry working on commercial airplanes and spacecraft in testing, design, and manufacturing at Boeing. Previously, Christie served as a senior scientist for the Good Food Institute, uncovering the technical barriers in the development of plant-based meat and clean meat.

Christie holds bachelor’s degrees in organizational psychology and mechanical engineering and an MS in mechanical engineering. She is a member of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington, a co-founder of the Humane Voters of Washington (a political action committee), and serves as a Washington State Council Member for the Humane Society.

Dan is a lifelong entrepreneur with a passion for food, startups, and sustainability. He heads Unovis’s investments in the Americas & Israel, strategizing with entrepreneurs to tackle the challenges they face on their journey toward success. These challenges range from R&D and manufacturing to distribution, marketing, and international growth. Dan is a director of Alpha Foods and Zero Egg and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs.

Dan is the co-founder of KARANA, a Singapore- and U.S.-based company that makes meat from whole plants. He has a deep knowledge of the agriculture, food tech, and financial inclusion sectors.

After starting his career in banking in New York, Dan spent several months cycling across Thailand, ending up in Cambodia in 2010. He worked with a social enterprise focusing on off-grid solar solutions in rural communities, and in corporate finance advisory and strategy consulting roles, including a strong focus on agriculture-related projects.

In 2018, Dan and co-founder Blair Crichton were inspired by a mutual love of the rising food tech space and biodiversity to start KARANA. Just three years later, it has a suite of jackfruit-based “meat” products available with a third launch upcoming.

Dan has a BA in international studies from the University of North Carolina and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Dave Tonucci, Ph.D., is an accomplished senior regulatory and product safety consultant currentyl serving as the Principal at Ramboll with a diverse background across sectors and a passion for commercializing new technologies and products in complex regulatory and consumer environments. Previously, Dave worked as VP of regulatory science at SciFi Foods and leads efforts to gain regulatory approvals of its cultivated beef products. SciFi seeks to make cultivated beef that has far less impact on our environment than traditional beef. As a regulatory toxicologist, Dave has worked over 20 years to commercialize safe and innovative food ingredients.

Dwayne is New Harvest’s director of responsible research & innovation. With a background spanning the arts and sciences, he has long been fascinated by the intersection of science and culture. In 2010, during an MSc course involving stem cells, he recognised their potential for future food production. And in 2018, after earning a Ph.D. for neuroscience related stem cell research, he debated starting his own cultured meat company or teaming up with one of the many others emerging at the time. The answer came in 2019 when he joined Mosa Meat, and headed their quality assurance and regulatory efforts for two years. Now at New Harvest, he hopes to broaden his efforts across the field, helping to ensure that cell ag technology reaches its full potential. In his spare time, Dwayne enjoys books, movies, and board games.

Eric has spent his career as a chemical engineer in operations. His expertise over the last four decades has been in high-volume, low-cost manufacturing. He has experience with pharmaceutical, biotech, and consumer product industries in both North America and Asia.

Eric worked in the ’80s with the godfather of microalgal phototrophic raceway systems, Dr. William Oswald, building and operating the algae facility that Exxon uses today for development of their biofuels program. After leadership roles in ADM and Tate + Lyle, he has now returned to his roots in microalgae as CEO of the Mars family-funded company Heliae in Phoenix, Arizona.

Heliae finds solutions to critical issues for the survival of the planet using classical strain development tools to allow growth of phototrophic strains in dark fermenters. Microalgae produces proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, and is the best platform for the creation of next-gen food ingredients.

Erik is the co-founder of Tender Greens, a pioneering fine casual brand founded in Los Angeles, California, in 2006 with a mission to democratize good food, a vision of the future he continues to drive as a Food Forever Champion on global biodiversity for the Crop Trust. He joined the Rodale Institute’s board in 2019 to help drive awareness around soil health, regenerative organic agriculture, and food as medicine. In 2009, he founded The Sustainable Life Program, a paid culinary internship program with a mission to provide a path forward for foster youth. Many of the students now hold leadership positions at Tender Greens.

Erik is the author of Ten Year Plan. In 2019, he joined Cohere as an advisor to founders of conscious brands as they navigate the headwinds of scale. Currently he is advising brands that are putting the health of people and the planet first.

Prior to founding Tender Greens, Erik worked as a chef in many of California’s best restaurants. A daily practice of meditation, fitness, and good food helps Erik show up with a calm demeanor in a dynamic world. Erik is based in Princeton, NJ, on a small organic farm.

Garrett Broad, Ph.D., begins a new position as an associate professor of communication studies at Rowan University in fall 2022, following seven years on the faculty at Fordham University. His research explores the relationship between 21st century social movements, innovations in media and technology, and the contemporary food system. He is the author of More Than Just Food: Food Justice and Community Change, as well as a variety of articles on food’s relationship to environmental sustainability, economic equity, and the health of humans and nonhumans alike. He teaches courses on environmental communication, public interest media, and communication research methods. An engaged scholar, he has a history of forging collaborative research projects with a variety of social change organizations.

