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Christian Bouchard
President of L’Oréal Medical Aesthetic Skincare, North AmericaL’Oreal -
Leigha Dunbar
Senior Director, DMM, Women's Wellness, Baby, Weight Management, VMSWalgreens -
Nicci Levy
CEO & FounderAlchemy43 -
Courtney Nelson
PrincipalL Catterton -
Ryan Rao
Chief Development Officer & PartnerVIO Med Spa -
Lisa Rossman
Chief Brand OfficerHand & Stone -
Rachel Liverman
Founder & CEOGlowbar -
Mamina Turegano
Dermatologist & FounderDr. Mamina -
Matt Maroone
CEO & Co-FounderSilver Mirror -
Jamie Woollens
Vice President, HSO/ DSO Sponsor FinanceLive Oak Bank -
Mike White
PrincipalCLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP)With over 15+ years of experience, Mike serves as a principal within the health firm’s health care industry. Truly passionate about his work, he strives to provide strategic business intelligence by identifying complex, financial, operational, and technical issues while developing comprehensive solutions to enhance the client’s business operations. Mike is one of the national leaders for CLA focused on building teams and financial structure, specifically Dental, MedSpa and Aesthetics groups.
Mike is a highly sought-after speaker sharing his broad knowledge of the health care industry while understanding the complexity of health care practices of various sizes. -
Michele Henry
Founder & CEOFACE FOUNDRIÉMichele Henry is the Founder and CEO of FACE FOUNDRIÉ. She leads the company’s senior
management team and oversees daily operations and nationwide expansion. Henry guides the
country’s most forthcoming focused facial bar.
Henry helps to lead the company in new innovations and expansion. The company was founded
in 2019 and now boasts six corporate stores with over 60 franchise locations sold.
At FACE FOUNDRIÉ, she led the company through the pivots required to survive the COVID-19
pandemic while simultaneously opening a third corporate location and launching the franchise
program. She has led the company through the pivots required to survive the COVID-19
pandemic while simultaneously opening a third corporate location and launching franchising.
Within four months of announcing the franchise expansion plan to the public, the company has
sold 50 franchise units across the country. Henry has been recognized by various media outlets
for her impressive business career and continues to gain recognition as FACE FOUNDRIÉ
franchises across the country. As a member of the Women’s President Organization, Henry
represents the beauty industry with some of the most prominent and well regarded women in
business throughout the world. In addition to this, she is a member of Young Presidents
Organization (YPO), a 2022 40 under 40 Business Journal Honoree and founder of Savant
Aesthetics Institute. Most recently named Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Heartland Award
winner.
Henry holds two Bachelor's degrees from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota
where she studied Business and Apparel Design. Soon after graduating she launched a series
of companies including PRIMP, a cheap chic boutique, that she started with just $8,000 dollars
in the middle of the recession. The company garnered over $25 million in sales during her
tenure. She sold her shares of PRIMP to pursue FACE FOUNDRIÉ. All of her businesses have
been self-funded, grown 100% organically and debt-free.
Henry is a mom of three residing in the Twin Cities area. When not with her family, the
entrepreneur enjoys rollerblading around the lakes, painting in her art room or digging into the
latest trends and innovations. -
Jodi Katz
CEO & FounderBASE BEAUTY CREATIVE AGENCY™Jodi’s career has spanned the quickly evolving communications marketplace. She started her career agency-side at BBDO, followed by jobs with magazine publishers, digital start ups and beauty brands. Prior to launching Base Beauty, Jodi was the Creative Director of the global prestige French brand L’Occitane en Provence. She graduated from
Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania with a degree in Government in Law and lives with her family in New Jersey. Her hobbies include fitness, Rent the Runway and watching reality TV on Bravo (her current favorite show is Below Deck). -
Annie Robertson Hockey
President & Head of ConsultingSkytale -
Tess Mauricio
President & FounderM Beauty Clinic -
Clementine Provost
InvestorUnilever Ventures -
Stephane Colleu
CEODr. BRANDT Skincare -
Angelo Castello
CEOFace Gym -
CeCe Wilson
SHRM-CP Human Resources ManagerCEDR SolutionsCeCe has been leading CEDR’s internal human resources operations since 2021 and brings over 20 years of people management and HR-related experience in private, non-profit, and healthcare industries. With a focus on strengthening the desired workplace culture, CeCe enjoys finding strategic, compassionate, and compliant solutions to business and HR needs. CeCe is a SHRM-certified human resources professional with a specialty credential in Inclusive Workplace Culture and a master’s degree in human resource management.
