Global Leadership Team

Senior Vice President, Global Marketing

Lyndi Smith’s Young Living story started in 2001, when she joined the company as a customer service representative. She had no idea where that first position would take her, professionally and personally. After nine years in the contact center—and a role managing the center herself—Lyndi decided to follow her passion and join the Marketing team.

In 2017, she was named senior vice president of Global Marketing, and she now strategically oversees global brand and marketing efforts and manages Content Marketing and Communications, Public Relations and Brand Awareness, Global Event Experience, Digital Growth Marketing, and Product Marketing.

In her personal time, Lyndi enjoys the outdoors, hiking, four-wheeling, traveling, photography, and spending time with her family and friends. Her favorite essential oils are Peppermint and Thieves®, and she loves using Savvy Minerals by Young Living® , as well as Young Living Seedlings™ for herself and her family.

Senior Vice President, Publications and Document Review

As Senior Vice President of the Publications and Document Review department, Alene oversees, revises, edits, and gives final approval of company publications and documents.

She has more than 20 years of experience working in business and has been with Young Living for more than a decade. She also has 25 years of business teaching experience at the college and university level, including 7 years of teaching management communications for the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University.
Alene has loved working closely with Mary and Gary Young on many projects, including their books D. Gary Young: The World Leader in Essential Oils, Ancient Einkorn: Today’s Staff of Life, and The One Gift.

Alene loves spending time with her ten young grandchildren and enjoys working in her vegetable garden, freezing and bottling the produce, reading, and teaching. Her favorite Young Living products include Boswellia Wrinkle Cream™, Genesis™ Hand & Body Lotion, Cool Azul Pain Relief Cream, and all of the Thieves® products.

Senior Vice President, Global Sales Operations

Prasad is a well-known asset to the Young Living family whose work in global operations has resulted in tremendous advancements and left a resounding impact on the member experience. His operational skill and reach supported the dramatic reduction of international out of stocks, increased delivery quality and lead time, improved inventory and forecasting accuracies, and implementation of new operational enhancements.


All of this, along with Prasad’s infectious enthusiasm, renders him famous among members. With his new promotion, Prasad will continue to deliver first-class service and international operations support from corporate, while leading the next-level development of operations in APAC, including significant new markets joining Young Living this year and beyond. His success in his new responsibilities will be enhanced with his most-used essential oils: Stress Away™ and Jasmine.

Senior Vice President, Product Management and Product Marketing

As Young Living’s Senior Vice President of Product Management and Product Marketing, Kristen Knight brings a wealth of divers experience and education to the position. Kristen has a bachelor’s degree in fashion and a specialized MBA in organizational leadership and strategy.

Kristen has over 25 years of experience driving product management and marketing for several direct selling health and beauty companies, as well as a variety of ecommerce companies. Most recently, she comes from NuSkin Enterprises, where she headed up global marketing communications and content strategy, as well as global customer experience and loyalty. She has also owned her own consulting company where she’s worked with direct selling clients on everything from product strategy to compensation plan to branding.

In addition to serving as a senior vice president, Kristen has been a long-time customer of Young Living and has always admired the company’s mission and products. In particular, she loves White Angelica™ whenever she needs a lift and uses any of the evergreen essential oils when she wants to pamper herself. Kristen loves the great outdoors, especially hiking in the red rocks and wilds of Southern Utah.

Kristen is also a prolific writer, with four novels and a screenplay to her name. From her education in fashion and marketing to her extensive experience in product management, ecommerce, and direct selling to her wide range of personal talents, she’s uniquely well suited to lead Young Living’s efforts in Product Management and Product Marketing.

Vice President, Global IT Operations

In his 12 years with Young Living, Joe has helped with Young Living’s new corporate offices and farms, 24-hour support system, IT special projects, and global physical security. Joe’s knowledge of almost every farm and office worldwide gives him an advantage as he helps implement new IT operations.

Before joining the corporate world, Joe caught the entrepreneurial spirit and owned a successful printer business. After working for himself, he moved forward in the IT field and started growing in positions at WordPerfect, Novell, Nature’s Way, and for the last several years at Young Living. He now has more than 25 years of experience in the IT field, making him a great fit for his new role as Young Living’s VP of Global IT Operations.

