Management Team

Founder of Young Living Essential Oils and father of the modern-day essential oils movement

Turning a passion into a profession is a dream for many; but for Young Living Founder and father of the modern-day essential oils movement D. Gary Young, it was a vibrant reality. In the late 1980s, Gary discovered the profound power of essential oils. Through Young Living, he was able to share his matchless knowledge with millions around the world, supporting their health and transforming their lives. Gary’s unrivaled expertise on the therapeutic power of plants led to the creation of the world’s largest line of essential oils and blends.

Gary was part inventor and part historian. His pursuit of new wellness discoveries was rooted in ancient practices as he unlocked and shared the benefits bestowed by herbs, plants, and trees. His research took him to the remote corners of the earth, and often back in time, to better understand nature’s powers that modern society may overlook.

In his travels to study essential oil distillation techniques around the world, Gary discovered wide discrepancies in quality. He learned that in order to ensure purity and potency, rigorous, expert analysis of finished oils is critical. With an uncompromising commitment to essential oil science, Gary established the standard now known as Therapeutic Grade™, a standard and a guarantee that Young Living will offer only 100 percent pure, natural, uncut oils that maintain their vital therapeutic potency.

To produce essential oils of this quality, Gary created the Seed to Seal® process, a philosophy ensuring that from the seeds we plant in pristine soil to the moment we seal our bottles in cutting-edge facilities, our full focus is on providing a final product that represents the best of nature without compromise.

With a deep conviction of the power of essential oils, Gary built Young Living to advocate total well-being for everyone, everywhere. Young Living is dedicated to continuing Gary’s vision and dream through the gift of essential oils.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Mary Young plays an active role in Young Living’s day-to-day business, providing direction to the Executive team and employees. She also plays a vital role in mentoring and empowering members as they share the mission and benefits of Young Living with the world.

Mary was introduced to the direct-selling industry in 1985, and within two years she had cultivated and built a successful multimillion-dollar organization. Since the inception of Young Living, Mary has combined her expansive knowledge and experience in the direct-selling industry and hands-on approach to help Young Living become—and remain—the world leader in essential oils.

Mary is also instrumental in Young Living’s philanthropic endeavors, and she leads global outreach efforts through the D. Gary Young Foundation. She embodies Young Living’s commitment to supporting individuals and communities as they strive to live healthy lifestyles.

President and Chief Operating Officer

Jared Turner began at Young Living as International Associate General Counsel. His passion for fostering the company’s growth quickly brought him up through the ranks and allowed him to hold positions that included Vice President of International, Chief Global Sales Officer, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. He now serves as both COO and President of Young Living, where he is responsible for creating scalable, sustainable global growth; elevating Young Living’s brand, products, and standing; and creating an ever-improving member experience.
A results-driven leader, Jared has long been trusted by Founder and Chairman of the Board D. Gary Young and Co-Founder and CEO Mary Young to further the vision for the company they created in 1994. He is a genuine example of Young Living’s mission and the Youngs’ vision, and he is passionate about sharing that vision with people around the world.
Jared holds a master’s degree in international relations from Syracuse University, a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law, and bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and political science from the University of Utah.
Jared loves spending as much time as possible with his three children. Some of his other passions are snowboarding, traveling, scuba diving, playing basketball, and hiking.

Chief Legal & Compliance Officer

As a part of Young Living’s Executive Management team, Matthew provides strategic counsel in legal and compliance matters, including corporate governance, regulatory compliance, litigation, contract management, and employment law. Prior to joining the company, he worked for a private boutique firm, where he specialized in civil litigation and criminal defense matters, and as a deputy county prosecutor with the Maricopa County (Arizona) Attorney’s Office.
Young Living’s mission to inspire individuals to wellness, purpose, and abundance drew Matthew to Young Living. He quickly embraced the Young Living culture and developed a passion to serve its members. Matthew’s philosophy is to uplift the employees he works with while supporting members as they strive to achieve their goals.
Matthew enjoys sports, especially Lakers basketball, music, colorful socks, and spending time with his family.

Chief Science Officer
As Young Living’s first-ever Chief Science Officer, Dr. Buch’s work includes scientific research and development on new and established products, new applications and claims, and product strategy and stewardship.
Dr. Buch brings with him more than 25 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. He earned a BA in chemistry from Franklin and Marshall College and MS and PhD degrees in analytical chemistry from the University of Delaware. Dr. Buch has led global organizations at some of the world’s leading companies, and his success has resulted in more than a dozen patents in the health care field, several books, and a number of published articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is personally responsible for developing health care products with annual sales of nearly $3 billion, and his products have been marketed in more than 100 countries. Dr. Buch is also a member of several prestigious associations, including the Institute on Science for Global Policy and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Dr. Buch enjoys fresh and saltwater fishing and has a passion for photography. He loves the crisp, outdoorsy scent of Young Living’s R.C.™ , and he often diffuses it during the winter months to add a fresh scent to the air.

