Our Team

Karen Sammon is a forward-thinking CEO known for revitalizing companies through her leadership. As the CEO of Zutek, a woman-owned national installation services company, she is committed to fostering innovation and inclusivity within a traditionally male-dominated field. Karen ensures that Zutek prioritizes both innovation and the well-being of its people, creating a workplace that values employee empowerment and balance.

Previously, Karen was the CEO of PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE: PAR) from 2013-1029 where she led them through a pivotal transformation that quadrupled the company’s market capitalization. Through her strategic vision and leadership, PAR transitioned from a hardware manufacturer into a cloud-based software provider. Her leadership, grounded in the principles of Conscious Capitalism, focused on building trust, by embracing stakeholder orientation, aligning employees, customers, and suppliers in the company’s transformative shift to a recurring revenue model.

As former CEO of Conscious Capitalism, Inc., Karen was a key driver in expanding the organization’s influence, helping businesses recognize that elevating humanity and achieving superior financial performance can go hand in hand. Now, she continues her involvement as a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Conscious Capitalism, carrying forward her mission to inspire others to lead with purpose and integrity.

Her career is a testament to the power of conscious leadership and purpose in driving sustainable success across industries. In addition to her professional roles, Karen serves on several boards in the restaurant and education sectors, contributing her experience and passion for conscious leadership. Outside of work, Karen loves staying active through skiing, hiking, tennis, and biking. She’s also an avid cook, finding joy in the blend of creativity and precision it offers. Above all, she enjoys spending time with family and nurturing the next generation of leaders to carry forward the values of Conscious Capitalism.

Over the last two decades Steve Hall has served as founder, CEO, board member of automotive technology, finance, retail, and wholesale organizations ranging from start up to over $2B in revenue. Hall is the founder and CEO of driversselect, a national discount retailer which was sold in 2017 to the Sonic Automotive Group where he led the integration and rollout of the EchoPark business unit to over $1B in sales. The business model was based on the principles of Conscious Capitalism with a purpose of reimagining how people would experience the workplace while serving as an exemplar for how businesses can scale and achieve sustainable profits well above the market through a culture of CARE that focuses on creating value for each key stakeholder in order to generate unprecedented levels of loyalty, engagement and creativity from employees, suppliers, customers and local communities.

Hall also serves on the board of directors for YPO Palm Beach Gold, oversees the Wisdom and Mentoring program for YPO Dallas Gold, and a former board member of YPO North Texas. Hall also served on the board of the National Auto Finance Association from 2001- 2012 which included four years as President leading the promotion of higher standards for education and more ethical lending practices between automotive dealers, lenders, and key suppliers. As President Hall le initiatives including the launch of a national certification and compliance program, promoting annual conferences and regional workshops, lobbying on Capitol Hill, and creating opportunities that brought more humanity back into automotive lending.

Today Hall enjoys life with his wife (Joy) and raising three boys (Aidan; Cameron; Gavin) while also serving as CEO of Generosity Ventures and expanding the impact of his foundation The Make It Matter Foundation based in Dallas, Texas. Both organizations serve as a model for how generosity can create successful outcomes in both business and nonprofit endeavors by operating with an abundance mindset, investing in people development, and operating with a long term time horizon.

Hall splits time between Dallas, Texas and Palm Beach, FL enjoying golf, tennis, running, meditation, great wine alongside good food, outdoor walks with friends, engaging in continuous learning and human development, coaching / mentoring conscious leaders, etc.

Hall is a graduate of James Madison University, class of 1992

Press Author

An engineer by training, fintech expert by experience and entrepreneur by accident, Safwan is the founder and CEO of PayActiv, a Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp. Prior to PayActiv, Safwan founded Infonox, which was acquired by TSYS (now Global Payments). An innovator with a mission, purpose and real results, Safwan is a noted public speaker and his work has been featured in NYT, WSJ, LA Times and NPR. Safwan’s book, It’s About TIME, calls for businesses to embrace the mantle of saving the world and has been published by Conscious Capitalism Press. In 2019, Safwan received the George Norlin Award, the highest alumni honor for his devotion towards the betterment of society from CU Boulder, where he got his PhD in aerospace engineering and worked for Bioserve Space Technologies, a NASA center for commercialization of space. Safwan has taught at the Haas School of Business, Berkeley and Baskin School of Engineering in Santa Cruz, and is a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program.