Joe is a firm believer in Young Living’s mission, and his favorite oils are Thieves®, Lavender, and Australian Blue™. When Joe is not working, he enjoys being outdoors, riding motorcycles, snowmobiling, and supporting the Utah Jazz.

Vice President, Software Engineering

Mark Ballstaedt brings more than 20 years of software and technology experience to his role of Vice President of Software Development at Young Living. His experience has included providing digital technology support and software development for retail and direct sales companies in a range of industries, including JetBlue Airways, 1-800 CONTACTS, and Glasses.com. Most recently, Mark served as Vice President of Technology at Vivint Smart Home.

Mark’s love for technology began when he started working on computers and developing software at the age of 12. During his career, Mark has helped develop and implement software and technology for companies looking to build digital brands, grow sales, and improve the experience of customers and employees.
Mark is passionate about technology, and he knows the importance of supporting the innovators who create it. That’s why Mark believes in developing the strengths of individuals as well as creating high-performing software development teams and systems. To Mark, the strength of a team will always be more powerful than the strength of a single individual, which is why he also believes in building successful cross-departmental relationships.

In addition to his love of computers and software, Mark enjoys running, reading, boating, and spending time with his family. He lives in Midvale, Utah, with his wife, Emily, and their seven children—three of whom joined the family through adoption.

Mark is excited to work for Young Living, where he can make a difference in people’s lives. He loves the wellness support of NingXia Red® and the calming and strengthening aroma of Valor® essential oi l blend.

Vice President, U.S. Marketing

Shane Smith’s nearly two-decade career in marketing has always been driven by his passion for storytelling. For nearly 10 years, he has used his passion to shape the way Young Living communicates with its members and the world, helping to develop the recognizable brand voice and communications programs that have established Young Living as the fresh, friendly, and authoritative leader in the essential oils industry. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University, fluent in Spanish, and a member of the Forbes Communications Council.

Shane embraces Young Living and the direct sales industry because of the empowerment and whole-life wellness it offers to its members. He also loves and uses Young Living's world-class products every day, from NingXia Red® before a workout to the signature blend of essential oils he diffuses in his office each day.

Shane is a native of Utah and enjoys the scenic backcountry for hiking and skiing. He is also passionate about yoga, writing, reading, music, travel, fashion, and food. When not working with and for his YL family, Shane spends as much time as possible with his wife and two young sons.

Vice President, Global Events

Brittani Lambert has nearly two decades of experience in the direct sales industry and has spent almost half of them working with Young Living. Using her passion for perfection, she has served in many roles, including Member Services manager, IT quality control technician, and senior director of Global Events. Her newest role is vice president of Global Events. During her time with Young Living, Brittani has been able to focus her passion and big ideas on larger-than-life events and experiences. She loves working for a company that has always been dear to her heart because of its principled and empowering values.

Brittani also worked as the vice president of sales and marketing for a startup. Her experience in the fast-paced, multifaceted startup world prepared her for the expansive growth of a billion-dollar company.

Outside of her professional life, Brittani loves sports. In high school, she played softball, basketball, and volleyball and was also part of the cheer and track teams. Brittani has two young sons, and her family is powered by Peppermint, R.C.™, and Stress Away™ essential oils.

Vice President, Global Product Management

Throughout his nearly decade-long career at Young Living, Jason Dewey has always been immersed in the extensive Young Living product line, whether coordinating product development as a product marketing manager, keeping the launch of new products on track as a project manager, or managing the development and lifecycle of Young Living’s 600+ products as the senior director of Product Management. As the vice president of Product Management, Jason guides global strategy for the development, launch, and management of Young Living products.

Before joining Young Living in 2009, Jason worked in retail management, finance, and operations, using his B.A. degree in business administration from Utah Valley University in each position. He credits his passion for and longevity with Young Living to its tight-knit environment and the opportunity he has had to be part of a health and wellness movement with like-minded individuals. One of the things Jason enjoys most about his job is watching members’ reactions to new products while reflecting on the effort of the various teams involved in the launch.

Jason speaks Spanish and a bit of the indigenous South American language Guarani. He loves spending time with his wife and children, traveling, and training for triathlons and marathons. During and after training, Jason’s favorite essential oil is Deep Relief™ Roll-On. The rest of the time, he keeps a Stress Away™ Roll-On on hand.

