Utah physician assistant Bree VanLeeuwen, founder of Daily Shade Sunscreen, will be featured at Ecom Elevated, highlighting her rapid growth and mission to improve sunscreen transparency amid rising melanoma concerns.
Salt Lake City, Utah — April 8, 2026
A Utah physician assistant is turning a personal health scare into a fast-growing business aimed at addressing one of the state’s most urgent health concerns—melanoma.
“When my young daughter had an allergic reaction to a ‘100% Mineral Baby’ sunscreen, I started digging into ingredient transparency,” said Bree VanLeeuwen, CEO and Founder of Daily Shade Sunscreen. “What I found was confusing and often misleading labeling for families trying to make safe choices.”
VanLeeuwen, who has treated skin damage firsthand in her medical career, saw a growing pattern: patients in Utah, where melanoma rates are among the highest in the nation, were avoiding sunscreen altogether due to lack of trust in ingredients. Determined to close that gap, she developed her own product built around transparency and safety.
VanLeeuwen is one of the featured founders connected to Commerce Catalyst’s annual conference, Ecom Elevated, to take place on April 15–16 at Le Méridien Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City.
VanLeeuwen's momentum has accelerated since placing second in Commerce Catalyst’s Female Founder Pitch Competition last fall, where she received $3,000 to advance product development.
Since then, she has:
VanLeeuwen credits Commerce Catalyst’s founder network as a key driver behind that growth.
“I’ve been able to learn, connect, and move faster because of the community,” she said.
Ecom Elevated, hosted by Commerce Catalyst, brings together ecommerce founders, operators, and teams for two days of tactical learning and high-level networking. This year’s event introduces a new roundtable format, allowing brands to workshop real business challenges in small-group settings alongside experienced operators.
Sessions will cover topics including Amazon strategy, TikTok Shop growth, hiring models, sourcing and fulfillment, and live business “tear-downs” designed to give attendees actionable insights they can apply immediately.
The event runs April 15–16, 2026, with the first day focused on brands and sponsors—including roundtables and a kickoff event—and the second day open to the broader public, featuring keynotes, workshops, and breakout sessions.
What to expect:
• Keynotes, workshops, roundtables, and breakout sessions
• Tactical discussions on hiring, finance, marketplaces (Amazon, TikTok Shop), and multichannel operations
• Deep dives into sourcing, fulfillment, and scaling ecommerce businesses
• High-value networking with experienced operators and industry leaders
Discount offer: Use code CC50 to get 50% off your ticket.
April 15–16, 2026
Le Méridien Hotel, Downtown Salt Lake City
Register here
About Commerce Catalyst
Commerce Catalyst is a community of ecommerce builders, operators, and problem-solvers spanning every stage of growth. Founded by industry veterans, the organization hosts events, workshops, and forums designed to deliver practical insights and meaningful connections for those building in commerce.