Take Out With Ashley and Robyn

Latest Episodes:

Episode 105 with Guest Eric Kessler Dec 28, 2017

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Eric is a serial entrepreneur who has started, led, and advised organizations pursuing social change across the country and around the globe. As founder of Arabella Advisors, Eric has been at the forefront of innovation and impact in the philanthropic sector during one of its greatest historical expansions. While guiding Arabella from a small startup to a company with more than 160 employees that advises on several billion dollars of philanthropic resources annually, Eric has focused on helping clients achieve their philanthropic goals by devising grant-making strategies, mounting effective advocacy campaigns, evaluating impact, and managing their foundation’s operations. In addition to serving a broad range of family, institutional, and corporate clients, Eric leads the firm’s work with clients who are working to improve our food system through policies and business investments that promote nutritious, sustainable, and affordable food. Eric’s interest in the food sector extends well beyond his work at Arabella. He chairs the committee at the James Beard Foundation that oversees efforts to engage the culinary community in advocacy on food policy, and he created the foundation’s Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change. Eric also co-founded the Chef Action Network and has a personal private equity portfolio invested in businesses at the forefront of improving our food system. And, he proudly serves as an appointed member of Washington, DC’s Food Policy Council. In addition to his work at Arabella, Eric founded and serves as chairman of the New Venture Fund, a nonprofit that incubates new social sector innovations, and co-founded the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Earlier in his career, Eric served as the national field director for the League of Conservation Voters. Then, as a White House appointee, he helped manage conservation issues during the Clinton administration. Before that, Eric spent six years with the National Democratic Institute, which sent him to the former Soviet Union, Southeast Asia, and throughout the Middle East to train civic and political leaders on strategies to encourage democratic change. Eric is on the boards of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the James Beard Foundation. He is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization and Summit Series. He also serves as a trustee of his own family’s foundation, which holds assets generated by the sale of a fifth-generation family-owned business. Eric holds an Executive MBA from Georgetown University and a BA from the University of Colorado.

Episode 104 with Guest Jonathan Latham PHD Dec 21, 2017

Show notes

Jonathan R Latham, PhD is co-founder and Executive Director of the Bioscience Resource Project and the Editor of Independent Science News. Dr. Latham holds a Masters degree in Crop Genetics and a PhD in Virology. He was subsequently a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has published scientific papers in disciplines as diverse as plant ecology, plant virology, genetics and toxicology. Dr Latham is also the Director of the Poison Papers project which publicizes documents of the chemical industry and its regulators.

Episode 103 with Guest Danny Seo Dec 14, 2017

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THROUGH HIS BEST-SELLING books, television programs, products, and syndicated column, environmental lifestyle expert Danny Seo shares the creative ideas that have made him America’s leading authority on modern, eco-friendly living. Born on Earth Day in 1977, Danny has championed the natural biodiversity of our planet from a very young age. On his 12th birthday, he founded the organization Earth 2000 with just a few friends and $23. By his 18th birthday, he had transformed the grassroots organization into the country’s largest teenage activist charity, spearheading worldwide campaigns on behalf of the environment. Today, Danny is founder and CEO of Danny Seo Media Ventures, a multimedia lifestyle company that marries style and sustainability across a whole host of media and merchandising products. The Danny Seo portfolio includes a line of home products sold at over 4,000 stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods; a syndicated column called “Do Just One Thing” appearing in hundreds of newspapers everyday; Danny Seo Philosophy organic wines; Danny Seo Reserve Beauty, a collection of fine fragrances and bath products sold on HSN; and more than nine bestselling books covering decorating, entertaining, crafts and more. Danny is also a national spokesperson and partner with Wilsonart, an American-made manufacturer of eco-friendly laminate surfaces and is a brand ambassador with the Ford Motor Company.

