Ricky is a Senior Process Development Engineer working on the scale-up efforts of Apeel's chemical processes with a focus in reaction engineering, flow chemistry, and heterogeneous catalysis.
Ricky was born and raised in Santa Paula, California, and received his Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara. As an undergraduate, he was active in research working with Prof. Samir Mitragotri and Prof. Susannah Scott in the Chemical Engineering department, working on a range of projects from transdermal drug delivery to designing supported metal catalysts for tandem alkane dehydrogenation and olefin metathesis.
Supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Ricky completed his PhD in Chemical Engineering with Prof. James Dumesic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focused on the selective production of biomass derived chemicals using heterogeneous catalysts, including supported metal catalysts, functionalized organosilicas, and zeolites. As a graduate student, he participated in international summer schools in China and Finland and presented a talk as a Kokes Award Recipient at the North American Meeting (NAM) for the North American Catalysis Society. Ricky's work has been highlighted on the covers of several journals, including AngewandteChemie, ACS Catalysis, and Green Chemistry.
Matthew is the Director of Engineering at Apeel, where he leads a multidisciplinary team with responsibility to plan, manage and execute all engineering design, scale-up and implementation activities to ensure that resources are aligned with strategic business objectives.
Matthew graduated with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia with a BS In Chemical Engineering and a Minor in Business, where his research accomplishments were recognized with a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Matthew went on to pursue a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara, supported by a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
Matthew brings research and engineering experience from both industrial (ExxonMobil and Chevron) and international (Fritz Haber Institute in Berlin, Germany and CNRS in Orléans, France) settings to his role at Apeel.
Ron graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Chemistry where he was co-advised by Profs. David Atwood and John Anthony. Ron went on to earn his PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he was advised by Prof. Gui Bazan.
Ron is Apeel's multi-talented do-it-all! Over the course of his academic training he tackled a wide variety of scientific challenges, ranging from recrystallization methods for difficult-to-crystallize small organic molecules to the synthesis of enantiopure polymeric materials using yeast enzymes, providing the raw materials and methods critical to advancing his research group's Materials Science efforts.
Ron guides the evolution of Apeel's extraction and formulation processes, ensuring continuous improvements in efficiency and sustainability.
Matt graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biomedical/Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining Apeel Sciences, Matt worked for a biotech company manufacturing hemophilia drugs utilizing CHO cell based manufacturing operations. As an engineering manager, he specialized in clean room design, utilities, and aseptic manufacturing operations and equipment.
Over the next decade, Matt was involved in multiple facility expansions, tech transfers, and manufacturing improvement projects.
When he's not working, you'll find Matt surfing at any number of Southern California beaches searching for the perfect wave.
Monica graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in Global and International Studies. At Apeel, she is part of the People & Culture team and works to foster a fun and productive work environment. She drives Apeel's professional development program and employee engagement activities to ensure that all staff feel valued and are given opportunities to grow. She also spearheads Apeel's internship program and works to foster the best possible environment and experience for interns.
In her free time, Monica enjoys running by the beach, climbing and perfecting her guacamole recipe.
Eli is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara majoring in Chemistry. He works with the Product Development team helping to conduct research and experiments and extracting and analyzing experimental data.
Erich works on the characterization and optimization of Apeel's product development processes.
Erich received his BSc in Chemical Engineering in 2015 from the University of California, Santa Barbara where he graduated with high honors. During his undergraduate career, Erich worked under Prof. Michelle O'Malley, studying the regulation and production of novel gut fungal enzymes for the conversion of complex plant material to useful sugars.
In addition to a BSc in Chemical Engineering, Erich simultaneously participated in UCSB's BS/MS in Materials program, earning a MSc. degree in Materials Science with a focus in macro-molecular materials and organic semiconductors.
Steve has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and graduated from California State University Northridge. His studies focused heavily in the robotics discipline and as a student, he designed and implemented many projects from the ground up.
Steve was previously professionally employed in the construction and landscaping industries, and acquired nearly 10 years of experience working with a wide array of heavy machinery and precision tooling equipment. His collegiate and professional experience gives him unique skills and insights that make a successful Field Service Technician and enables him to properly maintain, repair, and operate our application equipment at a variety of customer facilities.
James focuses on supporting the business through the design and implementation of
programs aimed to ensure regulatory compliance, but more importantly to protect Apeel staff
and the communities where they live and work.
James was born and raised in western Kentucky where he attended Murray State University, receiving his BSc and MSc in Occupational Safety and Health. As part of his studies, James completed multiple professional internships supporting safety and health efforts in the fields of workers compensation insurance, refining, and oil and gas exploration. Prior to joining Apeel, James worked for Chevron supporting the safety and health of workers in the exploration and production of oil and gas from deepwater facilities across the Gulf of Mexico.
James lives in Santa Barbara with his wife, Kari, and their Border Collie, Muse. All three of them enjoy hiking, camping, tasting wine and assume that they would like surfing.
Ryan Chausse has worked in diverse information technology roles in California, Australia, and Kenya.
Following his graduation from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a BSc in Biopsychology, he spent time teaching Computer Science at Century Park College in Machakos, Kenya. There, he worked with native Swahili speakers to create a free, online, crowd-sourced Swahili language learning application. Ryan subsequently lived in Sydney where he worked in private sector hospital administration and as a volunteer research assistant. Ryan also worked as a developer for Queensland Public Health and was the computer vision team leader for James Cook University's UAV club in Townsville.
Ryan uses his broad knowledge of information technology and his passion for machine learning and automation to create scalable, efficient solutions for Apeel's growing data management and analysis needs. He works closely with our engineering team to deliver valuable applications that support and enhance their research and product development.
Sarah received her BSc in Statistical Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. At Apeel, Sarah works in the Finance department developing financial plans, applying internal controls over financial reporting and providing accounting support.
Outside of work, she enjoys practicing and teaching yoga.
A Santa Barbara native, Tim develops apps to simplify and automate Apeel's data collection and analysis processes. He also designs new software for the field applications of our products.
Outside of the office, he can be found helping with his father's beekeeping activities and doing maintenance on the local hiking trails. Tim is a student at Brown University pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science.
Katie draws from her 12 years of experience in the agricultural biotechnology industry to support freedom to operate initiatives across Apeel's product portfolio from early development through commercialization.
Prior to joining Apeel, Katie worked for Syngenta Crop Protection in Research Triangle Park, NC where her career began as a Study Director in Syngenta's Product Safety Department focusing on protein quantification and analysis of genetically engineered crops. With a passion for sustainable agriculture, Katie later transitioned to the Regulatory Affairs Department where she held roles in global regulatory operations, regulatory program management, and regulatory policy advocacy.
Katie has also participated in a variety of industry associations including those of CropLife International, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, and the American Seed Trade Association. Most recently Katie served as US Federal Registration and Policy Lead focused on advocating for science based regulatory approaches for the regulation of emerging technologies, including those developed utilizing genome editing techniques.
Katie received a BS in Biochemistry from the College of Agriculture and Life Science at North Carolina State University and was later awarded the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the University for contributions to agriculture. Katie is back at North Carolina State University now completing her MBA with a focus in Marketing and Global Innovation.
When not working, Katie can be found exploring new places with her husband John and dog Watson or cheering on the Wolfpack.