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Joel Marshall
CEODp Derm -
Wayne Liu
Chief Growth OfficerPerfect CorpMr. Liu is the Senior Vice President and General Manager at Perfect Corp.
Mr. Liu has been in his current position since June 2015. He has built the ground work for Perfect by recruiting key talent, establishing partnership with beauty brands, retailers such as L’Oréal, Estee Lauder, Target and other highly inferential organizations.
Prior to Perfect Corp, Mr. Liu joined Perfect’s parent company CyberLink in 2009. He was responsible for key partner development, sales strategy and business growth. He grew several multi-million dollars global OEM accounts and managed heavy weight industrial partners for such as Lenovo, Intel, Qualcomm, Time Warner., Comcast, DirecTV …
Mr. Liu has worked in various engineering and marketing management position at Intel, Broadcom and NVIDIA before joining Cyberlink.
Mr. Liu graduated from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan in June 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He completed his Masters of Science degree from Case Western Reserve University in June 1994. After receiving Master Degree, he continued pursuing advanced study by attending Electrical Engineering Ph.D. program at University of Southern California. Later, in order to learned more business knowledge, he earned his MBA Degree in Finance from Santa Clara University in June 2011.
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Cyndi Ramirez- Fulton
FounderChillhouse -
Chris Payne
CEOJane IredaleChris Payne is the CEO of jane iredale – The Skincare Makeup®, the pioneering clean beauty brand best known for makeup that improves the health of the skin.
Having served more than 20 years in beauty executive roles, Payne has a proven track record driving brand growth and engagement with an eagerness to improve the status quo. Since joining jane iredale in 2019, he has worked to uphold the brand’s iconic role within professional beauty while fostering brand loyalty in a new generation of clean beauty enthusiasts, driving more than a 130 percent increase in new account openings within one year.
Prior to jane iredale, Chris served as CMO for PCA Skin where under his leadership, the brand more than doubled its revenue within two years and was successfully acquired by Colgate-Palmolive. Chris was also Senior Vice President at Arcade Beauty, Vice President at Clarisonic, where he was instrumental in its sale to L’Oréal in 2011, and held various previous roles with L’Oréal.
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Susan Yara
FounderNATURIUM -
Kara La Forgia
Founder & General PartnerHyve Ventures -
Claire Chang
Founding PartnerIgniteXL VenturesAbout igniteXL Ventures
igniteXL Venturs is a Silicon Valley-based global seed fund investing in game-changing entrepreneurs at the intersection of technology, beauty and wellness. With the advancement of technology and the rise of conscious consumers who demand authenticity, sustainability, transparency, and inclusivity, the wellness industry is undergoing digital and cultural transformation. And that transformation represents excellent investment opportunities to investors with high margins, recurring and engaged customers, with attractive exit opportunities.
About Claire Chang
Having immigrated from Korea to the US when she was 12 years old, Claire is bilingual and bicultural, which has always given her the unique perspective of being both an insider and outsider able to bridge different perspectives. Combining her passions for connecting people and helping them realize their dreams, Claire launched a global accelerator in 2014 which impacted over 200 Korean startups' ability to expand to the US market. In 2018, Claire launched SVBeautyTech, the first-ever independent beauty-tech accelerator, to provide a cohort of mostly female beauty-tech founders access to the Silicon Valley resources previously enjoyed almost exclusively by male, locally networked tech entrepreneurs. Leveraging her global accelerator network and broad brand connections, Claire is excited to work with passionate innovators and disruptors working at the intersection of technology, beauty & wellness.
