GoMacro Celebrates International Women’s Day
A few of the incredible women on the GoMacro team share their goals, role models, and how they empower others
As a mother-daughter founded and owned company, we are inspired daily by the strength, wisdom, and expertise of the women on the GoMacro® team and in our lives. In honor of International Women’s Day, we talked to some of the incredible female leaders on our team about the work they’re doing, the women they admire, and how they hope to uplift and inspire others.
Name:
Kate Bertelsen
Title:
Sales Support Manager
Location:
Salt Lake City, UT
A combination of personal and career growth, life fulfilling adventures, and some serendipity led me to GoMacro. I started my sales career in the tech industry in both New York City and San Francisco. While I learned a lot and am grateful for those opportunities, it didn’t take long for me to question my path and my purpose. So, I moved around to work and play and figure it out – in Maui, Utah, and Alaska. I filled up my cup with experiences, places, people, and good food too. I eventually decided to call Salt Lake City, Utah home. I was the Customer Service and B2B Manager at another bar brand when I had a conversation about GoMacro with my dad’s cousin’s wife who happened to grow up in Viola, Wisconsin, the same town where GoMacro was started and is still thriving today. GoMacro’s story and mission spoke to me, and that craving for purpose in my career was reignited once again. I was hired as the Sales Support Manager in October of 2021. If you’re reading this, thank you for encouraging and believing in me, Quita! While I’m still figuring it out and probably always will be, I couldn’t be happier to be on the GoMacro team
What is your proudest achievement?I’m proud of challenging myself and for stepping outside of my comfort zone, trusting that it would serve me well. My career leading up to GoMacro was not a linear progression, but a big bold squiggly loopy one that fills me up with joy when I step back to look at it. I think it’s important that we don't stay comfortable for too long in one place – life always has more to offer us!
How do you hope to make a difference at GoMacro?At GoMacro, we have an awesome foundation of people, processes, and leadership. We're always looking for ways to be even more efficient and sustainable. In my day to day, I hope to continue to be involved in process improvement projects that are helping us streamline or automate tasks and work together better across departments as well as with our customers. I find those projects to be the most exciting and rewarding.
Which women do you admire the most?My mom! She has always been a rock and source of light in my life since she and my dad adopted me at 7 months old. I appreciate her outlook on things and her ability to take such good care of people. I adore my friends and community here in Salt Lake – I’ve been so fortunate to build meaningful friendships with incredibly kind, thoughtful, smart, and silly fun people. I admire the women at GoMacro, with a special shoutout to those on the sales team. They make the work we do feel even better, and I’m constantly inspired.
How do you inspire and lift up those around you?I think honest and thoughtful communication wrapped up in good-intentioned energy is imperative when it comes to inspiring and lifting up others. I treat conversations as a collaboration – where everyone’s perspectives and input are considered, and we work together to evolve as an organization as well as serve our customers as best we can. We all offer something unique and there’s so much value in lifting each other up.
What do you want to be remembered for?I want to be remembered for being authentically me. For loving people well. For being present. For being a steward of the earth. For contributing to my community. For making people smile.
Name:
Shyla Stedman
Title:
E-Commerce Website Manager
Location:
Viola, WI
I grew up in the Kickapoo Valley. I began my working career in the health field. I was a Certified Nurse Assistant for 10 years before switching gears and returning to school. I obtained my associate degree in business management at Western Technical College and my bachelor's degree in management and information Systems at Viterbo in 2016. In 2015, I started at GoMacro on the production floor. Since becoming part of the GoMacro family, I have progressed through the company in a few different roles; Production Lead, Accounting Associate, Logistics Coordinator, and E-Commerce Website Manager. I have been in my current role for a few years now, managing three departments; Customer Care, E-Comm fulfillment, and our internal Kitting and Cartoning Department What is your proudest achievement?
A couple of my proudest moments include becoming the first in my family to graduate college with a bachelor's degree; working my way up to a managerial position at GoMacro, and the adoption of my nieces after my sister’s passing.
How do you hope to make a difference at GoMacro?I hope my story of growth at GoMacro encourages others to achieve their goals, and keep reaching for the stars. If you put your mind to something, and work hard, you can do anything you set your mind to.
Which women do you admire the most?My mom! She showed me what hard work and dedication can get you! I also admire other GoMacro Managers; Maria Tubbin and Kate Olson, to name a few. They are all an inspiration to me.
How do you inspire and lift up those around you?In every new hire orientation, I share my story of growth and success at GoMacro. I let every new employee know that if they want to grow professionally within the GoMacro organization, there are always opportunities. I also strive to be a positive influence to my colleagues.
What do you want to be remembered for?My hard work, dedication, and kind heart.
