In partnership with the WBDC, SBDC @ ICNC and The Hatchery Chicago
In our final part of the Celebrating Female Entrepreneurs series. We are celebrating Inspirational Female Leaders. Women of today are going further, doing more, and breaking through barriers. This final installment of our Celebrating Female Entrepreneurs, we highlight women who followed their dream and pursued their passions while finding their purpose.
About the Moderator:
Cynthia Johnson is Director of Established Business Services at the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC). She leads programs for established business owners that are designed to increase contract opportunities for certified women-owned businesses with WBDC corporate partners.
About the Panelists:
Maggie Seng Sadowsky, the President and Owner of 8 Track Foods, is a recognized thought leader in Natural Foods and a subject matter expert in plant-based proteins. Maggie graduated from The Ohio State University with a BS in Food Science. She is a Certified Food Scientist (CFS) from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and holds advisory positions with the Good Food Institute (GFI) and US Dry Bean Council (USDBC) Innovation Group. Before launching 8 Track Foods, Maggie owned the consulting firm The Culinary Architects, with clients including Conagra, Kellogg and Beyond Meat. Maggie transforms food categories and innovates products with her technical food science background, consumer research insights, and intuitive eye for catching the next trends. She has influenced and launched over 100 successful products in the CPG industry.
Perteet Spencer Co-Founder, President & CEO, Ayo Foods brings nearly 20 years of packaged good sales and brand marketing experience to AYO. Her deep industry experience includes time at LEGO and General Mills. Most recently, Perteet led sales and consulting teams at SPINS where she advised fortune 500 companies and emerging natural brands on winning growth strategies. Inspired by her family’s own West African traditions, her love of Natural Products, and her co-founder husband, AYO was born.
Emily Groden, Founder & CEO, Evergreen After launching Evergreen for her own family, she is now on a mission to clean up the frozen waffle category. From day one, Emily has focused on embedding philanthropy and social responsibility into her brand’s DNA. Evergreen currently makes monthly contributions and ongoing food donations to multiple organizations combating hunger and food insecurity in Chicago neighborhoods. Prior to founding Evergreen, Emily served as General Counsel for The Alinea Group, owner of the only 3-Michelin Star restaurant in Chicago, and Tock, an industry-shifting reservation platform. Before her pivot into the hospitality industry, Emily practiced law at Kirkland & Ellis as a corporate associate focused on mergers and acquisitions and worked for Analysis Group, an economic consulting firm in Boston. She was named a Forbes Next 1000 for her entrepreneurial success and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Tribune, and PopSugar, as well as earning a Prevention Magazine Healthy Food Award. Emily’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey was also profiled on the Today Show.
Regina Trillo, Founder, Nemi Snacks
Originally from Mexico City, Regina felt underrepresented in Chicago grocery stores. Nemi Snacks was founded in mid-2019 with a mission to elevate Mexican cultura in the U.S. through high-quality and delicious food. Nemi Snacks are crunchy sticks made from seeds and nopales (a.k.a. prickly pear paddle) in Mexican-inspired flavors. Nemi Snacks works directly with Mexican farmers, uses real chiles and spices and no artificial colors or ingredients. Nemi Snacks is on a mission to diversify people’s snacking experience, share high-quality snacks and elevate and celebrate Mexican culture. Regina has spent her legal career advocating for human rights by providing legal services to immigrants and implementing programs on a range of global human rights issues in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and the United States.
