Fous du jardinage, libres-penseurs, amis des chiens, et passionnés qualifiés absolument dévoués.
Découvrez nos experts en phytothérapie
Nous avons l'immense privilège de collaborer avec certains des experts en phytothérapie les plus renommés et les plus respectés dans leur domaine. Qu'il s'agisse d'herboristes, de chimistes, d'ethnobotanistes, d'experts en approvisionnement, de formateurs ou de cliniciens, les membres de notre équipe sont extrêmement fiers de leur travail. En élaborant nos produits de bien-être à base de plantes, veillant à l'excellence du contrôle qualité, développant de nouvelles initiatives en matière de développement durable, formant nos clients ou assurant la promotion de nos thés et tisanes, ils incarnent une expertise et un savoir-faire inégalés dans le domaine de la phytothérapie.
Herbal Experts
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Taryn Forrelli, ND
Directrice scientifique -
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Guido Masé, RH(AHG)
Chercheur principal, responsable de la formulation, formateur en phytothérapie -
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Zoe Kissam
Directrice de la recherche et du développement, herboriste clinicienne -
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Marisa Williams, ND, RH (AHG)
Chercheuse en recherche et développement, botaniste, responsable des projets techniques / -
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Erin McKinsey, MSc
Senior Scientist & Herbalist, Quality Control -
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Jules Benefico
Content Marketing Manager & Clinical Herbalist -
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Aaron Jenks
Research & Development Scientist -
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Korey Steffan
Herbalist & Quality Control Analyst
Guido Masé, RH(AHG)
Chercheur principal, responsable de la formulation, formateur en phytothérapieMarisa Williams, ND, RH (AHG)
Chercheuse en recherche et développement, botaniste, responsable des projets techniques /
Taryn Forrelli, ND
Directrice scientifiqueTaryn Forrelli is a naturopathic doctor, herbalist, and scientific leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing botanical wellness through research, innovation, and product development. As Chief Science Officer at Traditional Medicinals, she leads the Innovation, Research & Development, and Quality teams, helping shape the company's scientific strategy while ensuring every product reflects the highest standards of quality, efficacy, and integrity.
Taryn earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from Sonoran University of Health Sciences and has developed dozens of botanical wellness products throughout her career. She is passionate about translating the intelligence of plants into thoughtfully crafted herbal formulas that help people build meaningful, lasting relationships with herbal medicine. Her work is guided by a deep commitment to scientific rigor, creativity, and Traditional Medicinals' longstanding values of ethical sourcing, sustainability, and respect for plant wisdom.
Taryn believes plants have an extraordinary ability to teach, nourish, and heal. Whether leading scientific innovation, exploring the natural world, or creating meals inspired by the seasons, she is continually inspired by the intelligence of plants and their power to support the well-being of people, communities, and the planet.
Guido Masé, RH(AHG)
Chercheur principal, responsable de la formulation, formateur en phytothérapieGuido Masé is a clinical herbalist, educator, and formulator with more than two decades of experience exploring the relationship between people and plants. As Principal Scientist and Head Formulator at Traditional Medicinals, he leads herbal formulation, research, and education, helping develop products rooted in traditional herbal wisdom, clinical experience, and modern scientific understanding.
Guido's connection to medicinal plants began during his childhood in the Italian Alps, where time spent walking mountain trails and gathering wild herbs sparked a lifelong fascination with the healing power of plants. After settling in Vermont, he co-founded the Vermont Center forIntegrative Herbalism, one of the country's leading nonprofit herbal medicine clinics and schools, and has spent his career teaching, practicing, and advancing herbal medicine through research, product innovation, and education. He is also the author of The Wild MedicineSolution and DIY Bitters, and has collaborated with practitioners and researchers around the world to help strengthen the future of herbal medicine.
Guido believes herbal medicine is about more than supporting health; it is a way of buildingrelationships with plants, people, and the living systems we are part of. Through storytelling,science, and a deep respect for plant wisdom, he helps inspire a more connected, resilient, andregenerative approach to health.
