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Here’s the truth:

This decade’s most powerful bioactive was discovered by accident.

Red Sorghum is no ordinary plant. Parts of the plant are known to possess mythic bioactive properties –but only in trace quantities, and only in the grain or leaf sheath.

One day in 2009, Seth DeBolt came across something unusual: one of his sorghum plants was completely red. Having spent years researching some of the most rare and little understood areas of plant biology and how to bring them to consumers, Seth knew that the red parts of the crop are where the plant’s valuable bioactives are concentrated. He knew this warranted further study.

As a renowned plant biologist, Seth and his team at the University of Kentucky had over 2,000,000 sorghum plants in the ground, and they were looking to identify new varieties with qualitative benefits.

This red plant was an entirely natural accident — and Seth had the expertise to react to it.

Over the last decade, RedLeaf has nurtured this never-before-seen varietal called RedNatural™ sorghum using traditional plant breeding techniques that are natural and non-GMO.

As scientists, we don’t believe in magic — but from a biochemical perspective, RedNatural comes pretty close.

This Leaf Renews Community
RedLeaf is proud to have a fully domestic operation. We grow in the US using sustainable agricultural practices, guaranteeing supply chain security.

These aren’t thistles from the Peruvian Andes or special berries from Tibet.

And while we love romantic stories about exotic ingredients, we’re even more excited that our Kentucky farmers are growing unprecedentedly potent plants here at home.

In an era of frequent supply-chain shock, it’s a big deal to own our value chain. And since our farmers don’t need any specialty equipment to grow the crop, we can scale quickly without putting any burden on our partners. Together, we’re building a new agro-economic system.

our TEAM

Jordan Wood
‍Chief Executive Officer

A former healthcare attorney by trade, Jordan uses his experience in navigating clients’ complex legal and regulatory issues to help drive RedLeaf’s science-backed approach to commercialization. Joining the company full time in 2017, Jordan has worked with the RedLeaf team to execute the company’s legal, regulatory, and agricultural efforts needed to make the transition from the lab to the market.  Since his time in Kentucky, Jordan has taken a personal interest in the impact RedLeaf can have on local and regional farming communities looking for a new sustainable crop. As such he has spoken at multiple events on the promise of agtech in Kentucky and joined the State’s Agricultural and Equine Council in 2020.

Sean Voigt
President

Sean’s career combines global business and finance experience with deep science and engineering expertise. Inspired by the potential for technology to drive more sustainable agriculture and energy systems, Sean studied chemical engineering and biology at Stanford before pursuing a career that has spanned start-up, management consulting at McKinsey, sustainable economic development and entrepreneurial investing. He holds a BSCi and MSCi in from Stanford University and Columbia University respectively and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Parker Camp
Agriculture & Operations Manager

Parker leads RedLeaf’s growing operations, plant genetics, and process scale-up engineering. With a BSCi in Plant and Soil Science and with deep experience in plant selection and breeding, Parker was instrumental in early breeding and design of RedLeaf’s proprietary varietal. When he’s not in the field with our growers or in the greenhouse, Parker drives engineering and scale-up of RedLeaf’s proprietary extraction process and production facility. In short, since joining as our first full time employee in 2016, Parker has been instrumental in every element of RedLeaf’s operations, from seed to finished product.

Melissa Stachelski
Quality Manager

Melissa has long had a passion for food science, innovation, and agricultural systems. She earned her bachelor in food science at the University of Kentucky, where she also interned in the Food Systems Innovation Center and also worked at the Coldstream Research Farm as a student farm worker. Since joining RedLeaf in 2017, Melissa has supported all elements of RedLeaf lab operations, R&D, and commercial operations. As Quality Manager, Melissa leads RedLeaf’s quality and certification operations.

Ryan Gidzinski
Lab Manager

One of RedLeaf’s first full-time hires, Ryan has been involved in all elements of RedLeafs technology and commercial scale up. Ryan graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Food Science and experience in the restaurant industry and food production quality assurance. Today, Ryan is central to RedLeaf production operations, application development, and quality assurance.

Luke Fish
‍Business Development Manager

Luke contributes to RedLeaf’s commercialization efforts by employing his technical background in concert with business acumen. As an avid outdoorsman, Luke is driven by the aspiration to create a more sustainable future through strategy and good intent. Luke holds degrees in Biology, Chemistry, and an MBA from the University of Kentucky.
Travis brings 10 years of experience in engineering design and project management. Travis is a data-driven professional committed to continuous improvement through innovation and strategy. Travis holds a BSME from Western Kentucky University.

