Community

Angela "Ella" Wood, Naturalist & Chemist
Remembering One of Our Own

"Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do." - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

When Ella joined us at Burt's Bees in 2006, we knew she was something special. Her strong convictions in environmental consciousness married with her expertise as a naturalist and chemist were a natural fit. Ella simply embodied the essence of Burt’s Bees. She breathed our mission every day – she was truly focused on developing natural products that maximized one’s well-being while simultaneously ensuring the highest levels of environmental sensitivity. We admired her for her genuine warmth, her intelligence, her personal and professional integrity, and her deep love and appreciation for the natural world.

Ella lived her life with intention, and her passion for her work was infectious. She will be remembered by her colleagues as a woman who was not only committed to natural as a way of life but who also challenged those around her to walk the talk on environmental, sustainability and humanitarian endeavors too. Most notably, Ella was an important member of our internal Greater Good team and was a major influence in the development of The Natural Standard.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 14, 1974, Ella was a graduate of Northland College with a BS in biology with an emphasis on botany. She worked for Aveda Products in Minneapolis, MN prior to joining us here at Burt’s Bees. Ella was a member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and an active participant in the Landmark Education Forum.

Ella will be remembered as a smart and dynamic woman who loved life and was commited to serving The Greater Good – creating a world where people have the information and tools they need to make the highest ethical choices and do the best for themselves, their family and the environment. The time we spent with her in our four walls was much too short, but we were blessed to have her as our colleague and our friend.