2025 Speakers

Linda Wang is the Founder and CEO of Karuna Skin and Avatara, two purpose-driven skincare brands born from her personal skin struggles and sharpened by over a decade of retail buying experience at top fashion brands including American Eagle Outfitters, Guess, and Bebe. Growing up in Taiwan, Linda dealt with chronic skin imbalances like eczema and inflammation. Relief came through a traditional Asian remedy that involved applying an ointment and wrapping the area in plastic—her first encounter with what she later realized was a sheet mask. That moment would inspire a lifelong passion for skincare and eventually lead to the launch of Karuna in 2009, the first brand to bring Asian sheet masks to the U.S. market.

Linda’s love for beauty started early—working as a makeup artist while earning her degree in Fashion Merchandising at The Ohio State University. Her combined retail experience and passion for ingredient-driven, effective skincare laid the foundation for her entrepreneurial path. After Karuna’s success, Linda noticed a gap in the market for gentle, age-appropriate skincare for younger users. Inspired by her pre-teen nieces and concerned about the harsh products they were using, she created Avatara in 2017—a line of clean, non-toxic skincare essentials tailored for young, sensitive skin. With playful, approachable packaging and dermatologist-approved formulas, Avatara is now available at Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods Market nationwide. Linda continues to evolve both brands with a focus on accessibility, education, and helping all ages achieve healthy, balanced skin.