Damon has over twenty years of experience as a Global Supply Chain Professional in technology manufacturing and over eight years of experience as a Supply Chain Consultant. He completed his Masters of Business Administration at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University with a focus on International Business. He completed two international expat assignments for a large technology company, one in Asia and the other in Latin America. In this role, he optimized the Supply Chain for new plant construction and new product ramps.
Damon has consulted in the retail, food, energy and defense sectors providing cost effective supply chain solutions to clients. He has consulted on SAP Pay-to-Procure modules and has implemented an entire Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for his last company. He has led global teams to drive operational risk mitigating strategies and was a General Manager for the manufacturing of piezoelectric products in a recent role. He has a passion for lean manufacturing. He has successfully managed supply chain projects in North America, Europe and Asia.
Damon enjoys traveling with his family and friends. He has a love for the outdoors and hiking, having hiked to Everest Base Camp and to Machu Picchu via the Inca trail. He is always looking forward to the next big adventure.
Savannah recieved her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry/Chemistry and her Master's degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her graduate research was on the biophotonics of Nudibranch mollusk tissues. At Apeel, Savannah is working to develop new formulations for protecting produce against pathogens in the field.
Ydun draws from her experience in agricultural economics, international trade and development, and program management, to build out Apeel's strategic initiatives portfolio.
Prior to joining Apeel, Ydun worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service in Washington, D.C. where her work focused on foreign affairs and the synthesis and presentation of market intelligence information to USDA leadership and industry stakeholders using supply, demand, price, trade, and policy data. She was previously part of the U.S. Agency for International Development's Enabling Agricultural Trade project, leading assignments in Guatemala, Thailand, and Cambodia that assessed the impact of legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks on the private sector and its competitiveness. Ydun also helped develop commercialization strategies for agricultural crops as a consultant for the EU-Latin American Partnering Initiative in Bolivia and the IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative in Vietnam.
Ydun received a scholarship to attend the University of Copenhagen's masters program in agricultural economics and was awarded funding from the university and Oticon Fonden to study the impact of export-oriented supply chains on organizational strategy and rural development outcomes in Vietnam. Before graduating, Ydun worked for Amy's Kitchen to help develop a sourcing strategy for their new food manufacturing facilities in Europe. Ydun also holds a BA in Economics and minor in Spanish from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Evan oversees the receiving of Apeel's materials and equipment, coordinates facilities maintenance and ensures continuous smooth operations by helping to address the many day to day needs of the company as they arise.
Evan graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in History of Public Policy. During his undergraduate studies at UCSB, he wrote academic thesis papers exploring historical and contemporary policy and worked at the UCSB Digital Editing Lab and Reserved Media Services.
Jenny is the VP of Operations at Apeel Sciences, where she facilitates and coordinates the efforts of the scientific and administrative divisions of the company. She also leads our InvisipeelTM project, developing a platform for molecularly camouflaging the surfaces of fruits and vegetables, protecting them from invasion by pests.
Jenny received her Bachelor's degree in Engineering Chemistry from Queen's University in Kingston, Canada. Jenny's undergraduate work earned her the L. A. Munro Award. During this time, she also completed a 16-month professional internship at the DuPont Research and Business Development office in Kingston, Canada working on hydrogen fuel cell technologies.
For her doctoral studies, Jenny crossed over to the Chemistry Department to join the multidisciplinary lab of Prof. Cathleen Crudden where she focused on the synthesis and applications of nanostructured inorganic films. Jenny's early graduate work earned her the prestigious Alexander Graham Bell Graduate Fellowship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Beyond her academic research, Jenny's outstanding commitment to the teaching and training of undergraduate engineering and science students was also recognized by a number of departmental teaching awards.
Looking to broaden her skill set, Jenny pursued postdoctoral research with Prof. Guillermo Bazan at UC Santa Barbara investigating synthetic strategies for tuning the interactions between microbes and electrodes to improve the performance of bioelectrochemical devices such as microbial fuel cells.
Susanne graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in graphic design. After one too many rainy winters, she fled south to California for sunnier days, where she started her design career.
Susanne has worked in journalism, publishing, and freelanced for a variety of clients. She also owned her own design business for seven years.
As part of Apeel's marketing team, Susanne helps with the everyday design needs of the company including presentations, print material, photography, packaging, infographics and more.
Susanne loves the art of typography, her polaroid camera, hand-written letters and the desert heat. If she was a font she would be Trade Gothic Condensed. When Susanne is not creating material for Apeel, she enjoys running, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
Fernando oversees demonstrations and trials of Apeel's technologies with new customers and commercial partners. He is an Agronomic Engineer and holds a MSc. in Plant Sciences from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Prior to Apeel Fernando worked for AgroFresh Solutions, where he was involved with R&D project management for pre and post-harvest products. Fernando was responsible for developing the market in different regions of Latin America and then California. He also managed demonstrations and regulatory trials in several countries including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Chile.
As a member of the Formulations Team, Derek researches and designs ways to efficiently and effectively produce target molecules that help develop technologies for Apeel.
Prior to joining our team, Derek spent two years in Houston as a research scientist specializing in heterogeneous catalysis for SABIC, the fourth largest diversified chemical company in the world. Through a National Science Foundation grant, he also worked in Copenhagen as a visiting researcher at the renowned catalysis company Haldor Topsøe.
Derek received a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware, where he conducted undergraduate research with Prof. Jochen Lauterbach on NOx pollution abatement catalysts. Under the guidance of Prof. Robert J. Davis, he received a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia. There, his dissertation focused on accessing high-value products from biomass-derived chemical intermediates.
Outside the lab, Derek enjoys hiking, live music, and a good baseball game.
Ellise graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a BSc in Biopsychology. While there, she did research in Prof. James Roney's Evolutionary Psychology lab. Research topics included subconscious fertility signals and hormonal correlates of attraction to mates.
Ellise previously worked at a local scientific instrumentation company where she gained valuable inside sales experience.
As part of Apeel's Business Development team, Ellise handles incoming product inquiries and helps with outbound prospecting initiatives.
When she's not working at Apeel, Ellise enjoys playing beach volleyball, hiking, and crafting.
Greg is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara with a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to Apeel, Greg has worked at an antenna design and manufacturing company, and in the maintenance department at an industrial mining plant.
Greg was brought onboard the Apeel Deposition Systems Team to assist in the application of Apeel's products in production line settings.
Allie works in the Apeel labs with the Analytical Science team. Her responsibilities include working on stability studies, method developments, routine sample analysis, and quality control.
Allie graduated with a BSc in General Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her undergraduate studies, she worked with the SciTrek program helping elementary school students get excited about careers in science.
David is a Senior Formulation Scientist working on molecular design as well as the functionalization of raw materials extracted from plant waste for the synthesis of Apeel's products.
David received his Bachelor's in Biochemistry from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where he worked with Prof. Hasan Palandoken on the synthesis of alkoxyamines tethered to polymer surfaces for the selective immobilization and controlled release of carbonyl compounds. He then spent a year working for Gilead Sciences in the Medicinal Chemistry department on the development of a nucleotide prodrug for the treatment of Hepatitis C. David went on to complete his PhD with Prof. Javier Read de Alaniz at UCSB, where he focused on creating novel methods for N- and O- atom transfer to organic molecules.
In his free time, David enjoys staying active and spending time with his wife and daughter.
Katie graduated with honors from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology. Katie joined a Biotechnology research and development company and worked on multiple clinical trials, where she was responsible for the process and regulations for drug development from pre-clinical studies to Phase III clinical trials.