Episode 102 with Guest Mike Weeks Dec 06, 2017

Show notes

Mike Weeks is a coach, trainer and speaker who specialises in peak performance coaching for people in high-pressure workplaces and environments. Mike has designed and delivered training for leadership, personal effectiveness, advanced communication, developing creativity, well being, resilience, modelling excellence and performance under pressure. For fourteen years Mike has worked with individuals and organisations to develop excellence in their chosen fields, including on TV, where his coaching successes have been viewed in 148 countries. In the therapeutic fields he has provided interventions for people with performance anxiety, burn-out, depression, fear, anxiety, phobias, stress, procrastination, relationship and parenting issues and many hundreds of cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Mike regularly coaches peak-performers in extreme sports, business, frontline services, arts and technology, alongside anyone who is genuinely committed to achieving their fullest potential.

Episode 101 with Ashley & Robyn Nov 30, 2017

Show notes

Ashley Koff RD is your better health enabler. Koff knows firsthand that better nutrition powers better health. Over two decades as a dietitian, Koff developed better nutrition tools to help her patients and their practitioners get results. Today as CEO of The Better Nutrition Program, Koff makes those tools available online as part of The Better Nutrition Membership and during her "Build Your Better Nutrition Plan" workshops for groups (book clubs, schools, organizations and businesses). A practitioner first, Koff is an award-winning nutrition expert, author, speaker, consultant, spokesperson and advocate. She regularly shares her better nutrition message with millions via national media, social media and co-hosts the podcast “Take Out with Ashley and Robyn." For more about Ashley or to get the Better Nutrition tools visit www.AshleyKoffApproved.com A former financial and food industry analyst, Robyn O’Brien triggered an allergic reaction in the food industry when she asked: “Are we allergic to food or what’s been done to it?”She has been called “food’s Erin Brockovich” by Bloomberg and the New York Times. From a conservativeTexas family, Robyn earned an MBA on a full scholarship, graduating as the top woman in her class before going to work as a financial analyst that covered the food industry. For over a decade, she has helped lead a food awakening among consumers, corporations and political leaders. Armed with data and analytics, food companies and policy makers respond to Robyn’s work. Robyn highlights the actions needed at the local, national and global levels to secure a smarter food system. She has presented to multinational corporations like Bloomberg, Compass Food Group, Chipotle, Nestle, Target and others. Robyn has also worked with and advised grocery stores, farming associations and startups in the food industry. She sheds light on how the changing landscape of food and health are impacting the food industry and our economy. While working as an equity analyst, she was specifically assigned to cover the food industry where she had the opportunity to meet with the management teams from Kroger, Costco, Whole Foods and other companies on a regular basis. She also met with Goldman Sachs’ Henry Paulson, Ebay’s Meg Whitman and Martha Stewart as they were taking their companies public. https://robynobrien.com/

Episode 100 with guest Carlotta Mast Nov 22, 2017

Show notes

Carlotta Mast is a recognized expert in the natural products and health and wellness arena. As senior director of content and insights at New Hope Natural Media, Carlotta oversees Natural Foods Merchandiser, newhope360.com, Functional Ingredients, Nutrition Business Journal and New Hope's consumer content portfolio. She also is the content director for the NEXT Natural Products Accelerator, a digital platform designed to help entrepreneurs launch and grow their natural products businesses. In addition, Carlotta engages in New Hope's multi-partner research and was the lead author of NEXT: The Natural Products Industry Forecast. Prior to this role, Carlotta was the editorial director for Nutrition Business Journal, the leading market research and business journal for today's nutrition and natural products industry executives. Carlotta is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences, including the NBJ Summit, Natural Products Expo West and East, the NutriCosmetic Summit, SupplySide West and Nutrition Capital Network. She has been interviewed about natural products industry trends, regulatory issues and market performance by numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, NPR, ABC News and others. Carlotta also appears in the 2013 BBC documentary The Men Who Made Us Thin. A paleo enthusiast, Carlotta is co-founder of Wholly Bites, maker of organic, nutrient-packed, grain-free snacks. Carlotta earned her bachelor of science degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Episode 99 with Guest Steve Young Nov 16, 2017

