It is our mission to provide a seamless customer experience through innovative collaborations, highest-quality products, and unparalleled service.
We envision ourselves to be the most innovative and iconic wellness company driven by the talents of our people.
At Lief, we love contributing to organizations that are making a positive impact all over the world.
Lief is a proud sponsor of What’s Up With Supps events. The What’s Up With Supps board is made up of dynamic industry leaders that are passionate about supplements and keeping the industry strong. Their mission is to be the catalyst for creating connections in the Health & Wellness industry and together we promote unity, growth & innovation through networking, mentoring and professional development.
Adel Villalobos founded Lief Labs in 2008 with the dream of becoming an industry leader in quality, innovation, and technology. Now, with over 25 years of experience in the dietary and nutritional supplement industry, Adel is very active in the industry and community. He is a founding member of the Nutrition Industry Association and a board member of several industry and community organizations, including the Supplement Safety and Compliance Initiative, the Natural Products Association (NPA), Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Center and the Biotech Program at LA Mission College. He is also a member of the NPA’s Committee for Industry Product and Label Integrity, Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and the Los Angeles CEO Council.
Adel built his business and reputation on the concept of “helping others.” Once a start-up itself, Lief Labs has made efforts to support entrepreneurial brands make their start and guide them through the industry. Adel also mentors aspiring businesspeople and young students through his affiliations with local colleges and universities. He works closely with other community leaders to establish institutions that benefit underprivileged youth and provide access to resources for extracurricular activities and sports. Adel serves as a member and supporter of nonprofit foundations, such as Heart of the Brain and Vitamin Angels.
Adel graduated from the California State University at Northridge with a B.Sc. in Biochemistry and completed the Executive Management Program at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. He has furthered his educational achievements by completing multiple courses on Artificial Intelligence – Strategies for Leading Business Transformation from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Adel Villalobos was born in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. It was there that his hard-working parents raised him and his siblings and where he developed a love for baseball, which he attributes to his passion for discipline, teamwork, mentorship, and community. Adel is inspired by his daughter and son with their zest for life, learning, and curiosity – to be a part of their growth and maturity is a gift he says he will always cherish.
Shabir Rahim is a senior executive with over 20 years of extensive experience in finance and operations. He is recognized for his ability to drive financial strategy and operational excellence in dynamic business environments.
As the Chief Financial Officer at Lief Labs, Shabir plays a pivotal role in shaping financial strategies that support the company’s growth objectives and enhance overall value. His expertise in capital and treasury management, financial reporting and forecasting, and strategic planning enables Lief Labs to effectively navigate the complexities of the rapidly evolving health and wellness market.
Shabir has a proven track record of implementing robust financial controls and enhancing reporting accuracy, fostering informed decision-making and operational efficiencies. His leadership style emphasizes collaboration and mentorship, empowering high-performing finance teams to achieve ambitious goals while serving as strategic partners to other areas of the organization.
He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California, as well as both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Shabir is known for his ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders and drive initiatives that promote innovation and growth.
In his free time, Shabir cherishes quality moments with friends and family, particularly enjoying rounds of golf with his two kids and supporting them in their extracurricular activities. He also has a passion for international travel and loves exploring new restaurants throughout the Los Angeles area, always eager to discover new flavors and experiences.
Randy is a sales executive with over 30 years of experience driving success and innovation in areas, including Food & Beverage, Consumer Products, Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Sales Operations.
Randy currently serves as Lief’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), driving the commercial success of Lief’s business by leading the company’s sales strategy, client relationships, and managing market dynamics to position Lief to remain profitable and competitive. He is also a member of the company’s Executive Leadership team. Randy’s extensive experience includes 26 years in business leadership roles at Nestlé USA and he was most recently Vice President, Sales at Ferrara Candy Company, prior to joining Lief.
He earned a degree in Marketing and Sales from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and completed the Food Industry Management Program of Cornell University. Randy is also a volunteer for Los Angeles area organizations, including Midnight Mission and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Thomas has over 20 years of extensive end-to-end cross-functional and operations management experience gained through his time at PepsiCo, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Nestle Skin Health, The Hackett Group, and most recently, Erin Condren Design, where he served as SVP of Operations. As a consultant, Thomas spent 2 years specializing in working capital optimization across various companies and industries. His track record of optimizing processes, enhancing efficiency, and driving cost-effective solutions aligns perfectly with Lief’s commitment to excellence, ensuring Lief is providing industry-leading service and quality to our customers.