Katie then attended the University of California, Irvine where she earned her Master's of Science degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. After graduation, Katie moved to Santa Barbara where she worked on medical device clinical trials before joining Apeel Sciences.
Chuck began his academic career at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating from the College of Chemistry with a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Biology in 2008. It was during his time at Berkeley that Chuck first discovered his love for the synthesis of complex molecules while working in the laboratory of Prof. Matthew Francis.
With his developing interest in Molecular Design, Chuck began a PhD program at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2009 where he worked under the guidance of Prof. Javier Read de Alaniz. While the focal point of his PhD work was the development of novel C-N bond forming reactions, he was also instrumental in developing synthetic organic methodologies with cross-disciplinary applications in Materials Science and Chemical Biology.
Chuck's doctoral work earned him a number of awards and fellowships from UCSB, including the Bruce Rickborn-Ross Johnson Fellowship and the prestigious B.R. Baker Memorial Award.
A long-time Santa Barbara resident, Shelly has worked for several small to mid-size local companies. She specializes in both Customer Service and Accounting, bringing a wealth of knowledge as the Accounts Payable Coordinator for Apeel Sciences.
Matthew is part of Apeel's Process Engineering team, working to scale our production processes to a manufacturing environment.
Matthew received his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. While an undergraduate, he worked on the design of neurosurgical devices and on scale-up and manufacturing optimization efforts in the aerospace industry.
He also received his Master of Technology Management as part of the inaugural class within the UCSB College of Engineering Technology Management Program. During his graduate education, Matthew consulted with a local technology company on resource and human capital allocation and prioritization in Engineering and R&D environments.
Prior to joining Apeel Sciences, Matthew worked in the silicone chemical industry. There he led a team of engineers focused on new capital projects while working on a diverse range of projects, including manufacturing equipment design, new process development and scale-up, and process safety analyses.
Allie oversees the regulatory compliance efforts at Apeel Sciences. She graduated Cum Laude from North Carolina State University, earning a BSc in Chemical Engineering, with a Green Chemistry and Engineering Concentration and a Minor in Business Administration.
After graduation, Allie started her career in the non-profit sector with RTI International in Research Triangle Park, NC, working with the Air Quality Engineering Group to inform US EPA policy for the petroleum industry. Prior to joining Apeel Sciences, she worked for an environmental consulting firm in Santa Barbara, guiding local oil and gas companies through engineering projects and ensuring compliance with air quality regulations.
Gabriela is a graduate from the University of São Paulo - Brazil, with a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering and a Master's degree in Plant Sciences.
During her undergraduate studies she focused on floriculture, and her graduate research was on pre and post-harvest treatments for cut roses. Prior to Apeel Sciences, Gabriela moved to the US and gained experience in fruit physiology and genomics, analyzing the post-harvest quality of apples, pears and cherries for R&D trials.
Claire graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in Anthropology and a minor in Education. Throughout her studies, Claire has been interested in supply chains, material histories, and the intersection of food and culture. Claire contributes to the Strategy Team as the Strategic Planning Analyst, supporting strategic initiatives, and working on specialized projects for Apeel.
In her spare time, Claire enjoys volunteering for FUSE events and at the local food bank, and is involved with various organizations including the Santa Barbara Historic Trust Society, Santa Barbara Wargaming, and the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.
Danny graduated from Florida International University with a bachelors in Information Technology and a minor in Business.
While attending university Danny interned at a software development company. At the end of his internship he was offered a full time position, where he was employed for six years prior to joining Apeel Sciences.
As an IT Specialist at Apeel, Danny manages internal computer systems and provides technical support for the Apeel team.
When not working, Danny enjoys playing soccer, mountain biking, and hiking.
Camille graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with her BSc in Biological Sciences. During her time there, she enjoyed studying evolutionary ecology. Throughout her senior year she worked under Prof. Susannah Porter studying paleontology and identifying microscopic fossils.
Camille joined Apeel to work closely with the Product Management team to ensure customer satisfaction. She also assists the Director of Emerging Markets with the execution of various initiatives.
When Camille is not spending her time at Apeel, she enjoys traveling, reading, and hiking.
As our Manager of Strategic Planning & Analysis, Garrett leads research and analysis efforts which support new commercial opportunities and ongoing business activities. Prior to Apeel Sciences, Garrett was a Corporate Strategy Manager for Ingram Micro where he designed and executed strategic planning and corporate development initiatives for the high-growth Cloud Computing business unit.
Previously he was an Investment Associate for Equity Residences, a real estate investment fund, where he assessed investment market attractiveness and vetted investment opportunities in real estate markets across the US.
Garrett began his career in financial services and served in various capacities within the industry ranging from investment research, regulatory compliance, and business development functions.
Garrett earned his MBA from the University of San Diego with a concentration in finance, completed post-graduate research at UC Irvine's Department of Logic & Philosophy of Science, and holds a BA in Analytic Philosophy from the Universtity of California, Santa Barbara.
Blake is the Field Engineer at Apeel, working with the Engineering Team to scout potential customer facilities, oversee equipment integration, and hand-off the start of commercial production to the Operations Team.
Blake graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. During his time there, he worked part time as an R&D Test Engineer on waste heat recovery projects. His main responsibility was to operate and maintain a rankine cycle test stand.
At Apeel, Blake utilizes his background in agriculture. He grew up on a farm that grows and packs a variety of conventional and organic citrus. This knowledge allows Blake to assist the Engineering Team with designing and integrating equipment into packing houses and food facilities across the nation.
As a Senior Analytical Scientist, Taylor works on quality control for manufacturing and engineering as well as method development to assist product development.
Taylor received his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Canada. While there he spent a summer conducting research under Prof. Kevin Thurbide in developing detectors for portable gas chromatography. This summer position turned into a passion for research in analytical chemistry, which led to graduate studies with Prof. Thurbide.
After his PhD, Taylor received the Alberta Innovates Technology Futures R&D Associates grant to conduct research in the field of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography at Dow Chemical Canada in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. After this grant, he continued to pursue his passion with gas chromatography under the mentorship of Dr. Jim Luong, developing methods, performing fundamental problem solving, and advancing the science of gas chromatography.
Cody assists Apeel's Process Engineering team with product manufacturing scale-up efforts. Originally from Los Angeles, Cody earned his BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. During his research at UCSB in M. Scott Shell's lab, he used computational methods to analyze molecular dynamics.
Previously, Cody interned with the operations team Eco-Services, a continuous-process sulfuric acid manufacturer in Long Beach. His role focused on improving efficiency and safety of the plant's steam system.
Carlos Hernandez graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a BSc in Chemistry and Biochemistry. As an undergraduate at UCSB, Carlos conducted research on bio-inspired wet adhesives under the guidance of Prof. Herbert Waite. As a member of the Apeel Sciences Product Development Team, Carlos carries out the tests that help optimize our formulations for various food crops and cultivars.
Alena is an undergraduate student studying Chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara. At Apeel, she is working with the Extraction Sciences Team to isolate and characterize the components of extracted plant materials.
Jordan is VP of Strategy at Apeel. Drawing from his experience across venture capital, corporate and business development, and investment banking, Jordan focuses on planning, implementing, and maintaining strategies to carry out Apeel's business goals while establishing an analytical framework to drive decision-making and optimize business operations.
