Ayeshah Abuelhiga is the founder and CEO of Mason Dixie Foods, the fastest-growing comfort food brand in the U.S., best known for its clean label biscuits, sandwiches and waffles. Following a successful career in tech leading projects for iconic brands like Audi and Toshiba, Ayeshah left the corporate world. As a first-generation American, Ayeshah proudly watched her Asian and Middle Eastern immigrant parents serve quality comfort food at their small carry-out restaurant and convenience store. She started Mason Dixie Foods in 2014 with the vision to change comfort food for the better, replicating the clean ingredients used in her family’s kitchen while growing up. Ayeshah has rapidly scaled Mason Dixie Foods from a small beloved pop-up restaurant to a multi-million dollar nationally distributed CPG brand. Today, Mason Dixie’s products are carried at over 6,000 stores across the US, including Target, Publix, Kroger, Costco and Whole Foods, and served at 3,000 Marriott Select Brand Hotels nationwide. Recognized as the NOSH Person of the Year and an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Mid-Atlantic Finalist, Ayeshah has established herself as a leading voice in the CPG community and beyond. A passionate advocate for inclusive leadership, Ayeshah co-founded Project Potluck in 2020, with the goal to help people of color build successful careers and companies in the CPG industry. She remains active in the Baltimore community, volunteering her time with local organizations like Rainbow Families and the Franciscan Center of Baltimore. Ayeshah regularly speaks at events nationwide on topics related to AAPI leadership, DEI, and entrepreneurship. She’s spoken at SXSW, EXPO West and the EY Strategic Growth Forum, among others.

Born and raised in Ohio, Wade spent twenty years with Buehler’s Fresh Foods headquartered in Wooster Ohio, in varying positions at both store and the corporate level. Wade left Buehler’s in 2019 as the Sr. Director of Center Store. Wade then joined Rouses Markets headquartered in Schriever Louisiana as a Grocery Category Manager before being promoted to the Director of Non Foods, HBA, GM & Confections. From there, Wade worked with Jimbo’s headquartered in San Diego California as a Grocery Buyer before being promoted to the Director of Grocery. Next (and currently) Wade works at The Fresh Market headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina as the Vice President of Center Store & Space Planning. Wade’s experience in conventional, specialty, and the natural/organic channels gives him a well-rounded perspective of the retail grocery business. Wade is known for his eagerness to work with emerging brands, his open-minded approach to collaboration, and his ability to build and develop relationships. Wade is also the co-host (along with Alex Bayer) of the “CPG Vibes” weekly LinkedIn podcast which caters to the CPG/emerging brands community.

Elizabeth Brown is an Investor at Vanterra Ventures. Vanterra Ventures is a venture and growth equity fund that partners with visionary founders building disruptive branded products and technologies that will shape the Future of Consumer Health. Elizabeth is responsible for supporting deal sourcing, diligence, and post-close value-add for Vanterra's portfolio, which has backed brands like Hu Kitchen, Oats Overnight, Dose, Bombas, Quip, and Arrae. Elizabeth is energized by supporting the next generation of innovative, consumer product entrepreneurs and investors.