Zoe Kissam
Directrice de la recherche et du développement, herboriste clinicienneZoe Kissam has spent two decades helping bring new botanical wellness products to life at Traditional Medicinals. As Director of Research & Development, she leads product development, combining herbal knowledge, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration to transform ideas into thoughtfully crafted products that help connect more people with the benefits of medicinal plants.
Zoe's love of plants began in childhood, inspired by time spent in the garden with her mother and a fascination with the wild plants growing around her. She earned a degree in Cultural Anthropology before completing her clinical herbalism training at the California School of Herbal Studies. After beginning her career in the natural products industry, she joined Traditional Medicinals in 2006, first in marketing before following her passion for innovation and product development. Since then, she has helped lead the concepting and launch of more than 24 new products, including Throat Coat® Lozenges, while serving as a trusted bridge between herbal tradition, consumer insights, and scientific innovation.
Zoe believes one of the greatest gifts of herbalism is helping people build lasting relationships with plants. She is passionate about making herbal wellness more accessible through education and thoughtfully designed products, and is inspired every day by the opportunity to help bring the wisdom of plants into people's daily lives.
Marisa Williams, ND, RH (AHG)
Chercheuse en recherche et développement, botaniste, responsable des projets techniques /Marisa Williams is a naturopathic doctor, botanist, and herbal researcher whose work brings together botanical science, traditional herbal knowledge, and product innovation. As a Staff Scientist in Traditional Medicinals' Research & Development department, she helps guidemedicinal plant research, herbal formulation, and new product development, working alongside fellow herbalists and scientists to create thoughtfully crafted teas rooted in both tradition and science.
Marisa's passion for plants began in childhood and led her to earn a Master's degree in Biology with an emphasis in Botany from the University of Arkansas and a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Sonoran University of Health Sciences. Before joining Traditional Medicinals in2018, she worked as a field botanist and Herbarium Manager at the University of Arkansas, documenting plant diversity across the state. At this time, Marisa continued going on to practice as a naturopathic doctor. As a naturopathic doctor, Marisa empowered others throughthe wisdom of herbal medicine and natural health in clinical practice. Today, she is a contributing author of the American Botanical Council’s (ABC) HerbalGram Herbal Profiles, helping advance botanical education and preserve the legacy of one of the herbal industry'smost respected scientific resources. She is also the recipient of the 2026 ABC Champion Award in recognition of her contributions to herbal medicine.
Marisa believes the relationship between the plant world and people is one of our oldest and most uniquely important connections. Whether researching medicinal herbs, developing new formulas, writing about botanical medicine, or exploring the natural world, she is inspired bythe wisdom of plants and works to preserve this knowledge to help advance the well-being of both plants and people.
Erin McKinsey, MSc
Senior Scientist & Herbalist, Quality ControlErin McKinsey is an herbalist, scientist, educator, and environmentalist whose work bridges botanical science with a deep reverence for the natural world. In Traditional Medicinals' Quality Control laboratory, she performs botanical identity confirmation using microscopic analysis to help ensure the quality and authenticity of the herbs that go into our teas. She also assists with product launches, special projects and serves as a reviewer for the American Botanical Council.
Before joining Traditional Medicinals, Erin served as a laboratory supervisor and natural products scientist at Flora Research, one of the country's leading botanical testing laboratories, and as the executive clinical assistant to renowned clinical herbalist Donnie Yance at the Mederi Center. She has also worked as a clinical herbalist, apothecary manager, and educator, and has spent more than a decade teaching edible and medicinal plant classes, including with ForageSF throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Erin holds graduate degrees in Biomedical Sciences and Environmental Education, as well as a certification in herbalism, bringing together scientific research, herbal medicine, and ecological stewardship in everything she does.
Erin believes that caring for people and caring for the planet go hand in hand. Whether she's ensuring the quality of the herbs in our teas, leading a class in the field, or continuing her own studies, she is guided by curiosity, service, and a lifelong commitment to helping people reconnect with the healing power of plants.
