National Staff
Loren D. Israelsen
President
loren@unpa.com
801.474.2572
Mr. Israelsen is Founder and President of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), an international trade association of dietary supplement companies committed to safety, science and quality.
He has been deeply involved in the commercial and regulatory issues facing the global dietary supplement industry since 1980. On the commercial side, he served as general counsel and president of Nature’s Way Products, Inc. He has also served as vice president/general counsel to the American Herbal Products Association, co-founder and counsel to the European American Phytomedicine Coalition (EAPC), founding member of IADSA, industry liaison to FDA’s Expert Advisory Committee on Ephedra, industry advisor to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), expert panel member on IFT’s Functional Food Report and an expert panel member to the Department of Defense study on dietary supplement use among military personnel.
Mr. Israelsen has authored over 150 articles, book chapters and has lectured in over 30 countries on dietary supplement and functional food issues. He is the inaugural recipient of the NBJ Lifetime Achievement Award, the NNFA President’s Award and the B.Y. Morrison Lecture and Medal. He was honored to be included in Natural Health Magazine’s 30th Anniversary Hall of Fame and the New Hope Natural Media Hall of Fame. Mr. Israelsen was awarded the Mark Blumenthal Community Builder award in 2015 and received the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI) Distinguished Service and Leadership Award in 2019.
Daniel Mabey
President – Asia Region
daniel@unpa.com
Based in Beijing, China, Daniel Mabey serves as UNPA’s President – Asia Region. He primarily coordinates the association’s relationship with its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Partner, the China Nutrition and Health Food Association (CNHFA), and works with China-based UNPA members. Daniel also provides UNPA members with market research, regulatory support and other services. He has more than 10 years of experience working in China and also speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese. Daniel earned his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and also studied abroad at Peking University. When not working, Daniel likes to ski, run, read, cook and travel.
Kira Olsen
Sr. Director of Member Services & Events
kira@unpa.com
801.474.2572
Kira Olsen serves as UNPA’s Director of Member Services & Events and has been with the organization since 2006. She manages the daily functions at UNPA, including member support, new client screening, and facilities, finance and office administration. Kira is also in charge of the planning and production of all UNPA events and educational offerings. Ms. Olsen comes to UNPA with a background in advertising and marketing. She graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science degree in speech communications and minored in sociology. When Kira is not working, she loves to do anything “fun, challenging and exciting,” such as training for marathons and other athletic events, snowboarding, wakeboarding, scuba diving, and most of all, spending time with her husband and three beautiful children.
Clint Calder
Director of Communications
clint@unpa.com
Clint is our resident “Mad Man”, having spent 6 years working at top-tier ad agencies in New York City, serving clients like Castrol, Dove, Chase Bank and others. He joins us at UNPA managing all outbound communications to the media, members and associates. He is new to the Dietary Supplement world, but not to marketing and branding. His expertise are primarily in digital marketing and brand development, though he can talk your ear off with photography and the latest social media trends. When he’s not on the clock, Clint plays competitive volleyball and explores the rocky mountains on his motorcycle. He is never seen without a camera of some sort.
Mika Israelsen
Director, Operations
mika@unpa.com
801.474.2572
Mika Israelsen serves as UNPA’s director of operations. Mika manages UNPA’s daily operations along with finances and accounting. As part of her responsibilities, she maintains close relationships with UNPA’s customers and vendors, in addition to the extensive support she provides the rest of the UNPA staff and its members. She has deep experience with all aspects of office management through her previous tenures with GOED, the omega-3 trade association, and essential oil manufacturer Almarome. She studied business management at Salt Lake Community College and when not at the office, Mika enjoys cooking, gardening and hiking the Wasatch Mountains. She lives in Littleton, Colo., with her husband and beautiful son.
Heidi Calder
Executive Assistant
heidi@unpa.com
Heidi Calder brings 20 years of experience in the sports medicine and natural health fields. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education with an emphasis in exercise physiology. She has also served as an instructor for the Utah Heart Association and worked at the LDS Hospital Fitness Institute in Salt Lake City. Since 1987, she has been the executive assistant to UNPA President Loren Israelsen during her tenure at Nature’s Way, the LDI Group, and UNPA. She is a skilled gardener and chef and the mother of three awesome boys.
Tim Avila
Senior Scientific Advisor
Tim is a leading authority in the global nutrition industry, blending 33 years of experience in discovery, validation and marketing of bioactive ingredients and consumer packaged nutrition products. He is President of Systems Bioscience, Inc., a company specializing in providing Global Fortune 500 companies with business and product development
knowledge for the NEW CPG space comprised of dietary supplements, natural/organic and regenerative foods.
He also co-founded Zero Worries Foods Inc. in 2005, manufacturer and distributor of ZSWEET® brand all natural and USDA Certified Organic zero calorie tabletop sweetener. ZSweet is the innovator preparation and pioneering formulation in the blending of all-natural ingredients to replace caloric sweeteners and artificial sugar substitutes and the first to use erythritol. Related to his pioneering efforts in natural zero calorie sweeteners, Mr. Avila has successfully worked with an early-stage manufacturer to develop low cost sugar replacement ingredients for big food and beverage.
Mr. Avila has a 25-year tenure as Senior Executive Advisor to the Newhope Network and SupplySide trade media franchises now owned by Informa Markets. Tim's list of past clients includes Cargill, Nestle, Proctor & Gamble, Mars Inc. and many others. Mr. Avila is an original founding member of the screening committee at Nutrition Capital Network and now sits on the National Board of Directors of the Naturally Network, a non-profit membership association supporting industry growth.
As an advisor to Sambazon Inc. beginning in early 2001, Tim contributed to the development and revenue growth of one of the industry’s most respected socially responsible and B Corp. companies and lifestyle/passion brands.
Tim passionately and creatively pushes the boundaries of what is possible in product development and maintains a global network of radical innovators. Over the last 5 years, early-stage ventures have been a focus with projects ranging from a raft of start-ups, incubator concepts leading to successful new brands and companies. These projects benefit from Tim’s ability to coach and guide entrepreneurs in all aspects of the venturing process.