Championing Gender Equality in Nutraceuticals: Meet the WIN Board of Director Candidates
The nutraceutical industry thrives on innovation, passion, and purpose-driven leadership. As Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN) enters a pivotal phase of growth, the organization is poised to build on its momentum, fostering gender equity and expanding its global impact. To achieve this mission, WIN’s Board of Directors plays a crucial role in steering the organization toward greater inclusivity and empowerment.
This year, an exceptional slate of candidates is stepping up to guide WIN into the future. Each candidate brings a wealth of experience, industry expertise, and a deep commitment to advancing gender equality. Meet the leaders dedicated to driving meaningful change:
Gillian Fish - Founder and CEO of The 6AM Agency
Gillian Fish, Business Growth Strategist, champion of the natural products industry, author and former magazine editor is the Founder and CEO of The 6AM Agency, an integrated business growth, marketing and communications consultancy with a deep specialization in health, evidence-based wellbeing and nutraceuticals.
Acknowledged as one of APAC’s foremost leaders in integrated Health and evidence-based Wellbeing business growth strategies, Gillian is author of Good + Well: 25 World Experts Share their Secrets to Wellbeing, and Resilience. Body. Mind. Soul and is a contributor to global platforms, podcasts, journals and conferences in the natural products industry. Gillian volunteers for multiple non-profits including an original Founding Member of WIN and recipient of the Women In Nutraceuticals Heroine Award 2024. Born in South Africa during the apartheid era against which she stood, it is her life purpose to support others by unlocking potential, as her commitment to making the world a better place.
Heather Granato - President Nutrachievement Inc.
Heather Granato is the founder of strategic business consultancy Nutrachievement, and a 30-year veteran of the global nutraceutical and food industry, serving in senior leadership roles with the SupplySide, Vitafoods and Food ingredients media and events brands.
Heather is an international moderator and presenter with multimedia publishing experience, who has been recognized with awards for leadership, management and content by FOLIO: the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) and the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA). Heather is the co-founder and founding president of Women In Nutraceuticals, a global non-profit focused on gender equity; she is also on the board of directors for the Organic & Natural Health Association.
Kenn Israel - Co-Founding Partner & Nutrition Practice Leader BeyondBrands
For over three decades serving food supplement and ingredient brands with innovation, technical, and regulatory support. Co-Founding Partner & Nutrition Practice Leader at BeyondBrands – A New York based business development agency serving progressive, sustainable, plant-based & mission driven participants in the Beverage, Food, Dietary Supplement, Cosmetic, and Wellness categories. Founder of Innovation Nutrition Consulting – A California based boutique product development and innovation consultancy operating in the US and Europe
Deep experience in product development, ingredient commercialization, contract manufacturing, regulatory affairs, and compliance and operations. Member of WIN’s Sponsorship Committee, Natural Products Association COMPLI Committee, NCN Selection Committee, American Botanical Council Advisory Board and multiple scientific and business advisory board appointments. WIN faces a critical transition time where we evolve from an exciting startup into an effective change maker. My focus will be on empowering our committees to execute more effectively, to establish independent entities in Europe, Southeast Asia and China (and perhaps LATAM) to better serve the specific needs of these markets and communities, and to assure that WIN has a robust junior leadership cohort to assure continuity. Skills include: technical expert, communications, team building and leadership.
Michelle Martin - President & COO Cypress Minerals
A creative leader with experience building high-performance teams who actually enjoys the ride while driving business growth. My mission? To accelerate future leaders who strive to impact the world positively. For over three decades, I have been a health and wellness advocate—because what’s success without well-being? My career has taken me across multiple industries, including some fun entrepreneurial ventures, shaping my leadership and sharpening my skills.
What fuels me? Making an impact—whether in health, design, empowerment, or gender equality. That’s why I’ve been all in with Women In Nutraceuticals, championing inclusion and purpose-driven leadership. With experience, relentless curiosity, a commitment to excellence, and a strong purpose, I’m here to spark ideas and help create a healthier, equitable, and more resilient world. Together, let’s build something for our future leaders!
Karen Todd - RD, CSCS, EP-C, CISSN Vice President Global Brand Marketing Kyowa Hakko USA
Karen E. Todd is a registered dietitian with more than 30 years’ experience in exercise performance and nutritional product development and education. Karen holds Bachelor of Science degrees in both Scientific Nutrition and Food Science Technology from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the Huizenga School of Business at Nova Southeastern University.
Currently, she is the Vice President of Global Brand Marketing for Kyowa Hakko where she, she manages marketing and branding for health product ingredients, spanning dietary supplements functional foods and beverages. Beyond Kyowa, she sits on the executive board of The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), is chair of the Foundation for CRN and chair of the WIN initiative. She also operates TheSupplementDietitian.com as an educational resource for consumers and media, driven by her passion for how dietary supplements and nutraceutical ingredients can support everyone's lifestyle at any stage.
Dr. Sybille Buchwald-Werner - Director Business Development, ABF Ingredients, Managing Director Vital Solutions GmbH
Sybille is a distinguished entrepreneur and scientist with over 20 years of expertise in natural products. With a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and a Board Readiness Diploma from IMD (in progress), she blends corporate leadership with entrepreneurial success. She has led multinational teams, driven market expansion, and integrated ESG principles into business strategies. As the founder of Vital Solutions, she built a globally recognized company specializing in science-backed, IP-protected branded ingredients, leading it to a successful acquisition by ABFI in 2023. Now, as Director of Business Development, she drives innovation and expansion into new markets.
As WIN founding member and co-chair of the WIN mentorship committee, she champions diversity and female leadership. As a keynote speaker and published author of over 70 scientific works, she inspires industry advancements with her philosophy: "We need science to obtain facts, and we need passion to turn facts into products for a better future." Serving on the Board of Directors for WIN would be both an honor and a cause close to her heart.
Shaping the Future Together
WIN’s future is in the hands of its dedicated members, and these candidates bring the expertise and vision needed to propel the organization forward. As the organization transitions into a new era of impact, the leadership of these trailblazers will be instrumental in fostering change, breaking barriers, and championing gender equality in the nutraceutical industry.
Voting Begins March 24 - Voting Ends April 7
