Walden Local Meat Co., a direct-to-consumer share program that hand-delivers meat to members’ doorsteps from farms across the Northeast, announced Nancy Pak is the company’s new chief executive officer, effective Oct. 17.

“As a founder, searching for a new CEO can be a fraught exercise, as there is a desire to find someone who will both protect the company’s values and culture, while also pushing us to grow in new ways," said Charley Cummings, board chair and founder of Walden Local Meat Co. “Walden Local has always been a very deliberately values-driven company, with a strongly collaborative culture. Nancy believes in the core ethos and impact-driven strategy of the company. After a focused search, Walden’s board and I are very excited to have her lead Walden Local’s next chapter and partner with her to continue to grow our region’s pasture-based agriculture.”

Most recently, Pak served as president of North American Ventures for Mondelēz International. She previously worked for Mondelēz International’s subsidiary Tate’s Bake Shop as CEO. Working across global consumer brands and geographies, Pak spent more than 20 years at Colgate-Palmolive, where she eventually served as vice president and general manager of Tom’s of Maine. While leading the Tom’s of Maine brand, Pak spearheaded an innovative growth plan and secured a Certified B Corp status for Tom’s of Maine.

“I am delighted and honored to be the new leader of Walden Local and to carry its mission and ‘local first’ business approach forward,” Pak said. “As a transformative leader in regenerative agriculture, Walden Local stands for much more than just its delicious food, it has a long-standing commitment to partner farmers in the Northeast and is a testament to how a business can have a lasting impact on its surrounding communities and the food industry. I look forward to accelerating Walden Local’s presence in households across the Northeast and championing its commitment to improving our environment.”