TEAM AND ADVISORS

We are multidisciplinary problem solvers with a passion for supporting visionary founders and their nature-based startups.

We understand that founders in the NbS space face unique challenges. The Vitality team and ecosystem of experts aim to be support crew, drawing in diverse sources of expertise and resources at each stage of the journey.

FOUNDING CORE TEAM

Patrick Livingston

Patrick brings over a decade of experience as a professional engineer and leader delivering infrastructure projects totaling over 1B USD.

A startup founder and angel investor, Patrick has a passion for working with founders and spurring change in entrenched industries. His focus is pipeline development and identifying strategic LPs and partners, while leveraging his experience in built environment to support startups and their technologies.

He earned his Bachelor's of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at NC State and his MBA at Duke where he was recognized as a Fuqua Scholar.

Pipeline Development & Technical Subject Matter Expert

Rollin Nash

Rollin brings deep experience in strategic planning, operations, risk assessment and mitigation, and executive decision-making support. .

His focus is identifying, analyzing, and building road maps to achieve organizational objectives as well as executing at the tactical level to design and implement standardized processes, procedures, and practices to ensure operational excellence. Rollin’s operational focus extends into the portfolio companies to help them mitigate risks before they become obstacles.

He earned his Bachelor's of Science in Kinesiology and Minor in Mechanical Engineering at West Point and his MBA at Duke.

Strategic Planning & Operations

ADVISORS

Dr. Jean Baderschneider*

Dr. Baderschneider brings 35 years of extensive international experience in supply chain management and logistics, procurement, capital projects along with a deep understanding of high-risk operations and locations and complex partnerships.

Fortescue Metals Group

    • Master’s University of Michigan

    • PhD Cornell University

    • Non executive director, Fortescue Metals Group

    • Vice President of Global Procurement and Supply Chain, ExxonMobil

    • Founding Board member and Chair, Global Fund to End Modern Slavery

    • Former member of Board of Directors, Institute for Supply Management and Executive Board of National Minority Supplier Development Council

    • Presidential appointee, US Department of Commerce’s National Advisory Council of Minority Business Enterprises

    • Member of Board of Directors, Nizami Banjavi International Center

    • Board Member, McCain Institute

    • Recipient of Nomi Network’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award

David Balkcom*

FTI Consulting

David is an experienced advisor to key stakeholders, both public and private, that find themselves in unique situations including start-ups, merger integration, turnaround and transformation, operational due diligence, business plan reviews, and synergy assessments. He has concentrated industry experience in controlled environment agriculture, poultry, consumer durables, dairy, and natural resources/commodities.

    • Executive MBA – Duke University Fuqua School of Business

    • Bachelor of Business Administration, Banking and Finance – The University of Georgia

    • Managing Director FTI Consulting

    • Senior Director- Corporate Finance: Business Transformation, FTI

INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE

The Vitality Investment Review Committee is an advisory body comprised of individuals with diverse and complementary areas of expertise providing feedback on investment opportunities to support thorough evaluation and assessment of risks.

Jordan McAlister is Head of Investment & Innovation Strategy with Hyperspace Ventures, a product design, development and investment firm. She has over a decade of experience in corporate venture capital and venture engagement, leading strategic innovation teams partnering with and investing in early-stage startups across verticals including proptech, sustainability, and agtech.

Kate Knight is an executive scaling coach and advisor. She brings 20 years of direct responsibility driving revenue growth, margin performance, operational excellence, talent, and capital allocation, and has grown dozens of ideas from concept to scaled execution. She has deep expertise in real estate, construction, and strategies merging technology, data, and physical assets.

Melissa Kim is an experienced executive, entrepreneur, and Vitality co-founder with deep expertise in leading teams to drive product innovation, business growth, and peak performance. Her focus is advising executives and startups, anticipating obstacles to growth, and proactively addressing business risks and points of potential failure across strategy, operations, and executive teams.

Robin Berry is Director of Lab to Market Innovation at the Arizona State University Biomimicry Center. She brings expertise in investment banking and 15 years of experience in corporate finance and strategic planning as well as entrepreneurship. She brings deep expertise in biomimicry and how development of new technologies can be aligned with the intelligence of nature to solve industry challenges.

Olivia Hanrahan-Soar is a professional with over a decade of global experience in innovative finance, including impact investing, outcomes-based finance, and microfinance. Her experience spans multiple sectors, including WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), education, and financial inclusion as well as reforestation efforts as a Board member of Reforest Africa. She brings deep expertise in risk assessment, strategic planning, and organizational analysis.

David Balkcom is Managing Director at FTI and Vitality Fund advisor with deep experience regarding start-ups, merger integration, turnaround and transformation, operational due diligence, business plan reviews, and synergy assessments. He brings expertise in finance, risk assessment, and concentrated industry experience in controlled environment agriculture, consumer durables, and natural resources/commodities.

*Letter of intent to engage.

MENTOR NETWORK

(Members to be announced)

Contact us.