Rugger Burke is a principal and investment committee member at Satori Capital, a Texas-based multi-strategy investment firm founded upon the principles of conscious capitalism. As part of his responsibilities, he co-leads the private equity investment team and serves as one of the firm’s representatives on the board of a number of the firm’s portfolio companies including Komline-Sanderson, a manufacturer of water-purification and pollution-control equipment, and Torani, a beverage flavorings company which seeks to provide opportunity for all.

Rugger previously served as the CEO of Minlam Asset Management LLC and the investment manager for the Minlam Microfinance Fund, which is an emerging market debt fund with an investment strategy focused on providing debt capital to microfinance institutions globally.

Prior to entering the field of finance, Rugger acted as the managing partner of a Dallas-based law firm which served as corporate counsel to a diverse range of clients from early-stage entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 Companies.

Rugger attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, earning both a Bachelor of Science in mathematics as well as a Juris Doctor.

Roosevelt Giles has gained global recognition as a thought leader on Business Transformation the next wave, and Digital Strategy. He has over 35 years of experience managing domestic and global strategic and operationally complex operations. Giles has extensive omnichannel experience in Finance, Insurance, Global Manufacturing Supply Chains, Healthcare, and Technology. A serial entrepreneur, Giles is the Founder of EndPoint Ventures, a holding company with investments in over 13 companies with offices in five US cities, Malaysia, India, South Africa, and China. As President & CEO of EndPoint, Endpoint’s partner companies offer Cyber services to DoD, and Fortune 500 companies in areas such as: Insurance, Manufacturing, Health Care, and Financial Services.

Giles holds several board positions including Chairman of Stakeholder Impact Foundation, Inc. Former Chairman of the Board of Atlanta Life Insurance Company, Inc., Former Chairman of the Board of Herndon Capital Management RIA with $10B under management, Former Chairman IMS Asia and IMS Africa, Board Member Tabbi, Inc, Private Company Boards, Advisory Board Member Nasdaq Center for Board of Excellence, Just Capital, Chairman of the Business Insurance DEI Council, Chairman GHI Holding Heath Care, Tech Bridge Georgia, Former Board Member Georgia Research Alliance, and former board member of Leadership Atlanta, and Visiting Nurses where he serves on various Board Committees such as Nomination and Governance, Audit, Risk, Sustainability, Marketing/Strategy, Technology, and Talent/Compensation. Giles was featured in Forbes Magazine in August 2020 and Fortune 2023 . Giles delivers talks to various organizations and businesses around the globe regarding Board Governance, Cyber Security, Digital Transformation, and disruptive technological shifts that can impact globalization economies.

He has received awards from industry and private groups including the: Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist Award 2001. Giles delivered the commencement address at Clayton State University class of 2013. Giles has run over 370 combine marathons and Half marathons which include running the 50 US States 4x, the 7 continents (including Antarctica, 3x) the Abbott World Marathon Majors 3x, and a marathon in 60 countries at the request of his brother James Giles before he transitioned in 2013.

Rand Stagen is the Managing Director of the Stagen Leadership Academy. Established in 1999, the Academy trains leaders from across North America who are committed to long-term personal development and using their organizational platforms for positive impact.

Prior to founding Stagen, Rand was President of Presido Media Group, a publisher of newspapers and magazines in the Southwest. He is a former Chapter President of Young Entrepreneur’s Organization (YEO) and a past Chairman / current board member of Conscious Capitalism Inc., a national non-profit organization.

Rand is a sought-after speaker to diverse audiences at universities, conferences, and industry events on the topic of leading conscious businesses. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from Southern Methodist University and lives in Dallas with his wife and two daughters.

Michael Harth is one of the original founders of LAZ Parking, and is responsible for protecting, nurturing, and developing LAZ’s unique culture. After graduating with a psychology degree from the University of California at San Diego in 1981, Michael founded Sunset Parking, the original West Coast brand of LAZ Parking. He developed Sunset into a leader in the hospitality service industry with more than 175 locations, all defined by his commitment to building trust and creating value by delivering service with exceptional integrity and professionalism.

