INFB has an independent streak, and so does our team!
Brenda is the owner and Brand Manager for INFB. She's ﻿worked in the natural foods industry for over two decades; from managing a small natural food store in the mid-nineties, to bookkeeping and marketing for Wild Oats, to running her own demo company, to learning the food broker business in the early 2000's, until finally deciding to open her own brokerage firm in 2008.
​Growing up on a sixth generation farm in Kansas, Alison's parents were adamant about eating healthy, and about understanding that what everyone does will affect the generations to come. Regardless of who we are or where we are, we need clean air, fresh water, safe food, and stable communities.
Alison received a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Studies (Policy) from the University of Kansas and worked in a Montessori school for several years. “Follow the Child” continues to be an important directive for her.
​In 1998 a job with the Kaw Valley Heritage Alliance took her to schools and grassroots organizations in communities along the Kansas River. The Alliance closed in 2008. Alison went back to her farming roots and began helping families start their own backyard chicken flocks.
Randy has worked all sorts of positions in the Natural Food Industry, including working with INFB to open up SW division in 2011. We are thrilled to have Randy back assisting us with the UT territory!
Jen's curiosity about the natural products industry began when she was growing up in Oregon. In college, she studied health and science, which fueled her curiosity further. Personal health struggles encouraged her to dive into a natural lifestyle which included using food medicinally, healing with natural remedies/treatments, and working towards overall wellness.
Professional experience began in 2011 while managing a health food store in Wyoming. Jen spent several years as a buyer before transitioning to a broker in 2015 when she moved to Oklahoma. Natural choices came full circle in 2016 when Jen became a mother of an allergy child. This has continued to fuel her thirst for quality products.
Fatai has over 26 years experience in retail sales and marketing as a sales rep for manufacturers, brokers and distributors across food industry in grocery and as well as convenience stores markets.
I was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I started in the restaurant industry when I was fifteen, serving and prepping food. That's what started my passion for food and people. I moved to Northern Virginia when I was about 23 years old. I got tired of the Minnesota winters and wanted a change. I lived there for about six years where I continued my restaurant career. I have done every position in restaurants. I started managing a store when I was twenty-five. I met my husband there and we decided to move to Austin, Texas. Moved here around thirty years old and now we have two kids, one boy and girl. My total time in the restaurant industry was about seventeen years. I have been a stay at home mom for the most part the last five years, doing some transcribing on the side. I love to cook and try new ingredients and new recipes. I also love wine and entertaining friends. My kids are finally both in school so this is a chance to get back to working and get back in the food industry and meet new people again.
Rachael Roberts was born in Topeka Kansas but was raised in San Diego,CA. Growing up Rachael played competitive soccer and during high school she joined the Future Farmers of America program. She learned about the industry of agriculture, visited farms, worked in the greenhouse, raised animals, and competed in floral competitions. Rachael attended Palomar College, Mira Costa College, and she received her vet assistant certificate. Rachael has always had a passion for people, food, plants, and animals. While working at a private pet resort she learned about holistic medicine, natural cleaning products, and natural dog food. Shortly after that, she started working at INFB as the San Diego sales rep and currently manages the soCal team.
When Rachael isn't working, she spends her time with her family and dogs, enjoys growing plants and veggies, and loves going to local shops, resturants, and farmers markets!
Carlene is passionate about Natural Health and Natural Foods. Outside of the natural world, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, being with friends, and traveling to fun places.
Her goal is to help create a path for new and established companies to bring their products into mainstream markets so people can enjoy them and be healthy. She enjoys what she does to make the world a healthier place to live for all people, and especially children.
Audrey has always had a healthy relationship with food. She eats to live AND lives to eat! Cooking, baking, gardening and learning about food are her hobbies. She loves to grow tomatoes!
She earned a degree in Business at Arizona State University (go Devils!). She has 2 spectacular daughters who are both currently living in NYC, building their careers.
She worked at Nestle in both specialty foods and confections, and has also worked in the pet industry. She's a people-person and a dog-person!
Cailee found natural medicine in 2013 when searching for a way to improve digestion and has dabbled in the healing arts ever since. She strongly believes that food is the greatest medicine and that organic food free of chemical additives and preservatives is a great way to nurture the body and the senses.
Cailee has mentored with some of Chicago's most respected healers and continues to do so at her new home in Portland, Oregon. She has always had a love of small businesses, which is one of her favorite parts of Portland culture. She looks forward to fostering relationships with natural food purveyors through her work with INFB.
Luane Abend's experience includes 20+ years in the Natural Products business, in retail management and outside sales. In her positions she has honed client management and customer service skills, with a focus on utilizing education as a means to increase sales, product awareness and brand loyalty.
Luane also enjoys container gardening, walking and hiking, reading, jewelry making and spending time with her young grandchildren.
What delights me the most about being a part of the health and wellness industry is seeing the dramatic and beneficial changes the body can make once it is properly nurtured with organic food, supplements and skin care regimens. From my time managing a supplements and cosmetics apothecary, to my experiences representing natural products lines, I have come to believe in the healing potential of the body, and that proper nutrition is the best tool we have for health.