Golnoosh is Director of Marketing for Acid League, a modern pantry brand reinventing acid-based products like vinegar, sauces, condiments and beverages. Previously, she worked as the Director of Innovation at Thimus Inc., an Italian-American company that applies cultural neuroscience toward the design of sustainable food systems. She directs a team of researchers who explore human perception of food. Golnoosh devoted much of her time at Brown University to working as a private chef while completing her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and conducting research on the effects of mindfulness-based interventions. She then joined Bridgewater Associates, but having missed the kitchen, she took a leap of faith to pursue culinary training. She received a James Beard Foundation scholarship to cook in Italy, where she spent three years working in a three-Michelin star kitchen.

Greg leads Market Development for Coastal Resilience in the Americas, partnering with government and private sector asset owners to build coastal resilience, develop adaptation pathways, and improve ocean health. Fugro is a world-leader in providing geo data consulting by mapping, modeling and monitoring information about our planet and structures built upon it. Through integrated data acquisition, analysis and advice, we unlock insights from geo-data to help our clients design, build, and operate their assets in a safe, sustainable and efficient manner. Previously, Greg worked as the director of corporate development and strategic partnerships at Blue Nalu, a global leader in developing cell-cultured seafood products to meet growing global demand for high quality seafood. Greg was accountable for business development, corporate development, global partnerships, marketing, public relations, government relations, and strategic planning functions of BlueNalu.

Ilana is the co-founder and COO of Greener by Default, and previously served as the director of outreach for the Better Food Foundation. She consults with leading universities, businesses, and conferences on how to use behavioral nudges to reimagine the way they serve food. Her recent TEDx talk “Moving Beyond a Hamburger-Default World” envisions a world where factory-farmed products are no longer the default option on our dinner plates and how we can make that change a reality. Ilana holds a master’s degree in animals and public policy from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree in natural resources and environmental sciences with a focus in human dimensions from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Isabelle has been a leader in the food and beverage and retail industries for over 15 years. She has successfully launched and scaled new products, overseeing brand strategy and development, product management and commercialization, go-to-market strategy execution, and marketing. Having grown up in Ivory Coast as a child, she is passionate about Africa and volunteers on the continent whenever possible. Isabelle has held executive-level positions at: Whole Foods Market / Amazon (vice president); Alaffia (chief growth officer); Neutral (head of revenue); and Zero Egg (general manager, North America).

Isha is executive director of New Harvest, a nonprofit research institute that funds open, public cultured meat research. She has been pioneering cellular agriculture since 2009, driven by a passion to see transformative technology create a better world. In 2010, Isha published one of the first review papers to ever discuss cultured meat in academic literature. After co-founding Muufri (now Perfect Day Foods) and Clara Foods (now The EVERY Company) in 2014, she transferred her founding equity to New Harvest to establish an endowment for cell ag research. In 2015, Isha coined the term “cellular agriculture,” creating a category for agriculture products produced from cell cultures rather than whole plants or animals. Isha is a Shuttleworth Foundation Fellow and Director’s Fellow at the MIT Media Lab. Isha holds a BSc. in cell and molecular biology from the University of Alberta and a master’s in biotechnology from the University of Toronto.

Jessica is the founder of Jack & Friends, a company that believes in inclusivity, especially when it comes to food. Jack & Friends craft products you can feel good about eating, regardless of lifestyle or diet. Their first product line is a plant-based jerky made from jackfruit and pea protein that is not only vegan and top 8 allergen-free, but also a good source of protein and fiber with no added sugar.

Jessica graduated with a B.S. in food science from Cornell University where she honed her technical skills. Jessica also developed everything from yogurt to baby food to baked goods while working in the R&D departments of Sohha Savory Yogurt, Hain Celestial, and Mondelez International—the last of which extended a full-time job offer that she declined to pursue Jack & Friends. Passionate about crafting food inclusive of different lifestyles, diets, and allergy restrictions, Jessica is focused on using her technical background to innovate products that fulfill her brand’s self-created mission.

Justin is co-founder and CEO of Wildtype, which is on a mission to create the cleanest, most sustainable seafood on the planet. Before Wildtype, he spent nearly five years as a consultant at Strategy& helping companies develop and launch products, grow into new markets, and operate efficiently. Justin started his career as a foreign service officer, serving in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Australia, and Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Management, L’Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, and UC Berkeley.

