Dedicated. Caring.
Curated Team
Meet the team that is committed to our mission and supporting our customers.
FOUNDER & CEO
Brian Van Hecke, MBA

Favorite Form of Self-Care: A short morning meditation followed by a good stretch and some green tea with mint, anise, cinnamon, all spice, cloves and some MCT oil to get the day started.

Hi, I’m Brian.

I founded Curated with one goal in mind—to help a million people across the country achieve their health goals. Inspired by a trained Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I was equally amazed and impressed by her wealth of knowledge and her ability to help others overcome so many common health conditions that inflict so many in our country.

Initially, the idea was to provide a professional-grade supplement store and essential curations with the goal of eliminating the guesswork around vitamins and nutrients. My dream quickly grew to building and empowering a national team of Nutritional Therapy Association trained professionals who together could bring customized, natural solutions to those seeking a holistic approach to health. Integrating programs of diet, lifestyle and supplements to support the body’s natural innate ability to heal itself and thrive.

I received my BS from the University of Vermont and an MBA from the University of North Carolina. My career started in New York City working for Citibank/Citi and I spent nearly a decade at Bose Corporation. I am also the founder of two successful technology businesses (SoundTube Entertainment and OnSite Media). SoundTube was a multiple recipient of the Consumer Electronics annual Innovation Award. OnSite Media was recognized by Inc. Magazine twice as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in North America and by Deloitte as a 500 Fast Technology Company.

Born in Dayton, OH and still an avid Dayton Flyer basketball fan, the value of hard work and ingenuity were instilled in me at an early age. Something about those Wright Brothers and the birthplace of aviation! Health and wellness became a foundation of my life while in college and exploring the Green Mountains and diverse seasons of Vermont.

I have 2 wonderful “little dudes” (Jake and Jones). We love biking, skiing, playing tennis, golf, and pretty much anything outdoors. I also enjoy coaching my kids’ teams (soccer, basketball and currently baseball). One of the best things about living in Santa Barbara is our amazing farmer’s market and access to fresh produce year-round. Being a single dad has its challenges, but I’ve learned to be a decent cook along the way for me and the boys and really appreciate our local farmers.

I hope you choose to join our community today and let us help you finally reach your health goals. If given the opportunity, I know you will find our team at Curated is passionate, professional, and fully committed in supporting you. Get started today by eliminating the guesswork and achieving your health goals!

CO-Founder
Tracy Thomas, MA, FNTP, CGP

Favorite form of self care:Daily morning meditation, followed by lots of sunshine, water, yoga, and local food from our farmer's market.

Hi, I'm Tracy.

Wanting to help people live into old age with sharp minds, active bodies, and joyful spirits, Brian and I spent countless hours trying to figure out how to bring holistic wellness to more people and in a way that made it easier. Wellness is a mindset and a way of life, and with that in mind Curated Wellness was born with the goal of helping a million people reach their highest potential, while making it both convenient and supported. 

I'm a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, GAPS practitioner, and mental health nutritionist. I came to holistic nutrition after a 20 year journey of research, determined to figure out which foods truly nourish the human body. I couldn't find any continuity as nearly every new diet in the media seemed to contradict the one before it, but when I was ready to have a baby, I knew I needed to get to the core of what health really was, so I could provide my future baby the most nourishing environment possible. 

I found holistic nutrition, where the science across the field resonated with my core, and the focus was on healing the human body with real food. I dove head-first into my formal education and immersed myself in what I had been yearning for. Now, with an extensive understanding of what human bodies need to thrive, I work on balancing the systems of the whole person through education on proper nutrition and the use of natural supplements, so others can better navigate both the media and the grocery store. My passion is helping others identify the imbalances that have been holding them back and educating them to become the healthiest and most vital versions of themselves!

I received my credentialing as a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner from the Nutritional Therapy Association and a Master’s Degree from UC Santa Barbara. I also hold several additional post-graduate health certifications. When I’m not further educating myself on health and nutrition or cooking delicious, nutrient-dense meals for my family, I’m usually outdoors enjoying the beauty of Santa Barbara, or skiing, hiking, and biking on Mammoth Mountain, my home away from home. 

My most sincere wish is for you to enjoy your most vibrant and joyful life, nourishing your mind, body, and spirit everyday!

