Meet The Aquagga Herd
Nigel Sharp
Co-Founder & CEO
Serial entrepreneur, technologist, and Techstars Alum, Nigel Sharp has held successive Entrepreneur in Residence roles at the University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of Alaska successfully spinning out CU Boulder IP previously attracting SBIR and Venture Capital through multiple rounds of funding.
Brian Pinkard, Ph.D.
Co-Founder & CTO
Dr. Brian Pinkard has previously spearheaded efforts at the University of Washington to develop mobile hydrothermal systems for the destruction of bulk chemical weapon stockpiles. Brian is a widely published expert in the field of hydrothermal processing.
Chris Woodruff
Co-Founder & COO
Chris Woodruff has a wide breadth of engineering experience spanning the aerospace, consumer electronics, and construction industries. His volunteer work with Engineers Without Borders piqued his interest in projects geared toward making a social and environmental impact.
Alex de Marne
Head of New Product Engineering
Alex de Marne began his engineering career at Boeing, where he working on designing detail parts and large assemblies for airplane interiors. Over his career, Alex has designed parts that are flying on airplanes around the world, optimized manufacturing systems, and developed electromechanical systems in lab and production environments.
Mike Czerski
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Mike is a mechanical engineer with a well-rounded technical background in aerospace and startup environments. He has worked on projects ranging from airplane hydraulics, to football helmet design, to consumer product design, and to the design of an experimental combustion reactor for studying particle formation in flames.
Ariella Halevi
Engineering Project Manager
Ariella Halevi comes from a background of consumer product design and has a long history with local environmental restoration. She completed her BS in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology with a minor in Art. In 2021, she left engineering to complete an environmentally-focused AmeriCorps service term before returning to a career focused on environmental engineering.
Cody Thomsen
Mechanical Engineer
Cody is a recent graduate from the University of Washington Mechanical Engineering program, currently working to complete his Master's while supporting Aquagga's technical development efforts
Calvin Rhodes
Mechanical Design Engineer
Calvin Rhodes is a multidisciplinary Mechanical Engineer working on Engineering Development and Project Management at Aquagga. Calvin's experience ranges from developing computer vision and autonomous navigation technology to designing and fabricating parts for a wide range of engineering and technical projects including aerospace and automotive industries.
Hilary Joyner
Senior Marketing Director
Hilary is a seasoned marketing professional, boasting over a decade of expertise in content creation, project management, and strategic development. Her passion lies in leveraging her marketing acumen to propel Aquagga's mission of fostering positive social impact. With a proven track record of success, Hilary is dedicated to steering innovative and impactful marketing strategies that align seamlessly with Aquagga's overarching vision.
Somnath Mukherjee
Senior Controls Engineer
Somnath (Som) holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington, Seattle. He has over a decade of experience working in thermal and gas power plants in India, holding various roles and possessing engineering expertise in multiple control systems and operational technologies.
Gus Millevolte
Research Engineer
Gus has spent the last decade studying neural control systems and self-learning algorithms for control optimization. He received his undergraduate in Neurobiology & Electrical Engineering from University of Wisconsin - Madison, and his Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Washintgon - Seattle. He is passionate about translating scientific research through engineering to solve problems for people.
Quinn Huelsbeck
Operations Manager
Quinn is a dedicated Lean/Continuous Improvement Leader who excels at using proven methods and cutting-edge technology to successfully cut costs, streamline operations, and increase productivity.
Angie Karsama
Marketing Manager
Angie Karsama is a B2B marketing professional who brings a wealth of knowledge in technical marketing, business development, content strategy, and social media. She enjoys crafting compelling narratives that resonate with target audiences.
Conrad Austin
Test Engineer
Annie Heble
Post Doctoral Research Fellow