Board of Directors
The Algae Foundation is currently governed by a Board of Directors.
The Algae foundation board is composed of professionals in the commercial industry, national laboratories and academics, whose sole purpose is to raise money to support our educational initiatives. Our model is that we will become the clearinghouse, the collaborator, the coordinator of all things educational, informational, informational transfer, and student mentorship for the next generation of algal professionals.
funding
We engage in and provide funding for Algal educational outreach, research, and development.
development
We find and support the development of future leaders of the algae industry through scholarships, grants and other financial and organizational support.
awareness
We facilitate communication among private, academic and public sector leaders, and the public to increase understanding and awareness of algae.
2025-2026 Board and Leadership Team
Ike Levine
Ike is the CEO of the Algae Foundation (January 2023) and Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern Maine. Formerly the board chair and president of the Algae Foundation (2013-2022). Dr. Levine combines 42+ years of applied algal farming, cultivar enhancement and new product development with 25 years of academic appointments including Chemistry Department, University of Hawaii; Biology Departments, Duke University and Chaminade University. Ike has served as the CEO of Coastal Plantations International, Inc., an algal farming, processing and marketing company; CEO of PhycoGen, Inc., a marine biotechnology company; and V.P. of Biological Services, Inc., a bioscience laboratory and consulting services company. Ike received his master’s at the University of South Florida’s School of Marine Science under one of our country’s last great naturalists, Dr. Harold J. Humm, and his doctorate from the University of Hawaii, Manoa studying with the father of commercial algal farming, Dr. Maxwell Doty. Dr. Levine’s efforts include 41 publications, 3 books and 102 national and international presentations. Dr. Levine was awarded two U.S. State Department Fulbright’s: 2009-2010 New Century Scholar and 2016-2017 Distinguished Chair fellowships.
Jesse Traller Ojeda
Dr. Jesse Traller Ojeda is the Climate Resilience Grant Manager for the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation. In her position, she oversees a $71 million dollar NOAA funded project which implements work directed toward flood and wildfire risk reduction, workforce development, and community engagement in the Monterey Bay region. Prior to this role, Dr. Traller Ojeda was a Senior Phycologist at Global Algae Innovations, an outdoor microalgae production company with operations in California and Hawaii. With a background in algae biology, oceanography, biotechnology, and federal grant management, she brings a wealth of both scientific and project management expertise to the foundation. Dr. Traller Ojeda holds a BS in Molecular Biology, an MS in Oceanography, and a PhD in Marine Biology from UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. A longtime algae enthusiast, she has contributed to numerous outreach initiatives, including co-creating the Algae Academy K-12 STEM curriculum. Don’t get her started talking about how amazing algae are… She won't be able to stop!
Marissa Nalley
Marissa Nalley is the Algae Foundation’s Director of Programs and Operations. Marissa works to ensure the Foundation is in consistent achievement of its mission, programmatic goals, and operational objectives. She is responsible for all areas of program development, execution, and growth, overseeing volunteers, public relations, and outreach. Marissa has over eight years of nonprofit experience, both in direct service and program coordination and management. Prior to joining the Algae Foundation, Marissa worked as the Community Outreach Coordinator for refugee resettlement programs at both St. Vincent Catholic Charities in Lansing, Michigan, and Jewish Child and Family Services in Chicago, Illinois. In 2016, Marissa earned her Master in Public Administration degree from Grand Valley State University, concentrating in nonprofit management and leadership. Marissa’s passion for connecting mission driven organizations with populations that can be positively impacted by their programming led her to connect with the Algae Foundation’s Algae Academy program in June, 2018. Marissa earned a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Loyola University Chicago.
Tiffany Cannis
Tiffany Cannis is Vice President of Strategy & Operations for Global Algae Innovations where she leads corporate operations, financial, and marketing efforts, and collaborates on business development and strategic growth. She has over 13 years of management experience in a diverse range of businesses, including the nonprofit sector. Most recently, Tiffany was Executive Director of Our House Grief Support Center, a nationally recognized, multi-million dollar charity that serves over 7,000 individuals each year. She was an integral contributor to the film project, One Last Hug, an Emmy-Award winning HBO documentary about children’s grief. Tiffany is an active member of several nonprofit Boards and both her corporate and philanthropic focus is on developing strategic direction and leading teams to meet operational and financial milestones. Tiffany received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a minor in Chinese Studies and International Negotiations from the University of California, San Diego.
