Kristen Dunning
BSA ‘21, MBA ’24
Creating skin care solutions through agriculture and personal experience
School/College
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Terry College of Business
City
Dallas, Georgia
Occupation
Gently Soap
Founder & CEO
Biography
Drawing on her background in agricultural science and her family’s farming heritage, Kristen founded Gently Soap to create plant-based skin care products designed for people with eczema and sensitive skin, which would go on to become the foundation for a nationally recognized business.
Since launching the company, she has grown Gently Soap into a brand serving more than 60,000 customers, earning features on Shark Tank, Good Morning America, The View and Oprah’s Favorite Things. Her work has also been recognized with honors including Aveeno’s Skin Health Startup of the Year award.
A two-time University of Georgia graduate, she earned two degrees through the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and a STEM-designated MBA from the Terry College of Business. She now remains connected to UGA as an instructor, mentor and judge for student innovation competitions. Through entrepreneurship, education and advocacy, she is helping redefine how people think about skin health while demonstrating the power of research-driven innovation rooted in agriculture.