General Manager, North America

From scraping her knees working on a family tree farm to working her way up the ranks of the direct sales world, Sarah Bjorgaard’s entire working life has led her here: to the exciting role of general manager of North America!.

Sarah was raised working on a tree farm, earning her allowance by caring for plants and animals. Young Living’s mission echoes the devotion she developed as a child to harnessing wellness from the earth.

She is a graduate of Ridgewater College in Minnesota, with a degree in cosmetology and a focus in business operations. Her background in and passion for cosmetology made her the perfect fit for her role at Mary Kay Cosmetics, where she spent more than 14 years as a top independent executive teaching skin care and color. She also taught Independent Beauty Consultant business growth strategies in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia.

Sarah joined Young Living with a full toolkit gained from 25 years of experience in the direct sales industry. She spent years leading dynamic, high-performance teams with companies such as Tastefully Simple, Melaleuca, and Plexus Worldwide.

Sarah was originally hired at Young Living as the VP of Beauty Essentials, then moved up the ladder to the position of general manager of the U.S. market. Her quick rise through the ranks is hardly surprising, considering her education, work experience, and background.

In her most recent role before joining Young Living, Sarah was VP of global sales, where she led all aspects of global field communications and social media, created and executed field incentives, developed sales tools and trained on their effective use, coached and set goals with field leaders, and developed new business.

Beyond her love of nature, Sarah loves helping people develop their leadership skills and coaching them in building their businesses. She loves landscaping, decorating, and spending time with her family.

Some of Sarah’s favorite Young Living products include Stress Away™ Roll-On and Savvy Minerals® Lip Gloss. She’s looking forward to harnessing her extensive experience, rolling up her sleeves, and adding her expertise to North America.

Vice President, Global Manufacturing, Fulfillment, & Strategic Sourcing

In his third progressive role in the last three years, Troy Mohr oversees and provides leadership to Young Living’s global internal manufacturing sites, 67 contract manufacturing sites, and the Young Living strategic sourcing teams that support warehousing and fulfillment in 17 countries.

Troy has spent the last 30 years working in operations and manufacturing in both the private and public arenas and has a diverse background in industries from nutrition, medical, and personal care to venture placement and heavy industry/automotive. During his career, he has launched new businesses and new products, opened new markets, and built high-performing teams all over the world. He holds a B.A. degree in business administration from Lewis University and an MBA from the University of Chicago, as well as a Certificate in Purchasing Management from DePaul University.

Troy has lived in three countries, traveled to 46 of the 50 United States, and worked in 42 countries. He and his wife, Julie, currently live with their four children in Draper, Utah. His go-to essential oil is Sacred Sandalwood.

Vice President, Conduct Success/Deputy Compliance Officer

Julie Hunter joined Young Living in 2013 after spending almost 20 years working with various legal and compliance teams. She has assisted Young Living in developing programs that empower employees, customers, and vendors to advocate for best practices to follow the laws, regulations, standards, and ethics of the Young Living business. One of the most visible programs she has developed is the Conduct Success team, which offers a friendly face and accessible, useful information to members seeking to make their Young Living businesses more compliant with regulations. Julie’s work has also included developing the benchmarks of the Standards pillar in Young Living’s Seed to Seal® program.

Julie previously served as adjunct faculty at a local college and has brought her expertise to companies such as Mrs. Fields, Nature’s Sunshine, and Synergy Worldwide, supporting legal departments with compliance, conflict resolution, and complex legal transactions. Julie’s work experience includes editing, writing, educating, and enforcing company policies, laws, and agreements. At Young Living, Julie has come to love the relationships she has built with a uniquely inspiring and caring community of employees and Young Living members, and she is passionate about serving them as well.

Julie has been married for 30 years and is the mother of five adult children and grandmother of three young grandchildren. She enjoys exploring the world, developing relationships, and finding time for hiking, camping, boating, and four-wheeling with her family. Her favorite essential oils are Peppermint, Deep Relief™, Stress Away™, and Lavender.

