As president of the General Mills Natural and Organic Operating unit, Carla Vernón leads financial and environmental stewardship strategy for the company’s $1 billion portfolio of natural and organic food brands, which include Annie’s, Cascadian Farm, and Immaculate Baking. Under her leadership, General Mills has become the second largest producer of branded organic foods in the U.S.
Known as a business and culture transformation specialist, Carla has revived growth for several General Mills’ products including Cheerios, Yoplait and Nature Valley. Her career with the company has also included time in the company’s Corporate Strategy and Mergers and Acquisition teams.
Carla has served on the national Board of Directors for the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Advisory Board for the Wisconsin School of Business’s Center for Brand and Product Management. She is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and a member of The Alumni Society (for Latino senior leaders).
Prior to joining General Mills, Carla worked for U.S. Senator Carol Moseley-Braun and The Nature Conservancy. Carla received her bachelor’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Princeton and a master’s in business administration from the University of Texas, Austin (as a Consortium Fellow).