A Nationwide Team

A Nationwide Team

Collectively we have solved some of the most complex problems in the world.

Proven experts in the areas of water science, management, engineering, artificial intelligence, technology, network science, law and military intelligence.

The Team

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Amy Alvarez

Product Manager

David Bankston

David Bankston

Chief Technology Officer

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David Bankston – Chief Technology Innovation Officer

David Bankston is a co-founder of True Elements and leads technology development and innovation. Mr. Bankston began his career at Lexis Nexis (15 years) building technical innovation in the legal and news market. He was then CTO and co-founder of Neighborhood America where he led teams that built systems for large B2B networks, such as American Express Open, and scalable systems for major media (13 years). He was also CEO and co-founder of Sparksfly Technologies (6 years). Mr. Bankston holds a B.S. in Cloud Computing from Purdue University where he was first in his class. Mr. Bankston also holds multiple cloud certifications including as an AWS Certified Solutions Architect.

Brady Collea

Brady Collea

Data Scientist

Kevin Heaslip

Dr. Kevin Heaslip, PhD

AI Scientist

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Dr. Kevin Heaslip

Dr. Heaslip works with and advises Dr. Louisell in True Elements’ science and AI team. Dr. Heaslip is the Director of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee Knoxville and a Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Previously, Dr. Heaslip held faculty positions at Virginia Tech and Utah State University. Dr. Heaslip was an Appointed Member of the Resilient America Roundtable of the National Academy of Science from 2014-2020. An expert in risk assessment, infrastructure resilience, and critical infrastructure cybersecurity, Dr. Heaslip has been awarded over $21 million in research grants and contracts from federal governments, state governments, and industry. He has over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, and technical reports and has conducted research for federal, state, local government agencies, and industrial partners. Dr. Heaslip received a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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Eric Homberger

VP, Strategic Business Partnerships

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Eric Homberger – VP, Strategic Business Partnerships

Eric Homberger joined True Elements in May 2022 as VP, Strategic Business Partnerships. Previously, Eric led a Global team focused on Digital Transformation of Sales, Marketing & Commerce processes for BASF’s Agricultural Solutions Division. Over 12 years with BASF, Eric held a variety of leadership roles across Finance, Data Management, Sales and Program Management. Prior to BASF, he worked in a range of industries across 4 continents during his time at Honeywell’s Automation & Control Solutions division and in General Electric’s Audit Staff. Eric holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Michigan State University and an MBA with a focus on Marketing & Leadership from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

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Kim Patrick Kobza

Chief Executive Officer

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Kim Kobza – CEO

Kim Patrick Kobza is a cofounder of True Elements. Mr. Kobza started his career in private practice in law specializing in land use, business organization and strategic finance (17 years). He then co-founded and was CEO of Neighborhood America (NA), a SaaS pioneer building public communications systems for public outreach, major media, and commercial applications. (13 years). NA built systems for Imagine New York (World Trade Center), Statute of Liberty, Flight 93 Memorial, the American Express Open B2B network and several major media outlets. NA received three global SIIA awards as best in enterprise class software. Mr. Kobza then founded Innovation that Matters, a personal social impact portfolio before becoming CEO of True Elements. Mr. Kobza was recognized as the SIIA Entrepreneur of the Year in Florida (2010). He has a B.S. in Economics, Math and Earth Sciences from Central Michigan University and a J.D. from Wayne State University.

Chuck Louisell

Dr. Chuck Louisell, Ph.D, P.E.

Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer

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Dr. Charles Louisell – Chief Artificial Intelligence and Science Officer

Dr. Louisell is a co-founder of True Elements. He leads True Elements science team, and specifically AI development and climate modeling systems. Dr. Louisell has had a 30 plus year career in big data, information fusion, predictive analytics, and building computational engines to support adaptive and complex AI applications. Dr. Louisell served a distinguished 22-year military career in the USAF as a F-16 fighter pilot. After the military, Dr. Louisell worked in several private consulting roles – all focused on leadership in applied AI. They included SAIC (Senior Transportation Analyst), Alion Science and Technology (Vice President), Booz Allen (Lead Associate), and Cisco Systems (Program Manager). Dr. Louisell holds a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering (Virginia Tech 1980), M.S. Administration (Central Michigan University 1987), M.S. Industrial and Systems Engineering (Virginia Tech 1999), and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Virginia Tech 2003). Since earning his Ph.D. in 2003, Dr. Louisell has maintained an active academic and research agenda having served as a Senior Research Associate and Ph.D. committee member at Virginia Tech, an Adjunct Professor at The Citadel, a Senior Research Associate at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), Utah State University, and Virginia Tech.