Name:
Tori Gardner
Title:
Senior Manager of Ecomm Sales + Marketing
Location:
Seattle, WA
I was introduced to GoMacro at my previous job at an agency. I supported GoMacro’s Amazon business from afar and helped them meet their growth goals for two years before coming in-house. I loved the product and the story behind the brand so I was thrilled to come on board.
What is your proudest achievement?I’m involved with an organization that supports education in through a primary school in Kotolo, Uganda. I sponsor four students and have had the privilege to travel to meet them and see firsthand the impact this work has on the community. I believe harboring connections and getting to understand a culture different from your own are both so valuable.
How do you hope to make a difference at GoMacro?I get excited talking about our brand and feel lucky that such a large part of my job is essentially letting new customers know about who we are. I think that as the digital world continues to grow, I will be able to make a difference by supporting GoMacro through that. Things move and change quickly in ecommerce, and I’m excited to help us forge ahead and be successful.
Which women do you admire the most?I come from a big family where I’ve been surrounded by fierce, strong women my whole life. I have three sisters who are all incredible mothers and it’s been a joy to watch them grow into steady, independent women who are such good examples for their children. I also admire my own mother so much. Raising four daughters is a serious job and I attribute our success to the mother she is.
How do you inspire and lift up those around you?I am good at seeing qualities in people that they don’t see in themselves. When people around me are doubting themselves, I think I’m the person telling them all the reasons they shouldn’t. I’d like to think I’m dependable in that way and if that doesn’t work, then maybe a little bit of humor.
What do you want to be remembered for?I want to be remembered for having integrity and staying true to my convictions. I think it’s so important now more than ever to find what you’re passionate about and stay loyal to that. I’d like to be known as the person who spoke up when it was needed and maybe inspired someone else to do the same along the way.
Name:
Sarah Richardson
Title:
Southern California Territory Sales Manager
Location:
Santa Barbara, CA
While working at my local natural retailer, I would explore the aisles for healthy tasteful snacks. I needed all the snacks (and caffeine) I could get to help me through a full-time college workload as well as balancing two jobs. It was there I came across GoMacro. The first MacroBar I ever tried was Coconut + Almond Butter + Chocolate Chips. Instantly I was hooked. 10 years later I was hitting a plateau in my career and felt that it was time for a change. I had been searching high and low for the perfect job for months. Then my mom came across an opening, and to my surprise it was for a role at GoMacro. Today I get to work for my favorite bar brand, doing what I love most, and I couldn’t feel more blessed.
What is your proudest achievement?My proudest achievement to date is when I landed the job at GoMacro! I’ve done a lot of great work for other organizations but working for GoMacro has been the highlight of my career.
How do you hope to make a difference at GoMacro?Maybe not make a difference, but I hope to be an addition to The GoMacro Way by speaking through my actions, leading with grace and compassion, and offering all that I can to support the overall success of the business.
Which women do you admire the most?Women who inspire others to have a voice and rise above are my heroes. The woman I admire the most is my mom. I admire her strength as she came here from a third-world country at 22 years old with no money and was horribly disrespected for being foreign. She forgives effortlessly and loves unconditionally which I find to be truly inspirational. She has shown me the value of working hard and not taking no for an answer while maintaining class and kindness. Love you, mom.
How do you inspire and lift up those around you?In a world full of judgment and criticism, I try to lead by example by remaining kind and compassionate towards others. I love to lift up those around me by sharing little compliments and smile often. You never know how you can positively impact someone’s life as a few small gestures can go a long way.
What do you want to be remembered for?I would like to be remembered as the genuine selfless loving person that I am. I want to be remembered as someone who made others feel appreciated, heard, and understood. I hope my legacy inspires others to find confidence within themselves to always live with authenticity. It doesn’t matter what others think, what matters most is how we think of ourselves.
Name:
Lex Moore
Title:
Social Media + Partnerships Coordinator
Location:
San Diego, California
I graduated college with a degree in Education and taught primary school for 4 years. Even though I loved teaching, I felt in my heart that I wanted to be more creative and was always interested in marketing. I wanted to work for a company that aligned with my values, and once I discovered GoMacro, I knew it would be the perfect fit.
What is your proudest achievement?I’m proud of myself for switching careers and following my heart. I took a big risk by doing so at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am so thankful I did as it has fulfilled my creative aspirations.
How do you hope to make a difference at GoMacro?I hope to inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle – whether that’s eating plant-based, or just living a more balanced life.
Which women do you admire the most?The woman that I admire most is my mom. She came to the US from Panama as a teen and taught herself English. She made multiple career switches throughout her life and worked hard so she could be successful and independent. I love that she pursued all of her many passions; she taught me that you can truly do whatever you set your mind to, and you don’t have to limit yourself to just one career. She is now a successful Neurological Nurse Practitioner and continues to make a difference to so many lives. I hope that I end up half as cool as she is!