Vice President of People

Aubrey Bates brings an extensive background in human resources to her role as Young Living’s vice president of people. Growth-oriented, forward-thinking, and committed to diversity and inclusion, Aubrey’s passion for people and building world-class workplaces makes her the perfect fit for YL.

Aubrey recently served as president and co-owner of Spherion Staffing in Idaho and as vice president of Spherion Staffing in Utah. She has also worked on various projects with local organizations, including the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
Aubrey is a proud partner in the League of Allies and serves on the board of advisors for the Women’s Leadership Institute, organizations dedicated to gender equality and inclusion. She combines data-driven work practices with a keen awareness of cultural and societal undercurrents to stay in tune with economic, educational, and employment trends.

When she’s not educating on strategies to improve inclusivity, Aubrey vice-chairs an agricultural-based charter school for at-risk youth, holds an executive advisory role in a sustainable agriculture company, and organizes DisruptHR events. Utah Business magazine has recognized Aubrey as one of Utah’s most successful and influential women.
Aubrey is married with one daughter and enjoys reenergizing herself on her family ranch in the nearby mountains. She grew up on essential oils, and her current go-to oil is Thieves®.

Regional President, Latin America

Gabriel Sanchez was born in southern Mexico, where he lived throughout college and law school. He came to the United States in 2001 to further his legal education and went on to practice international law for 12 years. Gabriel joined Young Living in 2015 and has been a great contributor to the company’s Latin America and new market expansion. He is passionate about the unique opportunity to support Young Living’s continuing growth abroad. Gabriel has worked with international markets for more than a decade and provides vast experience in the international field.

Young Living’s commitment to the world to provide a life full of abundance and wellness is Gabriel’s main objective as he participates directly in the strategic growth of the company. He finds great satisfaction in helping others grow and realize their goals in planning a global prominence for Young Living.

Gabriel enjoys good food, meeting new people, traveling, watching soccer, and spending time with his family. Thieves® is Gabriel’s favorite oil, and he loves NingXia Red®.

Regional President, Asia-Pacific

With a 16-year background in direct sales and global market management, Tai has made his career and his mark in successfully opening and developing more than 32 international markets across Asia and Europe. Since 2005, Tai has lived and worked professionally in five different countries, and for the last 10 years, he has served in Asia as a Vice President with Melaleuca.

With a thirst for continual education, Tai graduated with a degree in global economics at BYU and has earned MBA degrees from both UCLA and the National University of Singapore. Tai, his wife, Tanya, and their four children currently reside in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where they are devoted members of the community, proud fitness enthusiasts and gym owners, and enjoy chasing and coaching their children’s rugby teams on weekends.

What drew Tai to Young Living is the opportunity to be part of a selfless endeavor that links world-class products with the opportunity to change lives and communities.

Regional President, AMI (Africa, Middle East and India)

European by birth and in heart, Peter loves having the opportunity to bring Young Living Essential Oils to wellness-seekers around the world.
Peter grew up in Denmark and studied at Odense University, where he received an MBA with an emphasis in sales and marketing. He has global network marketing experience, thanks to his positions as Executive Director of International at USANA, Senior Vice President of International at Melaleuca, and Area President at Max International.

In addition to his international marketing experience, Peter worked for seven years with Stephen Covey as a leadership consultant for clients such as General Motors, 3M, Papa John’s Pizza, and Ford. He has also worked as a professor at Odense University, Westminster College, and Utah State University, where he shared his knowledge of entrepreneurship, strategy, and leadership with executive MBA students.

Peter joined the YL family in 2016 as regional president of EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa), where he led the transformation into a consistently thriving business in Europe and the expansion into the African continent. As of February 2020, he shifted his focus to a new and very young region including Africa, the Middle East, and India to support Young Living’s global vision of a healthy home for everyone in the world.

Peter’s favorite Young Living products are Frankincense essential oil and NingXia Red®.

Regional President, Europe/Russia

Kristen Tod became the regional president of Young Living Europe and Russia after five successful years as general manager of Young Living Australia/New Zealand.

Kristen boasts an impressive 30 years in the direct sales industry, as both a distributor and corporate leader, starting when she was only 19 years old selling skin care and cosmetics and building a successful party-plan business. Since then she started her own network marketing company, experiencing extraordinary growth, and became a successful corporate business-development and sales leader during her 18 years with Amway and Usana.