Show notes

Steve Young (Strategy & Operations Advisor) provides growth expertise to portfolio companies in functional areas such as strategy, marketing, sales, innovation, and operations. Steve has 20 years of experience with General Mills, most recently responsible for the Annie’s acquisition and business performance, and leading General Mills’ broader $700+ million portfolio of natural/organic businesses. Steve has held U.S. and global management positions at the officer level within General Mills, on diverse categories ranging from yogurt, cereal, baking, meals, and better-for-your snacks. We partner with good people to build great brands. Sunrise Strategic Partners provides growth capital and expertise to emerging brands in the healthy, active and sustainable living space. We team up with founders to add strategic value, share guidance on tactical priorities and leverage our industry relationships to maximize potential. The team at Sunrise has been growing businesses for over 30 years and has deep experience with the unique challenges and decisions that growing brands face. We partner with passionate founders who are ready to take their business to the next level, because we know scaling your brand can be a challenging journey. We know because we've been there. The tide is turning in the consumer package goods industry and the current climate favors breakout opportunities for the next generation brands. Today's consumers - driven by the millennial generation - are focused on authenticity and are more willing than ever to try new brands that resonate with core values. Our team is well versed in these changing dynamics and has the experience to capitalize on this new landscape to drive up and coming brands to the next level.

Episode 98 with Guest Arran Stephens Nov 09, 2017

Show notes

Arran Stephens, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Nature’s Path Foods Inc. Entrepreneur, artist, writer, ecology advocate, gardener, volunteer and meditation practitioner, Arran Stephens has passionately followed the beat of a distant drummer for seven decades. Born and raised on his family’s farm on Vancouver Island, Arran learned a valuable lesson from his dad: “Always leave the soil better than you found it.” Leaving the Earth better became Arran’s driving ethos – from opening a successful vegetarian restaurant in 1967 to providing wholesome food in what was then a real food desert by creating Lifestream, Canada’s first natural foods supermarket (1971-1981). Arran and Ratana, his wife and partner of 45 years, share a profound commitment to organic agriculture, people and health. Together, from humble roots, they established Nature’s Path Foods in 1985, built on a foundation of social responsibility, sustainability and financial viability. Overcoming the odds, Nature’s Path has blossomed to become North America’s largest organic breakfast foods company with plant operations in Delta BC, Blaine, WA and Sussex WI. In 2012 Arran welcomed Que Pasa Mexican Foods and their delicious stone-ground, organic tortilla chips and salsas into the Nature’s Path family. Despite an age of consolidation and sell-outs, Nature’s Path remains proudly independent, with the next generation of son, daughter and other team leaders in place and to carry on the founders’ passion and mission. "No part of Nature's Path is for sale," is a frequent mantra. Arran served on the Organic Trade Association board during the development of the USDA Organic Rule, was a founding member of the Non-GMO Project and has been an avid supporter of federal and state-level mandatory GMO labeling initiatives. He has been a recipient of many industry awards and accolades including Ernst & Young’s 2002 Entrepreneur of the Year, the Schumacher Sustainability Award, the OTA 2013 Organic Leadership Award for Growing the Organic industry, in addition to being inducted into the New Hope and CHFA Halls of Legends. When not digging in his large organic garden, or the office, Arran lives to educate and bring about positive change through the written word. Published works include Journey to the Luminous (Elton-Wolf, 1999), Moth & the Flame and The Compassionate Diet—How What You Eat Can Change Your Life and Save the Planet, (Rodale Books, 2011).

