Defne Crowe

Director of Marketing Communications at Marianne's

Defne Crowe is the Director of Marketing Communications for Marianne's, the premium clean pantry brand offering 100% pure avocado oil and beef tallow, and Adams Group, a fifth-generation family-owned specialty ingredients company. She previously led communications at Amy's Kitchen before launching her own agency, where she helped iconic food, fashion, and wellness brands find their voice and chart their next chapter of growth.

Waven Dean Fernandes

Brand Energy Activation at TIG Brands

I have over 40+ years of experience in the Branding, Marketing, and Design space. The last 18+ years have been dedicated to the Natural CPG (consumer packaged goods) industry, specializing in Brand Activation for emerging natural food, beverage, personal care, and supplements brands. In my role as 'Brand Energy Activation' at TIG Brands, I curate a wide variety of SME's (subject matter experts) in our Natural CPG Industry Eco-system of experts who then work closely with the Founders/Co-Founders and senior team members of the Brands in our TIG Ohana to achieve their growth, revenue and Holistic Success goals.

My role is to act as a 'sherpa guide' for our clients, providing them with strategic advice, market intelligence, research and analytics, brand activation, and capital-raising support. I collaborate and cooperate with our clients and partners with a spirit of mutual respect and trust, and I deliver value for all stakeholders. At TIG Brands, we build Tardigrades, not Unicorns! We help our brands become nimble, capital-efficient, resilient, and adaptable to changing market conditions and consumer preferences.

Being born and raised on the Big Islands of Hawaii, the concept of "Aloha Spirit" is near and dear to my heart. And it's a great alignment with one of the key tenets of our business philosophy at TIG Brands that both Elliot and I aspire to do our work in this natural CPG space with a "Karmic Boomerang" approach, where we assist those the Universe brings to our attention, however we can and without regard or expectation for direct reciprocity from that contact. Being of service, assisting where we can, and paying it forward are all guiding principles of TIG.

Merril Gilbert

CEO of Curious Futures and Creator of FoundHer Forward

Merril Gilbert is a strategist with 25 years of experience across food, health, consumer, and climate sectors. She specializes in helping founders get capital-ready and build the operational clarity investors want to see. She is the CEO of Curious Futures, the creator of FoundHer Forward, and the author of the newly released Fired to Founder, which asks: "What if I build something of my own?"

A proud member of the Naturally NorCal community since its early days, Merril works at the intersection of vision and execution, helping growth-stage founders access the funding and partnerships that move their businesses forward.

Cathy Kolumbus

Director of Marketing at Teaspoon Boba Tea

Cathy is a marketing leader with deep experience building and growing premium, mission-driven brands across food, beverage, and wellness. She has led brand strategy, innovation, and integrated marketing programs for companies including Blue Diamond Growers, Straus Family Creamery, Rainbow Light, and Tetley Tea, translating product quality, sourcing, and health benefits into ownable, compelling consumer stories that move beyond category truths to drive sustainable growth.

At Straus Family Creamery, Cathy led a full brand repositioning that shifted the narrative from producer-focused to consumer-driven, connecting organic farming practices, product quality, and nutrition to clear, relevant benefits. The work established the “Taste the Straus Difference” brand platform and drove meaningful results, including an average 11% sales lift across key product lines, increased brand awareness, and share gains. She also led a packaging redesign that balanced mission, product, and premium positioning, earning 2020 and 2019 Transform Packaging North America Awards. Under her leadership, Straus’ Organic Chocolate Milk was named a 2018 Expo West Nexty Award finalist.

Following Straus, Cathy worked with Blue Diamond Growers, leading brand strategy, integrated marketing and innovation across Almond Breeze and Snack Nuts. Her work spanned annual operating planning, digital, social, influencer, PR, and retail, contributing to strong engagement and incremental growth through new buyer acquisition and expanded usage occasions.

Cathy is an active member of the natural products community and serves on the Marketing Communications Committee for Naturally NorCal, where she contributes to messaging and outreach that supports awareness, participation, and community connection. She previously held similar roles with Naturally North Bay and the Food Industry Group (FIG) and volunteers with the Redwood Empire Food Bank.

She holds an MBA from Saint Louis University and a BS in Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has completed executive education in Digital Marketing Strategies at Northwestern University. She also earned a Spanish Language Fluency Certificate from the University of Madrid.

Based in Petaluma, California, Cathy enjoys staying close to the food community and is inspired by the role brands can play in connecting people to products, values, and each other. She looks forward to bringing this perspective to her role as Director of Marketing at Teaspoon Boba Tea.

The child of European and South American immigrants, Cathy has been shaped by diverse cultural influences and loves traveling and exploring new destinations. Her dog, gardening, pickleball, and any ocean-related activities keep her fulfilled.

Carter Welch

President and Founder at The Fig Tree Group

Carter Welch works with founders and owners of growing businesses as a trusted advisor and thinking partner, helping them handle the increasing complexity that comes with success.

Over his career, Carter has led marketing, sales, and strategy at companies ranging from Procter & Gamble to venture-backed startups. He has driven significant growth and turnarounds across consumer products, manufacturing, and technology businesses. 

Carter’s role may take different forms depending on the situation. In some cases, he serves as a trusted outside advisor, helping leaders step back, see their business clearly, and make confident decisions about what matters most. In others, he steps in as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer, helping companies sharpen their positioning, align their marketing efforts, and translate strategy into focused execution. His work often spans strategy, marketing, financial clarity, leadership alignment, and growth planning—especially when opportunities expand but focus begins to slip.

He is based in Santa Rosa, California, and works with clients across a range of industries, including consumer and natural products companies facing growth, brand evolution, and go-to-market complexity.