A team that has come together to advance our shared vision for a plastic-free future.

Planetary Visionaries, Strategists, Scientists, Engineers, Designers, Technologists,

The LOLIWARE Team

Headquartered in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area, we're a diverse and global team of planetary visionaries, strategists, scientists, engineers, designers and technologists leading the seaweed and climate-tech sector.

The Core Team

Sea Briganti

Founder and CEO

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Sea Briganti is the Founder and CEO of LOLIWARE®.

Sea is a VC-backed product developer, climate activist, and award-winning social innovator. Graduating at the top of her class at Parsons School of Design, Sea was immediately hired to build innovation pipelines for global CPG companies such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle, and L’Oréal.

Under Sea’s leadership, LOLIWARE® has developed an innovative material that aims to help tackle the triple planetary emergency: plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity collapse. By generating new demand for farmed seaweed, LOLIWARE®'s technology also supports the livelihoods of coastal communities around the world. With her team of expert scientists, engineers, and technologists, Sea has developed SEA TECHNOLOGY™ - an innovative new material that can be used to produce plastic-free, home-compostable, seaweed-derived products.

To date, Sea has successfully raised $12.2M in funding and obtained VC-backing for LOLIWARE®. Over the next 5 years, Sea and the LOLIWARE® team are hyper-focused on rapidly replacing plastics with seaweed to tackle plastic pollution, improve ocean health, and decarbonize the future. By harnessing the power of nature, Sea is confident that we can achieve a plastic-free future.
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Sam Murray

COO

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Sam Murray is the Chief Operating Officer of LOLIWARE®.

He is passionate about building successful businesses with smart, collaborative teams.

Most recently, Sam was CEO of Lavit, responsible for repositioning and relaunching the B2B hydration platform which eliminates single use plastic bottles into offices throughout North America. Previously he was Lavit’s COO, responsible for restructuring the businesses manufacturing operations, logistics and sales teams, leading to 50% increase in gross margins and reduced OPEX. This work enabled Coca-Cola Europe to take a substantial equity stake in the company.

Prior to Lavit, Sam co-founded and was COO/CEO of the craft food and alcohol DTC e-commerce brand Mouth Foods, providing small batch, artisanal foods to consumer pantries. He started his career at a global OEM Injection molding and extrusion company in consumer sales, and eventually as COO pioneered a strategy that embedded teams into key customers including Siemens, GE, L’Oréal, J&J, ADP, Revlon and mass market retailers to ensure a seamless relationship and faster to market performance.

When not thinking of business, people and the planet, Sam is frequently either cycling or running. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two daughters.

Victoria Piunova

CTO

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Dr. Victoria Piunova is the Chief Technology Officer of LOLIWARE®.

Dr. Piunova hails from IBM Research, where she holds the prestigious title of IBM Master Inventor. She brings over 10 years of experience in sustainable materials development for applications in biotechnology and sensing. Victoria has invented 25 issued US patents and authored more than 30 publications in peer reviewed journals. She is also a recipient of the American Chemical Society's Young Investigator Award.

Victoria received her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California with Prof. Hogen-Esch and completed her post-doctoral studies at the California Institute of Technology in the group of Nobel Laureate Robert Grubbs.

Victoria spends her free time traveling, skiing, running marathons, and wine tasting.

John Powers

Head of Sales

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John Powers is the Head of Sales at LOLIWARE®.

John Powers is a passionate and experienced sales leader, focused on building predictable revenue teams with a strong focus on coaching and cross functional collaboration.

Most recently, John was Head of Sales for Garten, responsible for steadying and rebuilding a revenue engine in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that had decimated the office food and beverage industry. Prior to Garten, John spent 14 years with the Red Bull Energy Drink brand, leading sales and distribution strategy across a number of roles. In his time in the Mid-Atlantic, John led the highest performing third party distribution partner in North America, delivering double digit sales and distribution growth for three consecutive years.

In his personal life, John spends his time exploring the beauty of nature with his wife Samantha and daughter Rowan. His passion for coaching led him to become a CrossFit instructor and co-found a premium CrossFit gym & Yoga studio in New Jersey, CHOYCE ATHLETICS.

Lana Lee Wright

Chief of Staff and Head of Special Projects

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Lana Lee Wright is the Chief of Staff and Head of Special projects for LOLIWARE®.

Lana has over a decade of experience managing programs, projects, and people. She has held leadership and operations roles spanning the technology and higher education sectors – including Google, Sidewalk Labs, and Apple.

By night, Lana moonlights as a DJ. She also has a fondness for zip-lining, dancing, traveling, and trying the local hot sauce wherever she goes.

Ali Dashti

Senior Process Engineer

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Ali Dashti is the Senior Process Engineer at LOLIWARE®.

Ali finished his PhD in mechanical engineering at UCLA. Prior to his PhD, Ali worked in the built environment as a mechanical engineer designing HVAC systems for high rise buildings, universities and residential buildings.

Ali is passionate about technologies and innovation to combat climate change. His vision is to be a pioneer and advocate for climate change mitigation. His hobbies include painting, skiing and playing volleyball.