In 2008, Michael joined LAZ Parking as a senior partner after merging Sunset Parking with his childhood best friends, Alan Lazowski and Jeffrey Karp. In addition to working as a mentor and senior leader at LAZ, Michael leads the company’s people and culture and initiatives along with supporting the company’s marketing and ESG programs. Above all, Michael remains committed to ensuring the LAZ family and culture remain
focused on putting “People First”.

Michael is passionate about promoting the Conscious Capitalism movement across the country and currently sits on numerous boards. He lives in Encinitas, California with his wife (who he met back in 1981 while valet parking cars) and stays closely connected with his family which includes his two sons, two daughters-in-law, and two granddaughters. When he’s not working or spending time with family and friends, you
will most likely find him hanging out on a sailboat or surfboard connected with the ocean.

Mary Josephs is a recognized authority on family and private company finance, governance and employee stock ownership plans. She has 30-plus years of experience working with hundreds of strategic alternatives for middle-market companies.

Before starting Verit Advisors in 2009, she founded LaSalle National Bank’s ESOP group and later led Bank of America-Merrill Lynch’s ESOP Solutions Group.

Mary is a director of Manson Construction, Performance Contracting, and Proponent, Inc. Ms. Josephs was selected as one of the Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A by Mergers & Acquisition publication in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Chicago Crain’s recognized Ms. Josephs as a Notable Entrepreneur in 2019 and Private Board Directors magazine named Mary a Director to Watch in 2019. Mary has proudly served on ESCA’s advisory board for 20 years. She is also a lifetime member of the ESOP Association, and 40-year member of the National Center for Employee Ownership.

Kip Tindell is Co-Founder, and past Chairman/CEO of The Container Store — the original storage and organization store, which opened its doors in Dallas in 1978. Today, the company has 90+ stores across the country with over 10,000 storage and organization solutions designed to save customers space and time.

Over the years, the company has been lauded for its focus on its original concept, proprietary inventory mix and its unwavering commitment to its employee-first culture. The goal was never growth for growth’s sake. Rather, it was to adhere to the company’s seven, values-based Foundation Principles, which mirror the tenets of Conscious Capitalism. The Container Store’s quirky, “yummy,” servant leadership culture landed them on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” 19 years in a row, including #1 twice and #2 twice.

Tindell’s book, Uncontainable: How Passion, Commitment, and Conscious Capitalism Built a Business Where Everyone Thrives, has become a handbook for similarly minded companies and entrepreneurs everywhere.

Over the course of his career, Tindell has been presented with numerous awards, including Ernst Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year, and the National Retail Federation’s Innovator of the Year and Gold Medal Award. Tindell was inducted into the Retailing Hall of Fame, the Dallas Business Hall of Fame, and the World Retail Hall of Fame.

Tindell passionately believes that retail is the best profession a person can choose. He is past Chairman of the National Retail Federation and continues to serve on its Board and Executive Committee.

He currently serves on the Boards of Conscious Capitalism, Inc., JUST Capital, and the Southwestern Medical Foundation.

These days, he devotes the majority of his time to shifting the paradigm of business from a shareholder supremacy model to a stakeholder-oriented model.

Alan co-founded LAZ Parking in 1981 while attending the University of Connecticut. Since then, LAZ Parking has grown into a national parking management, transportation, and mobility company with managed revenue in excess of $1.8 billion and over 15,000 employees.

The son of Holocaust survivors, Alan believes that he has “an obligation to give back.” He’s a well-respected philanthropist and has given his time and money to various charitable efforts. In 2009, he started the LAZ Parking Charitable Foundation. He is also the founder and co-chair of Voices of Hope, an organization that collects, categorizes and shares the experiences of Holocaust survivors for the benefit of future generations.

He served as a member of the United State Holocaust Museum’s Council appointed by President Obama.

Alan is the recipient of numerous professional awards, including the Thomas and Bette Wolff Family Entrepreneurship Award from the University of Connecticut, the NAACP Civil Rights Award, the Anti-Defamation League’s Torch of Liberty Award, the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hartford Business Journal. Alan has also received an Honorary Doctorate of Commercial Science from the University of Hartford.

