Our Team.

Lucy is our company’s Founder and Chief Integrity Officer, who ensures we stay focused on our true north when it comes to brand, customers and product ethics. She’s a companion animal nutritionist who started The Honest Kitchen in her kitchen in 2002. She’s passionate about nutrition and holistic health. Considered an expert in her field, Lucy frequently writes articles, conducts radio and television interviews, and occasionally holds educational seminars for pet owners. She also recently authored Dog Obsessed, a guide to a happier, healthier life for the pup you love.

Company co-founder Charlie only joined the team on a full-time basis in 2007. Prior to joining the team Charlie was a Design Sculptor at Nissan Design America for 10 years, where he sculpted the original design model for the 2004 350Z among many other projects. When Charlie is not cleaning up after the ever growing family (as listed by Lucy) he likes to find time to surf, golf and play soccer among other sporting interests.

Michael is our fearless Chief Executive Officer, who manages overall operations, strategy and business development, along with his rescued Golden Retriever, Nala. When Nala's not hunting for toys under cabinets, she's climbing on laps and pawing for your attention. Michael & Nala both love the San Diego beaches where Michael surfs and kayaks, while Nala rides the waves to fetch just about anything.

Nate joined The Honest Kitchen as Chief Operations Officer with over 17 years of leadership experience across several industries including construction, retail, and technology. Nate and his family reside in San Diego where most of their free time is spent at their kids’ swim meets & musical performances or chasing around their three dogs: two labs, Hope & Mojo, plus Woody, a rescue dog of unknown yet curious origin.

Jake is our CFO and his goal is to optimize our supply chain and keep our products moving safely and timely. Jake is friend to Clara, his family’s lovable and high energy puggle (named after Santa Clara University, where he and his wife met). When not in the office, Jake tries to keep up with his two children while enjoying the warm San Diego weather and everything the area has to offer.

Mike Steck is our Chief Marketing Officer - a veteran of the outdoor, action sports and sporting goods industries. Mike oversees our marketing, product innovation, and e-commerce teams. He and his wife Cara are proud parents of their daughter Camilla and their pooch Cosmo. Steck loves to ski, mountain bike, trail run, and surf and always finds time to raise a pint glass with friends in the craft beer mecca of San Diego.

Jeff comes to The Honest Kitchen with 13 years of sales leadership experience in the pet industry. He resides in Pennsylvania with his wife and two kids, as well as two dogs Maggie, a Pitbull mix and Lucy, an English bulldog. He also has a rabbit, two gerbils, and fish. In his spare time, you can find him running or coaching his kids in a variety of sports.

Demetria is our Director of Sales for the Central United States. With 18 years of sales leadership and training, she loves using her experience to pursue her professional passion at The Honest Kitchen: helping as many pets as possible get on the road to good health through good food. She resides in the Chicago area with her super cool husband, and vivacious 8-year-old daughter. You can often find the DiGrazia family watching the latest Super Hero movie or attending local Comicons like Wizard World or C2E2. Demetria also writes music, sings and pursues all things artistic and creative. She and her family love the Chicago Bears and even their 1-year old Schnoodle, Lita, and their senior rescue Kiran Terrier, Poppy, show team spirit by donning Bears jerseys on the weekends. The whole family gets to be culinary creative with The Honest Kitchen recipes by adding in different THK Supplements, Bone Broths, and Toppers!”

Cara joined The Honest Kitchen as Director of Sales with 13 years of sales leadership experience across several industries including banking, education, Insurance, and consumer packaged goods. Cara and her family reside in Tiburon, CA where most of their free time is spent at their sons baseball and rugby games or lounging with their two rescue cats: Luna & Sophie.

Bonnie joins the team as our Director of Sales, Canada. She has been in the pet industry for over 13 years and loves it! She lives just outside Toronto with her husband Jermaine and two amazing and active kids. In her free time she enjoys yoga, volleyball and watching her kids participating in basketball and track & field.

Mike joins The Honest Kitchen with the passion to keep our customers happy! He originally grew up in Northern California, Massachusetts and Colorado before settling down in Encinitas with his wife Meghan. Dahlia, their 5 year old Shepherd/Rhodesian Ridgeback Mix is the only child of the family. On most evenings you can find them taking in sunset at Beacons Beach in Leucadia and walking Dahlia to some of their favorite local restaurant spots. Mike also enjoys catching music at the Belly Up, frequenting his favorite craft breweries and rooting for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Roxy joined THK in 2014 as our Vet Channel Sales Manager, and is mom to Almond(Pomeranian) and Lentil (Chihuahua). She has worked in the natural foods industry for the last fifteen years and has recently received certification as a master herbalist. Roxy has a passion for music , southern cooking and traveling. She spends her spare time joking around with her husband and her two fur kids.

