Meet The Team
Prof. Pinchas Mandell
Chairman/Chief Scientist
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.
Dr Reji Kurien Thomas
Chief Executive Officer
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 member of the Forbes Technology Council
Sir Prof. Ruggero Santilli
Senior Scientific Advisory Board Member
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.
Markus M. Jensen
Director of Agricultural Research & Compliance
Mr. Markus M. Jensen received his Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Southeastern Louisiana and Bachelor degree in Business / Psychology from University of Southwestern Louisiana. Mr. Jensen has been in diverse roles as Quality Assurance Officer, Principal Investigator and Management in Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) research at JENSEN AGRICULTURAL CONSULTANTS, Inc. in Washington, Louisiana since 1988 and has been involved with GLP field research since 1986. He has efficacy and regulatory (EPA 40 CFR Part 160) experience with over 70 agricultural chemical company sponsors, management firms and task forces as well as dozens of independent contractors, laboratories and universities.
Agricultural research and consulting includes 75+ crops such as rice, soybeans, corn, wheat, cotton, sorghum, sugarcane, oats, citrus, bananas, coffee, grapes, tobacco, peanuts, hemp, other crops as well as grasses, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and oil/water/sediment & crawfish studies. Additional experience includes forestry, nursery and landscaping. Mr. Jensen has over 40 years experience conducting agricultural bio and chemical pesticide efficacy research, crop consulting and crop processing. Since 1988, Mr. Jensen has provided GLP study monitoring, quality assurance, business consulting/training services and efficacy research for seventeen sponsors/management firms in over 20 countries in Europe, Japan and Central/South America. This includes U.S. FIFRA and OECD GLP regulatory submissions. Mr. Jensen has worked with many members of Congress, EPA/USDA,FDA and foreign governments, EU, UN and the WHO.
Markus's addition to our team brings new perspectives and rich experience in agricultural research 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.
Joshua Lynch
Director of Business Development & Sales
Joshua Lynch is a young entrepreneur originally from Ireland, now based in London. With a deep commitment to sustainability and green technology, Joshua has amassed experience ranging from technical recruitment to licensing and merchant onboarding for crypto exchanges and asset managers. He then ran his own consultancy business before transitioning to the world of sustainable solutions, focusing on innovative ways to turn "trash into cash." His journey through these sectors at a young age awakened him to the shortcomings of modern financial instruments, prompting him to take steps into the business of positive change.
As the Director of International Business Development at Tree of Life Biotechnology, Joshua leverages his expertise to promote innovative green technologies like BioChar. He is passionate about the potential of BioChar to revolutionize sustainable practices, particularly in agriculture, by improving soil health and carbon sequestration. His work at Tree of Life aligns with his broader mission to secure a sustainable future for the next generation, embodying the values of action and innovation that define his career under the mentorship of Professor Mandell.
Joshua is also a meeting setter and business developer, focusing on supporting the team in any possible way. As the "young legs" of the operation, he advocates for future generations and is driven by this commitment to making the world a better place—finding a home at Tree of Life to do so.
Kenneth Scherer
Advisory Board Member
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
Ari (Chari) Mashiah
Director of the BioChar Awareness Program
Ari aka Chari, is a world traveler and has called the San Juan Ridge in Northern California her home base for the past 8 years. She became a BioChar enthusiast, educator and ambassador after reading the book "Terra Preta" by Kathleen Draper which dramatically changed her life, and ever since, has been making literal tons of BioChar and educating people about the many benefits of BioChar by doing hands on live BioChar making workshops in her community, and around Northern California. Ari has joined our team and will direct our BioChar Awareness and farmer/rancher Training Program and will teach them how to optimize BioChar as part of the holistic farming approach used in Permaculture and Bio-Dynamic farming methods. Her rich experience and insights on new methods of inoculating BioChar before application will be invaluable.
Ari is also a BioChar activist working to connect organizations, NGO's, and local/state governments to cooperate & collaborate together in implementing BioChar as a major part of the solution for sustainable agriculture, food security, environmental cleanup, and climate change. To learn more visit biocharma.com and biocharcoalition.org
Charlie Jacobs
Advisory Board Member, Liaison of Native American Affairs, Director of Fabrication Division
Charlie is a proud Haudenasaunee (Mohawk Nation) member of Snipe Clan from the Iroquois Confederacy, with a strong faith in traditional Kanonsesneh (Longhouse) beliefs. 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.