Prior to Apeel, Jordan was a Principal at Upfront Ventures, the largest and longest-serving venture capital fund in Los Angeles, where he was involved with both investment activities as well as operating initiatives. While at Upfront, Jordan worked closely with a broad range of early stage technology startups as an active investor and board member. He was previously part of the Strategy & Business Development team at Fox Filmed Entertainment, where he managed strategic planning across Fox's theatrical, home entertainment, television and digital businesses. He began his career in investment banking at GCA Savvian Advisors in San Francisco, providing M&A and capital raising advisory services for technology companies.
Jordan received a BS in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in Finance and a minor in History
Jordan lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Frannie, and son, Shane. When he's not in the office or commuting to Santa Barbara, he's likely to be surfing or enjoying the outdoors with his family and their dog, Huckleberry.
Zaki is the VP of Engineering at Apeel. Prior to joining Apeel, he held executive level positions in Engineering and Operations at several venture backed and privately held companies. His last employer sold and provided food safety solutions using radio frequency and microwave technology where Zaki was responsible for Engineering, R&D and Operations. He started his engineering career at United Technologies (UTC), a Dow 30 company, where he spent thirteen "corporate formative years." He joined UTC as an entry level engineer and rose through ranks to become Head of Systems Engineering for integration of hydrogen fuel cells in electric vehicles.
Zaki has been awarded ten patents. He graduated from the City University of New York and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology with graduate and undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering. He also completed the SDM Graduate Certificate Program in Systems Engineering at MIT.
With their only daughter, Tasnia, now away at college, Zaki and his wife, Maqsuda, are empty nesters, so they are always looking for new places to visit or new restaurants to try!
Matt helps direct Apeel's Protein Sciences research and development. Matt graduated from St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin with a degree in Chemistry and a concentration in Biochemistry. During his time at SNC, Matt was an active athlete and scholar, earning him several awards for both his academic and athletic achievements.
Matt then moved on to the University of Michigan to join the multidisciplinary lab of Dr. Nils Walter where he acquired skills in chemistry, biochemistry, and biophysics. While earning his PhD, Matt developed multiple single molecule fluorescence and deep sequencing analysis tools that allowed him to investigate the role of RNA secondary structure during pre-mRNA splicing.
Stephen received his Bachelor's degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a PhD from the Materials Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where his work earned him the GAANN Fellowship and SSLEC Graduate Student Research Award. Stephen works with Apeel's product development team to create optimum formulations of our products.
Stephen received a PhD from the Materials Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2014. Advised by Prof. Jim Speck, Stephen's thesis research focused on the design, growth, and fabrication of gallium nitride-based transistors. Stephen continued to work in Jim Speck's Group for his postdoctoral studies, researching the growth and processing of related devices. His work at UCSB earned him the GAANN Fellowship and SSLEC Graduate Student Research Award.
Amy is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a BSE in bioengineering and a minor in computational neuroscience. Prior to joining Apeel, she worked as an immunochemistry R&D intern at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics in Rochester, NY. She also worked as a product manager at Graphiq, a data science startup in Santa Barbara. At Graphiq, Amy specialized in nutrition and environmental health data aggregation and analysis.
Amy works on the product development team at Apeel, carrying out quality experiments to optimize formulations and streamlining quality data analysis pipelines.
Dan received is BSc in Electrical Engineering in 2012 from UCSB. As an undergraduate, he did research under Forest Brewer building a low power control system platform using field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).
After graduation, Dan worked at an industrial controls manufacturer designing electronic hardware, and at a endoscopic camera manufacturer programming FPGAs and embedded systems for image processing.
At Apeel, Dan is developing industrial control strategies that integrate Apeel's product application technologies into a production-ready system.
In his free time, Dan enjoys cooking, gardening, and tinkering with things in the garage. He is also an Eagle Scout and loves spending time outdoors hiking, camping, cycling, and SCUBA diving.
Emily works with Apeel's document control process to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a BA in Sociology. Emily's main research interests are racial disparities and environmental justice, and she also serves as a mentor to at-risk youth in the Santa Barbara area.
Erik is Senior Director of Logistics at Apeel Sciences, where he ensures timely and cost-effective distribution to our global customers. Additionally, he is responsible for supporting the customer on-site locations, managing forward inventories, and designing Apeel's distribution networks.
Prior to joining Apeel Sciences, Erik worked at Dole for over 20 years. While at Dole he served as Senior Director of Logistics for Dole Packaged Foods, leading a team managing operations planning, international transportation, and import and export trade compliance for its U.S. market. He also served as Dole's Corporate Transportation Manager during which time he directly managed the procurement process and negotiations of containerized ocean freight for all of Dole's global markets and manufacturing locations. As an analyst with the corporate group as well as in the Fresh Flower and Fresh Fruit Divisions, he gained understanding and experience in the growing, processing, and handling of fruits and flowers.
Erik graduated from Duke University with a BA in Math on a Naval ROTC scholarship. After serving in the Navy as a nuclear trained officer in the submarine force, he received an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, with concentrations in Finance and Marketing.
While not working, Erik enjoys running, swimming, skiing, and spending time with his family.
Matthew Lee graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a
degree in Mathematical Sciences. Matt works on the Product Development
Team developing methods for characterizing the effectiveness of Apeel
on various crops and cultivars.
Ryan received dual undergraduate degrees in Mathematical Sciences and Philosophy from Carnegie Mellon University. During that time, his main interests involved the study of ordinary and partial differential equations and their modeling applications.
After CMU, Ryan attended the University of Pittsburgh where he earned a master's degree (MAT) in teaching for Mathematical Education. His research project involved observing differences in student performance in class and on formal assessments based on homework assignment and grading policies. Ryan has been teaching high school math since, and currently teaches math, coaches football and track, and is a dorm advisor at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, PA.
Ginger is part of Apeel's Finance team, working with internal knowledge and forecasts to create financial plans and structure in support of Apeel's mission and goals.
Ginger received her Bachelor's degree in Economics & Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara. While at UCSB, she was recruited by PricewaterhouseCoopers and completed an internship in their Core Tax division.
When she's not diving into the numbers, Ginger enjoys all water sports, especially competitive sailing, and loves baking everything from decadent desserts to healthy treats.
Michelle is Head of Marketing & Communications at Apeel, where she leads global brand strategy, marketing and PR with the vision of natural, nutritious, sustainable food becoming the standard fare of the global food system and for all who depend on it.
Prior to Apeel, Michelle built communications strategies and teams, and lead integrated marketing programs for technology startups valued over $1 billion including Lookout Mobile Security, Eventbrite, and Imgur. After building and executing communications in-house at startups, she founded and ran Linn PR as principal, representing well-known Silicon Valley venture capital firms and mission-driven technology companies. Prior to the tech world, Michelle worked at Ketchum, a leading global food-specialized public relations firm, where she advocated for the nutritional benefits and culinary uses of ancient grains for ConAgra Foods and championed the awesomeness of the avocado for Avocados from Mexico.
Michelle earned a degree in Public Relations and Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and lives in San Francisco with her husband, Mike.
Cooper received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University in 2015. Prior to joining Apeel Sciences, he worked for Boeing as an assembly and automation engineer focusing on the integration of automation and new manufacturing technology.
At Apeel, Cooper gets to combine his affinity for plants, food, and engineering by helping develop our Apeel product application and drying systems.
Alaina manages interdisciplinary projects across the various technical teams at Apeel, nurturing technology from early discovery through manufacturing and commercialization.