Cam joins The Honest Kitchen as the Central Northeast Territory Sales Manager. Cam is an Ohio State Buckeye that loves traveling to ski and scuba dive. In his free time he enjoys playing basketball, grilling-out with friends, and jogging with his buddy Muskie. Muskie is a 5-year-old Golden Retriever who has two favorite things: jogging through the woods and The Honest Kitchen.

Dale is originally from Ohio but resides in North Carolina. He is a Veteran of the United States Army in which he served as a Infantry Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. During this time, he completed multiple combat tours to Afghanistan. He has his bachelors degree from Methodist University and has been in the pet industry for 6 years. Dale enjoys working out, spending time with his wife and son, and doing endless projects around his home. He has a Rescue Boxer, Swagger and a French bulldog named Winston.

Amy joins The Honest Kitchen with over 17 years’ experience in the pet industry holding different capacities from nutritional product trainer, to retail management and sales. She studied nutrition at IET college in California, but currently lives in Connecticut with her husband and two young girls. They share their house with 3 dogs; a Lab named Cooper, a French Bulldog named Monty, and a Chihuahua mix rescue named Bella. Amy has a lifelong passion for horses, travel and lazy days at the beach. In her spare time she can be found at the gym, trail running, or spoiling her kids.

Missy is our Inside Sales Channel Manager. She and her soul-mutt Waylin have been a together since 2008 when she found him in college. Tala, the Bengal cat, joined the family in 2018 and they have been a dynamic trio ever since. Missy was born and raised in Chicago, lived in San Diego for 8 years and now lives in Salem, Massachusetts. She has always been an animal lover and is living her dream working for a great company that employs human and their pets!

Alicia is our Territory Sales Manager for the Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Hawaii territories. With over 15 years of experience in the pet industry, Alicia has two fur babies, Brandy a 12 year old Beagle Chih mix and her 2 year old cat Denver, whom are inseparable. In Alicia’s spare time, she stays fit by waking up every morning before the sun rises to hit the gym. She loves spinning! When she’s not out with friends and family or playing with her nephews, you can find her cuddled up on her couch, enjoying a good binge-worthy TV series.

Brian is a Bay Area native and lives in Oakland, CA with Kenzo his 11-month-old son, his wife Denise and their two furry rescued friends Jack (a 12-year-old Lhasa Apso) and Frenchy (a 9-year-old French Bulldog).  Between spending time with family and friends, in his free time Brian tries to fit in a little fishing or the occasional poker game. 

Sharon has been in the pet industry for over 6 years, she resides in Scarborough, Ontario Canada with her husband, two sons and fur baby Oreo. Oreo is an 11 year old purebred Shih Tzu. While not at work Sharon enjoys playing with Oreo, getting her nails done and spending quality time with her family.

Paige joins The Honest Kitchen from the sunny state of Colorado with over 5 years of sales experience in the wine and spirits industry.  Paige has been feeding THK to her 3 rescues- Ringo an 11 year old Boxer mix, Rocket a 2 year old Miniature Pinscher mix, and Leo a Border Terrier mix puppy. They are all full of energy and love to play and chase each other around the house.  In Paige’s spare time, she loves spending time with her friends and family.  Paige also enjoys traveling, going to concerts and when she isn’t with her furry pups you can find her at the gym. 

Emily joined The Honest Kitchen in 2020 as our Natural Channel Sales Manager with over 14 years of experience in the natural food industry on the purchasing, operations and retail side of the business. Emily is a San Francisco Bay Area native and has 2 senior kitties at home, Dobby and Tommy - they’re 16 years young and from the same litter! In her free time, she loves to cook and continue her studies in natural healing and wellness. She is a Certified Reiki Master and is passionate about aromatherapy and holistic healing modalities. In her free time, Emily can be found spending time with her family, in the kitchen or with a good book.

Kaitlyn joins The Honest Kitchen as a Regional Sales Manager. Prior to joining THK, Kaitlyn worked at All Things Woof - an independent pet store as well as Larsen Packaging as a sales person. She is incredibly passionate about the well-being of pets through nutrition and animal rescue.  Kaitlyn is a native of the Chicago burbs and a mom of three: Diesel (dog), Walker (dog), and Dain (human), her passion for nutrition is centered around caring for Diesel’s epilepsy, managing Walker’s allergies, and, honestly, just trying to get Dain to eat something other than cheese.   When Kaitlyn isn't talking people's heads off about pet food, or saving dogs, she’s usually at a pet-friendly brewery or at home binge watching a new show with the whole family. 

