Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods has grown its leadership team with two new positions. Zeina Atoui has joined the company as diversity, equity, and inclusion specialist and Julia Person joins as sustainability manager.
Atoui steps into her new role after several years of working for Bob’s Red Mill in recruitment and human resources. Her position supports the company’s goal of ensuring more equitable representation of Black, Indigenous, Latino and Asian communities in its workforce, promoting equal opportunities for growth at all levels of the company, and educating employee owners through training.
“Zeina has been a valued employee-owner over the past several years, and we know she’ll do a great job in helping us on our journey to become a more inclusive company that fosters collaboration and creativity,” said Dennis Vaughn, CEO of Bob’s Red Mill, in a statement. “We believe it’s our responsibility to contribute to the racial justice and equity we want to see in our communities.”
In her new role, Person will help lead and grow the company’s existing efforts, and to help better define the role sustainability will have in all facets of the company moving forward. She joins Bob’s Red Mill with more than a decade of experience working for companies like the Craft Brew Alliance, where she led sustainability programs focused on environmental, financial, and community initiatives, ranging from managing utilities for plant operations, to directing supply chain initiatives.
Person has been drawn to sustainable practices since before it was a recognized role. “I'm guided by my personal belief that sustainable operations is an obligation of any business, not a choice, and climate change is an issue we are in the position to help positively impact, ultimately leading to a healthier business that’s better for all employee-owners,” she said in a statement.
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Image: Bob's Red Mill