Chief Supply Chain Officer

Lauren joined Young Living with over 25 years of experience in project management, supply chain, and manufacturing. She pioneered innovative supply and production strategies in roles from engineer to Vice President of Manufacturing while working for multiple high-profile international companies.
Lauren brings an exceptional level of experience and passion to her position. Her role entails overseeing Young Living’s entire global supply chain and ensuring that it runs smoothly from start to finish. Her impressive work in globally aligned systems will help Young Living implement operations across all markets, which will ultimately ensure a constant supply of high-quality products for our members.
In addition to her extensive experience, Lauren serves on several boards of directors, including the Salt Lake Chamber. Lauren has been a keynote speaker for the American Manufacturing Strategies Summit and Front End Innovations Conference. She is a Lean Six Sigma Project Champion and is Green Belt Certified. Lauren holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Union College in New York.
Lauren and her husband, Todd, love the natural beauty of Utah and the opportunity for outdoor adventure that it offers. She has two adult children who both followed in her footsteps and pursued careers in engineering.

Chief Sales Officer
Ben Riley joined Young Living in June 2016 when he stepped in as senior director of Global Sales. Since that time, he has held the roles of regional president of North America and, most recently, executive vice president of Global Sales.
With an MBA from Duke University and more than 15 years of experience in network marketing and fast-moving consumer goods, Ben has served as VP of leadership at Visi, VP of sales at Avon in Australia and New Zealand, managing director for 4Life ANZ, and general manager for Melaleuca ANZ.
Ben also worked as an expatriate in Taiwan and South Korea and speaks fluent Korean and passable Mandarin. In total, he has spent more than 10 years building businesses internationally and loves understanding and learning from other cultures and people.
Ben’s true beginnings with Young Living started in 1998, when he worked at a Young Living warehouse while attending college. He describes the feeling of being part of the Young Living family as similar to the feeling of coming home. Now, he is particularly passionate about working for the best personal empowerment vehicle he has ever been a part of.

Ben is married with three children, two girls and one boy, and he enjoys spending time with them, especially while hiking and camping. His personal interests include golf, road and mountain cycling, reading, and traveling. Ben’s favorite Young Living products rotate regularly, but his current go-to is Sacred Sandalwood.

Chief Financial Officer
Lee Bowen joined Young Living Essential Oils with more than 18 years of financial operations, strategy development, and leadership experience, beginning in 2014 as Director of Finance. As Chief Financial Officer, Lee oversees financial planning and analysis, fraud management, treasury, banking, internal audit, as well as commissions services, human resources, payroll, tax, and risk management.
Lee earned an MBA and MSIM (Master of Science in Information Management) from Arizona State University and a BS in accounting with a minor in Spanish from Brigham Young University. His previous experience includes working at Intel Corporation, Deloitte Consulting, an expatriate assignment in Panama as Regional Director of Finance at HILTI, and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for Nature’s Sunshine. He is also fluent in Spanish.
Lee has been married to his wife, Tricia, for 20 years, and they have four children—three boys and one girl. He enjoys watching his children’s sports competitions, running, playing golf, and attending BYU athletic events. He starts his day diffusing either Christmas Spirit or an invigorating blend of Lime and Peppermint.

Executive Vice President, Information Technology

Michael Green joins the Young Living team as our new Information Technology expert. As the Senior Vice President of Information Technology, Michael’s experience in building scalable systems that can handle our high volumes will help take Young Living’s IT department to the next level to support our expansive network.
Michael graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a Bachelor’s degree in information technology. Prior to joining Young Living in 2017, Michael worked as the Chief Information Officer for Plexus Worldwide, providing direction and leadership for various IT functions such as Software Development, IT Operations, Business Intelligence, and Business Operations. He also has over 16 years of successful IT experience with start-ups, direct sales, and global consumer products companies. Thanks to his experience with companies such as Melaleuca Inc., USANA, and Plexus Worldwide, Michael understands the global aspects of building and supporting billion-dollar companies. We are excited to welcome Michael to the Young Living team after an exhaustive search that yielded many qualified applicants.
Michael’s commitment to excellent performance aligns perfectly with our Seed to Seal® commitment, particularly his desire to provide the highest quality work from start to finish and inspiring those around him to do so as well. “I encourage employees to drive for more than the status quo and create a collaborative environment where ideas are explored,” he says. “As a versatile team player, I drive to the finish line.”

Chief of Staff

Kelly has been a valued member of the Young Living team for more than 15 years, and during this time she has gained invaluable insight into many areas of the business. Kelly joined Young Living as a member of the marketing department and was then promoted to executive assistant to the founders, where she also supported various areas of the business.

Her role quickly evolved to that of a trusted advisor, where she has played a key role through many challenges and company growth.
Most of Kelly’s role has taken place behind the scenes, where she has mediated issues, advised, and bridged communication across disciplines to create a cohesive environment.
Kelly continues to be a strategic advisor, trusted voice, and sounding board to the executive team, CEO Mary Young, and Founder Gary Young but now plays a more visible role to the corporate staff and the strategic day-to-day business.
Kelly has a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children and loves traveling, spending time at the beach, reading, and attending the theatre.