Our VP of Marketing Carmen joined The Honest Kitchen in 2009, as our first marketing hire. She’s responsible for all branding, packaging, marketing and product launches. By her side every day, and usually napping, is her sweet and loyal elderbull, Abba. Outside of the office you can find her plotting road trips, and attempting DIY projects, with her husband (and with careful oversight from Abba).

Chris is our Director of Product Management. In additional to bringing new products to life with the Honest Kitchen team, he enjoys spending time with his amazing wife and keeping active with his two girls. Chris & his family love spending time outdoors in San Diego, but on the side he loves cooking with his summer garden, puzzles, craft beer, anything new in the cinema, and following soccer teams around the globe.

Kate is our Digital & Ecommerce Manager and frisbee-tosser extraordinaire to Blue, her boxer mix rescue. After a couple of years exploring the San Diego beaches armed with her camera and Blue's frisbee, Kate and her family now live back in her home state of Wisconsin. In addition to digital media, Kate has also tried her hand at dolphin training in Hawaii and sheep herding in New Zealand.

Raquel, our Reseller Marketing Manager, is a SoCal native who loves the outdoors, spending time at the dog beach with her two and four legged kiddos and playing in a good game of kickball. Her “first born” four legged children include: Ernie, a Miniature Schnauzer who enjoys anything squeaky, Kylie, a JRT/Chihuahua with quite the attitude and Mister Moe Moe, a Chihuahua with a never ending appetite!

Meet Jordan! She’s The Honest Kitchen’s Marketing Manager and has been with us since 2016. After 8 years in San Diego, she now lives in San Francisco with her rescue Husky mix, Miss Bean (who you can find on our dehydrated Grain Free Beef boxes!). Outside of the office, Jordan loves live music, Thai food, a good margarita, and hiking with Bean.

Brandy, our Community and Marketing Coordinator, is a dog mom to three pint-sized dogs: Donnatella the Maltese, Ernie the Yorkie-Maltese mix and Rico the Chihuahua. When she’s not defending her personal space from three dogs who know no boundaries. Brandy enjoys anything fitness related, traveling, hiking and being outdoors in the San Diego sunshine.

Leanne is The Honest Kitchen's Digital Marketing and Ecommerce Manager. Born and raised in Hawaii, she moved to San Diego in 2006 and found her second home. Clearly a fan of perfect weather, you can find her outside enjoying SUP, walking the San Deigo waterfront, or bingeing Netflix when the temperature drops below 70.

A Texas native, I cut my teeth in the advertising industry creating national creative campaigns for clients like AT&T, Jack Link's Jerky, Ross, and more at various agencies in Austin, TX. I spent the last two years in grad school at VCU Brandcenter in Virginia refining my skill set to help brands build better relationships that drive growth. Outside of the office, you'll find me enjoying the outdoors—whether that's walking a trail, enjoying a live show, or drinking a craft brew on a patio—often with my two pups, Dax and Ava, by my side. Being in Virginia the last two years, I mostly miss crystal-clear Texas rivers but am excited to trade them for sunny San Diego beaches.

San Diego native & customer service lead, Liz has quite the pack with Felix, the diabetic adventure pug, Padfoot, the long-legged Pointer mix and Ouija, her most recent foster fail. She’s also an accidental cat lady with Draco the slightly evil long-hair kitty & Bagheera his cuddly counterpart . When Liz isn’t hiking or camping with her pups she’s traveling to far off destinations in search of the perfect beach. When home she can be found out walking the dogs (& cats!) or enjoying the sunset with a margarita in hand!

Lives in San Diego with her husband Allen, daughter Molly, and 9 year old chocolate lab named Rusty The Labradork! Comes from a veterinary background but left the industry because of the lack of focus on proper nutrition. Currently studying to be a certified pet nutritionist. A member of the ASPCA and is very compassionate about speaking out for the underdogs! Literally! Is also a supporter of Labrador Rescuers of San Diego. When not working, enjoys spending time with family and friends, is an avid gardener, going to concerts, and anything that has to do with Irish history and our 4 legged friends! Can also be found in the kitchen baking treats for family, friends, and dogs!

Marlize joins the customer service team, armed with a killer accent and a vast knowledge of the industry thanks to her time working at the online pet retailer, Chewy. She's a South African native, who moved to the US in 2012. Mom to Zen; an 80lb cross-eyed mixed breed and proud foster-failure of Trooper, the brindle Pitbull. She’s a self-proclaimed DIY expert and world traveler. When she’s not remodeling their home, you’ll likely find her scuba diving, golfing, hiking or searching for the best brunch spot in San Diego.

