Soraya Rohde
Recognizing the commercial possibilities of jojoba in 1978, Soraya was instrumental in creating Desert Whale Jojoba Company. At that time, Soraya was a student at the University of Arizona. Under Soraya’s leadership, Desert Whale became a global leader in farming, production, and sales of jojoba and its derivatives. She became president of Desert Whale in 2004. Now retired, Soraya enjoys traveling all over the world accompanied by family and friends, with recent trips to Antarctica, Africa, Israel, Cambodia, and Iceland to name a few.
Kim Swilpa
Kim graduated from the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing. She was in the personal care/cosmetics industry for 30 years and spent the majority of that time with Desert Whale, greatly contributing to the company in growth of sales, marketing and product development. Recently retired, she now co-owns a PreSchool and has more time to spend with her children, to travel the world and to contribute to the growth and development of EleBalance.
Christine Fouts, Ph.D.
Christine received her doctorate degree in chemistry from Emory University. Her career focus has been on the development of products which are safe for workers and the environment and are also beneficial for consumers. Christine was promoted to Vice President of Derivatives Technology for Vantage Specialty Chemicals, managing eighteen chemists and specialists with a strong focus on applications of jojoba oil and derivatives for the personal care market. Christine currently resides in Florida with her husband, dogs, cats, and macaw. She continues her life-long interest in local and world-wide environmental and animal issues.
Shea James
Shea is an American-Sri Lankan entrepreneur, business strategist and avid supporter of wildlife conservation. He studied Business Finance for his Bachelor's Degree from Rutgers University. Currently, he is managing partner of Hotel Emporium, Inc. which is a global hospitality service provider with over 20+ global manufacturing plants and offices. He has helped develop the growth of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society for over 15 years and has recently connected local and global businesses to partner in revenue tied conservation projects. Shea is also a member of EYES (Emerging Young Entrepreneur Society) and Make A Wish Foundation.
Amber Kazansky
Amber is Marketing Program Manager at Clinisys, a global leader in laboratory software. She received her Masters of Science in Marketing from Eller College of Management. Amber grew up traveling the world with her mother, Soraya Rohde, and worked for Desert Whale for several years, participating in international trade shows where she gained firsthand experience in the personal care industry. Wildlife protection and conservation has always been a strong component of Amber’s life.
Samantha vaughan
Samantha is a Graphic Designer at Bombilla, a creative agency for social change. After receiving her BA in Art at UCLA, she spent 4 years directing the largest user-generated stock photography collection at Twenty20. There, she helped brands tell their stories through everyday images, and connect with their audiences in a more natural, honest and inclusive way. Today you can find her designing experiences for non-profits and social enterprises who are on a mission to spark change.