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The Algae Biomass Organization’s Board of Directors is excited to welcome algae industry veteran Dr. Rebecca White as a Senior Advisor. Rebecca’s advanced technical training and deep experience in the algae industry make her a perfect addition to ABO, just as dozens of new products enter the market and as technology advances open new possibilities for algae to address a wide range of global challenges.
Rebecca’s responsibilities will include supporting ABO’s efforts at the national policy level to accelerate this ongoing technology development and market growth, engaging with and building ABO’s membership, and helping make ABO’s annual Algae Biomass Summit a success.
“Rebecca has been a tireless advocate for algae agriculture, and we are thrilled that she is bringing her expertise to benefit ABO’s mission.” said Mark Allen, Chair of ABO’s Board of Directors and Vice President of Integrated Carbon Solutions at Accelergy Corporation. “Rebecca brings an unmatched network to ABO, and she has been a key figure in some of the most impressive technical and commercial progress this industry has seen over the past decade. ABO members are going to find her to be an invaluable asset.”
Much of what Rebecca has accomplished in her career is at the core of ABO’s mission. She received a Ph.D. in Microbiology from Texas A&M University, where she was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. She went on to complete her postdoctoral work at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.
Early in her career, Rebecca joined algae biofuel pioneer Sapphire Energy and brought the company’s first-of-its-kind algae production facility into operations, a feat that required extensive technical and logistical coordination. When Sapphire’s biofuels program concluded she joined Qualitas Health, Inc. as Vice President of Operations, and worked with Green Stream Farms to bring the Sapphire facility into commercial production for a new generation of algae-based products. She then led the commercial process development for Qualitas’ iWi brand of algae-based health products: Qualitas has successfully brought the new brand to more than 12,000 stores nationwide and is building a strong online presence.
Rebecca began her engagement with ABO in 2012, joining as an industry member. She has since served on ABO’s Board of Directors, organized the annual Algae Product Showcase at the Algae Biomass Summit and contributed to ABO’s technical standards that set parameters for industrial algae production. On the policy front, she worked closely with ABO members and members of Congress to ensure that algae was recognized as an agricultural crop for the first time in the 2018 Farm Bill.
Rebecca has also been active in another aspect of ABO’s mission: workforce development. She is a long-time supporter of STEM education initiatives and serves on the Algae Foundation’s Board of Directors and Industrial Advisory Board. She participates in “Skype A Scientist” in K-12 classrooms across the country, and mentors early-career scientists every year at the Summit’s Young Innovator’s Lounge.
Rebecca brings to ABO additional experience from the biotechnology industry, serving as Chief Technology Officer for Pebble Labs and Trait Biosciences in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be supporting the scientists, entrepreneurs and investors at ABO that are taking algae to the next level,” said Rebecca. “I believe that we are only beginning to truly actualize the potential of algae and that the role of ABO is set to become more critical than ever.”
Rebecca lives in White Rock, New Mexico with her husband, Phil, and their two children.
If you are ready to help take the algae industry to greater heights, Rebecca wants to hear from you. Reach out to her at: rwhite@algaebiomass.com or at (877) 531-5512 extension 2.
ABO extends a big welcome to Rebecca!
