ACG San Diego | Natural Foods Symposium

Matt Clifford is a Partner at Ampersand Growth Partners, a boutique strategy agency focused on scaling CPG brands. Previously Matt was the CEO of CanDo, a premier manufacturer of protein bars and healthy foods. He is the Co-Founder & COO of Barnana. A certified B-Corp, Barnana sustainability up-cycles organic bananas to reduce food waste and provide healthier snacking options to the community.  Matt is a Founding Board Member of Naturally San Diego and the Upcycled Food Association. Matt is an occasional endurance athlete, dad joke expert and father of two beautiful boys convincing himself daily that he is doing everything right but really has no idea what he is doing.

Chuck Casano is the Founder & CEO of Hi-Touch Libations, a premier Southern California direct store distributor specializing in perishable foods. Hi-Touch services Whole Foods locations in the retailer’s Southern Pacific Region, all the leading independent natural retailers, key 7-11s, and will launch Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions in the next few months.

He is also the founder of Pitaya Foods, a frozen brand of Superfruits fruits with a mission to promote sustainable farming, create new job opportunities, and positively impact the communities they source from. We have since expanded our line to a full portfolio of tropical fruits, which can be found in over 20K locations at amazing retail partners like Costco, Whole Foods, Walmart, Kroger, Target, Publix, and juice bars all around the country. 

Justin Disch joined McCarthy Capital in 2014. His responsibilities include originating and evaluating new investment opportunities, structuring and executing private investments, and managing oversight of portfolio investments.

Justin began his career at McCarthy Capital as an Associate and previously held a variety of finance roles at a regional bank, most recently as director of treasury. He earned an MBA from Creighton University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Leigh Keith is the Co-Founder and Chief of Brand & Mission at Perfect Snacks, makers of fresh-from-the-fridge protein snacks, including Perfect Bar: The Original Refrigerated Protein Bar™. In 2005, Leigh — alongside co-founder and older brother Bill — launched Perfect Bar, the brand that would later go on to revolutionize the $9B protein bar category and build an entirely new set of grab-and-go Fresh Snacking options. Leigh Keith led Perfect Bar to be and remain the #1-selling Refrigerated Protein Bar in the U.S. and is now available in more than 35,000 fridges nationwide, including Whole Foods, Costco, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, 7-Eleven, and more.

Since launching the brand at just 19 years old, Leigh has played an integral role in Perfect Snacks’ growth and success, spanning all facets and functions of the company while remaining grounded in the family culture on which the brand was founded. Still today, she remains steadfast in building healthy communities from the inside out, which is evident by the Perfect Snacks’ clean ingredient labels, industry accolades, employee volunteer and benefits package, and regular donations/volunteer hours provided to hundreds of community organizations each year.

Sean Lake grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts, before moving to Utah to become a professional snowboarder and general ski bum. Once he got that out of his system, he graduated from the University of Utah, using that degree to join Burton Snowboards, work as Shaun White’s Team Manager, and land a spot as the Director of Sports Marketing at DC Shoes. After decades in action sports marketing, Sean co-founded BUBS Naturals, a line of collagen peptides and other all-natural supplements that help athletes at all levels perform and feel their best.

Sean named BUBS Naturals after his childhood best friend Glen “BUB” Doherty, a Navy SEAL who was killed in Benghazi, Libya, on 9/11 in 2012. In addition to remembering Glen for the patriot he is, the BUBS ethos centers around Glen's passionate and adventure-seeking life. Sean and the BUBS Naturals family further honor “Bub” by donating 10% of all profits to charities that support veteran causes.

In 2014, Ari began a small business delivering freshly made glass jarred baby food to families because he believed there was a massive opportunity to improve the nutritional value of packaged food for kids across the country. This experience led him to discover the benefits of cold pressure technology, find his dream business partners, and help build the fastest-growing kids' nutrition company in the United States, Once Upon a Farm. Today, he is the CEO of the Coconut Cult, the fastest-growing Plant-Based Yogurt brand in the Natural channel.

As a Sales Leader, Strategist, and Co-founder, JR believes each day is an opportunity to inspire and make a difference. He is passionate about providing value to our customers every day. By drawing from a wide range of experiences, including as an ocean lifeguard/EMT, founding an organic farming company, and as a sales manager for startups, JR is able to think out of the box and provide real solutions. As a team member, He is committed and believes that fostering a culture of passion and joy is the key to success.

Most recently, JR co-founded and scaled "Vive Organic" from a start-up with his two friends from the University of San Diego, Wyatt Taubman and Kyle Withycombe.