Melinda has always been a proponent of healthy lifestyle choices as long as she can remember. She has a degree in education and is an avid researcher staying on top of the latest in health, wellness and longevity. She has worked as an entrepreneur in many different venues with an emphasis on sales. Her very first job she worked promoting healthy lifestyle choices with the CO Health Dept. She most recently has been promoting herself as a holistic coach/educator. She feels at this juncture in our history it is imperative to pay attention to the choices we make as consumers and is thrilled to be associated with an organization that promotes products that enhance well-being.
Jolene comes to INFB with 25 years experience in the industry. Her journey began as a manager for Wild Oats in New Mexico, followed by vitamins and general merchandise HEB sales representative in New Mexico and Arizona. Following that, she opened territory in the East coast, mostly New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
She joined INFB after moving back to her home base of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Prior to coming to INFB, Jolene also attended school and worked for another broker company.
Born and raised in Dallas, TX, Savannah comes to INFB as an experienced sales & customer service professional with a strong passion for health and fitness. Over the course of her career, she has worked with a variety of industry-leading companies to build and strengthen client relationships. After realizing the secret to her future was hidden in her daily routine of living a healthy, fit and organic lifestyle, she immediately pursued a career in the organic industry. She shares the love of living a fit and healthy lifestyle with her husband as they enjoy biking, outdoor yoga, hitting the gym, and walking their puppy, Roxy. Savannah is very excited to champion INFB’s products and stand for a company that brings healthy benefits to your everyday life.
My name is Pam Williams and I grew up in Oklahoma. Both set of grandparents were farmers and grew veggies and my fondest childhood memories were picking fresh strawberries and blackberries and sun ripe tomatoes. I was very athletic in high school participating in track and softball and loved being outdoors. I studied Home Economics in college at Oklahoma State University and my father’s degree was in Food and Health Nutrition. He worked in hospitals and universities. I have 3 beautiful daughters and my youngest just graduated High School. I have been a Hair Stylist for over 10 years and part of my passion is helping people feel good and beautiful inside and out. I am very excited to be joining this amazing company and I am very grateful for this new opportunity to grow in this business.
Ted is excited to be part of a team that is intent on changing the manner that we feed ourselves and sustain our environment. He is a long-time educator, musician, and also has had a stint in the restaurant business. Ted began working for INFB in May 2016 , and has found that many of the strategies that are involved in teaching are also predominant in brokering food products.
Ted is very happy to be a part of INFB and admires the spirit and commitment to offering quality products and establishing that crucial link between vendor and buyer.
Ted was first led to natural foods growing up in Delaware and getting his fingers dirty in the family vegetable garden. His value for food and its connection to the source continued while cooking fine- dining dishes that favored freshness and locally grown ingredients over typical restaurant fare. He still keeps a garden, loves to hike, grow wildflowers and plunk on the piano.
Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Emily is a mother, wife, marathon runner, volleyball player and avid traveler. She attended California State University Los Angeles where she graduated with a Business Administration degree in 2010.
After living in Los Angeles for five years, she returned home to Denver and took a job working in the collateral department for a large corporation.
She is now eager to learn all she can about the natural food business and is excited to work with the entire INFB team.
Viki is happy to be part of the team at Independent Natural Food Brokers. Her degree is in human nutrition and she has been working in the field for 20 years.
She's had her own business in nutritional demos for the past four years has deep experience in the whole foods industry. Vicki is excited about the new opportunities that lay ahead.
Lynsie was born and raised in the Seattle area and relocated to Texas last year. She graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a B.A. in Communications and minor in Sociology. She has three years of contract and marketing experience within the grocery and natural channels. In her free time, you can find her out and about with a camera in hand and her dog close by. She’s excited to continue working in the food industry and happy to be part of the INFB team!
Em was born in Chicago and raised in a family where medical degrees were as common as high school diplomas. At age 21, she happened upon a natural health practice in Chicago that showed her another way: the natural intelligence of the body and its innate ability to heal.
For the past few years, she has been educating herself on detoxification, nutrition, homeopathy, Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, psychology, and many other methods of holistic healing. Having personal experience with food allergies and digestive issues, she has also developed a strong passion for natural foods and supports innovative companies that have sought out alternatives to the Standard American Diet.
Heather has worked in the natural foods industry for almost 7 years and at her previous employer was she was dubbed the product guru because she was always training her fellow employees about all the newest products in the industry and keeping up with market trends. From early on she had a passion for healthy lifestyle. She even wrote a column in her high school newspaper about the subject. Heather has personal experience with vegan and vegetarian diets and she is also interested in sustainability and philanthropy. She shares her love of the outdoors by hiking and camping with her husband and two beautiful daughters. She is excited for the opportunity to work for INFB and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
​Grace is from Kansas and grew up surrounded by family and friends focused on wellness. As a recent graduate from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, Grace holds a B.A in Psychology with a minor in Communication and has customer service experience from working in a grocery service department for the past few years. In pursuit of the outdoors, Grace enjoys camping, and backpacking and believes getting outside, in all weather conditions, is an important lifestyle habit.