Alaina received her BSc in chemistry at the University of New Brunswick, where she was focused on the development of new organic chemistry transformations. During her time there she received several awards, both academic and athletic, including the Sir George E. Foster Scholarship and the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Academic All-Canadian award. Alaina completed her M.Sc. at Queen's University in organic chemistry, where she synthesized and investigated the properties of garlic-derived antioxidants.
Alaina has always been driven to use her chemistry training to solve diverse health and environmental challenges that face our society both through research and technical project management. Before transitioning to project management, Alaina managed a laboratory that developed new imaging agents for diagnosing early stage cardiovascular disease in humans. She has also designed and synthesized Alzheimer's therapeutics that performed well in preclinical evaluation, and synthesized invasive beetle pheromones that were used to reduce pest populations without the use of toxic pesticides.
Prior to joining Apeel, Alaina was the Assistant Director for Technology at the Dow Materials Institute at UCSB, a strategic university partnership with the Dow Chemical Company. In this role she oversaw the program and managed several successful R&D projects.
Camille is a Technical Project Manager at Apeel Sciences, where she nurtures technical projects from early discovery through to manufacturing and commercialization. Camille joined Apeel during its early stages and was an integral part of the Extraction Sciences Team where she applied laboratory techniques to isolate target compounds from plant byproducts for Apeel's products.
Prior to joining Apeel, Camille received a BSc in Biochemistry-Molecular Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research at Eindhoven University of Technology for a summer, where she studied molecular architectures that aid in mimicking the complexities of living systems under the guidance of Dr. Bert Meijer. In order to complement her technical foundation, Camille is currently pursuing a Certificate in Project Management at UCSB.
Chinenye works closely with the technical team at Apeel to ensure adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and applicable regulations. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.S. in Biochemistry.
After graduation, Chinenye started her career in the medical device industry with Siemens in Los Angeles. During that time, she manufactured allergen assays and assisted with batch record releases. Prior to joining Apeel Sciences, she worked for another medical device company in Carpinteria, managing training and change control releases ensuring continued compliance to regulations.
Claire graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Design and Entrepreneurship. As an undergraduate, she worked as a Mechanical Design Engineer for the MIT Media Lab and D-Lab. She also pursued summer internships in antenna engineering and technology dissemination operations in India.
Claire joined the Apeel team to assist with the development of methods to apply Apeel formulations to fresh produce and integrate improved drying systems into packaging lines.
Richard is a Senior Process Engineer working to predict and optimize scale-up performance of Apeel's process technologies.
Richard received his BSc in Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. He then completed his PhD and postdoctoral research under the mentorship of Prof. Michael Baldea at The University of Texas at Austin, where his research focused on model-based optimal process design and operation. In addition to his research, Richard taught undergraduate-level courses and pursued various entrepreneurial opportunities. He is a coffee and food connoisseur, and enjoys playing basketball and hiking.
As a member of the Analytical Sciences Team, James provides analytical support across a wide range of research and engineering activities at Apeel, from extractions and formulations through final product QA/QC.
James joins Apeel after 22 years at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he operated the mass spectrometry facility in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and brings with him a wealth of expertise in mass spectrometry and chromatography applications.
James received his BSc in Chemistry from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Following undergraduate studies, he worked at Central Coast Analytical Services, an environmental services laboratory, as supervisor of the Organics section. He returned to school at Oregon State University in Corvallis, where he received his PhD in Analytical Chemistry under Prof. Doug Barofsky developing mass spectrometric methods for analyzing PAH adducts of DNA. His graduate studies were supported by both a NORCUS Graduate Appointment — during which he spent two summers working at PNNL in Richland, Washington — and a Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship. He continued that research during postdoctoral work at UNC Chapel Hill in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering.
James returned west in 1994 to begin work at UCSB. While there he maintained and operated the shared MS instrumentation, trained graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, gave lectures, and collaborated with various faculty and researchers. These collaborations resulted in co-authorship on over two dozen scientific papers including articles in both Science and Nature. Additionally, James is a founding member of the California Los Padres Section of the America Chemical Society and has served on its Executive Committee in various capacities since 1996. In 2012, he was presented the section's Sandra Lamb Award for his "contributions to the chemistry community."
Megan is part of Apeel's People & Culture team working to instill a fun, productive, and engaging environment. She is responsible for constructing and implementing policies and processes in alignment with Apeel's Mission and Core Values. She also spearheads initiatives on retention, career development, team dynamics and company culture.
Megan possesses a diverse background in Entertainment & Food Service Management, Human Resources, Corporate Recruiting and Academic Employment. Prior to working at Apeel, Megan served as a Personnel Analyst for the Earth Research Institute at UCSB. She has also worked seasonally at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival as a Venue Manager since 2012. Her educational background is in Fine Arts and Business Management.
When she is not working, Megan enjoys painting, drawing, cooking, and spending time outside in sunny Santa Barbara.
Louis leads Apeel Sciences' Formulation Division. Louis completed his PhD studies in Materials at the University of California, Santa Barbara, advised by Profs. Guillermo C. Bazan and Edward J. Kramer. Louis was awarded several fellowships during his graduate studies, the NSF GRFP, NSF IGERT, and GEM, and was nominated for a graduate student award from the Materials Research Society. Louis' PhD work focused on the molecular design, synthesis and structure-property relationships of innovative, functional materials for applications in organic electronics.
Prior to his post-graduate work, Louis earned a BSc in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida and was an intern at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in the Polymer Science and Engineering department and the DuPont Experimental Station.
Louis translates high-level discussions of potential molecular candidates into synthetic molecules used to develop new formulations.
Jess leads the Sustainability function at Apeel Sciences, where she is developing and executing the company's Sustainability Strategy as it pertains to product stewardship, operations, and social responsibility. A key focus of her work involves using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to make informed decisions around product development.
Prior to Apeel Sciences, Jess worked in the Environmental Footprint Reductions group at The Dow Chemical Company, where she focused on by-product synergy, waste reduction strategies, green infrastructure initiatives, and company-wide environmental targets. While working towards a PhD at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Jess also completed a Masters in Technology Management (MTM) and spent two summers working in Apple's Environmental Technologies group, where she was primarily focused on Life Cycle Assessment. Jess's PhD research is focused on improving the usefulness of environmental information for decision making in organizations, and she is expected to complete the degree in June 2018.
Jess earned a BS and MSc in Environmental Engineering & Water Resources from Tufts University, and she currently lives in Santa Barbara with her husband, Luan. She enjoys running, cooking and enjoying all the outdoor activities Santa Barbara has to offer.
Taylor received her BSc in Plant and Soil Science from Texas Tech University. She later earned her MSc in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Colorado State University as a USDA National Needs Fellow. Her graduate research focused on abiotic stress and how genetic and environmental factors influence plant response to different limiting factors. Her research has consistently involved international collaborations to improve agriculture in marginal environments.
As a member of Apeel's Regulatory team, Erik is responsible for ensuring global compliance for Apeel products.
Prior to joining Apeel, Erik's focus was the research and development of novel therapeutics and diagnostic devices in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, respectively. Most recently, his efforts concentrated on the development of innovative diagnostic tools to support early- and late-stage clinical development for cancer immunotherapies in the quickly evolving personalized medicine space.
Erik received a BA in Biological Sciences from Southern Illinois University in addition to a MSc in Biotechnology and MBA from California State University, Channel Islands.