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Sonya Brown
General PartnerNorwestBased in Palo Alto, Sonya is a General Partner at Norwest and co-heads the Growth Equity practice where she focuses on investing across a wide range of sectors including consumer, retail, internet, and business services.
Prior to joining Norwest, Sonya was at Summit Partners, a private equity firm with over $11 billion under management, where she worked for nine years in the Boston office and was responsible for leading the firm's Consumer and Internet Industry Group in North America. Sonya was engaged in all aspects of the deal process including deal sourcing, due diligence, deal negotiations and board representation. Her most recent and past board directorships and investments include Aramsco, Airborne Health, Central Security Group, Physicians Formula Holdings (NASDAQ: FACE), Snap Fitness and Sparta Systems. -
Jared Jagdeo
Chief Medical OfficerEver/Body -
Matt Curtis
VP of Business Development and PartnershipsSkinCeuticals -
Donna Petretti
Head of NA MarketingCroda -
Primož Artač
CEOTosla NutricosmeticsAs the CEO of TOSLA Nutricosmetics, a European-based global innovator, Primož leads a company dedicated to revolutionizing the beauty and wellness industry through nutricosmetic supplements.
His focus goes beyond surface-level solutions, with products that promote beauty and wellness from within.
In his role as a leader and spokesperson, Primož shares insightful, science-backed, and occasionally lighthearted perspectives on the rapidly evolving nutricosmetic landscape.
With a mission that goes beyond promoting TOSLA’s products, Primož is passionate about elevating the entire sector, inspiring brands to embrace the immense potential of beauty supplements. As ingestibles are taking center stage, he is dedicated to shaping the future of beauty through innovation, education, and meaningful collaboration.
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Joshua Britton
Founder CEODebutJoshua Britton is Founder and CEO of Debut located in San Diego. Debut uses cutting-edge
biotechnology to bring novel, high-performing and sustainable ingredients to the cosmetic
industry. Joshua believes that the best way to deliver on the promise of biomanufacturing is
to vertically integrate to product. To that end, Debut is pioneering a new business model in
biology that is driving the beauty industry by discovering, testing, and commercializing
high-performing ingredients and formulations, and incorporating them into valuable beauty
products via BiotechXBeautyLabs™.At Debut, Joshua leads a rapidly growing multi-disciplinary team of over 100 people
executing an aggressive commercialization strategy. Debut holds over 70 patents in
ingredients and formulations. To date, Joshua has raised $70 million for Debut from leading
funds including BOLD, the venture capital fund of L’Oréal.Prior to Debut, Joshua was trained as a scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) where he gained a Post-Doc in Chemistry. Joshua also gained a PhD in
Organic Chemistry from University of California, Irvine (UCI), and a master’s degree in
Organic Chemistry from Nottingham University in the UK.Joshua is an advisor to Cantos Ventures, a venture capital and private equity company that
specializes in near-frontier technology. -
Caroline Chiaroni
Vice President, TJCBoard Member, Allure Beauty Concepts -
Alicia Barba
Board Certified Dermatologist & FounderBarba Dermatology -
Scott Potter
Managing PartnerSan Francisco Equity PartnersScott Potter is the Managing Partner of San Francisco Equity Partners, a private equity firm exclusively focused on partnering with lower middle market companies across the consumer value chain
Scott currently serves as Chairman of Jane Iredale, SV Labs, and BruMate and serves on the board of directors of Rustic Bakery, DGS Retail and Xceed Foodservice Group. Scott previously served on the boards of directors of Method Products, Japonesque, Yes To, ICU Eyewear and Red Monkey Foods, among other private and public companies.
Prior to founding SFEP, Scott oversaw the U.S. private equity portfolio for a large European family office and held senior operating roles (including CEO) at two private equity-backed consumer companies. Scott began his career as a corporate finance attorney.