Travis Poulton
‍Production Plant Manager

Josh Ehl
‍Agriculture & Operations Assistant

Josh contributes to all aspects of RedLeaf’s agricultural operations, from seed to harvest. Josh holds a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Kentucky. Previously, Josh contributed to research efforts at the University of Kentucky’s Agroecosystem Nutrient Cycling Lab, focused on no-till agriculture.

Robert VanHook
‍Agriculture Specialist

Robbie lends his vast experience and knowledge to RedLeaf’s agricultural operations– bringing over 30 years of agricultural experience to the team. A lifelong resident of Kentucky, Robbie graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Entomology and a specialization in Agronomy.

Madhu Sekar
‍Research Intern

Madhu works with the Business Development Team to further clinical trial development. She has experience in the nutritional supplement field in addition to regulatory work in pharmaceuticals. She will obtain her B.S. in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Kentucky in May 2022.
Laura contributes to RedLeaf’s production and quality assurance efforts as an assistant laboratory technician. Laura brings experience from work in Dr. Escobar’s membrane materials lab and will obtain her Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Kentucky in May 2022.

Laura Brady
‍Laboratory Intern

board Members

Chris Somerville
‍Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board

Plant biochemist Chris Somerville is co-founder of RedLeaf Biologics and Chairman of the Board. Chris was co-founder and Executive Chairman of Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. and a co-founder of Poetic Genetics, and LS9, Inc. He is former Director of both the Carnegie Plant Biology Institute at Stanford and the Energy Biosciences Institute at Berkeley. In 2006, Chris was awarded the prestigious Balzan Prize for his pioneering work in plant research, and he has been a Director or advisor of several public and private companies. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of London.

Seth Debolt
‍Technology Founder, Board Member

A plant scientist by training, Seth is RedLeaf’s technological founder and board member. A tenured professor in University of Kentucky department of horticulture, Seth is also director of the Beam Institute, the country’s first multidisciplinary institute dedicated to fermentation and distillation science. With over 80 peer reviewed papers, his wide ranging research interests span biology of the plant cell wall, fermentation and distillation chemistry, and bioprocessing. Seth continues to provides high level direction to the company’s product development and R&D efforts.

True Baker
Board Member

True has been a RedLeaf Director since the Board was implemented. He is an equine surgeon at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, one of the largest horse facilities in the world. He was born and raised in central Kentucky on a farm growing tobacco and raising horses. He has strong ties to local agrarian culture and agri-business initiatives in the state of KY.

Heather Youngs
‍Board Member and Scientific Advisor

Heather has spent twenty years performing research and analysis in various aspects of the bioeconomy. A former assistant professor at Michigan Technological University and former director of the Bakar Fellows Program for Faculty Entrepreneurs at UC Berkeley, she now manages scientific grants and investments for a philanthropy in San Francisco. Heather has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Oregon Health & Science University and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University.

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Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

By clicking the button you are confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2022 RedLeaf Biologics

Home

ABOUT

APPLICATIONS

Science

Latest News

Contact

Here’s the truth:

This decade’s most powerful bioactive was discovered by accident.

Red Sorghum is no ordinary plant. Parts of the plant are known to possess mythic bioactive properties –but only in trace quantities, and only in the grain or leaf sheath.

One day in 2009, Seth DeBolt came across something unusual: one of his sorghum plants was completely red. Having spent years researching some of the most rare and little understood areas of plant biology and how to bring them to consumers, Seth knew that the red parts of the crop are where the plant’s valuable bioactives are concentrated. He knew this warranted further study.

As a renowned plant biologist, Seth and his team at the University of Kentucky had over 2,000,000 sorghum plants in the ground, and they were looking to identify new varieties with qualitative benefits.

This red plant was an entirely natural accident – and Seth had the expertise to react to it.

Over the last decade, RedLeaf has nurtured this never-before-seen varietal called RedNatural™ sorghum using traditional plant breeding techniques that are natural and non-GMO.

As scientists, we don’t believe in magic — but from a biochemical perspective, RedNatural comes pretty close.

This Leaf
Renews Community

RedLeaf is proud to have a fully domestic operation. We grow in the US using sustainable agricultural practices, guaranteeing supply chain security.

These aren’t thistles from the Peruvian Andes or special berries from Tibet.

And while we love romantic stories about exotic ingredients, we’re even more excited that our Kentucky farmers are growing unprecedentedly potent plants here at home.

