A Passion for Building Strong Relationships and Helping Others
At right, Shane Lindner ’09 with his business partner and more importantly his life partner, his wife, Rose.
By: Damon Markiewicz
As a student at Springfield College, Shane Lindner ’09 found structure within the Business Management program that aligned his academic experience with real-world opportunities. Looking back, Lindner sees those moments as important stepping stones on his path to becoming an entrepreneur.
Lindner recently returned to Alden Street as the co-founder of AmaSKN, a natural skincare company based in Connecticut with a mission inspired by the Amazon Rainforest. His strengths in relationship-building, values-driven leadership, and entrepreneurship have grown through a journey shaped by personal challenges that ultimately became a roadmap to a more fulfilling life. Today, Lindner is passionate about building a business that is not only about selling products, but about helping others and creating meaningful impact.
“I think the mission for AmaSKN is right out of the Humanics philosophy,” explained Lindner. “We believe the world doesn’t need more products, but more products with a purpose. With AmaSKN, we focus on natural skincare designed to improve skin health and appearance, while combining beauty with social responsibility. Our goal is to make a global impact while helping people care for their skin.”
With that mission in mind, AmaSKN donates 10% of its profits to support the Huni Kuin people, an Indigenous community in the Amazon Rainforest, working in partnership to support community-led projects, including the construction of a school and a clean water well.
To fully understand AmaSKN’s vision and commitment to giving back, one must get to know Lindner’s business partner and life partner, his wife, Rose. The couple met in San Francisco in 2019 while working on a social project that helped feed the homeless. Rose, who is originally from Brazil, and Lindner quickly realized they shared a passion for entrepreneurship and service.
Rose grew up in a small village in southern Brazil, where she remembers having a backyard overflowing with plants, fruits, and herbs. It was both a sanctuary and a medicine cabinet created by nature itself. Those early experiences taught Rose that the Earth already provides everything we need to care for ourselves. Together, Shane and Rose represent two people from different backgrounds united by a shared belief in compassion, community, and service.
From the beginning, AmaSKN was built with a commitment to giving back. That commitment deepened when Shane and Rose traveled to the Amazon to spend time with the community and celebrate the opening of a school supported through their work. Seeing life in the village firsthand revealed the daily challenges families faced in accessing clean drinking water, which led AmaSKN to support the installation of a clean water well for the Ni Yuxibu village deep in the Amazon Rainforest—turning intention into tangible, life-changing impact.
“It’s been a special life with Rose, and I’m incredibly grateful that she has educated me about the culture she was raised in,” explained Lindner. “Since the moment we met, we wanted to create a life with purpose. I knew right away that my world was changing and that she would be a part of it. When I look back, it’s amazing how small the chances were that our paths crossed. If either of us had made one different choice, we might have missed each other entirely. I truly believe things happen for a reason.”
When Lindner recently visited campus for the first time in more than a decade, he reflected on his time as a student and how overcoming personal challenges ultimately led him to a more fulfilled life. He expressed deep appreciation for the faculty connections that helped shape an entrepreneurial foundation he continues to build upon today.
“I remember taking an entrepreneurship studies class with Professor Robert Fiore, where we worked on projects focused on creating business plans,” explained Lindner. “I chose the Business Management major because I liked the idea of having options and being creative. It turned out to be a really good fit for me. I learned so much, and I truly don’t know where I would have ended up without Dr. Fiore’s classes. He played an important role in my educational journey.”
Springfield College alumni often return to campus to support current students as guest speakers, and one such visit had a lasting impact on Lindner.
“I remember Professor Fiore invited Jim Goldberg ’93, founder of Deep River Snacks, to speak in our class,” said Lindner, who grew up not far from the Deep River Snacks offices. “I ended up doing some marketing work for Deep River and was hired after graduation. That experience taught me a lot about sales and distribution, which has been invaluable in running a business.”
Looking ahead, Shane and Rose remain committed to AmaSKN’s mission and to building something both beautiful and meaningful. Their best-selling offering, the Rainforest Firm + Glow Set, includes the Rainforest Radiance Firming Peptide Cream and Rainforest Beauty Drops Multipurpose Face, Body, and Hair Oil. The products feature Amazonian ingredients such as sacha inchi, açaí, and cacay—each selected for its skin benefits and environmental impact.
“We’re still a smaller brand, but we’re constantly finding ways to grow while staying true to our values,” explained Lindner. “The possibilities feel endless. Rose and I continue to follow our dreams and remind ourselves that we’re often just one conversation away from creating meaningful change. At the end of the day, we simply love helping people through a business we’re proud to build together.”
Lindner’s journey since graduating from Springfield College has been one of reinvention, and embracing new opportunities has led him to a life filled with purpose and gratitude. (Lindner has also shared a longer personal reflection on his journey, available online.
“I truly believe everything happens for a reason, and I couldn’t be happier with how my life has turned out,” said Lindner. “I love what I do, I love sharing this life with my wife, and I love helping others. It’s exciting to see what the future holds.”
