Evelyn Rusli

I am the co-founder of Yumi, a kids nutrition company that currently feeds about 3% of all babies born in the United States. We are on a mission to raise a healthier generation and help families unlock the functional power of food so that kids can reach their full potential at every stage. We are research-obsessed nerds, who take a science-first approach to create meals and snacks that are nutrient dense, clean-certified, mindful of total fructose exposure and, yes, delicious. We are also focused on education and helping parents connect the dots between their children’s food and future health outcomes. Prior to Yumi, I was a journalist for more than a decade. I started in Jakarta, where I was a foreign correspondent for the NYTimes, covering the Boxing Day Tsunami in Aceh, avian influenza, the impact of gold mining on the environment and local communities, and other issues in the region. Ultimately, I gravitated to technology and have covered Silicon Valley and startups for Forbes, TechCrunch, the NYTimes and last the Wall Street Journal, where I was the innovation reporter. My parents still intermittently ask me if I will finally go to Law School.

Food! Beyond its functional value, food is one of the most powerful forms of love, it bonds families, cultures, geographies and time. Growing up, it was the central love language in my house. I will go to the edges of the earth for the perfect yellow cherry tomato (and yes, I have one in mind). Connecting humans. One of my greatest loves is connecting great humans. There’s magic in linking dots and helping people find more joy, success or inspiration by pushing others into their orbit.

The first 1,000 days of life are the most important for nutrition. It is our original “programming” - our first and best opportunity to help the mind and body achieve a lifetime of health. What we eat in these first 1,000 days impacts every dimension of health for decades to come and has the power to lift societies.

Building aggressive and legendary travel guides