Jules Benefico
Content Marketing Manager & Clinical HerbalistJules Benefico is a Certified Clinical Herbalist, educator, and marketing strategist who brings more than a decade of herbal expertise to the art of brand storytelling and consumer engagement. As Content Marketing Manager at Traditional Medicinals, she leads organic and paid social media, content strategy, email and SMS marketing, and the Plant Power Journal, developing compelling content and campaigns that connect people with the power of plants. She also creates many of the herbal recipes and mocktails featured in the Plant Power Journal, bringing her love of herbal formulation and culinary creativity to everyday wellness rituals. Her work bridges traditional herbal knowledge with modern marketing, translating botanical science, herbal traditions, and the stories behind medicinal plants into accessible, engaging experiences that inspire curiosity, build trust, and deepen relationships with the brand.
Jules found her way to herbalism while living at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, where the abundant gardens and wild landscape became her first teachers. Discovering that many of the plants growing around her were medicinal set her on a lifelong path of studying, practicing, and teaching herbalism. She went on to spend three years studying Western clinical herbalism at the Berkeley Herbal Center, followed by advanced mentorship with Chanchal Cabrera, Dr. William Morris, and other respected herbal practitioners. Over the years, she has led workshops, classes, and retreats exploring everything from clinical herbalism and medicine making to botanical incense, natural perfumery, and the more mystical dimensions of plant wisdom. She continues to maintain a private herbal practice on the side, working with clients to explore the root causes of their health concerns and develop personalized approaches to wellness through herbs, nutrition, and lifestyle. As host of the Herbal Astrology Podcast, she has also explored the intersections of herbalism, astrology, and alchemy.
For Jules, herbalism is a practice of reconnection, reminding us that we are not separate from nature but deeply woven into it. She believes plants have an extraordinary ability to bring us back into relationship with ourselves, our communities, and the living world around us. That philosophy shapes both her clinical practice and her approach to storytelling. She is drawn to the places where science meets tradition, where curiosity opens the door to wonder, and where something as simple as a cup of tea can become a meaningful daily ritual. Whether she's creating a campaign, teaching a workshop, or formulating an herbal mocktail, Jules hopes to make herbalism feel approachable without losing its depth, beauty, or magic, inviting people to look a little closer at the plants around them and discover the wisdom that's been there all along.
Aaron Jenks
Research & Development ScientistAaron Jenks is a botanist, herbalist, and scientist whose work explores the relationship between people and plants through both traditional herbal knowledge and modern botanical science. As an R&D Scientist at Traditional Medicinals, he brings expertise in ethnobotany, plant taxonomy, phytochemistry, and pharmacology to botanical research and product formulation, helping create herbal products that are safe, effective, and thoughtfully crafted.
Aaron's relationship with medicinal plants began early, influenced by his aunt, renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, and by time spent immersed in the wilderness of northeastern Oregon. He later trained with Rosemary at Sage Mountain before earning his PhD in Plant Biology from UC Riverside, where his research focused on ethnobotany and systematics. His doctoral work took him throughout Mexico to study the genus Salvia in the field and explore the traditional medicinal uses of plants, while his laboratory research used plant genetics to better understand their classification and evolutionary relationships. At Traditional Medicinals, Aaron has helped formulate products including the Stress Ease® collection and Rosy Mood™, and co-authors peer-reviewed herb profiles for the American Botanical Council's HerbalGram. In 2026, he and fellow TM scientist Marisa Williams, ND, received the American Botanical Council Champion Award in recognition of their contributions to botanical research and education.
Aaron believes there are many ways to understand plants, and that science is one powerful lens through which to deepen that relationship. Whether studying a plant's chemistry and evolutionary history, tasting a new formula, or encountering plants in the wild, he is driven by curiosity and a belief in their ability to connect us more deeply with our own health and the natural world.
Korey Steffan
Herbalist & Quality Control AnalystKorey Steffan is an herbalist and Quality Control Analyst whose work bridges traditional herbal knowledge with modern botanical science. At Traditional Medicinals, he specializes in the quality assessment and authentication of botanical ingredients and finished herbal products, using analytical testing, HPTLC analysis, organoleptic evaluation, and quality investigations to help ensure their identity, purity, strength, and composition.