Thomas received his Bachelors of Science degree in Supply Chain & Logistics Management from the University of North Texas, and he also holds his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
As a member of Lief’s Executive Leadership Team, his strategic leadership and tactical operations experience helps guide Lief’s manufacturing, engineering, IT, customer operations, logistics, inventory, and strategic sourcing capabilities to new heights.
Dr. Chioma Ikonte is an accomplished, global technical and business executive with over 20 years of experience in nutritional supplements, including vitamins/minerals, prebiotics/probiotics, proteins, botanicals, and food supplements across multi dosage forms in multinational healthcare and consumer products industries. She is recognized for her strategic thinking, implementation of scientific research programs, building front end innovation pipeline and new product execution, which deliver nutritional benefits, increase market penetration, and the deployment of continuous improvement initiatives while controlling costs.
As the Chief Science Officer at Lief Labs, Dr Ikonte plays a pivotal role in developing, driving and delivering innovation, scientific research and product development initiatives that deliver growth and excellence to the organization and our brand partners while maintaining the highest quality standards. Her extensive background in the nutritional industry, delivering product development excellence, innovation and her passion for Quality by Design enables Lief Labs to strengthen its position as an iconic product development and manufacturing partner.
Chioma has a proven track record of implementing efficient product development processes that build quality into the system and deliver novel innovative products with excellence. Her leadership style fosters collaboration, building leaders at every level and empowering high-performing teams to maximize their potentials.
Dr. Ikonte holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles where she studied the transport and metabolism of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) in cancer cells. Her extensive experience in research & development includes leadership roles at Pharmavite, Nutrilite, Herbalife, Metagenics, SmartyPants Vitamins, and most recently Vice President of R&D at Melaleuca prior to joining Lief Labs.
Dr. Ikonte holds several patents in product development and has authored peer-reviewed publications.
David Kroes brings over 20 years of experience in consulting and working with companies at various stages of growth. David specializes in developing and implementing innovative talent and organizational development programs that enhance workplace culture and improve employee productivity and engagement. A key element of David’s success is fostering a flexible, equitable, and inclusive work environment, promoting diversity and collaboration across all aspects of HR to support and evolve the business. David is known for integrating a sense of whimsy and fun into the workplace, enriching the employee experience.
Steve is a senior executive with 20+ years of experience helping businesses drive sustainable improvements in long-term value. His background is a blend of corporate and consulting roles with a focus on privately-held and PE-owned companies. Through all of his roles, Steve has focused on creating organizational alignment so individuals at all levels make decisions that are consistent with the strategy and create value.
He is currently a Strategic Advisor to the CEO after serving as the CFO and EVP of Strategy for Lief Lab. Prior to Lief, his experience in the supplement industry includes 7 years as EVP and CFO at Pharmavite LLC, the makers of Nature Made vitamins, President of Corr-Jensen (now Performix), and COO and CFO at Bragg Live Foods.
On the consulting side, his experience includes senior roles at L.E.K. Consulting and Stern Stewart & Co. Steve has also served as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University where he taught courses on valuation and mergers and acquisitions.
Steve holds an undergraduate degree in Finance from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California and an MBA in Finance and Business Strategy from Indiana University. Additionally, Steve co-wrote a book, “Every Second Counts: An Introduction to Football Clock Management,” with his son, Matt.
Bardia Eslami is an executive serving as the Vice President of Operations at Lief Labs. With a background in Chemical Engineering, he has been instrumental in driving the company’s operational success since joining in 2017.
Graduating from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Bardia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, a foundation that has provided him with a solid understanding of complex systems and processes, essential for his role in overseeing operations at Lief Labs. Bardia started his career as an intern at Lief immediately after college and has developed through overseeing multiple departments/functions like Supply Chain and Production.
Throughout his tenure at Lief Labs, Bardia has spearheaded several pivotal projects that have significantly contributed to the company’s growth and operational efficiency. Notable among these projects is his leadership in the construction and transition of two 120,000 square foot facilities and the development and creation of the Engineering and Tech Ops departments/functions. Additionally, Bardia played a crucial role in the implementation of the SAP ERP System, a milestone initiative that streamlined Lief Labs’ internal processes and supported growth across various departments.