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Allen Orr

Creative Director

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Allen is the Creative Director for LOLIWARE®. He has over twenty years of experience in digital design.

Previously Allen held design leadership roles at Huge where he oversaw 40+ UX and Visual Designers.

Past clients include Apple, Lexus, Instagram, Reformation and Google.

Alyssa Mitchell

Project Manager

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Alyssa Mitchell is a Project Manager at LOLIWARE®. She has 8 years of experience leading R&D, engineering and operations teams at sustainability start-ups.

Most recently, Alyssa was the Director of Technology Deployment at Full Cycle Bioplastics where she scaled food waste-to-PHA technology.

Beyond her professional life, Alyssa enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring nature through hiking and gardening. She also cherishes time with family, friends, and her beloved chocolate lab.

Avery O'Rourke

Business Developer

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Avery is the Business Developer for LOLIWARE®.

Avery has vast experience working with companies and organizations focused on accelerating progress towards human unity, equality, and water mitigation. She has a mission to be a change agent for challenges faced in domestic and global communities by teaming with companies focused on creating sustainable solutions to the planet’s problems.

When not working, Avery can be found listening to french music, tracking the tide charts for the next wave she can fall off, or soldering a new power supply box.

John Maclin

Head of Product Operations

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John Maclin is the Head of Product Operations at LOLIWARE®.

John studied chemical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He has always been committed to using his engineering background to create more sustainable manufacturing practices and further novel manufacturing techniques that will disrupt the chemicals industry.

He is a committed Philly sports fan and is excited to go back to games in person as soon as possible. He is also passionate about homebrewing craft beer and would like to open his own brewery in the near future.

Jose Andrade

Chemical Engineer

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Jose Andrade is a Chemical Engineer for LOLIWARE®.

He graduated from San Jose State University with a M.S. in Materials Engineering. Jose had the opportunity to collaborate with IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California as part of his Master’s project. During his time at San Jose State, he also obtained a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Additionally, he was part of the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists (SOLESS).

In his free time, Jose enjoys watching soccer, playing games, and being around friends and family.

Julie Hudson

Senior Account Executive

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Julie Hudson is a Senior Account Executive at LOLIWARE®. She has 18+ years of high-performing senior/enterprise sales experience with various telecom, tech and early stage SaaS startups. Most recently, Julie was a Senior Account Executive at Jupiter Intelligence, the (Series C) global market leading climate analytics SaaS platform.

Originally from Oklahoma, Julie has spent the last 25 years living in the beautiful state of Colorado and is the proud mama of two grown children - Ashlyn and Jackson - and her sheepadoodle, Presley.

June Findlay

Marketing Manager

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June Findlay is the Marketing Manager at LOLIWARE®.

Over the last decade, she has created and led impactful campaigns, built online presences and curated in-person experiences that generate revenue, shift brand opinion, meet fundraising goals and spark conversations and long-lasting relationships with consumers at home and abroad.

When not at work, you can find June cooking and baking recipes she finds on her feeds, enjoying music-centered shows and events around her hometown Toronto, listening to countless podcasts and curated music lists, and keeping up with her favourite TV shows.

Kira Erickson

Director of Licensing and Partnerships

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Kira Erickson is the Director of Licensing and Partnerships at LOLIWARE®.

Kira has been recognized as a Circular Economy Pioneer by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Most recently, as Head of Strategic Partnerships at Full Cycle Bioplastics, Kira led corporate resin sales, technology licensing, and global business strategy.

In her spare time, Kira is completing her MBA at UC Berkeley with a focus on Corporate Sustainability.

Marla Tomorug

Graphic Designer and Photographer

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Marla Tomorug is the Graphic Designer and Photographer for LOLIWARE®.

Marla has over a decade of experience in graphic design. She enjoys working with companies who exist to make the planet a better place. Marla is also an underwater photographer, and is inspired by the stories the ocean has hidden below the surface.

When not working, Marla can be found freediving and surfing on the island of Maui. When forced to come up for air, she is typically in the kitchen making nourishing plant-based foods.

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Mehran Umerani

Senior Polymer Scientist

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Dr. Mehran Umerani is a Senior Polymer Scientist at LOLIWARE®.
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‍Most recently, Mehran was a Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific in the Genetic Scientist Division. Here, he worked on developing a novel method for the preparation of DNA microarrays with high quality probes and enhanced feature resolution. This work sought to improve the way clinicians study gene expression and disease treatment.

Mehran earned a Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine with Prof. Alon Gorodetsky where he characterized and developed materials for camouflage applications derived from a cephalopod structural protein. Through this work, Mehran gained experience in organic synthesis, protein prep, and device characterization.

Mehran is passionate about technology inspired by nature. In his free time, Mehran enjoys playing golf and tennis.

Peter Walker

Polymer Engineer

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Peter Walker is a Polymer Engineer at LOLIWARE®. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign concentrating on polymer courses because of his interest in chemistry and the structure of soft materials.

Peter is passionate about non-toxic plastic alternatives to reduce the impact of plastic waste and reliance on fossil fuels. For fun, he enjoys playing soccer, hiking, weightlifting, and reading nonfiction.