In an era of frequent supply-chain shock, it’s a big deal to own our value chain. And since our farmers don’t need any specialty equipment to grow the crop, we can scale quickly without putting any burden on our partners. Together, we’re building a new agro-economic system.

our TEAM

Jordan Wood
‍Chief Executive Officer

A former healthcare attorney by trade, Jordan uses his experience in navigating clients’ complex legal and regulatory issues to help drive RedLeaf’s science-backed approach to commercialization. Joining the company full time in 2017, Jordan has worked with the RedLeaf team to execute the company’s legal, regulatory, and agricultural efforts needed to make the transition from the lab to the market.  Since his time in Kentucky, Jordan has taken a personal interest in the impact RedLeaf can have on local and regional farming communities looking for a new sustainable crop. As such he has spoken at multiple events on the promise of agtech in Kentucky and joined the State’s Agricultural and Equine Council in 2020.

Sean Voigt
President

Sean’s career combines global business and finance experience with deep science and engineering expertise. Inspired by the potential for technology to drive more sustainable agriculture and energy systems, Sean studied chemical engineering and biology at Stanford before pursuing a career that has spanned start-up, management consulting at McKinsey, sustainable economic development and entrepreneurial investing. He holds a BSCi and MSCi in from Stanford University and Columbia University respectively and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Parker Camp
Agriculture & Operations Manager

Parker leads RedLeaf’s growing operations, plant genetics, and process scale-up engineering. With a BSCi in Plant and Soil Science and with deep experience in plant selection and breeding, Parker was instrumental in early breeding and design of RedLeaf’s proprietary varietal. When he’s not in the field with our growers or in the greenhouse, Parker drives engineering and scale-up of RedLeaf’s proprietary extraction process and production facility. In short, since joining as our first full time employee in 2016, Parker has been instrumental in every element of RedLeaf’s operations, from seed to finished product.

Melissa Stachelski
Quality Manager

Melissa has long had a passion for food science, innovation, and agricultural systems. She earned her bachelor in food science at the University of Kentucky, where she also interned in the Food Systems Innovation Center and also worked at the Coldstream Research Farm as a student farm worker. Since joining RedLeaf in 2017, Melissa has supported all elements of RedLeaf lab operations, R&D, and commercial operations. As Quality Manager, Melissa leads RedLeaf’s quality and certification operations.

Ryan Gidzinski
Lab Manager

One of RedLeaf’s first full-time hires, Ryan has been involved in all elements of RedLeafs technology and commercial scale up. Ryan graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Food Science and experience in the restaurant industry and food production quality assurance. Today, Ryan is central to RedLeaf production operations, application development, and quality assurance.

Luke Fish
‍Business Development Manager

Luke contributes to RedLeaf’s commercialization efforts by employing his technical background in concert with business acumen. As an avid outdoorsman, Luke is driven by the aspiration to create a more sustainable future through strategy and good intent. Luke holds degrees in Biology, Chemistry, and an MBA from the University of Kentucky.
Travis brings 10 years of experience in engineering design and project management. Travis is a data-driven professional committed to continuous improvement through innovation and strategy. Travis holds a BSME from Western Kentucky University.

Travis Poulton
‍Production Plant Manager

Josh Ehl
‍Agriculture & Operations Assistant

Josh contributes to all aspects of RedLeaf’s agricultural operations, from seed to harvest. Josh holds a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Kentucky. Previously, Josh contributed to research efforts at the University of Kentucky’s Agroecosystem Nutrient Cycling Lab, focused on no-till agriculture.

Robert VanHook
‍Agriculture Specialist

Robbie lends his vast experience and knowledge to RedLeaf’s agricultural operations– bringing over 30 years of agricultural experience to the team. A lifelong resident of Kentucky, Robbie graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Entomology and a specialization in Agronomy.

Madhu Sekar
‍Research Intern

Madhu works with the Business Development Team to further clinical trial development. She has experience in the nutritional supplement field in addition to regulatory work in pharmaceuticals. She will obtain her B.S. in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Kentucky in May 2022.
Laura contributes to RedLeaf’s production and quality assurance efforts as an assistant laboratory technician. Laura brings experience from work in Dr. Escobar’s membrane materials lab and will obtain her Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Kentucky in May 2022.

