
Our Team
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Alexis Fox
CO-FOUNDER
Alexis has dedicated her life to fixing our broken food system. With over 20 years experience under her belt, she has worked to usher in the future of food as an attorney, political leader and entrepreneur. Fox has been featured in Forbes, the Boston Globe, and other national media. She is recognized as an international expert and speaker on the Future of Food. Fox was an adjunct Professor of Leadership at Emerson College. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Mercy for Animals and Balanced.
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Micah Risk
CO-FOUNDER
As a mom, athlete, and Co-Founder of Lighter, Micah personally and professionally dedicates her life to helping people eat better. She is a graduate of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, sits on the advisory board of the Friedman Entrepreneurship program, and has a rich background in behavior health and chronic disease research, including work with the World Health Organization.
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Angelique Rivard
COO
Through her experience in advocacy, academia, and policy, Angelique has spent almost a decade and a half working towards building a more sustainable food system. As a founding employee at Lighter, Rivard uses her background in business, ethics, & law to manage the day-to-day operations and help Lighter achieve its double bottom line - to create a more compassionate world while increasing stakeholder wealth. Previously, Rivard held positions at the Center for Environmental Legal Studies, the Investigations Dept. of the Westchester County DA's Office, and the HSUS. Rivard holds a JD (Pace Law School) as well as a Masters in Ethics and Bachelors in Business Administration (Fordham U.).
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Yuriy Garnaev
HEAD OF ENGINEERING
Yuriy has built mission-critical systems at companies such as Lyft and Coinbase, and leads a team of engineers for a vegan non-profit. Being an avid backpacker and landscape photographer, he understands the vital role nutrition plays on long trips into remote mountain regions. He is passionate about helping others fuel their own adventures while also creating positive change in the world.
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Andy Dayton
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Andy is a programmer and artist interested in building socially-responsible software. He has worked to make economic data more transparent at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and helped build websites for many organizations large and small. At Lighter he is proud to build software that contributes to a healthier, more sustainable world. -
Alex Shopov
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
An award-winning tech veteran with 20+ years of experience, Alex devotes his tech skills to serving his passion for helping people live healthier lives. As an avid athlete, Alex also personally understands the importance of eating well.
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Jentry Lee
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & COACHING
Jentry is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and Plant-Based Chef, mother, yogi, lover of animals, and all things vegan recipe testing. She’s a strong proponent of marinated tofu, massaged kale salads, and finding inventive ways to enjoy the bounty of plants. Her work has spanned from a career as a fitness and yoga teacher to a barista and chef. She pulls from her background in nutrition counseling, culinary arts, and fitness to empower members to find their own unique path toward health and compassionate living. Jentry graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama, with a Bachelors of Science in Food and Human Nutrition, and holds a Communication degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
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Aviva Keynton
DIRECTOR OF NUTRITION AND IMPACT
Aviva is a Registered Dietitian and plant-based cooking enthusiast. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from NYU and completed post-graduate training in dietetics from MSU Bozeman. She is particularly passionate about inspiring and educating people on the adoption and benefits of consuming a plant-based diet, with the goal of making a positive impact on both the health of our population and the health of our planet.
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Sarah Tahon
DIRECTOR OF BRAND PARTNERSHIPS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Sarah is a Certified Plant-Based Nutritionist, health-supportive chef, and animal activist. She grew up in France and Morocco and loves to share her knowledge and love for food with people. She believes in redefining culinary traditions to build a more compassionate world and she highly respects everyone’s journey toward a plant-based diet.
Sarah graduated in Health-Supportive culinary arts from the Institute of Culinary Education in Pasadena, CA. and holds a certificate in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.
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Julia Jensen-Huegel
VP OF PRODUCT
Julia has always been fascinated with the “why” behind what people choose to eat and the impact that those everyday choices have on the greater world. At Lighter she takes her background in nutrition science and psychology to help our members on their journey to a kinder kitchen each and every day.
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Curt Mastio
INTERIM CFO
Curt is the Managing Member of Founder’s CPA. Previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of Storage Squad and started his career at Deloitte. In addition to operating Founder’s CPA, Curt is an Adjunct Instructor at Northwestern University’s Farley Center for Entrepreneurship teaching ENTRE 330- Accounting & Finance for Startups. Curt is experienced in building out accounting functions at early-stage and growth businesses that have collectively raised more than $200 million in funding and/or are generating up to $50 million a year in revenue. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Illinois, and has been working alongside venture backed hyper-growth startups for 8+ years. Curt also serves as a mentor for the Chicago Techstars cohorts. In addition, he is an active speaker and thought leader in the startup ecosystem and was awarded the 2020 Illinois CPA Society Outstanding Young Leadership award.