Meet the ROOTIFUL Founders and Management Team
Nicole Robertson
(Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer) is a sustainability-focused founder driven by the belief that real change comes from better systems. Her work centers on the circular economy, conscious living, and building community-centered platforms that help people act on what they care about.
Previously, Nicole founded Swap Society, a national circular fashion platform that reimagined how value is assigned to secondhand clothing and helped advance circular economy adoption in the apparel industry. She also hosted The Swap Society Podcast, featuring thought-provoking conversations with grassroots organizers and industry leaders on sustainable fashion, climate action, fair trade, workers' rights, and cultural change. Her work has been featured in Fortune, Fast Company, WWD, and NBC.
Learn more at nicolerobertson.pro
Marla Rose
(Co-Founder & Content Director) is an award-winning writer, journalist, blogger and cookbook author, and the co-founder (with John Beske) of Vegan Street, one of the first and most popular and influential vegan websites.
Together Marla and John have hosted hundreds of community-building events including the long running Chicago VeganMania festival.
Marla posts regularly on her Substack site:
Re-Humaning with Marla Rose
John Beske
(Co-Founder & Creative Director) is a longtime graphic designer and art director who worked with several major ad agencies before dropping out to promote only Earth-friendly and socially responsible endeavors, including nine years as the creative director of Sustain, a pioneering marketing firm that worked solely with environmental and social justice groups.
He is also the co-founder and partner (with Marla) of Vegan Street, one of the first and most influential vegan websites as well as their business venture Vegan Street Media
Stacy Owens
(Co-Founder & Chief Financial Officer) is founder and CEO of S E Owens & Company. She has 25 years experience in political treasury and compliance, and non-profit bookkeeping and accounting. Stacy is a lifelong animal rights activist and advocate. Stacy has built S.E. Owens & Company to provide professional and personalized service to the clients and causes she cares about deeply.
Jim Slama
Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board) is a Solutions-driven leader, innovator, and connector in the natural products industry. Jim is the CEO of Naturally Chicago, a good food and natural products association that helps grow this fast-growing industry in the region. Jim has a history of innovating with local foods. Jim and Naturally Chicago recently created the Locally Made program to give local companies access to major retailers such as Fresh Thyme, Whole Foods, Costco, Mariano's, Walmart, Meijer, and others.
Jim is a senior advisor to Greener Grazing, Fantastic Fungi, and Quari Ice. Jim founded Good Food Catalyst, a leading non-profit in Chicago to support equity and access in food. Jim is a founding board member of the Naturally Network, a network of conscious businesses in the natural products industry.
Meet Our Board of Advisors
Miyoko Schinner
Chef, Author,
Founder: Miyoko’s Creamery
Seth Tibbott
Founder: Tofurky,
Author
Colleen Holland
Founder and Publisher:
VegNews Magazine
Dr. Milton Mills
Author, Lecturer,
Practicing Primary
Care Physician
Elliot Begoun
Founder, Brand Champion:
TIG Brands
Carol Adams
Pioneering EcoFeminist, Author of
The Sexual Politics of Meat
Christopher Sebastian
Vegan Scholar, Author, Speaker
and Professor
Joyce Tischler
Founder: Animal Legal Defense Fund, Professor at Lewis & Clark University Center for Animal Law Studies