Grant graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with Bachelor's degree in Chemistry. He works with both the Formulation and the Protein Sciences Teams to characterize and optimize different enzymatic reactions, as well as developing new assays to test the efficiency of these reactions.
Gabe graduated with a BSc in Materials Science & Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2015. During his undergraduate studies, he conducted research in characterization of polymers for biomedical devices under Dr. Jim Antaki. He assists the Apeel Sciences Team with extraction techniques for creating new product innovations.
James received dual undergraduate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in Materials Science & Engineering and Biomedical Engineering and received his PhD in Materials from the University of California, Santa Barbara. For his PhD research, James was the recipient of the 2012 Frank J. Padden Jr. Award for polymer physics, the premier polymer physics prize in the United States. James is a graduate of the UC Santa Barbara Technology Management Program and also holds a Master's degree in Economics.
Drawing from his research, James founded Apeel Sciences to help provide new organic technology solutions for sustainable agriculture. James guides corporate strategy and oversees the company's research and development efforts.
Daniel Ross is a Senior Mechanical Engineer with Apeel Sciences focused on the research and development of next generation application systems, as well as produce quality tools and advanced drying systems.
Daniel received a PhD in Mechanical Engineering within the Nontraditional Manufacturing Laboratory at the University of Florida specializing in advanced manufacturing techniques. Prior to this, Daniel received his MSc in Mechanical Engineering within the research area of Solid Mechanics, Design, and Manufacturing. Daniel also received a Graduate Certificate in Advanced Manufacturing.
Prior to entering graduate school, Daniel received a BSc in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Electrical Engineering. During this time Daniel was a researcher within the Nanomanufacturing and Mechanics of Materials lab. Additionally, Daniel was heavily involved with the University of Florida's Human Powered Vehicle Competition Team, of which he was a founder and held several leadership positions.
David received his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from California State University, Fullerton. As a Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Research Scholar, David found his passion for synthetic methodology in the laboratory of Prof. Christopher Hyland
and went on to further expand his knowledge and skills in the lab of Prof. Javier Read de Alaniz at the University of California, Santa Barbara, for his doctoral studies.
Through his understanding of chemical transformations, David develops innovative product formulations that enable the discovery of new technologies at Apeel Sciences.
Charlotte is part of Apeel's Sustainability Team, researching the environmental and social impacts of Apeel's products to identify areas for product stewardship improvements. Charlotte's research and analysis is leading to the development of environmental databases and tools that can guide development of Apeel's technologies and business operations.
Charlotte received her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies and Communication from University of California, Santa Barbara in the Honors College. Charlotte's undergraduate work earned her the Environmental Studies Program 2016 Tom Rogers Scholarship, Distinction in the Major Award, and Outstanding Service Award. Charlotte also completed a Senior Honors Thesis with the Bren School regarding transferring knowledge from environmental scientists to a non-technical audience.
During her time at UCSB, Charlotte conducted research regarding plant-environment interactions and forest restoration in Hawaii. Charlotte was head of Programming for UCSB's Sprout Up Organization, and leader of special events for Surfrider's Isla Vista Chapter.
Shaina graduated from the University of Chicago with an MA in International Relations and is a Santa Barbara County native. As part of the People and Culture team, she helps drive Apeel's internal recruiting process and specializes in sourcing, role scoping, interviewing, and coaching.
She has worked in six states and has a background in environmental education, startup operations, customer service, and talent acquisition. She also worked as an AmeriCorps volunteer, where she helped build trails by hand in the Tongass National Forest of Alaska.
She is passionate about food systems and social entrepreneurship and loves surfing, records, poetry, and bad puns.
At Apeel, Jessica brings the combined perspectives of a molecular microbiologist, environmental scientist, and industry veteran to bear on the development of novel treatments for crop diseases. She is dedicated to reducing the use of harsh chemical pesticides, and her research is focused on finding innovative ways to inhibit microbial food spoilage without threatening human health or harming beneficial organisms.
Jessica earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Microbiology from Washington University in St. Louis, and holds a Masters degree from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She received her B.A. in Biology from Boston University, where she was a Trustee Scholar and scholarship springboard diver. Following extensive academic training in bacterial and fungal pathogenesis, Jessica transitioned to industry research, most recently serving as a laboratory head in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Novartis (Cambridge, MA), where she ran a molecular biology lab specializing in analysis of new antifungal drugs for treatment of bloodstream infections.
Kallan received her BSc in Biopsychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara with honors from both the College of Letters and Science Honors Program and the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department. At Apeel, she provides support to the CEO and serves as a point of contact for internal and external constituencies on matters regarding the CEO. She also serves as a liaison to the board of directors and senior management teams and coordinates executive outreach and partner relations.
Michelle brings over ten years of experience in marketing and strategic communications to Apeel, where her work focuses on driving consumer awareness of Apeel produce.
In recent years she's helped launch a national food brand from the ground up, supported executive communications at two agriculture startups and managed award-winning community programs at a leading energy bar company. Prior to her work in the food industry, Michelle designed and led cycling and multisport vacations throughout Italy, Croatia and the United States.
Michelle earned her MSc from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and her BA from the University of California, San Diego. When she's not at work, you'll find Michelle biking and eating her way throughout California.
Bardia is originally from Iran and has lived in the United States since 2010. He received his BSc in chemistry at Shahid Beheshti University, Iran in 2007. Bardia discovered his passion for organic chemistry while he was studying for the master's degree entrance exam and was ranked 19th among 500,000 examinees. He obtained his MS in Organic Chemistry at Sharif University of Technology, Iran in 2009.
In 2011 Bardia joined the PhD program at Michigan State University where he studied organic chemistry under the supervision of Professor Borhan. His research was mainly focused on the development of the enantioselective intermolecular halofunctionalization of alkenes. During this time Bardia was the recipient of dissertations continuation, dissertation completion and academic scholars in teaching fellowships.
Bardia joined the Formulation Sciences team at Apeel Sciences in September 2017 where he employs his skills in reaction methodology towards the development of new processes for product formulations.
Jason is our Chief Commercial Officer and a member of Apeel's board of directors. Prior to Apeel, Jason was the co-founder and CEO of Invoca, the world's leading mobile analytics software company. Previously, Jason was CFO at CallWave, where he led the company to multiple years of growth and profitability and a successful IPO. Prior to CallWave, Jason was Vice President of Technology M&A in Broadview's Silicon Valley office, where he was the execution lead on more than $1 billion in successful mergers and acquisitions. Jason has also held product roles with Nextel Communications and with Netopia, where he helped the company complete its successful IPO.
Jason is a co-founding venture partner of Persistence Partners, a venture fund with investments in information technology and life sciences, and a member of the board of directors of iFluidics, WorldViz, and Jornaya as well as Apeel Sciences. An active angel investor, Jason has invested in 20+ early-stage technology companies. He holds several patents in internet advertising, telecommunications, and microscale fluidics.
Jason earned his MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University and his BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a member of the teaching faculty at UCSB's Technology Management Program. When he's not extending the life of fresh produce, Jason loves to travel the world's beaches, hit the links, hit the trail, and root for some of the best water polo players in the country. Jason lives in Santa Barbara with his college sweetheart, three awesome kids, and a puppy.
Edwin is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining Apeel Sciences Edwin worked for 3D printing companies and manufacturing companies, including BMW in the UK. Edwin joined the Apeel team to assist with the development of mechanical systems to improve and automate data acquisition techniques, as well as to enable application of our formulations to various crop surfaces.