Kathleen Nay is public affairs & content specialist for Perfect Day, an alternative protein company harnessing fermentation to make animal-free dairy protein and products that have the real taste, texture, and nutrition of dairy, produced sustainably and without the downsides of factory farming, lactose, hormones, or antibiotics. In her role at Perfect Day, Kathleen develops messaging, writes longform articles, art directs, and activates content designed to educate the public about Perfect Day’s mission, culture, and innovative products.

Kathleen earned master’s degrees in agriculture, food & environment and urban & environmental policy & planning from Tufts University. She also holds bachelor’s degrees in fine art photography and behavioral sciences from Andrews University. She’s worked as a nonprofit administrator, digital media specialist and weekend radio talent. In her personal time, she enjoys reading, experimenting with film photography, and watching Star Trek reruns. She lives in Oakland, California, with her partner, Jordan, and their very opinionated senior cat, Emma.

Katie is a social entrepreneur passionate about creating a food system that is healthy, sustainable, and just. As the founder of the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, Katie spent a decade leading food policy workshops at universities, government agencies, and Fortune 500 corporations. She is now utilizing her expertise as director of corporate outreach for the Better Food Foundation, helping businesses implement plant-based defaults. Katie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UC Berkeley.

Keri is the founder of North Mountain Consulting Group and a visiting scholar with the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Arizona State University (ASU). She earned her PhD in Health Communication from ASU’s Hugh Downs School of Human Communication and completed postdoctoral work in Science Communication with ASU’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society.

Keri was previously a senior consumer research scientist for The Good Food Institute, a training specialist for Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, and a communication instructor at three universities, Keri brings significant experience in communication strategy, research methods, and engaging with diverse stakeholders.

Keri enjoys hiking in the nearby North Phoenix Mountains, growing food in her backyard, and camping with her friends and family.

Kim is the managing director of the NextGen Ag Business at Black & Veatch (BV). The BV NextGen Ag team brings new agricultural and biotechnologies to life. From vertical farming to cell-cultured meats, Black & Veatch helps emerging and existing companies bridge the gap between science, R&D, engineering, and commercialization.

BV’s expertise rests in helping integrate biological-based solutions to build a better and more sustainable world by scaling up tomorrow’s technologies today. They focus on helping companies optimize existing facilities, design and build new ones, and seamlessly integrate the infrastructure. Kim is extremely passionate about the innovation that’s currently taking place in the food, agriculture and biotech industries and enjoys helping companies scale their technology, which will help feed the future.

Kira holds an MS from Stanford University in earth systems, with an emphasis on sustainable global food security and the environment. Combined with training in design thinking and systems thinking, Kira has worked across several continents on several climate and food systems challenges via organizations such as Stanford’s Center on Food Security and the Environment and the Solutions Science Lab, the Finnish Environment Institute, Mitsubishi Research Institute’s Energy & Environment Division, and the National Audubon Society. Kira has worked in the food tech space for several years at X, the moonshot factory (formerly Google[x]).

Mark has worked as an engineer, analyst, economic consultant, and as an advisor to plant-based start-ups. He has more than a decade of experience on Wall Street where he analyzed special-situation and high-tech companies. He has contributed to several books, been interviewed for television and radio programs, and has been quoted in a variety of leading publications. As portfolio manager at Unovis, Mark works on deal flow, and performs asset and market-level analyses.

Max is the managing director of Food System Innovations, where he manages a portfolio of grants, investments, fellows, and programmatic initiatives all working toward a future where animals are no longer central to the industrialized food system. Previously, Max served as the co-founder and CEO of Nowadays, a foodtech startup making plant-based meats with a few simple ingredients and unparalleled nutritional profiles. Max spent four years at the Institute for the Future consulting across the global food value chain on long-term strategy and innovation projects. He’s been a fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics for the past decade and sits on the advisory boards of FoodShot Global and Food Systems for the Future.

Michael develops strategic organizational elements that bring the Food at Google’s culinary point of view to life. He supports a culture of food innovation, sustainability, quality, and productivity aligned with Google’s Global Food Team’s objectives. 

Prior to Google, Michael spent 15 years as the associate director of food and beverage at Boston College. With over three decades as a culinarian, Michael has a breadth of culinary experience spanning from high-end restaurants and hotels to acting as chef instructor at New England Culinary Institute and at Harvard Dining Services. He launched into the 21st century as the executive chef at LSG Sky Chefs in Boston. 

After getting his associate’s degree in culinary at New England Culinary Institute, Michael went on to complete a BA at Harvard University, and his MBA at Boston College, Carroll School of Management.

Nate is the principal at Blue Horizon, a global omni-stage venture capital firm focused on alternative protein. Nate previously worked as the startup growth specialist at the Good Food Institute where he drafted the three state of the industry reports on plant-based, cell-based, and fermentation-enabled meat, eggs, and dairy. Nate also writes the eco-biotechnology newsletter, Fifth Industrial. He has also worked at a biotechnology incubator and earned a B.A. (economics) and J.D. (commercial law) from the University of Kansas.