Alan is the past chairman of the National Parking Association Board. Alan serves on the national boards of the NAACP, the ADL, and Conscious Capitalism. In addition, Alan serves on the following local and regional boards; the Greater Hartford Jewish Federation, the Connecticut Immigrant Refugee Coalition, the Bushnell Theater, the Hartford Economic Development Corporation, the Goodwin College Foundation, the Jordan Porco Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the Chabad House of Greater Hartford.

Heath Dieckert is known as a premier executive coach helping founders develop themselves and their companies congruent with Conscious Capitalism values. He has dedicated his life to guiding America’s conscious business leaders.

Because “a rising tide lifts all boats” Heath is deeply passionate about Conscious Capitalism. In addition to his board position at Conscious Capitalism, Heath is a Strategic Advisory Board Member for LifeGuides, an organization that guides employees through transitions.

Heath served as an executive for Fortune 50 companies and startups for over 17 years and worked with some of the world’s best coaches including Marshall Goldsmith, Mary Morrissey, and Noel Osborn. Having experienced fulfillment through coaching and mentoring fellow executives, Heath heeded a call to dedicate his life to the radical support of other great leaders and founded The Dieckert Group.

Heath holds a BS in Industrial Distribution, Engineering, Process Improvement, and Business Efficiencies from Texas A&M University. Heath has countless coaching and leadership training certifications including Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder-Centered Coach, Global Leader of the Future 360-Degree Assessment Coach, Stagen Integral Leadership Program, certified Conscious Capitalism consultant, and a SOLID Certified Executive Leadership Coach.

Heath is a dedicated father to two amazing daughters, an avid technical sport and trad rock climber, and enjoys the adventure of traveling the world to climb remote and beautiful mountains. He currently resides in Austin, Texas.

Hattie Hill is a senior executive and transformational leader with more than 30 years of experience in diversity and inclusion strategy, board governance, profit and loss management and risk mitigation for multinational industries.

Currently, Hattie Hill serves as the President & CEO of the T.D. Jakes Foundation. Launched in January 2020, the foundation provides the skills, education and training to lift communities, increase diversity and inclusion, and gender equity, and power the modern global economy through science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) jobs. Ms. Hill is leading those efforts through a $100 million fundraising campaign while utilizing her experience as a connector of people and opportunity to focus the foundation’s strategy on bridging the gap between human potential and companies seeking talent.

Recognizing the challenges of hosting an in-person summer camp due to COVID-19, Hattie led the efforts to build, from the ground up in just 45-days, a no-cost, online, STEAM summer camp for students. STEAM Academy 2020, which was offered to more than 5,000 students from across the globe – 23 countries in all – was a fully virtual learning experience that provided 3-4 hours of online STEAM activities, such as coding courses, virtual field trips to museums and engineering companies, musical performances from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and exposure to people and jobs that students may not have known even existed, every week for five weeks.

Previously, Ms. Hill was President & CEO of Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF), the premier leadership development organization for the food service industry accelerating the advancement of women and gender equity. After taking the helm at the ailing organization in 2013, she set a new strategic direction focusing on stronger overall organizational performance. She is credited with driving up WFF’s revenue by 25 percent, increasing its membership by 20 percent and growing attendance for the organization’s flagship events by 20 percent.

In 2017, Ms. Hill helped leading food service companies around the world—representing both billions of dollars in revenue and millions of women employees—by spearheading a first-of-its-kind partnership between WFF and the gold-standard Women in the Workplace Study conducted by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org. This unprecedented collaboration resulted in cutting-edge research and solutions essential to retaining top talent, gaining targeted consumer insights and increasing profits by empowering women. During her prior career as founder and CEO of Hattie Hill Enterprises, Ms. Hill served as a strategy growth and development consultant for many of the world’s largest multinational companies such as IBM, McDonald’s and Southwest Airlines, among others. Her influential work spanned across more than 70 countries worldwide. Ms. Hill is a celebrated author and highly sought-after speaker who is often quoted in top-tier media outlets such as Oprah, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. In addition, Ms. Hill has received numerous awards and honors, including being named to Forbes’ Top Texas Women in Business, selected as EY’s Inclusiveness Champion of the Year and featured on National Restaurant News’ 2018 Power List as well as receiving Dallas Business Journal’s Minority Business Leader Award, the Dallas Women’s Foundation’s Maura Award and Working Woman’s Working Woman Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

Gervase Warner was the President and Group CEO of Massy Holdings Ltd.  Mr. Warner has served as an Executive Director of the Massy Group for 18 years. From 2004 to 2009 he held the position of Executive Chairman of the Energy and Industrial Gases Business Unit and has been President and Group CEO for the last 12 years.