Pete is our Controller and has spent his career primarily in corporate finance and accounting, as well as in public accounting and supply chain. Prior to Apeel, Pete held positions in finance and supply chain with Deckers Brands, a leading footwear company, serving as their Controller for over 7 years. Before joining Deckers, Pete was the Controller and VP of Finance at CallWave, where he helped support the company through years of profitable growth and an IPO. Prior to CallWave, Pete was the Controller for UNIAX, a private R&D company that was acquired by DuPont, and was an audit manager with Meara, King & Co., a public accounting firm in Kansas City.
Pete earned his MBA from the University of Missouri in Kansas City, his BS from California State University in Sacramento, and he has a California CPA license. Before earning his BS degree, Pete was in the US Army, serving in an infantry platoon based at Ft. Ord, California.
Pete lives in Santa Barbara with his wife, Julie, their three sons and their dog, Chiyo. Outside of work, he enjoys watching his sons' sporting events, listening to music, playing games with his family and working in his yard.
Bill is VP of Finance at Apeel and has spent his entire career as a finance and corporate development executive in the venture-backed startup and growth technology sector. He has a breadth of experience leading equity capital raises, debt financings, M&A, accounting function management, financial planning, board and investor relations.
Prior to Apeel, Bill was the CFO of several Santa Barbara startup companies, including cielo24, Local Market Launch, and the technology incubator Estalea. Bill was part of the founding team of QFour Digital, an online media rollup strategy backed by private equity firm GTCR, and spent several years with Idealab, a notorious technology incubator, as finance and accounting lead for several of their incubating companies. He began his career at Ernst & Young, LLP as an auditor.
Bill graduated from University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Bill is also extremely passionate about an all-volunteer nonprofit he and his wife founded, the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation, focused on changing the future of a rare genetic disease called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Inspired by their daughter, Gwendolyn, Bill and his wife started the GSF to advance SMA research, provide technology grants, advocate for and support families impacted by SMA, and raise global awareness of this brutal disease. A majority of its programs are funded by sales of merchandise through its unique NEVER GIVE UP. nonprofit apparel brand.
Bill lives in Santa Barbara with his wife, Victoria, and daughter, Eleanora, and outside of work enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, running, and snowboarding.
Michael is In-House Counsel at Apeel Sciences. Prior to joining Apeel, Michael was Senior IP Counsel for Dow AgroSciences LLC in Indianapolis, Indiana from June 2014-October 2017 where he was responsible for intellectual property, regulatory, and transactional matters for Dow's herbicides in the fields of corn and soy, cereals, and commodities. He also participated in training new Dow employees in the area of intellectual property and helped develop a web-based system for cataloging access to trade secrets.
Before joining Dow AgroSciences, Michael was a partner at Pabst Patent Group, where he advised universities, start-ups, and mid-and large-size companies on all aspects of intellectual property. Michael joined Pabst Patent Group as a scientific advisor in 2003 while attending law school and became a partner in 2011.
Michael earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Virginia Tech in 1994, a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Georgia Tech in 2000, and a J.D. from Georgia State in 2007. During his time at Georgia Tech, Michael served as a NATO Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Science in Mainz, Germany from July 1996-January 1997.
Outside of work, Michael enjoys cycling, both road and mountain, downhill skiing, hiking and camping, and spending time with his daughter Sarah, his fiancé Cathy, his three future stepsons Blake, Will, and Sam, and his dogs Sulley and Storm.
Alex has been working at the interface between chemistry and biology since his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. While there, Alex received multiple summer fellowships for his undergraduate research in protein-polymer conjugates and earned a Bachelor's degree in biochemistry.
For his doctoral studies in chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Alex helped develop a fledgling research project using non-genetic approaches to modifying living bacteria for integration into electronic devices.
Cody's scientific career began at Carnegie Mellon University, where he graduated with a
BSc in Biological Sciences and a Minor in Chemistry. He then went on to earn his PhD in
Biological Chemistry from the University of Michigan where he was advised by Prof.
Zhaohui Xu.
At Michigan, Cody gained a passion for protein chemistry and how to use biochemical and biophysical methods to elucidate protein function. During the course of his PhD, Cody uncovered several different mechanisms that regulate a specialized cellular membrane restructuring event, which facilitates cell division, plasma membrane repair, and a multitude of other essential biological processes.
With these skills in hand, Cody leads the Protein Sciences team in creating alternative, enzyme-derived methods to enhance all of Apeel's product development.
Brook is a part of the Process Engineering team, working to optimize
existing processes that are used to make Apeel formulas, as well as researching
new methods for optimizing our engineering processes.
Brook received her BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. During her time at UCLA, she was a researcher in Prof. Dante Simonetti's lab, working to elucidate details of reaction mechanisms involved in heterogeneous catalysis.
In her free time, Brook enjoys cooking, traveling, and painting.
Dan is Apeel's VP of People and Culture. He's a results-oriented human resources leader with extensive experience building and engaging winning teams.
Dan's background includes working with diverse organizations, from startups to category leaders. Prior to joining Apeel, Dan was VP of People and Culture at Invoca, Inc., the Call Intelligence Company. He has also held senior HR roles with national and international responsibility for Intouch Technologies, The Walking Company, Guitar Center, Circuit City, and the iconic Santa Barbara based brands Big Dog Sportswear and Jordano's.
Focused on continuous improvement with a passion for recruiting talent, Dan brings sharp understanding of the dual focus needed to align strategic and employee need to enable business growth and profitability.
Dan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration with emphasis in Labor Relations from San Diego State University.
When he's not looking for great people to join Apeel, Dan can be found fishing, cycling or spending time with family and friends in his home in Ventura.
Ariyike is originally from Lagos, Nigeria where she received her bachelor's degree in Zoology and Environmental Biology. She is currently a graduate student at Murray State University pursuing a master's degree in Occupational Safety and Health. Her passion for environmental, health, and safety is centered in the field of Environmental Safety Management. In the future, she hopes to be a part of a team that helps to reduce environmental impacts.
At Apeel, she works with the Environmental, Health, and Safety team to promote the safety and health of our employees and the communities in which we serve and operate. This mission is supported by ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
In her free time, Ariyike enjoys traveling, cooking, shopping and watching movies.
Marianna is a senior at the University of California, Berkeley, pursuing a degree in Political Economy, with a concentration in International Trade. At Berkeley, Marianna is the Vice President of Microfinance at Berkeley, a student-run non-profit organization that facilitates access to 0% interest loans of up to $10,000 for small businesses in the Bay Area through Kiva U.S. She also worked at the AMENA Center for Entrepreneurship and Development at the Haas School of Business, where she kickstarted an on-campus speaker series on entrepreneurship and economic development in the Middle East and North Africa in order to educate the general public.
At Apeel, Marianna performs cost analyses for situations related to purchasing, business development, and internal operations. In her free time, she enjoys tennis, squash, and hiking.
Zach is an undergraduate student at Iowa State University majoring in Chemical Engineering. He works with the formulation team on research into catalysis and reaction engineering towards the production of target molecules. In his free time he enjoys hiking, pickup sports, and hanging out with friends.
Ivan is an international student from Colombia, pursuing a BS in Electrical Engineering and the Technology Management Certificate at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Ivan transferred from Santa Barbara City College where he developed a passion for environmentalism and sustainable engineering as co-founder of the Student Sustainability Coalition as well as the Sustainability Committee.