The Scientific Advisory Board

Dr. Louis E. Metzger IV

Scientific Advisor

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Louis E. Metzger IV, Ph.D., is a Scientific Advisor to LOLIWARE®.

Louis believes that the precise engineering of biology will enable a revolution in how humans live, work, and interact with our planet.

He is the co-founder of a stealth-mode firm and is a scientific consultant. As Chief Scientific Officer of Tierra Biosciences, he helped to build an automated, cell-free “protein printing” platform with applications in synthetic biology and in green chemistry. As a scientist at Novartis Infectious Diseases, Dr. Metzger founded and led a team that hunted for novel antibacterial molecules. Additionally Louis leads Biocaptivate, a think-tank examining the culture of science, and is a Forbes contributor.

Fascinated by the biochemical treasures that have evolved in the oceans over deep time, Dr. Metzger is delighted to help LOLIWARE solve the problem of plastics pollution.

Dr. Garret Miyake

Scientific Advisor

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Garret Miyake is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board at LOLIWARE®.

He is a co-founder of New Iridium and Cypris Materials. He is currently an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Colorado State University.

He performed his Ph.D.studies at Colorado State University before conducting postdoctoral research with Robert Grubbs at the California Institute of Technology.

He has been awarded the Sloan Research Fellowship, the Cottrell Scholar Award, the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, the American Chemical Society’s Division of Polymer Chemistry Mark Young Scholar Award, and the American Chemical Society’s Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering Journal of Polymer Science Innovation Award.

Dr. Carlos M. Duarte

Scientific Advisor, Seaweed Sustainability & Supply Chain

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Carlos Duarte is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board at LOLIWARE®.

Carlos is the Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in Saudi Arabia. He has published more than 850 scientific papers, and was recently ranked as the top marine biologist in the world.

Duarte’s research focuses on understanding the effects of global change in marine ecosystems, developing marine-based solutions to global challenges, including mitigating climate change through Blue Carbon strategies, a concept he co-authored, and developing evidence-based strategies to rebuild the abundance of marine life by 2050.

He has received many honors, most recently the Carlo Heip award for Excellence in Marine Biodiversity Research (2018), the Ramon Margalef Ecology Award (2019), and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Ecology and Conservation Biology (2020).

The Board of Advisors

Oliver B. Libby

Managing Partner and Co-Founder,
Hatzimemos / Libby

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Oliver Libby is a member of the Board at LOLIWARE®.

Oliver B. Libby is Managing Partner and co-founder of Hatzimemos / Libby, a strategy and venture firm based in New York City. Founded in 2009, H/L is dedicated to accelerating companies, focusing on high-growth businesses that add value to society.

Mr. Libby also chairs the Board of The Resolution Project, Inc., a non-profit organization based in New York City which he co-founded in 2007. Through its Social Venture Challenges, held at leading youth conferences around the world, Resolution identifies undergraduate students who wish to launch new social ventures.

Mr. Libby has been invited to speak at Harvard, Columbia, and the United Nations, among other thought leadership venues and convenings and his work has been covered in publications including the New York Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, LinkedIn, VICE,Fast Company, Reuters, the NY Post, and The Huffington Post. He has spoken and published work focusing on the nexus between the future of work, job creation, innovation, social entrepreneurship, and leadership.

Nishan Degnarain

Founder,
Breakthrough Ocean Ventures

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Nishan Degnarain is a member of the Board at LOLIWARE®.

Nishan Degnarain is an economist and founder of Breakthrough Ocean Ventures, an advisory firm focused on ‘ocean moonshots’ that leverages new technologies and novel business models to transform the health of our ocean especially for coastal and island communities. He was formerly elected Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council, that sets the oceans agenda each year for world leaders at Davos, and helped establish WEF’s new Special Initiative on the Ocean.

He was formerly in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, and was also with McKinsey and Company. He has held a series of board and executive positions in the public and private sectors, including being appointed by the Cabinet of Mauritius to both Mauritius Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee as well as the National Ocean Council, and also appointed as an International Member of CCICED (‘The China Council’) that advises the Chinese Government on Ocean strategy.

He has won several awards, including being recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He recently authored Soul of the Sea in the Age of the Algorithm, highlighting how the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ can radically transform ocean governance and restore ocean health.

Justin Kamine

Co-Founder & Partner,
Kamine Development Corporation

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Justine Kamine is a member of the Board at LOLIWARE®.

Justin Kamine has been at the forefront of sustainable and environmentally progressive technologies and food movements for the past six years. Through his angel investments and entrepreneurial talents, he is deeply involved with growing technologies that are actively transforming the agriculture world, creating a more sustainable food supply chain, eliminating food and plastic waste, and building solar energy capacity. He has been consistently featured in CNBC, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and other publications.

Justin is a managing member of Kamine Development Corporation, the Kamine family’s development office. He is also a Co-Founder and Partner at KDC Ag, a company deploying a fresh food waste conversion technology to eliminate food waste and increase sustainable farming across the United States.

Justin has committed his life and dedicated his career to proving that environmentally sustainable investments and technologies can progress society while providing better than normal financial yields.

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