striving to test the limits of conventional branding wisdom. She is a firm believer that

effective brands engage all five senses and evoke a sixth sense: surprise. That spark of

surprise does more than sell products and brands—it excites and inspires consumers.

Evans has brought this spark to the grocery industry for two decades, serving as a leader

in the areas of branding, marketing, communications and operations. Her career has

included positions at three innovative retail chains in addition to participating in share

groups, think tanks and discussion circles, uniting with colleagues in search of cutting

edge ways to reach consumers.

Evans has most recently leveraged her unconventional brand-building philosophy for

Whole Foods Market with great success, effectively communicating to consumers that

food is more than just fuel—it’s a medium for exploring our passions and building

connections with others.

In Evans’ current role as senior global marketing coordinator, her efforts center around

developing brand and communication strategies that differentiate the company based on

strict quality standards and a unique shopping experience as well as facilitating

collaborative work among 11 independent regions.

Prior to her current position, Evans led brand development for Whole Foods Market’s

private label, developing trusted, sought after product lines that deliver on the promises

of Whole Foods Market and stay true to the company’s core values. Evans spent seven

years as director of marketing for Whole Foods Southwest Region and a decade working

for H-E-B Grocery Company, with most of her tenure dedicated to Central Market, the

company’s innovative, nationally renowned group of specialty stores that are as much a

food-lover’s “destination” as they are a supermarket.

Having grown up in a family of food lovers and culinary legends, a passion for food is

also a key ingredient in Evans’ background and training. Her great grandfather owned

and operated the Villa Roma in Half Moon Bay, California, in the 1940s, and her

grandfather was the founder of Evans Candy Company in New Orleans, home of the

“original” pecan pralines.

Evans prides herself on being a lifelong student of retail and holds a Bachelor of Science

in advertising from The University of Texas. She is also certified in Public Issues and

Communication by the LBJ School of Public Affairs and is a master graduate of Rapport

Leadership International’s curriculum, which includes leadership studies and

neurolinguistic process communications. This combination of training allows her to

combine traditional advertising strategy with modern psychology, using conventional

wisdom to reach customers in unconventional ways.

According to Evans, building relationships and evoking emotion are the keys to

successful brands. As Carl W. Buechner once said: “They may forget what you said, but

they will remember the way you made them feel.” This notion has led her on an

insatiable quest to reinvent the grocery industry—a journey that is fueled by a passion for

food, a hunger to learn, and a desire to connect with others.