Edmund Gaither
Edmund Gaither, BHP is an energy industry executive with over 20 years of international experience with ExxonMobil, Shell, and most recently BHP, where he is Head of Mergers and Acquisitions for the Americas. He has held a variety of finance leadership positions and has extensive overseas experience, including expatriate assignments in Brazil, England, Australia, and Nigeria. Edmund has been on several corporate boards, including Greenlots, an electric vehicle charging company, and was a member of the Investment Committee for Shell’s US Pension. He is active with several non-profits and previously was a School Board Member and Committee Chair for the American School in Lagos. Edmund was awarded a Toigo Fellowship to attend the Tuck School Business at Dartmouth where he earned his MBA and also holds degrees from the Fletcher School at Tufts University (Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy) and Bates College (BS Economics).
Peter Koffler
Peter Koffler is a Senior Managing Director in the Blackstone Legal & Compliance Group. His previous positions at Blackstone include General Counsel of BXMA, Global Chief Compliance Officer of Blackstone and Chief Compliance Officer of BXMA. Prior to joining Blackstone in 2006, Mr. Koffler served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Twenty-First Securities Corporation, an institutional trading and investment firm. Mr. Koffler began his legal career at Baer Marks & Upham. Mr. Koffler received a BA from the State University of New York at Binghamton. He received a JD, with honors, from Hofstra University School of Law, where he served as an editor of the Law Review.
Mike Lomas
Mike Lomas has been the Director of the National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA) since 2014 and a Senior Research Scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences since 2012. Mike’s research into microalgae ecology, physiology and marine biogeochemical cycles in the global ocean has been funded by NSF, NASA, NOAA and NPRB. Mike’s NCMA research is focused on furthering the algal resources of the NCMA collection, associated education programs and translation to use-inspired solutions in sustainable aquaculture and pharmaceuticals. Mike received a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and Marine Chemistry from Long Island University/Southampton Campus in 1994 and in 1999 received his Ph.D in Biological Oceanography from the University of Maryland at College Park.
Jakob O. Nalley
Dr. Jakob Nalley is the Director of Agronomy at Qualitas Health, Inc., a Texas-based company that produces algae-derived Omega-3 products. Jake oversees the company’s lab and research and development initiatives at their Imperial, TX production facility. In 2016, he finished his Ph.D. at Michigan State University where he researched how algal communities can be optimized for production under a variable environment. Jake’s passion for exciting others about algae led him to the Algae Foundation, where he began co-leading the Algae Academy’s K-12 STEM Initiative. Prior to joining Qualitas, Jake held a position at Northwestern University’s Science in Society, a research center focused on scientific education, literacy and outreach. Nalley received a dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Biological Science and Environmental Science from Loyola University Chicago.
Philip Pienkos
Dr. Philip T. Pienkos earned a Bachelor of Science in Honors Biology at the University of Illinois and his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin. He is currently Emeritus Scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where he served as Principal Group Manager to work in various aspects of cellulosic ethanol and algal biofuels production, and he has helped to established new areas for the biofuels R&D program including biological methane upgrading and waste to energy. Before joining NREL, he was a co-founder of two companies: Molecular Logix, an early-stage drug discover/development company, and Celgene, a major biotech/pharma company. He retired from NREL in March 2020 to start Polaris Renewables which has been rebranded as Matereal Inc. He now serves as Chief Technology Officer, leading the R&D team in commercializing technology he co-invented at NREL for the production of sustainable polymers. Philip is a founding member of the Algae Biomass Organization and the Algae Foundation and has served as a member of the board of directors for both of those organizations. He currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA where he enjoys his role as Chief Grandpa Officer with his only granddaughter.
Former Algae Foundation Board Members
We would like to thank all members who have previously served on the Board of Directors at the Algae Foundation. We would not be here today without their time and dedication.
Pat Ahlm – Served 2013-2015
Amha Belay – Served 2013-2015
Matt Carr – Served 2019-2021
Michael Lakeman – Served 2013-2018
Jonathan Male – Served 2020-2021
Cori Messinger – Served 2015-2018
Greg Mitchell – Served 2013-2025
Rebecca White – Served 2015-2020