Korey's path to herbalism began during an immersive experience at a tea plantation in Guilin, China, where he studied traditional tea cultivation and processing and developed a deeper appreciation for the relationship between plants, people, place, and health. He later trained at the California School of Herbal Studies, completing both foundational and advanced Community Herbalist programs. Korey joined Traditional Medicinals eight years ago as an R&D intern before becoming the company's first R&D Lab Technician and later an R&D Technologist, gaining extensive hands-on experience in botanical research, formulation, and product development. He has since brought that experience to his current role as a Quality Control Analyst, where he applies both his herbal knowledge and scientific expertise to help uphold the quality and integrity of Traditional Medicinals' botanical ingredients and products. His research experience also includes co-authoring a peer-reviewed paper on the use of botanical extracts in complex herbal tea formulations, and he is currently continuing his education in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Korey believes some of the most meaningful work in herbalism happens where traditional plant knowledge and scientific inquiry meet. Whether evaluating botanicals in the lab, studying herbal traditions, or spending time with plants in nature, he brings a spirit of curiosity and lifelong learning to his work and a deep commitment to preserving the integrity of the herbs behind every cup.
Quality & Product Integrity Experts
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Melissa Doust
Staff Scientist, Quality Control -
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John Stephens
Senior Scientist, Quality Control -
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Tina Yang
Senior Technologist -
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Marika Lodle
Senior Technologist
Melissa Doust
Staff Scientist, Quality ControlMelissa Daoust is a scientist specializing in botanical identity and analytical chemistry who has spent more than a decade helping uphold the quality and integrity of the herbs used at Traditional Medicinals. As Staff Scientist in Quality Control, she specializes in the phytochemical identification of botanicals using High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), developing and applying analytical methods that help confirm that botanical ingredients are exactly what they are intended to be. Her work plays an essential role in ensuring the identity, quality, safety, and efficacy of the plants behind Traditional Medicinals’ products.
Melissa began her scientific career studying molecular ecology and conservation through plant population genetics at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory after earning her degree in Marine Biology from UC Santa Cruz. She later spent seven years in biotechnology, where her work ranged from viral DNA characterization supporting a large-scale HIV vaccine trial to developing and validating analytical methods for vaccine manufacturing. At Traditional Medicinals, her scientific expertise and fascination with plants came together. Today, Melissa is a recognized subject matter expert in HPTLC and botanical identity, presenting her work at international scientific conferences. She is a published coauthor of peer-reviewed research and an expert reviewer for the Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program (BAPP). Her work developing new approaches to botanical identification also supports innovation at TM, helping ensure that new herbs and formulations meet the same rigorous standards as those that have been part of our products for decades.
For Melissa, science offers a powerful way to explore the extraordinary complexity of plants. She brings an analytical eye and an uncompromising commitment to quality to her work, while maintaining a deep appreciation for the aspects of the natural world that extend beyond what can be measured in a laboratory. Whether studying the chemical fingerprint of an herb or spending time among the redwoods, coastline, and wild landscapes of Sonoma County, she is continually inspired by the intersection of scientific discovery and the enduring mystery of the plant world.
John Stephens
Senior Scientist, Quality ControlJohn Stephens is a scientist and botanical quality expert whose work brings together laboratory science, sensory evaluation, and a deep understanding of agriculture. With more than a decade at Traditional Medicinals, he specializes in botanical identification, quality assessment, and organoleptic evaluation, using the senses of sight, smell, and taste to assess the characteristics of medicinal plants. He has played a key role in developing Traditional Medicinals’ sensory and organoleptic programs, helping ensure the identity, quality, and consistency of the herbs and finished products behind every cup of tea.
John holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Bard College at Simon’s Rock and studied fruit science and viticulture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with additional training in botany and botanical identification. Before joining Traditional Medicinals, he spent nearly a decade working in organic agriculture, developing a firsthand understanding of how growing conditions, harvesting practices, and environmental factors influence the quality of plants. Today, he brings that agricultural perspective into the laboratory, combining botanical knowledge, analytical science, and sensory expertise to investigate quality questions and understand the natural variations that make each botanical unique.
John’s connection to plants began while growing up near Annadel State Park in Sonoma County, where exploring the surrounding landscapes sparked a lifelong curiosity about the natural world. For John, quality begins long before an herb reaches the laboratory. It starts with the land, the people who cultivate and collect plants, and the care taken at every step along the way. Whether evaluating botanicals at Traditional Medicinals, tending his garden, or hiking the Northern California coast and mountains, he remains inspired by the complexity of plants and the ecosystems that sustain them.
