Meet the team: the three scientists at the center of Tree of Life, and the advisers who help carry the work into fields, factories and forests.
A renaissance man, serial entrepreneur, visionary, and futurist that has lived, survived, and thrived in dozens of countries on 5 continents enabling him to see the big picture, and how everything is connected to everything else and all of us to each other making us all one. Prof. Mandell is head of R&D for our very extensive IP pipeline, and head of engineering in charge of manufacturing and scaling production of the Kilns that produce Biochar.
In the vast realm of global scientific innovation, few names resonate as profoundly as Dr Reji Kurien Thomas. An avid aviator and hardened veteran, his journey with career spanning over 32 years, a blend of relentless academic pursuit and unwavering commitment to global betterment, paints the portrait of a visionary dedicated to a brighter, sustainable future.
A visionary pioneer of technology proliferation, and inventor of future-proof innovative frontier technologies. A STEM Leader, Marketing Doyen & Brand Ambassador with diverse career journey in technological science & diverse streams of engineering. Recognized as "World's Best & Emerging Leader," awarded at the House of Lords, UK Parliament, 2022, Harvard Leader of Excellence with Royal Society of Arts Fellowship, winner of the 2024 Stephen Hawking Award and former member of the Forbes Technology Council
Dr. R. M. Santilli received the highest possible education in Italy, emigrated in the USA with his family in 1967 following an invitation from the University of Miami, Florida, to conduct research under NASA support, after which he was in the faculty of Boston University, MIT, and Harvard University under support from NASA, USAFOSR and DOE. From 1985 on, Dr. Santilli has been Professor of Physics and President of The Institute for Basic Research originally located within the compound of Harvard University and moved to Florida in 1989. Dr. Santilli became a U. S. Citizen in 1986. He is the author of 325 papers in mathematics, physics and chemistry published in refereed journals, has written 20 Ph. D. level monographs in various fields, the founder of three scientific journals and the editor of various journals. As part of our R&D team he will be invaluable to advance the many newly identified applications for Biochar in the fields of material science, green energy storage, super capacitors, fuel cells and more.
Charlie is a proud Haudenasaunee (Mohawk Nation) member of Snipe Clan from the Iroquois Confederacy, with a strong faith in traditional Kanonsesneh (Longhouse) beliefs. He is a father of four children and grandfather of eight. His interests include organic agriculture and permaculture practices using heirloom seeds that are cultivated and transferred from ancestral sources. As an experienced certified landscaper, garden designer, farmer and metalworker/fabricator, he enjoys networking to create opportunities for teaching others about sustainable, regenerative agricultural methods that move us away from the use of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other chemical inputs; while preserving our environment's health at the same time. His vision and passion is to encourage people to embrace agricultural methods that support food sovereignty throughout all communities by teaching them how to utilize greenhouse techniques as well as container gardening for year-round access to healthy foods.
Charlie was a member of the International Iron-workers Union: 711 from 1979-2001, he is also an entrepreneur in various business entities including Jacobs Farms, Quebec INC. His activities with Tree of Life Biotech will include director of fabrication division for the manufacturing of the proprietary kilns for the production of premium Biochar. He will also be liaison to the First Nation Tribes to onboard them into the USDA Carbon Soil Amendment Practice 336 which pays to apply Biochar to their farm lands and forests. In addition, he will also help in forging Joint Ventures with them for the manufacturing of Biochar utilizing dead or burned trees and other wood waste from their forest land as the feed-stock which will create many good jobs for the tribes and additional revenue streams.
Mr. Jensen received his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Southeastern Louisiana University. He has been committed to worldwide environmentally friendly aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric R&D, consulting as well as technical support for sales and marketing for over two decades. His passion remains sustainable International agriculture and conservation utilizing superior all natural products including biochar and related technologies. Mr. Jensen is President/CEO of Hesser-Jensen International. His business partner, Dr. Leon Hesser was former director of the U.S Dept. of State, Office of Agriculture, instrumental in implementation and operating U.S. AID (Agency of International Development) and headed 5 divisions; Crops, Livestock, Soil & Water, Economics and Fisheries. Dr. Hesser was a friend of and closely collaborated with Dr. Norman Borlaug, Father of the 1st Green Revolution. Dr. Hesser wrote the book on Dr. Borlaug "The Man Who Fed The World: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug and His Battle to End World Hunger". Mr. Jensen honourably continues in this endeavour.
Mr. Jensen was also director of the Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) and regulatory oversight for a non-clinical GLP pharmaceutical heart research facility under FDA 21 CFR Part 158 and OECD regulations for over 10 years and has since pursued holistic medicines. Other JCI regulatory experience includes FDA GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), TSCA, NIOSH, NIST, OSHA, WPS (Worker Protection Standard), ANSI, NSF, HIPAA, ISO 9000/9001 and ISO 17000/17025 guidelines. Mr. Jensen is a Certified Occupational Safety Specialist (COSS) for OSHA 29 CFR 1910, General Industry and OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Construction. Mr. Jensen specialises in compliance based bio formulation and testing globally, remains active in many professional organisations and provides eco friendly business consulting services. Mr. Jensen has worked with many members of Congress as well as U.S. local and state authorities, EPA, FDA, USDA, OECD, EU, UN, WHO and several foreign governments.
Mr. Jensen's addition to our team brings new perspectives and rich experience in agricultural research, diverse aspects of compliance as well as new formulation development which will help Tree of Life reach new levels of success. We are proud and honoured to have him on our team.
Ken has devoted his business to generating Biochar to assist eco restorative functions and aid in its conservation. Ken is on a mission to educate and inform those unaware of Biochar's magical properties. His primary business is all about raising bugs to generate frass for inoculation blends to work in tandem with Biochar and has developed a proprietary low cost formula to increase the value of Biochar. Currently he is working at Brock Family Farm in Vina, CA demonstrating Biochar's unique capabilities in some of the worlds best soil known as Vina Loam. He is also a Founder, Secretary and Interim Executive Director of the BiocharCoalition.org and board member for the Butte Environmental Council. Since his tenure with the Coalition he conducted 20+ Seminars in 3 states, showing others how to make and use Biochar for each and everyone's unique situation. If you would like to learn more about inoculating Biochar, please visit KOFrass.Com