Chief Product Officer, Chief of Staff
Leslie Matis, BA

Favorite Food: I love sushi, all different types but especially salmon and spicy tuna. It’s so fun and beautifully presented, never boring and so many flavors are enhanced by a good bottle of sake!

Hi, I’m Leslie­ – a digital innovator, Mom, and product creator.

I’m a huge believer in channeling the universe for evoking positive change. A friend introduced me to Brian (Curated’s founder) at just the right time and I’ve been working with our amazing team as Chief Product Officer since. I consider myself a health conscious person, but supplements have always confused and overwhelmed me. I’m so excited about Curated’s mission of eliminating the guesswork around supplements and nutrition, especially building the right tools to help others learn and adopt their own personalized supplement and food recommendations from our awesome practitioner team!

Over the past 15 years, I’ve been an innovator in the digital space, creating products for companies like AARP, Vanguard, Humana, Holiday Retirement, GE, and WordPress that help people enhance their lives. With a background in project and product management, sales and marketing, I strive to put customers at the center of everything I do to build products that are delightful, helpful, and engaging. My love for research, testing, and analyzing data comes in handy when the time for business growth and innovation are at hand. With a passion for bringing content to life, I’ve developed over 50 wellness programs that have helped people find balance, make room for gratitude and eat well to live well. 

I’ve split my time between CA, NY, and NJ. Santa Barbara is home now where I enjoy hiking, spinning, travel, wine, gardening and home renovation with my husband, 2 energetic boys, Saint Bermastiff and chickens.

Digital Marketing Manager
Sarah Caffrey, BJ, NTP

Favorite Form of Self-Care: A hot, steamy bath filled with Epsom salt and some soothing essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus. I like a dark room with soft spa music playing, and a gentle glow from a candle or essential oil diffuser. I always bring a book, but usually just lay there and relax.

Hi, I’m Sarah—a writer, designer, and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner here at Curated Wellness. I live in Kansas City with my husband, our 1-year-old son, and a yellow lab.

I believe in taking a balanced approach to health and wellness by using nourishing foods and lifestyle techniques to balance hormones, improve gut health, and increase metabolism. 

A little bit about me—I first found the health and wellness world when I was an undergrad studying Journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia. While in school, I went through a period of weight gain and found a solution with whole foods and movement. After I graduated, I began my career in advertising, but never stopped dreaming about turning my passion for food and nutrition into something more. So, I did what millennials do, and I started a blog, where I post recipes and healthy living tips and tricks. It was in that online space that I discovered the Nutritional Therapy Association and decided it was finally time to take the plunge into a formal nutrition education.

The NTP program completely changed my life—and that’s coming from someone who thought she was pretty “healthy” to begin with. I found out that even though I looked perfectly healthy on the outside and was at a normal weight, I was not as healthy as I assumed. After years of living a conventional lifestyle and taking pharmaceuticals like hormonal birth control and antibiotics, my digestion and hormones were a mess and manifesting themselves in skin and mood issues. What I realized during this time was that even though I was making the right nutrition choices, there were other things like stress and environmental toxins that were making me sick in ways I didn’t recognize. I soon began implementing a new approach to food, movement, supplements, and lifestyle products and slowly began to see my symptoms improve.

Customer Care manager
Melissa Pilones

Favorite Form of Self-Care: A good skin care routine and good night sleep.

Hi, I’m Melissa Pilones. I may not be Japanese, but I sometimes have a huge craving for Cali maki or just maki in general, and you’ll always find maki or instant ramen hidden somewhere in my pantry. But, who doesn’t love Japanese food? I believe eating food we love is essential to feeling great and boosting mood, making Japanese food a “good mood” food.

I’m from the Philippines and I would love to explore each corner of the archipelago. I’m always fascinated by the diversity of culture and food in every region.

I graduated with a degree in Network Technology from Mapua MIT and I first worked in technical support, where I once received an award as a top-performing representative, and later on promoted to team manager.

I’m often hooked with things that involve analysis, problem-solving, and people management. An unlikely combination of skills that gave me an opportunity to work as Customer Service Manager at Curated Wellness. Having experience with managing a group of people as a CS Manager and building system operations in network technology, I'm well-equipped with the skills and knowledge to carry out Curated’s mission of empowering its members.

I believe with an effective system in place and the right mindset around nutrition and lifestyle, we can positively influence how we feel and how we put things into the right perspective.