Before starting The Etho, Sydney built and ran a small business that linked administrative assistants with local start-ups, nonprofits and other clients in the Austin, Texas area. Before that, Sydney worked for a small advertising company, and ran Monty & Joie, a dress company she started in college. Sydney has volunteered doing environmental/wildlife conservation in Cambodia, and throughout Texas, with organizations like Refugee Services of Texas. She also mentored high school girls through ChickTech, an Austin non-profit dedicated to retaining women in the technology workforce and increasing the number of women and girls pursuing technology-based careers. Sydney earned her BS in Advertising and Business Foundations at UT-Austin, and studied Media and Global Change at the Salzburg Academy in Austria. She earned her MBA from the Acton School of Business.

Terrell and her husband have started, sold and invested in over 50 companies. Starting in 1987 with a kitchen and bath design studio: that expanded into design and building of over 50 custom homes. Terrell comes from a long line of interior designers and has worked with textiles, furniture, and design over the last 30 years. Terrell and her husband have invested in businesses spanning real estate in the US and EU, banking (Bank of Houston, Pioneer Bank Austin and Key Stone Bank), the spirits industry (San Luis Spirits, which owns Dripping Springs Vodka and Gin, numerous technology businesses, a medical device company, and a restaurant in Paris named Treize….. to name a few. Terrell has been working in start-up businesses for 30+ years and has the skills to lead teams in many different sectors. She has also served on the Boards of Austin Recovery, Teen and Family Services-Austin/Houston, and has been involved with numerous other boards and committees in the Houston and Austin-area. When Sydney asked her to come on board at The Etho, she knew very quickly that The Etho's vision spoke to her background in business and advocacy.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Monica Peraza is a social serial entrepreneur, founding five companies and two non-profits to date. She founded and managed two successful businesses in Mexico City before moving to New York City in 2007 to found Dalma Imports. Dedicated to bringing handcrafted Mexican products to wholesale markets in the US and Canada, Dalma Imports created channels of wholesale distribution in the US, Canada and Mexico. In 2005, Monica moved to Austin, Texas where she founded two non-profits while starting her fourth company, alegreea.com, which, like Dalma Imports, introduced and positioned several high-end Mexican brands to US Markets. Sydney Sherman and Monica decided to join forces and create The Etho in order to provide access to markets to Women from all over the world who make unique Ethical products. An alumni of the SLELP program at Stanford Graduate Business School, member of The Aspen Institute Latinos & Society Program Monica is passionate the empowerment of women.

Heidi is The Etho's Verification Specialist, based in Delhi, India. In this role, she wears many hats from communications to supporting The Etho's sellers and leading the development of The Etho's Ethical Production Verification Process. She also plays a key role in the development of the tools through which we apply our Core Ethical Standards in building The Etho's marketplace. She is also developing Impact reporting for The Etho. Heidi is an expert on development project management as well as sustainable development. Her specialties include poverty reduction, small and micro enterprise development, and education. She has 15+ years of experience in Fair Trade, as well as organic farming and sustainable value chains, both from private and INGO sectors in both Asia and Africa. As an entrepreneur, she also managed an online shop and a Fair Trade importing business for 9 years. She holds Masters degrees in both Environmental Social Sciences and Education.

After graduating with a degree in Psychology and Art, Maci worked in Public Relations, Social Media Management and Wardrobe Styling. Her belief in advocating for at-risk communities led her to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where she volunteered with various anti-human trafficking organizations, as well as the local level, for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Texas. She also has experience in fashion design--having learned how to sew from her Mom at an early age--and was even able to learn under professional tailors while in Thailand. At one point, Maci even ran her own Etsy shop, featuring her own handmade designs. She has a knack for storytelling and content creation and oversees both The Etho’s creative direction and marketing efforts. Before joining the The Etho Team, Maci was The Digital Coordinator at a San Antonio Public Relations Firm.

Meaghan is the Regional Director at The Etho. In this role, she communicates with our sellers and facilitates an efficient, pleasant onboarding process while providing ongoing support.  Before joining The Etho, Meaghan worked as an educator. In this capacity, she worked diligently to provide effective, innovative learning experiences for all of her students. Meaghan has a Masters of Education with a focus in literacy and a degree in Communication with a minor in Spanish.  Meaghan enjoys learning about and experiencing new cultures.  She spent time in Costa Rica, Chile, and Peru studying Spanish, volunteering, and tutoring at local schools.  Meaghan believes in taking risks, making big things happen, and pursuing your dreams, even if others doubt you, and encourages others to do the same. She’s currently living a nomadic lifestyle, living in and traveling the country in an RV. She’s passionate about social justice and advocating for others.  When the opportunity at The Etho appeared, she couldn’t wait to get started so she could help connect sellers to conscious consumers.

Elizabeth Priestman is an entrepreneurial leader with global experience building and leading successful businesses. In 1994, Elizabeth founded a digital application company serving Canadian and US clients in automotive, banking, CPG, entertainment and insurance. As a digital specialist, her firm developed web-based loyalty systems, CRM platforms, and data-driven marketing programs for some of the world's leading brands. As technology evolved, she expanded her company's capabilities into social media, mobile and branded games. Elizabeth is a graduate of British Columbia Institute of Technology, a past member of the Young Entrepreneurs' Organization and student of Harvard Business School's Digital Marketing Executive Education Program. She is a popular speaker on digital marketing and driving success in the mobile industry. Most recently, Elizabeth served as a founding member of Fuse Powered's team, leading sales, marketing and customer success from start-up to a successful acquisition by Upsight after scaling to 950M mobile devices.

Steve Hicks is a veteran entrepreneur and business owner. He bought his first radio station at the age of twenty-nine, and served as CEO of GulfStar Communications, Inc., from July 1987 to January 1997. Over the next 14 years, he acquired stations in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, and South Carolina. He also co-founded and served as CEO of SFX Broadcasting, Inc., from November 1993 to May 1996, including the initial public offering of the stock in 1993. In 1997, Hicks was named the Radio Executive of the Year and was ranked one of the 10 most Powerful People In Radio By Radio Ink. In 1996, Ernst & Young named him Entrepreneur of the Year and he was recognized as Broadcaster of the Year by the Texas Association of Broadcasters. Later, he founded and served as chief executive officer of Capstar Broadcasting Corporation, which he also took public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1998. In 1999, Capstar Broadcasting merged with Chancellor Media Corp to form AMFM Inc. Hicks served as vice-chairman and chief executive officer of the new media division of AMFM. In 2000, AMFM was bought by radio station Behemoth Clear Channel Communications. In December 2002, Hicks was appointed to the board of directors of XM. On February 2, 2005, Hicks was appointed to the board of directors of sound equipment maker SLS International, Inc., a publicly traded company.

A licensed attorney since 2004, Christina is the owner of Wisdom Law, PLLC in Austin, Texas. Her practice is primarily focused on providing strategic legal guidance for clients on legislative and regulatory matters--mostly in the realm of environmental and natural resources law. She also represents clients on various businesses and operational matters and consults with clients on project development. Prior to starting her own firm in 2014, Christina worked at large law firms, a statewide trade association, and in the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C. For two semesters, she taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School Law. In addition to managing a full-time law practice, Christina is also pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Spiritual Formation at the Seminary of the Southwest, and she volunteers with Truth Be Told, a program that works with incarcerated women in Texas prisons, teaching them how to write and tell their stories. Christina's unique insight enables her to offer sound legal advice, strategic counseling, and deep knowledge of the power of authenticity, vulnerability and spirituality to her clients. Christina earned her BA from Southwestern University and her JD from the University of Texas School of Law.