Under Mr. Warner’s stewardship the Massy Group began its journey towards becoming a Conscious Company in 2013. This led to rebranding of the Group, identification of common purpose, vision and values as well as common methods for ensuring employee engagement, health and safety, customer service and common expectations of Massy Leaders. In 2023 as the Group celebrated its 100th anniversary, the leadership is looking towards becoming a Healing Organisation and has launched a new vision: A Force for Good, an Investment Holding Company with a Caribbean Heart.

Before joining Massy, Mr. Warner was a Partner at the international management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, where he spent eleven years serving clients in the US, Latin America and Caribbean across a wide range of industries. He currently serves as the Chairman of the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (Associate Institution to the Caribbean Community to support CARICOM Heads of Government to fully implement the CARICOM Single Market and Economy). Mr. Warner also serves on the boards of directors for Citicorp Merchant Bank (Trinidad & Tobago) Limited, the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business and United Way Trinidad & Tobago. Mr. Warner holds an MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He also holds BSE degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Doug spent 31 years with Trader Joe’s Company, the last 14 years as a President, helping grow the business from a small, nine-store chain in Southern California, to a nationally acclaimed retail success story. He developed their prized buying philosophy, created their unique private label food program, and wrote and executed the Business Plan for expanding Trader Joe’s nationally. He graduated from Trader Joe’s in 2008.

Doug is also the Founder/President of Daily Table, an innovative non-profit retail solution tackling the issue of hunger/obesity by utilizing the excess, high quality, nutritious food that would otherwise be wasted. Daily Table offers tasty, nutritious grab-n-go meals and groceries at affordable prices to the food insecure (49 million Americans) in our inner cities in a manner that delivers dignity and economic sustainability.

He received his Executive M.B.A. from the Peter Drucker School of Management, Claremont University, where he won several honorary awards including the Early Career Outstanding Entrepreneur Award from Peter Drucker.

Doug is also a Trustee at Olin College of Engineering; Board of Overseers at WBUR; and serves on the board of several for-profit and non-profit companies.

Dallas Chapter

Curtis A. Hite, CEO and Chairman of Improving Holdings, LLC. (Improving) graduated from Texas A&M University in 1994 with a B.S. and M.S. in computer science. In early 2007, Curtis was one of several leaders who established the Blue Ocean Group, which acquired a small training company called Improving Enterprises and adopted the Improving name.

In 2007 Since then, Improving has been recognized by the Inc 500/5000 as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States for 9 consecutive years. Furthermore, the company has received more than 30 recognitions as one of the best place work in the US by Inc Magazine, Columbus Business First, Texas Monthly, and the Minneapolis Business Journal. In addition, Curtis was a founding member of the North Texas Chapter of YPO in 2003 and also a member of the Columbus Chapter since 2015.

In 2007 Curtis was honored by the Department of Computer Science as a CSE Distinguished Former Student and later in 2013 he received the inaugural Outstanding Early Professional Achievement Alumni Honor Award from the Dwight Look College of Engineering.

Cheryl has a history of successful leadership as a Founder, CEO, Head of Product and Growth, and Board Director in startups and Publicly Traded companies. She led Hotels.com sold to IAC, was CEO of Expedia Corporate Travel, the first online Corporate Travel Agency, CEO of TicketsNow, sold to Ticketmaster/IAC. Rosner led a daily deals marketplace sold to Gilt Groupe, then started Stayful, a boutique hotel booking, and concierge app. Currently, Cheryl is the CEO of Stokedlabs, an incubator and CEO coaching business. Cheryl also serves as Board Chair of Conscious Capitalism.

As CEO of Pacsun, I am driven by a singular mission: to inspire the next generation through purpose-driven leadership, community impact, and innovative business strategies. With nearly two decades of experience at Pacsun, I’ve had the privilege of growing alongside the brand, leading through pivotal industry shifts, and building a culture that prioritizes creativity, inclusivity, and resilience.

