Core team

Built across the disciplines required to scale.

The Safion Renewables team standing together at the renewable-solvents pilot facility
Safion Renewables team | Louisville, Colorado
Eric Karp, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Eric Karp

Ph.D. chemical engineer and former distinguished member of the NLR research staff. R&D 100 Award winner and recipient of an Early Career Impact Award. Leads Safion's technology strategy, commercial development and partner engagement.

Jacob Kruger, Senior Chemical Engineer
Senior Chemical Engineer

Jacob Kruger

Ph.D. in materials science and engineering with ten years at NLR. Recognized with national-laboratory technology-transfer and bioenergy awards and an ACS green-chemistry presentation award.

Andrew Borchert, Senior Scientist - Process Development
Senior Scientist - Process Development

Andrew Borchert

Ph.D. in microbiology and former NLR postdoctoral researcher. Led projects under the U.S. Department of Energy Center for Bioenergy Innovation.

Lauren Drumm, Senior Molecular Biologist
Senior Molecular Biologist

Lauren Drumm

Ph.D. in energy science and engineering and former NLR postdoctoral researcher. Specializes in engineering tools for non-model organisms.

Ryan Prestangen, Senior Chemical Engineer
Senior Chemical Engineer

Ryan Prestangen

Chemical engineer with NLR experience and expertise in life-cycle analysis, GREET modeling and Aspen Plus process modeling.

Alex Jenkins, Chemical Engineer
Chemical Engineer

Alex Jenkins

Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder and an early-career researcher recognized for graduate-research excellence.

Alex Kohley, Fermentation Engineer
Fermentation Engineer

Alex Kohley

Biochemistry and molecular-biotechnology background with 4.5 years of R&D fermentation and three years of industrial and production fermentation experience.

KaeLee Massey, Chemical Engineer
Chemical Engineer

KaeLee Massey

M.Sc. chemical engineer with more than three years of process and environmental engineering experience spanning compliance, operational efficacy and HAZOPs.