Laura Brady
‍Laboratory Intern

board Members

Chris Somerville
‍Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board

Plant biochemist Chris Somerville is co-founder of RedLeaf Biologics and Chairman of the Board. Chris was co-founder and Executive Chairman of Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. and a co-founder of Poetic Genetics, and LS9, Inc. He is former Director of both the Carnegie Plant Biology Institute at Stanford and the Energy Biosciences Institute at Berkeley. In 2006, Chris was awarded the prestigious Balzan Prize for his pioneering work in plant research, and he has been a Director or advisor of several public and private companies. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of London.

Seth Debolt
‍Technology Founder, Board Member

A plant scientist by training, Seth is RedLeaf’s technological founder and board member. A tenured professor in University of Kentucky department of horticulture, Seth is also director of the Beam Institute, the country’s first multidisciplinary institute dedicated to fermentation and distillation science. With over 80 peer reviewed papers, his wide ranging research interests span biology of the plant cell wall, fermentation and distillation chemistry, and bioprocessing. Seth continues to provides high level direction to the company’s product development and R&D efforts.

True Baker
Board Member

True has been a RedLeaf Director since the Board was implemented. He is an equine surgeon at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, one of the largest horse facilities in the world. He was born and raised in central Kentucky on a farm growing tobacco and raising horses. He has strong ties to local agrarian culture and agri-business initiatives in the state of KY.

Heather Youngs
‍Board Member and Scientific Advisor

Heather has spent twenty years performing research and analysis in various aspects of the bioeconomy. A former assistant professor at Michigan Technological University and former director of the Bakar Fellows Program for Faculty Entrepreneurs at UC Berkeley, she now manages scientific grants and investments for a philanthropy in San Francisco. Heather has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Oregon Health & Science University and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University.

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Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

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Redleaf. All right reserved. © 2022

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The next generation
of botanical
extracts is here

Red Sorghum is no ordinary plant. Parts of the plant are known to possess mythic bioactive properties –but only in trace quantities, and only in the grain or leaf sheath.

One day in 2009, Seth DeBolt came across something unusual: one of his sorghum plants was completely red. Having spent years researching some of the most rare and little understood areas of plant biology and how to bring them to consumers, Seth knew that the red parts of the crop are where the plant’s valuable bioactives are concentrated. He knew this warranted further study.

As a renowned plant biologist, Seth and his team at the University of Kentucky had over 2,000,000 sorghum plants in the ground, and they were looking to identify new varieties with qualitative benefits.

This red plant was an entirely natural accident — and Seth had the expertise to react to it.

Over the last decade, RedLeaf has nurtured this never-before-seen varietal called RedNatural™ sorghum using traditional plant breeding techniques that are natural and non-GMO.

As scientists, we don’t believe in magic — but from a biochemical perspective, RedNatural comes pretty close.

This Leaf Renews Community
RedLeaf is proud to have a fully domestic operation. We grow in the US using sustainable agricultural practices, guaranteeing supply chain security.

These aren’t thistles from the Peruvian Andes or special berries from Tibet.

And while we love romantic stories about exotic ingredients, we’re even more excited that our Kentucky farmers are growing unprecedentedly potent plants here at home.

In an era of frequent supply-chain shock, it’s a big deal to own our value chain. And since our farmers don’t need any specialty equipment to grow the crop, we can scale quickly without putting any burden on our partners. Together, we’re building a new agro-economic system.

our TEAM

Jordan Wood
‍Chief Executive Officer

A former healthcare attorney by trade, Jordan uses his experience in navigating clients’ complex legal and regulatory issues to help drive RedLeaf’s science-backed approach to commercialization. Joining the company full time in 2017, Jordan has worked with the RedLeaf team to execute the company’s legal, regulatory, and agricultural efforts needed to make the transition from the lab to the market.  Since his time in Kentucky, Jordan has taken a personal interest in the impact RedLeaf can have on local and regional farming communities looking for a new sustainable crop. As such he has spoken at multiple events on the promise of agtech in Kentucky and joined the State’s Agricultural and Equine Council in 2020.

Sean Voigt
President

Sean’s career combines global business and finance experience with deep science and engineering expertise. Inspired by the potential for technology to drive more sustainable agriculture and energy systems, Sean studied chemical engineering and biology at Stanford before pursuing a career that has spanned start-up, management consulting at McKinsey, sustainable economic development and entrepreneurial investing. He holds a BSCi and MSCi in from Stanford University and Columbia University respectively and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Parker Camp
Agriculture & Operations Manager

Parker leads RedLeaf’s growing operations, plant genetics, and process scale-up engineering. With a BSCi in Plant and Soil Science and with deep experience in plant selection and breeding, Parker was instrumental in early breeding and design of RedLeaf’s proprietary varietal. When he’s not in the field with our growers or in the greenhouse, Parker drives engineering and scale-up of RedLeaf’s proprietary extraction process and production facility. In short, since joining as our first full time employee in 2016, Parker has been instrumental in every element of RedLeaf’s operations, from seed to finished product.