Throughout my career, I’ve championed the belief that businesses thrive when their values align with the communities they serve. This ethos has shaped initiatives like Pacsun $5M donation to inner-city Inglewood schools, empowering education and addressing absenteeism, and Delivering Good, which entrusts our field teams to create meaningful, localized community impact.

My professional journey has taken me from working with an iconic luxury house in Italy to earning an MBA from Harvard Business School, where I honed the skills to balance creativity and analytics in driving business transformation. These experiences taught me that unlocking challenges—whether personal or professional—requires courage, purpose, and an unrelenting belief in the power of possibility.

I aim to lead with authenticity and conviction, fostering talent, creating opportunities, and shaping a future where business success is inseparable from societal impact.

Benjamin is the Founder and Chairman of Bradford Airport Logistics (BAL) and Bradford Swissport Logistics (BSL). Bradford is both the U.S. and global leader in Secure Airport Terminal Logistics. The Company has earned a reputation for innovation and operational excellence. At the center of Company’s offering is its proprietary world-class, in-house developed, logistics technology infrastructure – Airport Material Intelligence System (AMISTM).

Under Benjamin’s leadership, over the past 20+ years Bradford has almost singularly carved-out and pioneered the U.S. domestic market space associated with airport terminal Centralized Receiving and Distribution Centers (CRDC). Since 2012, BAL has operated the largest and most sophisticated CRDC in the world at London Heathrow. The Company has embarked on developing a global market niche for airport CRDC operations. BAL currently possesses more CRDC expertise, provides more comprehensive CRDC services, has been awarded more CRDC contracts, and offers more value-add benefits to airport communities than any other logistics/security organization in the world.

Ben is an active member of a dynamic global entrepreneurial and professional organization, Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the Chief Executives Organization® (CEO®). Ben has served on the Airports Council International (ACI) with active participation on Public Safety & Security Committee as well as the AAAE Innovation Forum as a Judge for the industry’s annual Shark Tank. Ben was the 2019 Regional Award winner for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Ben has further held numerous leadership positions involving non-profit organizations within the state of Texas, such as a board member of the Texas Center for the Missing and currently serves in an advisory role heading the Leadership Development Institute on behalf of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (largest law enforcement agency in Texas and 3rd largest Sheriff’s department in the U.S.).

Ben has a Master of Science – Industrial Engineering (Engineering Management Program) from the University of Houston, Bachelor of Science – Mechanical Engineering & Bachelor of Arts – Business Administration from Bucknell University and has completed the Intellectual Property Law curriculum at the University of Houston Law School.

Furthermore, Benjamin has a diverse and formal background in advanced systems, re-engineering, and technology expertise including leading-edge computer systems development, and deployment and IT/ERP/Engineering project management. His resume of consulting experience includes work with CSI Systems and IBM Government Systems. Ben’s early professional career as a Project Leader for the deployment of Enterprise Resource Planning systems for mid-size manufacturing and distribution organizations provided the platform of knowledge he has leveraged in his entrepreneurial endeavors.

Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld is Co-President of Standard Meat Company alongside her brother Ben Rosenthal, Co-President and CEO, and her father Billy Rosenthal, the Chairman of the board.

Like many Rosenthals before her, Ashli got her start in the food biz as the 9-year-old receptionist at Rosani Foods, the pepperoni business her father started in the 1990s. She made a formal return to the industry working in sales and marketing at CTI Foods in 2008, which at the time was part of the Rosenthal family of food businesses. Prior to food, Ashli spent five years in New York City first in the Communications Department at Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna and then went on to be the Public Relations and Events Manager at St. John Knits. Ashli received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Business, graduating Cum Laude from Tulane University.

When she’s not leading SMC, she’s serving her community on boards such as Tarrant Area Food Bank, Cook Children’s Medical Center, the Fort Worth Zoo, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. She is also part of the Spur Committee at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and is serving on the “Only the Audacious Campaign” committee at Tulane University. Ashli and her husband Todd Blumenfeld established the Rosenthal Blumenfeld Research Endowed Fund within the New Orleans Center for the Gulf South at Tulane to enable research on the diverse food cultures of the Gulf South. Ashli and Todd have two children.