Meet Cadara and her fur babies Indy, a 10 year old Border Collie mix, and Rogelio, a 1 year old French Bulldog! A lover of communication and connection, Cadara joins The Honest Kitchen team as a Customer Service Representative. When she isn’t at work you can find her traveling and doing anything that involves water or mountains. She may also have a glass of red wine in hand.

. I’m a native of Huntington Beach, CA and dog mom to a ball obsessed Frenchie, Bruce and adventure puppy Golden, Ollie. Passionate about the wellbeing of dogs, I gravitated towards the pet food industry because I believed pet parents often needed education and guidance in order for them to make well-informed decisions in a confusing industry! In my free time I love to kayak with my pups, travel to new places with my boyfriend, spend the day at Disneyland, or volunteer at my local no-killer shelter.

Laurette is Procurement Director and THK's first employee! A Massachusetts transplant and guardian to Millie, Laurette and the pup share their lives with husband Mike, and a little boy- Dylan (who’s first word was Dog). Laurette has a strong interest in the healing powers of herbs on our four footed ones, as well as people.

Jerry joins the team as Director of Production and is based in Chicago, Il. He is pictured here with Ollie, but is daddy to Gracie an 8 year old rare breed Glen of Imaal Terrier. With extensive manufacturing background and limited free time, he enjoys walking, biking, and cooking and not necessarily in that order.

Joey joins the team as Director of Inventory Management and Logistics. Aside from a love of efficient operating procedures, he enjoys exercising, Angels baseball, and California burritos. You can also find him playing one of San Diego’s many golf courses. He lives with his wife, Kristen, their son, Wesley, and sassy Ocicat, Henry.

Caity joins The Honest Kitchen team in our customer service department. She brings with her a passion for pets and their families. With a background in dog training and doggie daycare management, she has always enjoyed helping pets and their people. She has three fur-children: Edgar, the grumpy cat, Sampson the rescue doodle, and Penny, the neurotic standard poodle. When not at work, Caity can be found with on the beach with Penny, or curled up with coffee and a good book cuddling with all her furbabies.

Erin joins The Honest Kitchen team as the Accounts Specialist. She is mom to Lola, a spaniel dachshund mix she rescued as a college graduation gift to herself. In her free time, you can find Erin at the gym or on a softball field. She also loves soaking in the beautiful San Diego weather by catching a San Diego Padres game or sitting on restaurant patios for brunch.

Heather joins us as the Director of Quality & Regulatory Affairs and is based in the Midwest. Heather previously worked in the legal field before entering the pet food industry many years ago. Heather and her husband have a spunky two year old daughter, 5 energetic Jack Russell Terriers and 1 sleepy chocolate Lab. Heather spends her free time participating in performance-based dog events, cooking, gardening and exploring the woods of their remote property.

Aliza grew up in San Diego, and recently moved back, having been in Orange County for a few years. She was last at the St. John Knits headquarters, on the wholesale sales team, and before that was at the Boot Barn corporate offices, working with the inventory, buying, and planning teams. Before Aliza returned to school to get a Merchandise Marketing degree, she had obtained a Political Science-International Relations degree fresh out of high school many years ago—but has long since given up following politics closely to follow retail environment news instead! Aliza spends most of her free time attending dog-friendly events with her Chihuahua mix, Gia, who she rescued.

Stu joined The Honest Kitchen in 2018, bringing years of pet food manufacturing experience in senior leadership positions.  He instills the principles of safety, quality, and efficiency in daily operations. Prior to entering the pet food industry, Stu served 20 years as a Marine Corps infantry officer.  He is an avid outdoorsman who loves to hike and kayak.  He and his wife also enjoy travelling and hitting the trail with their four-legged friend- Max.  They live in Southern California’s best kept secret, Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Caitlin joins The Honest Kitchen team as the Ecommerce and Natural Accounts Receivable Specialist, with over 6 years of experience in the specialty food industry. A recent transplant to the San Diego area from the mountains of Colorado, Caitlin is constantly amazed at the perfect weather. You’ll probably find Caitlin outside wearing too much sunscreen, with her 5-year-old French bulldog appropriately named Sophia Loren.

Christine joins THK as the Quality Assurance Data Analyst and is based in the Midwest. Christine has a background in quality and regulatory for both pet food and human food. She is mama to three rescue pets and one tiny human. Christine enjoys watching hockey and baseball. Her other hobbies include photography, nature walks with her little family, and working through her love/hate relationship with running.

