Executive Director

Natalie Haynes

Meet Natalie

As Executive Director of the Vitamix Foundation, Natalie combines her lifelong passions for nutrition and well-being to advance the vision of the Foundation to enhance health and wellness through plant-based whole foods. After completing her master’s in nutrition, Natalie’s career journey began with her role as a WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) dietitian. This experience opened her eyes to the challenges of food insecurity, poor nutrition, and the impact of socioeconomic status and race on health and well-being, fueling her determination to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

Prior to joining the Vitamix Foundation in 2021, Natalie played a key role in advancing groundbreaking scientific discoveries as part of the founding team of the Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals. In this capacity, she focused on leading global grant funding and partnership development to transform academic research into cures for society’s most devastating diseases.

Throughout her career, Natalie’s dedication to overcoming societal barriers in healthcare and nutrition has been unwavering, making her a visionary leader. In shaping the Foundation’s strategy, Natalie has created a framework to advance scientific evidence, increase access to plant-based whole foods, and empower others through partnership and innovative programs. Her leadership has fostered several successful initiatives to improve the health and well-being of mothers and children. Natalie holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University, providing her with a strong academic foundation that has equipped her with the knowledge and expertise to address complex health and nutrition challenges.