At UCSB, Ivan has been working under professor Gerardo Aldana developing a scout drone capable of locating chultunes (Mayan underground storage chambers) for archaeological research by implementing SDR-GPR technology.
At Apeel, Ivan is assisting the software, hardware, and mechanical engineers with the design of a next generation time-lapse camera system. Additionally, he is helping prototype, build, and test produce-characterization hardware and software systems. In his free time, Ivan enjoys playing guitar, spikeball, and mixing music.
Alexandra (Sasha) is an undergraduate student at California Institute of Technology majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Computer Science. She is working with the Engineering team to develop better tools to study and monitor produce quality.
Outside of work Sasha plays tennis on the Caltech Tennis Team. Sasha loves baking and playing boardgames with friends or playing volleyball, soccer and other team sports.
Ryan is an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Business Administration at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. At Michigan, Ryan is a member of the Sales and Promotions Team at MUSIC Matters, a student-run nonprofit organization that uses music as a vehicle to seed-fund social ventures in the Michigan Community. At Apeel, Ryan works as a Strategy and Market Research Intern. He assists the team with market/customer research and analysis and helps maintain data integrity within the customer relationship management platform. Outside of work and school, Ryan loves spending time outdoors, whether it is SCUBA diving, running, or playing soccer or the guitar.
Jose is an undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Barbara currently pursuing a degree in Communication & Psychology with a minor in Professional Writing. At UCSB, Jose previously served as the Vice President of Marketing for his Professional Business Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, where he developed a passion for graphic design and brand strategy. At Apeel, he works as a design intern for the Marketing Team to create graphics and develop marketing collateral.
Daniel is an undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Barbara currently pursuing a BSc in Chemistry. Prior to joining Apeel he worked in the USGS Mercury Lab and UC Davis Isotope Lab where he helped analyze and characterize different chemical abundances in avian samples.
At Apeel, he works with the Product Development team conducting experiments and research to help extend the shelf life of various fruits. In his free time Daniel enjoys hiking, snowboarding, surfing, and rock climbing.
Ceci is a rising senior bioengineering student at UCLA. She works in the Daniel Kamei Lab, which strives to develop point-of-care diagnostic devices to detect infectious diseases in underdeveloped areas. At Apeel, she will be working with our Biological Sciences team to better characterize how our products extend fruit shelf-life at a molecular level. When she isn't studying for the midterms or running experiments in the lab, Ceci enjoys yoga classes, going on runs, and going to brunch.
Theodore is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. Prior to joining Apeel, he worked in the Oono Lab at UCSB, where he helped extract and analyze DNA from foliar fungal endophytes. At Apeel, Theo works with the operations team to streamline laboratory resourcing systems and provide EH&S support.
Orlaith is an undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Barbara pursuing a BS in Microbiology. She previously worked in the Craig Montell Lab and Molecular Medicine Research Institute where she focused on the fly visual system and oxytocin receptor, respectively. At Apeel, she works with the Biological Sciences team to study the ripening and storage behavior of Apeel-treated produce.
Benson is a graduate student in the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya. He is undertaking a Master's degree in Horticulture and majoring in Postharvest Management. His research is focused on understanding the behavior of different crops and produce, and developing technologies that can be used to extend their life span. Benson has been working with Apeel in Kenya and California, carrying out product efficacy studies on produce indigenous to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Samantha is an undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Barbara pursuing a BS in Biological Sciences. Prior to joining Apeel, Samantha had an internship with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the Biological and Biotechnical Sciences department where she assisted in analyzing microbial DNA. At Apeel she works on optimizing the use of gas chromatography.
In her free time Samantha enjoys hiking with her dogs, playing piano and exploring Santa Barbara.
Celine graduated with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara, earning a BSc degree in Statistical Science. During her undergraduate career, Celine collaborated with the Climate Hazards Group in the Geography department to analyze spatial climate data to predict poor harvests and prevent severe hunger in Africa. Celine's undergraduate work earned her the Probability and Statistics Department's Rama Thogarati Award for high academic achievement.
Celine is currently pursuing a Master of Environmental Science and Management degree at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management (UCSB), with a specialization in Corporate Environmental Management and a focus in Eco-Entrepreneurship.
At Apeel, Celine is supporting the Biological Sciences team by developing and improving Apeel's produce metadata database, and loading researcher-collected data into the database. Additionally, she performs statistical modelling and analysis on this collected data to help Apeel's scientists answer research questions.
Alex is a senior undergraduate student at the University of California. Santa Barbara, and is interning with Apeel's IT team. Prior to joining Apeel, Alex worked at UCSB Life Sciences in a computer support role. As an IT intern, Alex helps manage internal computer systems and provides technical support for the Apeel team. Outside of work, Alex enjoys playing basketball, rock climbing, paddleboarding, and photography.
Natalie is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara pursuing a degree in Chemistry with a minor in Feminist Studies. She is a member of a Latina based sorority at UCSB, Lambda Theta Nu. She previously served as the the Cultural Affairs chair where she made, taught, and performed routines for stepping, strolling, and dancing with machetes to symbolize women empowerment. At Apeel she is works as an Extraction Scientist intern.
In her free time she enjoys taking her dog out to new places and finding new places to eat with friends.
Tommaso is an intern working with Apeel's engineering team. He is a fourth-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Edinburgh. During his studies he co-founded the School's first maker space and led a student team in designing, building and racing a single-seat race car for competition in the Formula Student UK event.
Jack is an undergraduate at the University of Southern California pursuing a BS in chemical engineering. Prior to joining Apeel, he worked in the Marinescu lab at USC where he developed various metal-organic framework materials for use in solar energy conversion. He then moved to the Melot research group where he began collaborating with Apeel on the development of catalysts for use in biomass conversion. This work carried over to his time at Apeel where he continues his work on catalysis to further extend the shelf life of produce.
Dionne is an undergraduate at Stanford University, pursuing a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and a minor in Human Rights. Before joining Apeel, she was a research assistant in the Cargnello Lab, where she worked on the low temperature combustion of hydrocarbons using size- and shape- dependent nanoparticle catalyst and support synthesis. At Apeel, she works as a Chemical Engineering intern.
In her free time, she enjoys yoga, reading, hiking, and listening to music.
Emma is a rising sophomore at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where she is studying chemistry and environmental science. As an analytical sciences intern, she is working on developing test methods for Apeel using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In her free time, Emma enjoys running, hiking and rowing with the Bates crew team.
Lauren is working as the People & Culture Intern at Apeel this summer. She is interested in learning about how to help people be the happiest and most efficient at work. Lauren works to utilize Apeel's current HR systems and assists in new employee engagement.
Lauren is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. During the school year, Lauren volunteers with Sprout Up and teaches environmental science in second grade classrooms. Lauren is also a member of the Columbia Women's Business Society and plans community outreach events with the goal of teaching young girls about business. This past semester, Lauren worked as the Entrepreneurship Intern for the Athena Center for Leadership Studies. In this role, she managed communication and logistics for the planning of the first annual Women Entrepreneurs Leadership Forum.
In her free time, Lauren enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time by the ocean.
Hunter is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Santa Barbara pursuing a BS in Chemical Engineering. At UCSB, Hunter serves as the current Regent of her Professional Engineering Fraternity, Theta Tau. Prior to joining Apeel, she interned at Vascular BioSciences, where she assisted in implementing their quality control system. At Apeel, Hunter works in manufacturing operations. In her free time she enjoys weightlifting and taking her dog to the beach.
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