Kristen started with Young Living in 2014 and helped the company during an important transition from Brisbane to its new headquarters in Sydney. Under her leadership, Young Living in Australia achieved 180 percent growth, making it one of the largest network marketing companies in Australia and New Zealand.

Kristen is currently earning her MBA. She loves spending time with her husband, her son, and his family, which includes her 2- and 3-year-old grandsons. In her spare time, she designs jewelery, purchasing many pieces at auction and redesigning them. People are drawn to Kristen’s passion, hands-on mentoring, and management style as she helps them build their own businesses. Nothing gives Kristen more pleasure than helping others succeed.

Even before joining Young Living, Kristen used Young Living’s Lavender essential oil to unwind before bed.

General Manager, Canada

Tyler has been with Young Living since 2009, and his forward-thinking leadership has been instrumental in growing the Canadian market, where he currently leads as general manager. Prior to joining the Canadian team, Tyler managed operations for the greater China region, including customer service, logistics and supply chain, and sales and marketing. With more than 13 years of experience in the network marketing industry and a strong background in international development, Tyler was instrumental in opening and growing new markets in the region. He has expanded sales in the region, rapidly making it one of the top three markets for Young Living.

In addition to his industry experience, Tyler has an extensive background in international business, product development and marketing, sales, strategic planning, and implementation.

Tyler and his wife have two daughters, and he loves to spend time with them. He also enjoys basketball, wakeboarding, hiking, and rock climbing. He supplements his healthy lifestyle with Thieves®.

General Manager, Japan

As a native of Japan, Yu brings a global perspective to any role, which has made him a valuable asset to many companies with an international focus. Yu joined the Young Living team in 2014, and prior to his role as Country Manager of Japan, he held the titles of Director of Online Marketing and Director of Global Sales and Business Innovation. In these roles, Yu’s work focused on enabling and incentivizing members to help them build their best businesses.

Yu’s previous work within the direct sales world has included not only responsibilities as a manager but as a distributor as well. With this real-world experience, Yu retains a hands-on approach and down-to-earth attitude to offer empowering solutions to members and executives.

Some of Yu’s favorite Young Living products include Peppermint essential oil and any citrus oil—especially Citrus Fresh™ and Lemon. He also likes to use Deep Relief™ and Frankincense for their grounding aromas, which allow him to reset and recharge.

Country Manager, Ecuador

Travis Miller began at Young Living in 2015. During that time he has served in various roles at the company, including Brand Ambassador manager and NFR manager. In his time at Young Living, Travis has established himself as a proven and capable leader with a background in international business. His background, skills, and drive will greatly benefit our members in Ecuador as he takes on his new role serving our Latin America members.

Travis graduated with a degree in international business from Utah Valley University and an MBA from Westminster College. This ambitious educational background, combined with more than seven years of experience as a financial and direct marketing entrepreneur, will serve him as he seeks to further the mission of Young Living in Ecuador. He’s particularly passionate about the role he’ll play in mentoring and empowering other employees and members to achieve their potential.

When he isn’t working to help bring essential oils to the world, Travis can be found spending time with his family; his wife, Jacey; and two sons, Julian and Roman. To kick back and relax, he enjoys playing sports or attending sporting events. Not surprisingly, his favorite oil is R.C.™—it’s the perfect companion to his daily workout sessions; and he never travels without Life 9™ as he explores different cuisines around the world.

General Manager, Mexico

Manuel Ramirez’s journey with Young Living has been a unique one. He was first introduced to Young Living in 1997 when meeting Young Living’s late founder D. Gary Young to explore a business partnership. While that partnership did not come to fruition, Manuel is excited to now be a contributing member of the Young Living team.

With more than 24 years of experience, Manuel is no stranger to the direct sales industry. After receiving degrees in both chemistry and pharmacology, his career path led him to sales and marketing. He worked for numerous companies, including Morinda Inc., 4Life Research, Market America, and Jeunesse Global, holding positions that allowed him to manage sales and marketing teams and to serve as a general manager.

Manuel loves working for Young Living because he gets to pursue his passion while spending time with his family. He’s been happily married for 23 years and has two beautiful daughters. When he’s not working hard creating strategies for the market in Mexico, he likes to row, attend the theater, and surround himself with friends and family.