Nicky is the global marketing director at Aleph Farms. With 15-plus years of experience in marketing and branding, Nicky leads Aleph Farms’ global marketing strategy. She is responsible for driving company growth, new product development, and commercialization into global markets. Aleph Farms grows beef steaks from non-genetically engineered cells without harming animals and while significantly reducing the environment’s impact.

Before Aleph Farms, Nicky was the managing director of Spring Design Partners, an award-winning boutique creative agency, working with mission-driven, innovative companies. Nicky also has held in-house leadership positions for cult indie brands such as wellness, One Lucky Duck, and the coffee company Brooklyn Roasting Company, driving growth through product innovation, marketing strategy, and operations optimization.

Nicky received a BA in political science in 2004 from Vassar College.

Nicole is a regenerative learning designer and the Regenerative Learning Network, a global network of practitioners, educators, and professionals committed to building a regenerative future in education, leadership, and governance through a practice-led, community-focused, and co-creative process. Previously, she worked as the vice president of policy & food systems at the Plant Based Foods Association, a trade organization representing leading U.S. plant-based food companies. She is an attorney, educator, and scholar whose work focuses on the laws and policies shaping the U.S. agriculture and food system. Prior to joining PBFA, Nicole served as a clinical instructor and lecturer at Harvard Law School, where she worked at the Animal Law & Policy Clinic and the Food Law & Policy Clinic. Nicole was the first policy director of the Good Food Institute. She also served as an associate professor at the Valparaiso University School of Law, a member of the Food & Drug Law Journal Editorial Advisory Board, and a founding member of the Academy of Food Law & Policy. Nicole is an advisor to the Food & Nutrition Innovation Institute at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Nicole also co-founded the Northwest Indiana Food Council, whose mission is to build a just, thriving, and regenerative food system for all.

Pam is a nutritionist and culinary innovator, author, tv and radio host, and health, wellness, and flavor consultant.

She is a founding principle of Shaping America’s Plate, Inc., and P.S. Flavor! Artistinal Spice Blends. Pam provides strategic menu innovation, development, and insight to top hotels and restaurants such as Disney, Hyatt, Nike, Boeing, and Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. She is the co-creator of Darden Restaurant’s Seasons 52 and Bahama Breeze restaurants, and co-chairs The Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Menus R&D Collaborative.

Pam hosts the weekly Instagram Live TV show @pamsmithflavor, and was the host and emcee of all 24 years of Disney’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. She is the author of 17 books on health and wellness. Pam’s Radio “Tips for Living Well” are heard on stations nationwide.

Sunny is a tech entrepreneur focusing on the intersection between food and innovation. Sunny, who immigrated to Queens, NY, from Northern India at age 6, worked in the digital sphere after studying finance and accounting at SUNY Albany.

Sunny graduated from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management in 2014 with a dual degree in engineering and design-thinking before heading to Amazon. In 2017, Sunny joined Finless Foods, a cell-based fish company.

It was at Finless that Sunny and his future Black  Sheep Foods co-founder Ismael Montanaz had an “aha” moment. The duo sought to crack the flavor equation in cellular and plant-based meats, and in 2019, they created Black Sheep Foods with a focus on plant-based heritage lamb. As CEO, Sunny is shepherding this visionary product from ideation to market shelf and working to “unblock the talents of [his] colleagues.”

Teryn is the CEO at Nexture Bio, a company producing scaffolds, microcarriers, coatings, and other enabling technologies for the cultivated meat industry. Living in Colombia for a multiple years, Teryn moved to Columbus, Ohio, to take the plunge into the cultivated meat industry at Matrix Food Technology (Matrix F.T.), a manufacturer of plant-based, edible microcarriers and scaffolds for cultivated meat companies. Before joining Matrix F.T., Teryn founded and managed Measurement Matters, a social, environmental and financial value platform that helped companies maximize all types of value through bespoke IMM and data management strategies; founded and managed a nonprofit in Colombia; was an adjunct university professor at several universities and was a Fulbright Research Scholar. She is an associated professor at the Kellogg’s School of Management Impact and Sustainable Finance Faculty Consortium and has MA in international environmental policy, business, sustainability and development from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Victoria Slaughter is an upstream development lead at BIOMILQ, a mammary biotechnology company in Durham, North Carolina, aimed at producing human milk using cells outside the body. As the second full-time employee, she works to isolate and culture mammary epithelial cells and optimize their environment for milk production. Victoria has an MS in chemistry from the University of Central Florida with a focus on biochemistry and tissue engineering. Her graduate research focused on the development of human-on-a-chip models to replace animal testing.