Tina Yang
Senior TechnologistTina Yang is a food scientist and technical specialist who brings together botanical science, data analysis, and manufacturing expertise to support the quality and consistency of Traditional Medicinals’ herbal products. As Senior Technologist, she studies how the physical characteristics of herbs, from moisture content to bulk density, influence manufacturing performance. Her work helps bridge the gap between product development and production, ensuring that herbal formulations can be manufactured efficiently and consistently while maintaining the integrity of the plants behind them.
A Certified Food Scientist through the Institute of Food Technologists, Tina has developed specialized expertise in botanical manufacturing through her work at Traditional Medicinals, complemented by herbal education through the company’s Plant Wisdom Academy. With training in statistical analysis and Design of Experiments, she uses data-driven methods to better understand the natural variability of botanical ingredients and translate that knowledge into practical manufacturing improvements. As a member of TM’s Core Technical Team, Tina collaborates across departments to identify production challenges, improve manufacturing processes, and reduce material waste, contributing to both product quality and the company’s broader sustainability goals.
For Tina, working with medicinal plants is about finding harmony between traditional herbal wisdom and modern scientific precision. She is fascinated by the complexity of natural materials and the opportunity to transform that variability into reliable, high-quality products without losing what makes each plant unique. Outside the laboratory, her curiosity extends to cooking, gardening, exploring Northern California farmers markets, and learning about native plants. Whether analyzing botanical ingredients or experimenting with seasonal flavors, Tina is inspired by the ways science and nature can work together to create something meaningful.
Marika Lodle
Senior TechnologistMarika Lodle is a Certified Food Scientist and product development expert who brings creativity, technical expertise, and a passion for wellness to Traditional Medicinals. As Senior Technologist, she leads the technical development of products beyond traditional bagged teas, helping translate herbal knowledge and innovative ideas into high-quality products that make plant focused wellness more accessible. Her work combines food science, formulation, and product innovation to expand the ways people can experience the benefits of medicinal plants.
Marika holds a bachelor's degree in Food Science from the University of Florida and is a Certified Food Scientist through the Institute of Food Technologists, with additional certifications in food safety and preventive controls. Before joining Traditional Medicinals, she spent six years working at a food and beverage consulting company, working across a wide range of products, from bakery, confectionery, snack, condiment, and dietary supplements. Today, she applies that diverse experience to the development and continuous improvement of Traditional Medicinals' lozenges and other innovative herbal products. She is a leader of the TM Wellness Team to encourage work/life balance and mid-day movement. Marika also contributes to the company's Plant Wisdom Academy, sharing her technical knowledge and exploring the intersection of herbal traditions and modern food science.
A lifelong tea drinker, Marika was drawn to Traditional Medicinals by the opportunity to create products that reflect her ongoing wellness journey and education of sustainability. She believes that thoughtfully developed products can make plant medicine more accessible in everyday life and finds meaning in working for a company whose products she proudly uses herself. Outside of work, Marika brings that same curiosity with global travel, taking cooking classes around the world, and discovering hiking trails throughout Sonoma County. An enthusiastic house plant lover, she also keeps a thriving collection of houseplants, carefully selected with her spunky orange cat in mind.
Purpose & Impact Experts
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Jamie Horst
Chief Purpose Officer, Traditional Medicinals & Executive Director, Traditional Medicinals Foundation -
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Sarah Tanner
Director, Impact & Engagement -
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Genevieve Albers
Compliance Manager
Jamie Horst
Chief Purpose Officer, Traditional Medicinals & Executive Director, Traditional Medicinals Foundation
Jamie Horst
Chief Purpose Officer, Traditional Medicinals & Executive Director, Traditional Medicinals FoundationJamie Horst is a sustainability and social impact leader who helps shape how purpose is embedded throughout Traditional Medicinals and translated into meaningful action. As Chief Purpose Officer, she leads the company’s purpose strategy and stewards its mission, vision, and values, helping ensure they inform decision-making across the business. Separately, as Executive Director of the Traditional Medicinals Foundation, Jamie leads the Foundation’s work supporting community-led initiatives designed to strengthen health and resilience in the communities connected to Traditional Medicinals’ sourcing regions and places of operation.
