Kirtan is a brand developer who decided to form Asha Apothecary after having driven growth for several iconic, global brands in the natural/organic industry. He has first-hand knowledge of the positive impact purposeful brands can have when they focus on aspects beyond profit and is looking to grow into his own purpose with this journey. Kirtan’s vision is to create an inclusive, mission-driven brand which delights shoppers through its products while providing a platform to drive a positive shift in our outlook. Kirtan is inspired by his childhood in India which continues to drive his curiosity and adventurous spirit. When not working on Asha, you will most likely find him hiking, traveling, or enjoying a sunset.
Karelaine has a cross-disciplinary background in plant sciences, graphic design, and regenerative landscape architecture. Growing up in a small town nestled in the forest, plants always served as her therapy and inspiration. She is passionate about the co-evolution between plants and humans, and her nature-inspired designs are rooted in rituals and traditions. She has headed numerous residential and commercial architecture projects and was the lead landscape architect for Do Lab’s Lightning in a Bottle. She has designed immersive experiences for EQ’s Planet Home and is a co-instructor at the Cal Poly Pomona Regenerative Studies Institute with her husband Nathan Walworth. She has created designs for multiple companies and organizations including the NEXUS Futurism Working Group and Ocean SOS. Asha combines her love for plants and nature-inspired design and serves as her creative expression for human and planetary wellness.
As a Los Angeles native, Nathan has a background in climate and microbiome science and believes that hemp can be a vehicle to integrate human and planetary health. He pursues his curiosities with a passion and has thus far co-founded multiple initiatives and organizations. He is an active scientist with numerous scientific publications and serves as Adjunct Faculty at the Cal Poly Pomona Regenerative Studies Institute where he co-teaches with his wife, Karelaine Walworth. He co-founded the NEXUS Futurism Working Group and Ocean SOS. He also designs immersive environmental experiences and content for Do Lab’s Lightning in a Bottle and EQ’s Planet Home. Through his passion for regenerative culture, Nathan also co-founded an upcycled functional accessories company, COVALENCE, and is an advisory board member of the data-driven culture prediction company, sparks & honey. Nathan was elected to be a Global People’s Fellow, which aims to bring equity and inclusion to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and he speaks regularly at summits and festivals worldwide. After traveling the world researching climate change and the Earth Microbiome, he has now turned his attention to explore how hemp can provide everything from therapeutic benefits for humans to sustainable materials for the planet. He is passionate about creating a robust scientific foundation to properly steward a regenerative and sustainable future for hemp and CBD.
Dr. Adam (AJ) Schlenger is an Oceanographer and Marine Ecologist working on natural resource management at UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. While it may seem like starting a CBD company is an odd choice for a scientist, AJ feels that it’s the logical move to make. After graduating from school, he worked with a variety of nonprofits, such as NEXUS Global and Ocean SOS, where he was introduced to entrepreneurs and philanthropists from across the globe using their businesses and organizations to positively impact the world. Through these experiences, AJ realized that today’s private sector is actually taking a leading role in conservation and that the Patagonia’s, Tom’s, and Seventh Generation’s of the world are doing more tangible impact work than many academic or government programs. To AJ, Asha is an opportunity to apply sustainable best practices to an industry in dire need of them as well as a chance to raise resources for impact initiatives that tie directly back into the ocean. As a surfer, backpacker, and wildlife enthusiast, Asha serves as one more way to protect the natural world that has played such a major role in his life.