Scott holds a JD from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law and a BA from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was a member of Cal’s Division I soccer team.
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Melody Thomas
Director of SalesZenoti -
Sarah LaVallee
COOBase Beauty Creative AgencySarah is a dynamic brand, digital, and eCommerce executive with over 15 years of experience fueling growth for high-performance, PE-backed consumer brands. With a track record of scaling businesses across beauty, pet, grocery, personal care, beverage, supplements, and wellness, she has mastered the art of turning digital potential into measurable success.
A recognized expert in Amazon, eCommerce, and digital growth, Sarah has been a driving force behind retail and media strategies that accelerate revenue and expand audience reach. She has led the charge in digital transformation as an early adopter of Amazon retail and media strategies, as well as shaping the future of direct-to-consumer (DTC) success.
Sarah is a strategic architect of digital-first brand building, seamlessly aligning digital initiatives with business goals to drive sustainable profitability and market leadership. As a trusted advisor to challenger brands in beauty and better-for-you CPG, she helps companies navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, unlocking new opportunities for scalable, long-term growth.
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Alisar Zahr
Senior Director of Research and Clinical DevelopmentRevision SkincareDr. Alisar S. Zahr is the Senior Director of Research and Clinical Development at Revision Skincare®. She is responsible for product innovations, formulation, and conducting clinical studies for new product launches as well as marketed products. She is responsible for a team of clinical scientists focused on disruptive innovation and measurable clinical results. Dr. Zahr collaborates with marketing, international, domestic, and strategic sales to ensure the product innovations and benefits can be translated to physicians, their staff, and patients.
Dr. Zahr is considered a subject matter expert in formulation of sun-care products as well as anti-aging treatment innovations. Throughout her career in the personal cosmetics industry, she has formulated and successfully brought products to the market, such as Neutrogena, Roc, Clean & Clear, Aveeno, and eltaMD. As evident from Dr. Zahr’s prior work experience, she is passionate about cosmetics and is focused on creating products for healthy, beautiful skin.
Dr. Zahr received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at Villanova University and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, under the leadership of Dr. Michael Pishko. She has also received post-doctoral training at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) under the mentorship of Dr. Samir Mitragotri and at Schepens Eye Research Institute an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology under
the mentorship of both Dr. Patricia D’Amore and Dr. Pablo Argueso. She has published papers in peer-reviewed journals and patented innovations while at PSU, UCSB, Schepens Eye Research Institute and Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products.
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Adam Fichman
Owner & FounderLifted Logic -
John Kekel
PresidentKekel Consulting LLCMr. Kekel is a driven leader with a proven track record in building interpersonal relationships by managing, teaching and training creative innovative strategies resulting in resolved business issues, organizational competence and efficiency. He has trained over 1 million business owners and entrepreneurs in 6 countries.
He is the proud father of 5 children and has 9 grandchildren whom he spoils on a regular basis. He spends his free time hiking new trails and riding his dirt bike. -
Courtney Yeager
Founder & CEOThe Tox -
Giselle Curcio
Vice President, BrandAlumierMD -
Ewelina Aiossa
FounderTopical SkinEwelina Aiossa is a noted beauty authority and brand architect with an extensive beauty pedigree. Proficient in scientific skincare and medical marketing, she has honed her expertise working with multinationals and heritage brands, including L'Oréal - Skinceuticals, Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetics - Glytone, and Eau Thermale Avene, and Topix Pharmaceuticals.
Aiossa developed several beauty brands for retailers and investors and served as a strategic advisor to established professional-grade brands like Clarity Rx, Replenix, Osmotics Cosmeceuticals, Style Edit as well as mid-sized venture-backed companies.
Aiossa co-founded Clinical Skin and custom-developed award-winning formulas across many product categories by fusing corporate expertise with indie ingenuity.
Aiossa is a well-known thought leader in the field of scientific beauty and cosmetic marketing who frequently contributes to trade magazines, presents at industry conferences, and has work that has been peer-reviewed for publication.