How do you inspire and lift up those around you?I like to inspire and lift people up with my positive energy and enthusiasm.
What do you want to be remembered for?I hope I can be remembered for being kind and uplifting to everyone I interact with and for being known as a friend to everyone!
Name:
Chris Chufo
Title:
Senior Director - Sales Strategy + Planning
Location:
Northern California
I have been lucky enough to be in the natural products industry my entire career and welcomed the opportunity to join a growing, women-owned and led company in 2021. It’s important to me that the work I do has a positive and sustainable impact on our food system, people, and the planet. GoMacro is making a difference and I am proud to be a part of that.
What is your proudest achievement?My husband and I have been making each other laugh for over 25 years.
How do you hope to make a difference at GoMacro?My job is to help GoMacro reach more consumers. And when more people enjoy our MacroBars, GoMacro can make a bigger difference in the food and manufacturing supply chain by using organic ingredients, renewable energy, and lowering waste.
Which women do you admire the most?Jane Goodall is so cool. Fearless, dedicated, and a tireless advocate for conservation. And my grandmother who was curious, a wicked good cook, lover of baseball, and could float in the ocean well into her old age.
How do you inspire and lift up those around you?I got my start in retail grocery stores, but you didn’t see a lot of female leaders back then. Fortunately, I was mentored by some incredible women, and today I try to pass along the reminder that we can be strong, effective, authentic, and female all at the same time.
What do you want to be remembered for?Whether it is traveling far and wide, forging an unknown path, or pushing toward a tough goal, I want my two nieces to be inspired by my sense of adventure. It’s a big world out there, go get it!
Name:
Elisa Kurth
Title:
Senior Sales Manager
Location:
Huron, OH
I have a lot of passion for diversity and transparency in our food supply system, and I've spent my career at companies with strong corporate values dedicated to this mission. I grew up on a farm and I care about sustainable agriculture. I think it's important to always "vote" with your dollar and your time.
What is your proudest achievement?My youngest son started kindergarten this year, and as a single mom of three boys, this felt like a tremendous achievement after 11 years with of full-time childcare costs. Also, learning to finally stand up for myself. It's never too late to start over!
How do you hope to make a difference at GoMacro?My job is to make sure consumers can find GoMacro MacroBars wherever they like to buy them. I’m applying skills and experiences to make that happen. I love being part of a team, I like winning, and celebrating my peers in their wins.
Which women do you admire the most?Melissa McGee for breaking barriers in women's collegiate athletics, for refusing quit after being told "no" over and over, and then bringing home nine national championship titles.
Rebecca Somnitz for taking bold risks as a business owner and standing up for the rights others in business and beyond.
Hazel Foley for setting a brave example of how to stand up for yourself and running an organization dedicated to helping others do the same.
Mary Beth White for being the smartest, funniest, kindest, bravest woman I've ever met - also the tallest.
How do you inspire and lift up those around you?I try to always show up as my best authentic self, and I encourage my peers to speak up and share their ideas and concerns.
What do you want to be remembered for?That time I made you laugh.
Name:
Megan Meek
Title:
Sales Director - Mass, Club, Canada
Location:
Minneapolis, MN
I began my career in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry straight out of college (after I learned what CPG stood for, of course). I started in a leadership development program at Acosta Sales and Marketing, and after a few years, jumped over to the manufacturer side to work for Method Products where I gained a love and appreciation for purpose-led emerging brands. After nearly 7 years, I was ready for a new challenge… Cue: GoMacro!
What is your proudest achievement?Becoming a parent. It’s been said before, but I’ll say it again, it’s the hardest… most frustrating…AND the most rewarding thing I’ve done yet, and he’s only 3.
How do you hope to make a difference at GoMacro?The larger we can grow companies with a greater purpose, the bigger impact we can make on the world. Being on the sales team at GoMacro is the perfect platform to spearhead that growth!
Which women do you admire the most?The ones that support the people around them through all of life’s obstacles (at work or at home). For me, that’s my mom. She’s one in a million, and I can’t begin to imagine having to figure out adolescence, marriage, or motherhood without her.
How do you inspire and lift up those around you?I try to keep things, real at all times. I find we are all extremely relatable if you are willing to be open and vulnerable.
What do you want to be remembered for?My hospitality—there’s nothing better than the sentiment of comfort and importance as a guest in someone’s home or city.
GoMacro is proud of women everywhere who bring such dedication, character, and commitment toward making a positive impact on people’s lives.
Happy International Women’s Day!
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