FOUNDER + CEO

As an independent consultant, Melanie integrates  information drawn from her work as a director in plant science at Plenty and as a vice president of research in the horticulture lighting industry, as well as her broad contacts with key individuals in specific topics within the Controlled Environment Agriculture Sector.

Melanie’s research has focused on optimizing plant growth, flavor and quality using light and she holds a patent for work involving filamentous fungus. She served as a lecturer and scientist at Stanford University, teaching and studying plant signaling in alfalfa and corn. She also served as Director of Sequencing at the Stanford DNA Sequence and Technology Center, part of The Human Genome Project. Melanie earned a Ph.D. from UC Davis in Plant Molecular Biology; a Master’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of South Carolina; and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Virginia Tech.

FOUNDER

John works as an independent consultant across the Controlled Environment Agriculture sector, building on his foundation managing Research and Development at Plenty, and as a leader in the agriculture production industry. He holds over 10 years of industry experience spanning both conventional & innovative agricultural development.

In previous roles, he served as an Assistant Manager at the UC Davis Arboretum while finishing his Bachelor's degree in Crop Science at UC Davis, before pursuing his Master's degree in Crop Breeding & Genetics at Kansas State University. He has held leadership roles at TreeSap Farms, the largest U.S. horticultural production firm, and ICL Specialty Fertilizers, a globally recognized crop nutrition manufacturer. He holds a current California PCA license and recently completed his STEM-designated MBA from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

SENIOR CONSULTANT

Michael Baldwin holds a Master's degree in Plant Science and brings with him more than fifteen years of experience in the horticulture industry. With a keen eye for detail, Mike specializes in enhancing clients' production efforts, designing appropriate technology solutions, and identifying process requirements. His extensive knowledge of the literature allows him to provide thorough and insightful reviews on topics crucial to GrowBig clients.

One of Mike's strengths lies in reviewing previous client data to determine the necessary system adjustments for achieving program milestones. He not only identifies the right course of action but also offers recommendations for experimental approaches to validate and improve their processes. Mike's expertise and guidance play a significant role in supporting clients' continuous growth and success.

PRINCIPAL

Jake Eisenberg is a pioneer in the convergence of CEA/vertical farming and plant molecular farming. With over a decade of experience in these business operations, he has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing these industries.

As the founding Director of Biopharma Solutions at OnePointOne, Jake established the Molecular Farming/Biopharma Department and developed scientific, engineering, and business cases for plant molecular farming applications. He played a key role in establishing and maintaining translational research partnerships for collaboration and business opportunities, and in overseeing advanced R&D projects to develop capabilities in transient expression in an automated vertical farming system.

Jake's passion for this field is evident in his dedication to exploring vertical farming, sustainable design, and molecular farming to address humanity's greatest challenges. He is eager to collaborate with industry experts to uncover and scale additional plant-derived products — beyond food and medicine.

PRINCIPAL

Neil brings over 15 years of horticulture industry experience to GrowBig’s consulting team. His experience includes smart irrigation, greenhouse lighting and controls, and crop yield prediction systems. Previous to horticulture, he spent 20+ years in IT consulting, managing sales and engineering teams building data network systems for Fortune 500 companies.

As a consultant for GrowBig, Neil’s role is to coordinate and manage projects for the grower. Building on years of experience and an extensive industry network, he works with growers to help them evaluate and adopt new technologies, reduce energy and waste, and produce crops more efficiently. He holds a BS from the University of MO.