Melissa Stachelski
Quality Manager

Melissa has long had a passion for food science, innovation, and agricultural systems. She earned her bachelor in food science at the University of Kentucky, where she also interned in the Food Systems Innovation Center and also worked at the Coldstream Research Farm as a student farm worker. Since joining RedLeaf in 2017, Melissa has supported all elements of RedLeaf lab operations, R&D, and commercial operations. As Quality Manager, Melissa leads RedLeaf’s quality and certification operations.

Ryan Gidzinski
Lab Manager

One of RedLeaf’s first full-time hires, Ryan has been involved in all elements of RedLeafs technology and commercial scale up. Ryan graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Food Science and experience in the restaurant industry and food production quality assurance. Today, Ryan is central to RedLeaf production operations, application development, and quality assurance.

Luke Fish
‍Business Development Manager

Luke contributes to RedLeaf’s commercialization efforts by employing his technical background in concert with business acumen. As an avid outdoorsman, Luke is driven by the aspiration to create a more sustainable future through strategy and good intent. Luke holds degrees in Biology, Chemistry, and an MBA from the University of Kentucky.
Travis brings 10 years of experience in engineering design and project management. Travis is a data-driven professional committed to continuous improvement through innovation and strategy. Travis holds a BSME from Western Kentucky University.

Travis Poulton
‍Production Plant Manager

Josh Ehl
‍Agriculture & Operations Assistant

Josh contributes to all aspects of RedLeaf’s agricultural operations, from seed to harvest. Josh holds a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Kentucky. Previously, Josh contributed to research efforts at the University of Kentucky’s Agroecosystem Nutrient Cycling Lab, focused on no-till agriculture.

Robert VanHook
‍Agriculture Specialist

Robbie lends his vast experience and knowledge to RedLeaf’s agricultural operations– bringing over 30 years of agricultural experience to the team. A lifelong resident of Kentucky, Robbie graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Entomology and a specialization in Agronomy.

Madhu Sekar
‍Research Intern

Madhu works with the Business Development Team to further clinical trial development. She has experience in the nutritional supplement field in addition to regulatory work in pharmaceuticals. She will obtain her B.S. in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Kentucky in May 2022.
Laura contributes to RedLeaf’s production and quality assurance efforts as an assistant laboratory technician. Laura brings experience from work in Dr. Escobar’s membrane materials lab and will obtain her Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Kentucky in May 2022.

Laura Brady
‍Laboratory Intern

board Members

Chris Somerville
‍Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board

Plant biochemist Chris Somerville is co-founder of RedLeaf Biologics and Chairman of the Board. Chris was co-founder and Executive Chairman of Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. and a co-founder of Poetic Genetics, and LS9, Inc. He is former Director of both the Carnegie Plant Biology Institute at Stanford and the Energy Biosciences Institute at Berkeley. In 2006, Chris was awarded the prestigious Balzan Prize for his pioneering work in plant research, and he has been a Director or advisor of several public and private companies. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of London.

Seth Debolt
‍Technology Founder, Board Member

A plant scientist by training, Seth is RedLeaf’s technological founder and board member. A tenured professor in University of Kentucky department of horticulture, Seth is also director of the Beam Institute, the country’s first multidisciplinary institute dedicated to fermentation and distillation science. With over 80 peer reviewed papers, his wide ranging research interests span biology of the plant cell wall, fermentation and distillation chemistry, and bioprocessing. Seth continues to provides high level direction to the company’s product development and R&D efforts.

True Baker
Board Member

True has been a RedLeaf Director since the Board was implemented. He is an equine surgeon at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, one of the largest horse facilities in the world. He was born and raised in central Kentucky on a farm growing tobacco and raising horses. He has strong ties to local agrarian culture and agri-business initiatives in the state of KY.

Heather Youngs
‍Board Member and Scientific Advisor

Heather has spent twenty years performing research and analysis in various aspects of the bioeconomy. A former assistant professor at Michigan Technological University and former director of the Bakar Fellows Program for Faculty Entrepreneurs at UC Berkeley, she now manages scientific grants and investments for a philanthropy in San Francisco. Heather has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Oregon Health & Science University and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University.

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