Officers

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Keith DeSanto
President and Director
B.S. Mathematics
Northwestern University

Keith started his career with the Boston Stock Exchange in 1987 and has since managed and owned NASDAQ Broker Dealers. He purchased Rhamnolipid Companies in 2004 and has devoted all of his time to developing a cost-efficient production method for producing rhamnolipid in industrial quantities and developing a control for Citrus Greening using rhamnolipid.

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Bruce Harmon
CFO
B.S. Accounting
Missouri State University

Member of Association for Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and The Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG).

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Richard Pucci
Project Manager
M.S. Strategic Studies
Royal Military College

Retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Medical Service at the rank of Colonel while serving as the Deputy Commander Canadian Forces Health Services at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. Also served as Chief of Staff. Served in an extraordinary variety of command and strategic level staff positions in Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, and operational tours.

Agromists

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Dr. Lucien M. Bordeleau
B.S. Agronomy
M.S. Bacteriology
Laval University

Ph.D Environmental Microbiology
M.S. Bacteriology
Rutgers University

She is a member of the Canadian College of Microbiologists (1978). Successive research scientist, research director, research coordinator, and advisor in various R&D projects in partnership (Government-university-industry) for national and international organizations including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada, United Nations (UNESCO), OECD, FAO, National Academy of Sciences of USA and various Canadian and American universities (1972-1996). Expertise in the areas of biodegradation, biotransformations, fermentation, composting, soil-plant-microbe relationships, biocontrol against plant diseases and preservation and bioremediation. Principal of Biolistik Ltée, an agro-environment firm specializing in the safe use of microorganisms in soil systems / plants / water in sustainable production and restoration, as well as in the protection of soil-water-air resources and the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems.

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Conrad Bernier
B.S. Agricultural Sciences

From 1988 to 1997, he served as administrator of the Department of Agriculture for the Province of Quebec and managed to change the laws for crop insurance and income stabilization to lower insurance costs for producers and governments. He earned a Bachelor’s in Agricultural Sciences with an animal sciences option, which supplements with a mastery in animal genetics. He was the Director of the Service for the Department of Agriculture. He was also the First Vice-President of the World Association of Agronomists (AMIA).

Researchers

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Dr. Helen Zhang
15yrs+ experience dealing with biosurfactants and working with industries
Associate Professor in Department of Civil (Environmental) Engineering
Research Chair (Tier II)
Memorial University

Her research expertise and interests lie in the areas of marine oil spill response, coastal/inland site remediation, marine oily wastewater treatment, reservoir souring control, fishery/municipal solid waste composting, and environmental monitoring and analysis. She has led or participated in over 20 research grants / contracts (12 as PI) since joining Memorial University in 2010 and she has produced more than 180 technical publications. Her research contributions have been widely recognized in newsletters and magazines such as Canadian Reclamation, Research Matters, Context Magazine (Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers), Genome Atlantic e-Bulletin, Natural Resources Magazine, and Gazette Magazine. She serves the Executive Committee of Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) NL Section, as Senior Expert of UNDP, and the Atlantic Region Director of Canadian Association on Water Quality (CAWQ).

Dr. Maria Izabel Camargo-Mathias
Ph.D Biological Sciences (Zoology)
Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho State University

Maria obtained her Doctorate in Biological Sciences (Zoology) in 1993 from Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho and became a full professor in 2010. She was nominated for the three-name list of the Electoral Commission for the position of Director at the National School of Tropical Botany.

Dr. Marlus Chorilli
Ph.D Pharmaceutical Sciences
São Paulo State University

Currently Assistant Professor at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Araraquara – São Paulo State University, teaching Pharmacotechniques and Pharmaceutical Technology.

Dr. Patricia Bento da Silva
Ph.D Inorganic Chemistry
São Paulo State University

Holds a PhD (2012) in inorganic chemistry involving "inorganic compounds applied to TB treatment" in the Chemistry Program IQAR/UNESP and is currently acting as a Postdoctoral researcher at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences – São Paulo State University.

Beatriz Cristina Pecoraro Sanches
M.S. Biotechnology
São Paulo State University

Holds a Master’s Degree in Biotechnology Post-Graduation Program, Chemistry Institute – São Paulo State University (IQ - UNESP) and works with rhamnolipid applications in nanotechnology.

Cinthia Cristine de Moura
B.S. Environmental Engineering
M.S. Geosciences and Environment
Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho State University

Currently studying PhD in Bioenergy from the State University of São Paulo Júlio de Mesquita Filho, acting mainly in the following subjects: rain simulation, compensatory technique, hydrochemistry and environmental remediation.

Dr. Claudio José Von Zuben
B.S. Biology
M.S. Biology
Ph.D Zoology
São Paulo State University

Bachelor of Science in Biology (1988), Master (1992) and Ph.D. of Science in Zoology (1996), São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo State, Brazil.

Vinícius Luiz Da Silva
M.S. Microbiology
São Paulo State University

Holds a Master’s degree in Microbiology at São Paulo State university, Júlio de Mesquita Filho, UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil and as experience focusing on Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation, acting on the following subjects: pseudomonas aeruginosa, biosurfactant, rhamnolipids.

Henrique Ferreira

Associate Professor (from Apr/2015), Depto. Bioquímica e Microbiologia, IBRC, UNESP, Rio Claro and has published books such as, “Proceedings of the International Workshop on Xanthomonas citri/citrus canker.”

Reinaldo Marchetto

Full professor at the Institute of Chemistry of UNESP with experience on Chemistry of Macromolecules, Medicinal Chemistry and Biomaterials and scientifically acts in the following subjects: peptide synthesis, antimicrobial peptides, topoisomerases mechanisms, solid phase organic synthesis, antitumor drugs and drug-delivery systems. In the Biomaterials area, act in the development of nanocomposites with application in the tissue regeneration.

Dr. Roberta Barros Lovaglio
Ph.D Applied Microbiology

Post-graduate degree in applied microbiology at the doctoral level with emphasis on biotechnology and agro-industrial waste, working mainly on the following topics: production and application of rhamnolipids biosurfactants, biodegradation and fermentation.

Ana María Salazar Bryam

A PhD student at UNESP working with biotechnological production and applications of rhamnolipids from Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. She previously worked with microbial water ecology researching heavy metals bioremediation and focused on biosurfactants production research.

Interns

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Morgan Rountree
Communications Director/Intern

Currently completing an A.S. Degree in Computer Programming and Analysis at St. Petersburg College and currently holds a General A.A. She graduated from Frostproof High School, in the heart of citrus country, and was active in Future Business Leaders of America and DECA.

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Daniel Rojas
Web Development Intern

A Computer Programming and Analysis student at St. Petersburg College. Daniel is working on developing and designing Rhamnolipid websites and crowdfunding campaigns.

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Ben Effiom
Web Development Intern

Currently an A.S. Web Development student at St. Petersburg College. Ben is working mainly on developing and designing Rhamnolipid websites and crowdfunding campaigns.

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Christian Fenn
Web Development Intern

Computer Programming and Analysis Intern working on the crowdfunding campaign and Rhamnolipid website.

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Zhanna Vysotskaya
Web Development Intern

Graduate student at St. Petersburg College working towards AS degree in Computer Programming and Analysis. Currently working on designing and developing websites.