March 15, 2023
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is pleased to announce the outstanding recipients of the 2023 AHPA Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the continued success of the herbal and natural products industries. The AHPA Awards ceremony took place during the AHPA Annual Member Meeting on March 8 at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA.
2023 AHPA Award Winners
Herbal Hero Award: Asa Waldstein
Herbal Industry Leadership Award: Natural Remedies
Herbal Insight Award: David Winston
Environmental Impact Award: Shawn Donnille
Herbal Pioneer Award: Lise Groleau
Lifetime Achievement in Collaboration Award: Joseph Betz
From left: Asa Waldstein and AHPA's Amber Bennett; Natural Remedies' Punit Dashottar; Herbalist & Alchemist's Beth Lambert and David Winston; Shawn Donnille; Lise Groleau; AHPA's Michael McGuffin and Joseph Betz
Established in 2006, the annual AHPA Awards acknowledge individuals and organizations that help further AHPA's goal of promoting the responsible commerce of herbal and natural products.
“The 2023 AHPA Award winners across every category are truly best in class,” said AHPA President Michael McGuffin. “This year, it was especially rewarding to recognize Lise Groleau and Joseph M. Betz with special awards for their significant contributions as trailblazers of the herbal and dietary supplement industries.”
Herbal Hero Award: Asa Waldstein
Asa Waldstein is principal of Supplement Advisory Group, chair of the AHPA Cannabis Committee, and undisputed AHPA superfan – championing the association and contributing to AHPA initiatives every chance he gets. With a background in herbalism, Asa has 20 years of experience developing and implementing compliant marketing and cGMP manufacturing processes, and he is widely respected for his dietary supplement and hemp regulatory expertise and creative outreach. His dedication to supporting the market for safe, high quality dietary supplements and herbal products is outstanding and his commitment to advancing AHPA's efforts is inspiring.
Asa Waldstein is the recipient of the 2023 AHPA Herbal Hero Award.
“When I started studying clinical herbalism in the late 90s and followed my passion for herbs into the supplement industry, I had no idea how much fun and opportunity it would bring me. This award signifies that anything is possible if you follow your passions, work hard, and find a supportive community like AHPA. I have been an AHPA member for almost half of my life, and I attribute much of my professional success to the connections and education from being an active AHPA member. I thank the AHPA community for this prestigious award. It's genuinely one of the pinnacles of my professional career, and I am so thankful!”
-Asa Waldstein
Herbal Industry Leadership Award: Natural Remedies
Natural Remedies is one of the pioneers in introducing clinically tested Ayurvedic botanical extracts to the U.S. The AHPA member company has contributed more than 100 analytical monographs on Ayurvedic botanicals to various global pharmacopoeias', including 42 monographs to United States Pharmacopoeia and 7 to the Herbal Medicines Compendium of USP. In addition, Natural Remedies practices the "conservation through cultivation" approach to biodiversity preservation and is dedicated to expanding the scope and reach of their sustainability practices to expand their positive impact on climate, communities, and crops.
Natural Remedies is the recipient of the 2023 AHPA Herbal Industry Leadership Award.
“We are humbled and delighted to receive the 2023 AHPA Herbal Industry Leadership Award, which is a testimony to the contributions made by Natural Remedies in bringing the science of Indian botanicals to the global stage.”
-Abey Thomas, Head of Global Marketing, Natural Remedies
Herbal Insight Award: David Winston
David Winston, RH (AHG), has been teaching, writing, practicing, formulating, and advocating for herbal medicine for over 50 years, and has had a significant impact in furthering acceptance and use of herbs. His lifelong study and love of herbs led him to start leading herbal supplement brand and AHPA member company, Herbalist & Alchemist, in 1982. A prominent herbalist and one of the founders of the American Herbalists Guild, David has authored several definitive books on herbs and hundreds of articles, reviews and papers published in journals, proceedings and texts. His dedication to educating and advancing the herbal community is indispensable.
David Winston is the recipient of the 2023 AHPA Herbal Insight Award.
“I was very surprised and honored to be chosen to receive this award, I see it as not just a recognition of my 50+ years of work, but the recognition of generations of great herbalists who have passed this knowledge down to us and the clinicians and researchers who continue to use, study and expand traditional herbal wisdom, creating a synthesis of old and new.”
-David Winston
Environmental Impact Award: Shawn Donnille
As owner and president of Mountain Rose Herbs, Shawn Donnille has been stewarding the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of the AHPA member company's environmental conservation ideals and sustainable business practices for over 20 years. Celebrated by his team and admired by the herbal community for his dedication to environmental responsibility, Shawn inspires companies and individuals alike to follow suit in his quest to do better for the planet through his personal advocacy and leadership of Mountain Rose Herbs.
Shawn Donnille is the recipient of the 2023 AHPA Environmental Impact Award.
“People, plants, and planet are more important than profit. I live and lead by this seemingly simple principle because, at the end of the day, sustainable quality of life hinges delicately on how we caretake our planet. I am honored and thrilled to receive this award.”
-Shawn Donnille
Herbal Pioneer Award: Lise Groleau
As the trailblazing former CEO of Kan Herb, Lise Groleau fearlessly led the Chinese herbal products maker and AHPA member company for 30 years. Celebrated for her fire, wit and style, Lise is known for being on the front lines for issues facing the herbal products industry – from Prop 65 to challenges related to epedhera – as well as her contributions to the efforts of AHPA's Chinese Herbal Products Committee. Her love for the beauty and artistry behind herbs and herbalism has made a lasting impact on the Chinese herbal products community and beyond.
Lise Groleau is the recipient of the 2023 AHPA Herbal Pioneer Award.
“Let me start by saying how deeply honored I am to be receiving this award. The American Herbal Products Association is comprised of many innovative, dedicated and committed members and I am that much more honored to be chosen for this year's pioneer award. I dedicated over 30 years of my life, working steadfastly with these goals in mind: to provide alternatives to conventional ways to support one's wellbeing and health, and to educate people about the possibilities and choices that they have at their disposal. It was to be, and still is for the industry at large, goals that are at once challenging and very rewarding, and I am glad to have contributed towards their realizations. Thank you again for this honor.”
-Lise Groleau
Lifetime Achievement in Collaboration Award: Joseph Betz
Joseph Betz's decades-long, distinguished career includes posts as Vice President of Scientific & Technical Affairs at AHPA and, until his recent retirement, Acting Director of the National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. The author or co-author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, Dr. Betz is widely regarded for his expertise in pharmacognosy, his scientific contributions to the broad field of dietary supplements, and his history of collaboration and leadership in the advancement of botanical research.
Joseph Betz is the recipient of the 2023 AHPA Lifetime Achievement in Collaboration Award.
“I am deeply touched by this unexpected honor. I chose Pharmacognosy as a career because of a love of the natural world. My journey has been long and interesting, one made more enjoyable by the path that allowed me to combine being a scientist with being a public servant. The job of the scientist is to be unbiased and open minded and to recognize that the word ‘science' itself is best used as a verb. The job of the public servant is to use one's training to advance a common good. Nobody ever said you could not make dear friends and have fun along the way. I thank AHPA for the opportunity to meet and work with wonderful people on sometimes contentious but always fascinating projects.”
-Joseph Betz