Episode 97 with Guest Pamela Salzman Nov 02, 2017

Show notes

Pamela Salzman is a Los Angeles-based natural foods cooking instructor and certified holistic health counselor. She teaches private, healthful cooking classes throughout Los Angeles and the South Bay. Pamela’s much-anticipated debut cookbook, Kitchen Matters, was released on June 13th, 2017 through Da Capo, an imprint of Hachette. Both practical and elegant, Kitchen Matters answers the most common questions heard in Pamela’s classes, weekly meal plans, tips on how to create a balanced meal, how to prep ahead, and how to make substitutions for the most common allergens and dietary restrictions. It is the ease with which Pamela approaches food and nutrition that has established such a dedicated following. Her business grew organically, and within a very short amount of time, she was teaching private cooking classes 5-days per week. She inspires her clients, who range from stay at home moms to A-list actresses and fashion designers, to get back in the kitchen and cook real food. "Isn't she amazing?" raves Pamela’s regular client, designer Jenni Kayne. "I couldn't boil water, and now I regularly make dinner." Pamela is also skilled at substitutions, making healthier swaps and elevating traditional recipes to another level. With every dish, she encourages her clients to take steps toward a more whole-foods based diet, with conscious thoughts to its impact on the environment. Pamela found her calling after volunteering as a nutrition docent in an elementary school for the nonprofit organization Growing Great. She recognized a huge problem in our society and wanted to help people grasp the importance of proper nutrition and eating REAL food. She was asked to teach a healthy cooking class for a group of young mothers, and from that first day her message and mission were clear: Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well. Pamela’s love of food began at an early age, and as a child she delighted in working in the family vegetable garden with her father and cooking with her mother. Although the food she grew up with was never fancy, it was always real, wholesome and nourishing. Her large Italian-American family frequently gathered together for simple meals – with long tables of bowls and platters piled high, complete with plenty of laughter and conversation to go around. In addition to teaching classes, Pamela also authors a successful food blog, where she shares her favorite recipes and offers practical kitchen advice and tips on healthy living. She has appeared on “The Today Show,” Hallmark’s “Home & Family,” and “KTLA” multiple times. Pamela is a recipe developer for Clean Eating and contributes recipes and videos regularly for The Chalkboard Mag, Rip+Tan and HowYouGlow. In addition, Pamela has been featured in Elle, Allure, Vogue.com and C Magazine, amongst others. She resides in Manhattan Beach with her husband and 3 children.

Episode 96 with Guest Billy Shore Oct 25, 2017

Show notes

Bill Shore is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit that is ending childhood hunger in America through the No Kid Hungry campaign. Bill founded Share Our Strength in 1984 with his sister Debbie Shore and a $2,000 cash advance on a credit card. Since then, Share Our Strength has raised and invested more than $600 million in the fight against hunger, and has won the support of national leaders in business, government, health and education, sports and entertainment. Our track record includes connecting 3 million more kids with school breakfast, adding 40,000 new summer meals sites to feed kids when school is out and continuing to be a strategic grant maker helping kids and their families in all 50 states. Bill is also the chairman of Community Wealth Partners, a Share Our Strength organization that helps change agents solve social problems at the magnitude they exist. From 2014 to 2015, Bill served as a Congressional appointee to the National Commission on Hunger, a group tasked with finding innovative ways to end hunger in America. From 1978 to 1987, Bill served on the senatorial and presidential campaign staffs of former U.S. Senator Gary Hart (D-Colorado). From 1988 to 1991, he served as Chief of Staff for former U.S. Senator Robert Kerrey (D-Nebraska). Bill is the author of four books focused on social change, including “Revolution of the Heart” (Riverhead Press, 1995), “The Cathedral Within” (Random House, 1999), “The Light of Conscience” (Random House, 2004) and most recently, “The Imaginations of Unreasonable Men” (PublicAffairs, 2010). A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Bill earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from George Washington University in Washington, DC. He has been an adjunct professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and an advisor for the Reynolds Foundation Fellowship program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. From 2001 to 2011, he served as a director of The Timberland Company. Bill was named one of America’s Best Leaders in 2005 by US News & World Report. In 2011, the Jefferson Awards Foundation presented Bill with the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service.

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