REDLEAF BIOLOGICS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Co - Founder
Plant biochemist Chris Somerville is co-founder of RedLeaf Biologics and Chairman of the Board. Chris was co-founder and Executive Chairman of Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. and a co-founder of Poetic Genetics, and LS9, Inc. He is former Director of both the Carnegie Plant Biology Institute at Stanford and the Energy Biosciences Institute at Berkeley. In 2006, Chris was awarded the prestigious Balzan Prize for his pioneering work in plant research, and he has been a Director or advisor of several public and private companies. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of London.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Entrepreneur
Daphne Preuss is an entrepreneur focused on bringing innovations to the food and agriculture industry. She previously founded and served for 11 years as President and CEO for Chromatin Inc. -- a leading global innovator in sorghum. At Chromatin, Preuss acquired and aggregated five operating companies, developed genetic technology and global sales channels, and secured licensing revenue, venture capital, and commercial debt to build a global business. She also negotiated multiple strategic alliances and launched several products with companies across the agriculture supply chain, delivering high value seed products into market leading brands. She is bringing this experience to RedLeaf Biologics as its Chief Financial Officer, negotiating win-win partnerships for the company's game changing technology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Scientific Advisor
Heather has spent twenty years performing research and analysis in various aspects of the bioeconomy. A former assistant professor at Michigan Technological University and former director of the Bakar Fellows Program for Faculty Entrepreneurs at UC Berkeley, she now manages scientific grants and investments for a philanthropy in San Francisco. Heather has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Oregon Health & Science University and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University.
Job Titles:
- Director of Clinical & Product Development
Jordan leads clinical and product development efforts at RedLeaf. With a decade of experience in medical device and therapeutics early-stage startups, he brings expertise in designing and executing rigorous scientific studies to demonstrate product benefits. He combines deep scientific and engineering expertise with a focus on corporate strategy to drive evidence-based commercialization. Jordan completed his MS and PhD at Stanford University and holds a BS from Cornell University, all in Materials Science & Engineering with a focus on applications in biology.
A former healthcare attorney by trade, Jordan uses his experience in navigating clients' complex legal and regulatory issues to help drive RedLeaf's science-backed approach to commercialization. Joining the company full time in 2017, Jordan has worked with the RedLeaf team to execute the company's legal, regulatory, and agricultural efforts needed to make the transition from the lab to the market. Since his time in Kentucky, Jordan has taken a personal interest in the impact RedLeaf can have on local and regional farming communities looking for a new sustainable crop. As such he has spoken at multiple events on the promise of agtech in Kentucky and joined the State's Agricultural and Equine Council in 2020.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Luke contributes to RedLeaf's commercialization efforts by employing his technical background in concert with business acumen. As an avid outdoorsman, Luke is driven by the aspiration to create a more sustainable future through strategy and good intent. Luke holds degrees in Biology, Chemistry, and an MBA from the University of Kentucky.
Parker leads RedLeaf's growing operations, plant genetics, and process scale-up engineering. With a BSCi in Plant and Soil Science and with deep experience in plant selection and breeding, Parker was instrumental in early breeding and design of RedLeaf's proprietary varietal. When he's not in the field with our growers or in the greenhouse, Parker drives engineering and scale-up of RedLeaf's proprietary extraction process and production facility.
Melissa has long had a passion for food science, innovation, and agricultural systems. She earned her bachelor in food science at the University of Kentucky, where she also interned in the Food Systems Innovation Center and also worked at the Coldstream Research Farm as a student farm worker. Since joining RedLeaf in 2017, Melissa has supported all elements of RedLeaf lab operations, R&D, and commercial operations. As Quality Manager, Melissa leads RedLeaf's quality and certification operations.
Job Titles:
- Agriculture & Operations Manager
Parker leads RedLeaf's growing operations, plant genetics, and process scale-up engineering. With a BSCi in Plant and Soil Science and with deep experience in plant selection and breeding, Parker was instrumental in early breeding and design of RedLeaf's proprietary varietal. When he's not in the field with our growers or in the greenhouse, Parker drives engineering and scale-up of RedLeaf's proprietary extraction process and production facility. In short, since joining as our first full time employee in 2016, Parker has been instrumental in every element of RedLeaf's operations, from seed to finished product.
One of RedLeaf's first full-time hires, Ryan has been involved in all elements of RedLeafs technology and commercial scale up. Ryan graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Food Science and experience in the restaurant industry and food production quality assurance. Today, Ryan is central to RedLeaf production operations, application development, and quality assurance.
Sean's career combines global business and finance experience with deep science and engineering expertise. Inspired by the potential for technology to drive more sustainable agriculture and energy systems, Sean studied chemical engineering and biology at Stanford before pursuing a career that has spanned start-up, management consulting at McKinsey, sustainable economic development and entrepreneurial investing. He holds a BSCi and MSCi in from Stanford University and Columbia University respectively and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Job Titles:
- Technology Founder, Board Member
A plant scientist by training, Seth is RedLeaf's technological founder and board member. A tenured professor in University of Kentucky department of horticulture, Seth is also director of the Beam Institute, the country's first multidisciplinary institute dedicated to fermentation and distillation science. With over 80 peer reviewed papers, his wide ranging research interests span biology of the plant cell wall, fermentation and distillation chemistry, and bioprocessing. Seth continues to provides high level direction to the company's product development and R&D efforts.
One of RedLeaf's first full-time hires, Ryan has been involved in all elements of RedLeafs technology and commercial scale up. Ryan graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Food Science and experience in the restaurant industry and food production quality assurance. Today, Ryan is central to RedLeaf production operations, application development, and quality assurance.