Mary L. Landin is a seasoned HR professional with 16 years of experience in driving organizational success through strategic human capital management primarily in the Space and Defense sector. Currently serving as the Director of Human Resources at Lief Labs, she leverages a comprehensive understanding of HR principles and practices to foster a dynamic and inclusive workplace culture.
Mary implements innovative recruitment strategies to attract talent and build high-performing teams that align with the company’s objectives. She directs initiatives to optimize employee engagement, retention, and development, recognizing that a motivated workforce is instrumental in achieving business goals.
Mary is adept at navigating complex employment regulations and compliance requirements, ensuring that the organization operates ethically and legally in all HR-related matters. She also plays a pivotal role in designing and implementing fair and effective compensation and benefits programs that reward employees equitably while aligning with budgetary constraints.
With a passion for fostering a culture of continuous improvement, Mary champions initiatives to enhance organizational effectiveness, streamline HR processes, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace. She is committed to fostering an environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best. She is recognized for her leadership, strategic mindset, and dedication to driving HR excellence in support of organizational success.
Dieng Bui joined Lief Lab in September 2017 and currently serves as the Head of Quality at Lief Labs. He is responsible for providing strategic direction for the company’s quality operations including development, implementation, and maintenance of the Quality Management System in accordance with appropriate regulatory requirements. Throughout his tenure at Lief Labs, Dieng has spearheaded several pivotal projects that have significantly contributed to the company’s growth. Notable among these achievements is earning an ISO-17025 Laboratory Accreditation for Lief Labs.
Overall, Dieng possesses over 17 years of experience in the Dietary Supplement industry, including over 10 years in quality assurance and 7 years in quality testing control. He previously served as the Director of the Quality Control Unit at Natrol Inc., where he was responsible for ensuring cGMP and FDA compliance guidelines of all product production at manufacturing facilities and multiple contract manufacturing organizations. Dieng holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the California State of Northridge.
Nathan is a senior executive with 10+ years of experience in the dietary supplement industry with an emphasis around sales, marketing, and product development. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Advertising and an Associate’s degree in Fire Technology where he graduated the Fire Fighter Academy in 2008. This background led him down the path of fitness and health where he became heavily involved in dietary supplements.
Nathan has formulated and produced thousands of products throughout his dietary supplement career and helped brands go from start up to 9 figure acquisitions. He has successfully launched new divisions at Lief Labs and helped build sustainable long-term infrastructure and business strategies that have led to the overall success of the organization.
Steffi Neth, Vice President of Marketing at Lief Labs, is a dynamic leader with 20 years of expertise in marketing, creative direction, and brand design. As a key member of Lief’s Senior Leadership team, Steffi leads the Marketing department, which she built, with finesse and vision. With a drive for innovation, Steffi plays a pivotal role in advancing the company’s growth and market presence through strategic and innovative marketing initiatives to support the company’s overall business objectives. She is also part of the Growth Mindsetter team that helped instill a new corporate culture.
In her role at Lief, she is blending traditional marketing principles with cutting-edge digital strategies to create a cohesive and impactful brand presence. Steffi has successfully led cross-functional teams in developing and implementing marketing campaigns that resonate with both B2B and B2C audiences. She crafts a cohesive brand narrative that resonates deeply with end consumers. With a proven track record, Steffi has previously lent her expertise to renowned brands like PUMA, Sonos, and Pfizer, among others, before joining Lief in 2017. She started with a clear vision of elevating Lief Labs and strengthening its position in the dietary supplement market.
Driven by a passion for holistic wellness, Steffi’s personal spirit mirrors her professional endeavors. As a devoted wife and mother of two, she embodies the values of balance and vitality that she promotes within the dietary supplement industry and at Lief Labs.
Born and raised in Germany, Steffi came to the United States to continue her education. She earned both a Master of Arts degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication and Advertising from Suffolk University in Boston, MA.
Ross Christianson
Leo Fernandez
Sachin Gupta
Sanjeev Krishnan
DJ Lipke
Sean McNally
Roberto Medrano
Adel Villalobos
David Wood
Lief Labs Headquarters is home to our production, packaging, shipping, and administrative operations.
It is our mission to provide a seamless customer experience through innovative collaborations, highest-quality products, and unparalleled service. Get started today with a free quote.
It is our mission to provide a seamless customer experience through innovative collaborations, highest-quality products, and unparalleled service. Get started today with a free quote.
It is our mission to provide a seamless customer experience through innovative collaborations, highest-quality products, and unparalleled service. Get started today with a free quote.
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