Raised on a farm, Jamie developed an early understanding of the relationship between people, land, and the systems that sustain them. That foundation has shaped a career focused on sustainability, responsible business, and supporting the resilience and self-determination of farmers, wild collectors, and communities. She holds a Master of Science in Leadership for Sustainability from the University of Vermont and an MBA from the University of British Columbia, with additional training in international development, cross-sector leadership, herbalism, and community resilience. Her expertise has led her to guest lecture on corporate responsibility at multiple universities, advise on purpose-driven business programs, and contribute to conversations around sustainability and responsible sourcing on national and international stages. Her leadership has also been featured in a Harvard Business School teaching case examining how Traditional Medicinals has institutionalized purpose throughout the company.
Jamie understands that the people closest to the land hold essential knowledge about how communities and businesses must adapt to a changing planet. Her work is rooted in listening to those perspectives and building systems and partnerships that support both people and ecosystems. Whether shaping how purpose guides Traditional Medicinals as a business or advancing community-led impact through the Foundation, Jamie is guided by the belief that the health of people, communities, and the natural world are deeply interconnected.
Sarah Tanner
Director, Impact & EngagementSarah Tanner is a social impact leader with nearly 20 years of experience building programs that strengthen communities and create meaningful opportunities for people to get involved. As Director of Impact & Engagement at Traditional Medicinals, she helps bring the company’s purpose to life through investments in the farming and wild-harvesting communities behind our herbs, partnerships with nonprofit organizations, and employee engagement and volunteerism. Her work is grounded in a belief that lasting impact begins by listening to communities, understanding their unique needs, and working together toward solutions.
Sarah’s commitment to service began while volunteering at a preschool in South Africa and deepened through a year of service with AmeriCorps VISTA, where she developed mentoring programs for underserved youth. She went on to earn a master’s degree in International Relations with a focus on foreign aid policy and has since built and scaled social impact initiatives spanning education, healthcare, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, agricultural training, and arts and culture. At Traditional Medicinals, where herbs are sourced from more than 40 countries, Sarah brings this experience to partnerships with diverse communities around the world. One of the most meaningful examples is Traditional Medicinals healthcare investment in the Philippines, where collaboration with local partners is helping support the health and wellbeing of nearly 50,000 people in abaca farming communities.
For Sarah, impact is not simply a program a company supports. It is about building trusted relationships and continually asking what more can be done to support the people and communities connected to the business. She is inspired by Traditional Medicinals’ commitment to investing in source communities and brings that same spirit to employees and local nonprofit partners, creating opportunities for people to contribute their time, resources, and talents in ways that are both meaningful and accessible.
Genevieve Albers
Compliance ManagerGenevieve Albers works at the intersection of responsible sourcing, agriculture, sustainability, and regulatory compliance, helping translate Traditional Medicinals’ values into credible practices across our global botanical supply chain. With degrees in anthropology and law and more than a decade at Traditional Medicinals, she brings a systems-oriented perspective to the relationships between agriculture, trade, land use, regulation, and communities. Her work spans organic regulation, fair trade, FairWild, responsible sourcing, and the standards that help ensure commitments to people and planet are backed by meaningful action.
Throughout her career at Traditional Medicinals, Genevieve has helped lead significant developments in organic and fair. She guided the company’s implementation of the USDA Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule, the most substantial update to federal organic regulations since the establishment of the National Organic Program. As leader of Traditional Medicinals’ cross-functional Fair Council, she also helped shepherd the company through Fair for Life Brand certification and the launch of its first five Fair for Life-labeled products. Beyond TM, Genevieve has served for more than eight years on the Board of Directors of CCOF, representing organic farmers and manufacturers in Northern California and advocating for strong, credible organic standards and policy.