His favorite Young Living products include mint and citrus oils. He also likes Deep Relief™, Breathe Again™, and Lavender Mint Daily Shampoo.

Country Manager, Malaysia

With 15 years of experience in advertising and design, Adeline lives and breathes branding and brand building. She made her mark in several advertising agencies establishing brand leadership and branding strategies for clients such as Glaxo SmithKline, Maxis Communications, CIMB Group, Nivea, and Resorts World Genting. Not wanting to restrict herself to the tried and tested, Adeline left the agency life and joined Amway as the senior regional category manager, SEA region, where she managed the nutritional supplement brand for nine years.

Adeline’s love for high-quality essential oils led her to initially join Young Living as a member. The company quickly recognized her branding expertise and recruited her as the APAC team’s regional sales and marketing director. After only three months Adeline became country manager of Malaysia, a challenge she relishes. With the help of her big heart and her favorite essential oil blends—Thieves®, Purification®, and R.C.™—she’s set for success in her new role.

Adeline is cooking-show obsessed and is trying to spend more time in the kitchen than in front of the television. When she’s not savoring her favorite shows, Adeline actively pursues her passion in charitable and cause-related projects.

Costa Rica Country Manager

Carla Molina has over 15 years of professional experience in the Direct Selling and Network Marketing industry. With studies in Public Relations and Business Administration and an emphasis in Human Resources, she has focused her management on sales growth in international markets.

Carla and her husband Giovanny have three children; Eric, Adrián and Mónica. In her free time, she loves to cook for her friends and family. Her favorite Young Living essential oil is Abundance.

“I can see a bright and unprecedented future for Young Living in Latin America,” says Carla, “this is a company with heart, conscience and vision. Being an instrument for our essential oils to become an integral part of every Costa Rican household is not only a challenge, but a privilege.”

General Manager, Africa

Kemble is a qualified and registered pharmacist with qualifications in Business that include an IBM (admin) and an MBA. He has more than 16 years of Direct Selling (Network Marketing/ MLM), product marketing, sales management, strategy and executive decision-making experience throughout the African continent in various industries such as FMCG, Medical and Financial Services. As an entrepreneur, he has managed, marketed and grown market share in all the enterprises he has to date been involved in.

Kemble prides his ability to learn fast and grasp the core focus of any group to truly become an asset in attaining their objectives. His roles have allowed him the freedom to take businesses from startup and incubation phases to fully fledged global companies. With excellent communication, networking and well-developed interpersonal skills, he integrates well within a team and can form trusted relationships.

His strong belief in integrity and team effort has helped him make the right business decisions. Whilst focusing on the job at hand, he can keep an eye on the horizon – growing and adapting organically to the environment that he is placed in.

Kemble is married, has three sons and resides in the greater Johannesburg area of South Africa. His favorite Young Living essential oil is Peppermint.

General Manager, Australia and New Zealand

Young Living welcomes Rick Arnold as the new general manager of Australia and New Zealand. Rick has an outstanding 30-year record in the direct sales industry. He has spent 16 years in corporate management and a further 10 years as a leading distributor with a top-tier industry leader.

Rick holds a Diploma of Education, majoring in science, music, psychology, and English. He also has a Certificate IV in frontline management and holds a graduate certificate in business management from Adelaide University. As GM of Australia and New Zealand, Rick is passionate about Young Living, its unique products, and company philosophy and has a personal connection to its mission.

General Manager, Brazil

Young Living welcomes Carla Marco as the new general manager of Brazil. Carla has 20 years of experience in consumer goods and network marketing, as well as a track record of accomplishments and awards in the beauty and cosmetics industry.

As a leader, Carla is dedicated to transparent management, building others’ potential, and always orienting every effort toward finding solutions. “In my business trajectory,” she said, “I’ve learned that many times the solution is not the path previously designed. You’ve got to read the scenarios at hand and find your own approach to the overall situation before you can discover any real solutions.”

Carla is married and has one son, Vitor. She has a degree in communication, specializing in public relations, and an MBA in business management.

Carla highly recommends using Young Living’s Stress Away™and Highest Potential™essential oil blends.