Chef Alison (Ali) Crowdus is a Northern Kentucky native and mother with a passion for nourishing, a flair for creativity, and a spirit as bold as her flavor profile. Growing up watching her mother cook while perched in a carrier on her back, she has a knack for seeing food not just for what it is but what it can be.

A long-time chef and local food champion, after training at the Midwest Culinary Institute she gained experience ranging from private dining for the Archbishop of Cincinnati to cooking 15,000 meatballs for the Kroger Wellness Festival through positions including the respected Jeff Thomas Catering, and multiple businesses of her own.

As a chef ‘for the people’, she now holds the position of Director of Operations for the non-profit Incubator Kitchen Collective, sits on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Incubator Kitchen Collective, provides support to Good ‘n Local, Power to Pursue, Rachel DesRochers, and provides consulting services for a number of local small food businesses. Her personal brand as The People’s Chef has one basic foundation in place: take care of the people. Nourish, serve, care – it’s all for the people.

Rachel DesRochers is a mother, a dreamer, a serial entrepreneur, and the founder of Power to Pursue. Gratitude and community are at the heart of everything she does — and she does a lot.

In addition to founding Power to Pursue, Rachel is the creator behind Grateful Grahams, the Incubator Kitchen Collective, Gratitude Grams, and Good n' Local, all of which make up The Gratitude Collective. She is also an advisor for the Queen City Game Changers, an executive leadership program for women. Rachel has been recognized for her work with numerous awards and accolades, including the Local Luminary from Slow Foods Cincinnati, and the 2021 Emerging Leader Honoree for Outstanding Women of NKY. She was a semifinalist for Martha Stewart’s American Made Award and was included in the Cincinnati Business Courier 2020 list of 40 Under 40.

When not managing her multiple businesses, Rachel stays busy being a mom to three wildly wonderful children.

With over 20 years of diverse experience spanning account management, go-to-market strategy, and sales leadership, Brent brings a wealth of insights gained from working with a spectrum of companies—from startups like Munk Pack to challenger brands like Clif Bar and industry giants such as General Mills and Mondelez. Grounded in empathy, curiosity, and adaptability, he specializes in crafting tailored solutions that generate engagement and drive meaningful results.

Some areas of expertise as an advisor include:

• Go-to-market strategies (including 4-Ps and MAPS)

• Long-range planning (2-5 year time horizons)

• Account planning and management (including trade management)

• Crafting selling stories and building impactful customer presentations.

• Customer/channel segmentation and customized strategies

• Price-pack architecture

• Sales team training and coaching

Abby Ober is the Director of Informatics Outreach at Northern Kentucky University, where she works to build meaningful connections between the university, industry partners, and the broader community. With over a decade of experience in entrepreneurial support and community engagement, Abby excels at building strategic relationships, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities that help individuals and organizations grow.

Abby earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Public Relations from the University of Cincinnati. Passionate about supporting her local community, she serves on several boards, including The Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum, Good n’ Local, and the University of Cincinnati’s Arts and Sciences Alumni Board.

Greg is an expert in strategic planning, finance, business analytics, and operational efficiency with 15+ years of experience leading high-impact initiatives in investment banking (Jefferies), strategy consulting (Bain & Company), professional sports (San Francisco 49ers), private equity (FFL Partners), and high-growth start-ups from Series A through Series G stage (Faire Wholesale, NerdWallet).