Genevieve’s work has taken her into farming, sourcing, and producer communities in the United States and around the world, deepening a lifelong interest in herbalism, folk medicine, agriculture, and land use. She is particularly interested in how standards like organic, fair, and regenerative can drive meaningful change while protecting the integrity behind what those words represent. At the heart of her work is a belief in the power of people to make their own place on the planet better, especially when that work begins with caring for the land and the communities connected to it.
Procurement & Supply Chain Experts
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Marin Anastasov
Director of Sourcing Botanicals -
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Ramesh Uniyal
Regional Senior Manager, Supply Relationship - Asia & Oceania
Marin Anastasov
Director of Sourcing BotanicalsMarin Anastasov is an agricultural and botanical sourcing expert with nearly three decades of experience in organic farming, herbal procurement, and sustainable supply chains. As Director of Sourcing Botanicals at Traditional Medicinals, he helps guide the responsible sourcing of medicinal plants from around the world, bringing together agricultural expertise, supplier relationships, and a deep appreciation for the people and landscapes behind every herb. His approach is rooted in the belief that responsible sourcing begins with understanding not only the plants themselves, but also the communities and ecosystems that sustain them.
Marin’s connection to medicinal plants began during his youth in Bulgaria, where he collected wild medicinal and aromatic herbs for his family and for commercial sale. Having experienced wild collection firsthand in a region where Traditional Medicinals continues to source botanicals, he brings a unique understanding of the traditions, livelihoods, and challenges that shape the herbal supply chain. He holds a bachelor's degree in Agriculture and master's degrees in Organic Farming and Food Science and Technology, along with certification in Sustainable Procurement Contracts Management. Before joining Traditional Medicinals in 2024, Marin spent 14 years working with one of Europe's largest organic soft fruit producers, followed by 14 years leading procurement for the herbal tea brand Pukka.
For Marin, working with medicinal plants is a lifelong opportunity for discovery, with every herb offering its own story, chemistry, growing conditions, and traditional uses. That curiosity extends beyond his professional work into his passion for gardening and beekeeping. A qualified Master Beekeeper who holds the prestigious National Diploma in Beekeeping, Marin also runs workshops, writes for beekeeping publications, and supports his local beekeeping community. Whether working with botanical suppliers or tending his own bees and garden, he is inspired by the intricate relationships between plants, people, and the natural world.
Ramesh Uniyal
Regional Senior Manager, Supply Relationship - Asia & OceaniaRamesh Uniyal is a botanist, researcher, and medicinal plant conservation expert with nearly 30 years of experience in sustainable sourcing, biodiversity conservation, and botanical resource management. As Regional Senior Manager of Supply Relationships for Asia and Oceania at Traditional Medicinals, he works closely with growers, wild collectors, and suppliers to support the responsible cultivation, collection, and procurement of medicinal plants. His work brings together scientific expertise, traditional plant knowledge, and a commitment to strengthening the livelihoods of the communities behind the herbs.
Ramesh holds Master's degrees in Botany and Environmental Plant Physiology, and earned a D.Phil. in Seed Science, specializing in seed physiology and biochemistry. Throughout his career, he has played a significant role in advancing medicinal plant conservation and sustainable cultivation practices in India. He contributed to the drafting of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCP) for Indian medicinal plant species, helping establish standards for scientific cultivation and sustainable wild collection. He also helped develop a conservation and management strategy for medicinal plants in Uttarakhand (India) through a United Nations-supported initiative. In addition, he has served as a consultant to India's National Medicinal Plants Board and worked with WWF-TRAFFIC India, where he authored a reference book on medicinal plant cultivation. With more than 80 research papers and five books to his credit, Ramesh has made substantial contributions to the scientific understanding, conservation, and sustainable management of medicinal plants.
Growing up in the hills of India, Ramesh developed a lasting connection to forests, biodiversity, and the communities that depend on them. He believes that medicinal plants are not only essential to traditional healthcare systems but also provide important livelihood opportunities for farmers and wild-harvesting communities. At Traditional Medicinals, he brings that perspective to his work promoting responsible sourcing practices and certifications such as Fair for Life and FairWild. Whether collaborating with growers, exploring biodiverse landscapes, or advocating for medicinal plant conservation, Ramesh is guided by a commitment to protecting botanical resources while supporting the people who steward them.