Kirby joins the Honest Kitchen as Logistics Manager. She comes to us after 5 years working in the Athletic Department at the University of San Diego, where she is currently pursuing her MBA. Native to Washington, Kirby loves coffee and rooting on the Seahawks. During her free time you will find her enjoying the San Diego sunshine, trying new foods and traveling the world.

Stacie, our HR Manager, comes to THK from the deserts of Corona de Tucson, Arizona. She is Mom to 4 wonderful kids and 2 fur babies, Dixie (the COVID puppy) and Paige (her pittie mix). In Stacie’s free time, you will most likely find her at a field watching her son play baseball. She also enjoys listening to country music around a campfire and spending time with family and friends. She is a die-hard Cubbies fan and can always find her rooting for the Arizona Wildcats and Nebraska Cornhuskers!

My favorite thing is spending time with my family and we go camping every chance we can. In my free time I also like helping my daughter take care of her garden and spend time with the dogs. I have a Jack Russell named Pichingo, a German Shepherd named Broly, a fish named Meatball and a rooster named Pollito. I live in Los Angeles California. I have 12 years of experience working in Quality Assurance within the food industry and I love the opportunity THK has given me to be involved in making great food for pets.

John served The Honest Kitchen as a shift supervisor for a far-too-brief period in 2020 before his passing. He was a dedicated and hard-working team member, respected and admired by the entire THK LA team. John was a huge animal lover who rescued multiple pets, fostered others and would have opened up an animal rescue if he could. He was a very active member of Nu Alpha Kappa fraternity and ongoing mentor to younger members. He also loved hiking on the weekends. John is remembered fondly by his teammates, his beloved wife, Jaci, and their fur babies, Francis, Frida, Arya, Freddie, Fiona, and Harley. John’s smile and infectiously positive attitude will be greatly missed by the entire THK family.

Ron joins The Honest Kitchen as the Plant Manager at our THK-LA location. He brings 14 years of pet care manufacturing experience; as well as, 20 years of leadership experience in operations, account management and procurement. Ron and his wife live in Long Beach with their 3 dogs and enjoys golf and time at the beach when not working.

Originally from central NY, I'm a west coast transplant. I came from the pharmaceutical industry, was looking for an industry with passion for its product, found this at the honest kitchen. I settled in Long Beach where I live with my boyfriend and pup. I'm mom to my first fur baby, Barry- 1 year old terrier mix. When I am not at work you can find me at the beach, the garden or craft store, or at home binging the newest show/series/ documentary.

Chika: Born and Raised in Japan. Lived in Seattle for most of my adult life. Moved to San Diego 2 years ago. I love trying new restaurants and new cuisines. Unagi: a friendly 5 year old miniature poodle boy. Born and Raised in Seattle. Loves ball play.

Worked for 29 years at USG Corp as compliance supervisor in manufacturing building materials. I enjoy dirt biking and camping every chance I get and relaxing watching the Dodgers (fall asleep only to catch the highlights) and like to cook and work on the house… it never ends. Pictured with two of my four grandkids Ayden and Lily.

Fernando is from Mexico, he joined THK as Quality Assurance Supervisor with extensive quality and manufacturing experience in FDA regulated industries. Fernando and his wife, Dinorah, have three daughters, three female kitties to match, and three Chihuahua nephews to watch in Los Angeles. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, reading, and watching European soccer.

I live for simplicity. If something is easy it’s easy to start and hard to mess up. As the continuous improvement manager at THK-LA I base my job around something similar called Poka-yoke which means mistake proofing. So if someone is working too hard or working too fast and is barely keeping up that’s a sign to me that conditions should be improved.

Wesley joined us after spending several years working for a public accounting firm and a large consumer goods company, bringing his extensive internal control and technical accounting leadership experience to our team. Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Wesley is thrilled to call San Diego home. When he's not working, Wesley enjoys taking outdoor adventures with his wife Meg and their daughter Eleanor.

Katie joins The Honest Kitchen team as Logistics Coordinator. She is a graduate of Clemson University… Go Tigers!... and has 3 years of automotive manufacturing experience. Living in beautiful Greenville, SC, Katie spends her free time bike riding, running, cooking and trying different restaurants. She prioritizes nutrition and living an overall healthy lifestyle. Featured in this photo is her roommate’s puppy, Jiminy Cricket (JC), but she looks forward to finding a furry companion of her own soon.

Luis joined The Honest Kitchen as the Director of Finance, with previous experience working at high growth startups and well-established companies. Luis and his wife are proud paw-parents to Wiggles the Chihuahua and Yeezy the Maltipoo. Luis is an avid foodie who enjoys family walks in search of a great cup of coffee.