Andrea Lyon

Andrea Lyon

Business Analyst

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Meg Maffitt

VP, Business Strategy

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Meg Maffitt - VP, Business Strategy

Meg has broad experience in strategic planning including marketing and communications strategy, planning, and execution in the pharmaceutical, entrepreneurial, and water sectors. Her experience with entrepreneurial companies and track record of developing innovative strategies to capitalize on untapped opportunities, gaining widespread support for novel initiatives, inspiring and leading teams to bring strategic plans to life, and achieving desired results will be instrumental in helping True Elements succeed. Starting in the pharmaceutical industry with Glaxo SmithKline, she advanced through sales, marketing, national account management, and an innovation hub, then became a strategic planning consultant for the pharmaceutical industry as well as entrepreneurial ventures. From there, identifying a significant need for a more advanced, sophisticated, and results driven model for driver training, she launched Street Safe Driving Academy which she turned into a multi-branch operation supported by marketing contracts with international auto and oil companies. After selling the company, she returned to pharmaceuticals to support a new venture, Iroko Pharmaceuticals, by launching its multi-channel marketing platform, e- prescribing, and worker’s compensation efforts, then transitioned to lead its corporate communications and indomethacin franchise. Realizing that her true passion was the environment and believing she could combine her entrepreneurial and business expertise with her environmental interests, Meg pursued a Master of Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in sustainability and a focus on water. From there she helped establish the Water Center at Penn by overseeing its communications and development efforts as well as its operations. Over the past four years, that experience not only solidified her interest in water but strengthened her belief that addressing water challenges must be prioritized to create a resilient, sustainable world for future generations.

Kim Nelson

Kim Nelson

Chief Operating Officer

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Kim Nelson – Chief Operating Officer

Kimberly Nelson joined True Elements in January 2022 as Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director, Public Sector. Previously, Ms. Nelson was Senior Director of Microsoft’s U.S. Public Sector’s State and Local Government Solutions business. Her focus over 16 years was to work with Microsoft’s partner ecosystem to develop repeatable online solutions that reduced cost, risk and time for public sector clients in key sectors including Critical Infrastructure and Health. Prior to Microsoft, Ms. Nelson had a 22-year career in public service in both state and federal government. She served as Assistant Administrator and Chief Information Officer, Office of Environmental Information, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where she was responsible for environmental information policy. This was a Presidential Appointment confirmed by the U.S. Senate. At the state level, she served as Executive Deputy Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection with responsibility for Policy, Communications and Operations. Ms. Nelson has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science (Shippensburg University) and a master’s degree in Public Administration (University of Pennsylvania).

Art Perkitney

Art Perkitney

Data Science Architect

Krystal

Krystal Pleasant

Sr. Dir., Marketing & Communications

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Krystal Pleasant – Sr. Dir., Marketing & Communications

Krystal Pleasant is a strategic and creative communications leader who specializes in brand positioning, message development and digital strategy. She started her career as a technical writer for urban and community development, focusing on topics such as environmental health and disparities among certain racial and ethnic groups. She continued her career in Washington D.C. with global advertising and strategic communications firm, GMMB, where Krystal developed and executed advertising and marketing strategies for global corporations, nonprofit organizations, and foundations. Work included brand development, fundraising, and launching public awareness campaigns. Following her time there, she served as spokesperson, facilitated partnerships, and strengthened leadership development on Federal Highway Administration's $20 million federally funded research program through Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. She developed the brand concept and communications program for an award-winning campaign at the University of South Florida and served as a leadership presenter at the CASE District III conference, with recognition as a “District Faculty Star.” Krystal eventually found her way to the water sector and joins us from the Water Center at the University of Pennsylvania. There, she led the engagement and awareness strategies for its various audiences. Krystal is excited to continue her involvement in the water sector in the efforts to diversify the next generation of leaders. Graduating with highest honors, she holds a bachelor’s degree in English (University of Maryland Eastern Shore) and a master’s degree in Communication Arts (New York Institute of Technology). Now pursuing her Doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania, she hopes to continue to promote the inclusion of historically marginalized groups in organizational leadership..

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Amara Shareef

Water Resources Analyst

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Amara Shareef – Water Resource Analsyt

Amara is a recent graduate of Virginia Tech, with a degree in Biological Systems Engineering and Green Engineering. Her area of focus - watershed health - includes pollution (nonpoint source assessment and control), water treatment (water and wastewater), fish and their habitats (fish, fishing, and conservation and fish ecology), computer modeling of watershed systems (GIS for engineers and landscape modeling), and overall watershed and environmental information (including watershed hydrology, and environmental life cycle assessment).

Active Advisors

Robert Bowcock

Robert Bowcock

Integrated Resource Management, Inc.

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Bob Bowcock

Mr. Bowcock was instrumental in the founding of True Elements. He advises True Elements on markets and products. Mr. Bowcock founded Integrated Resource Management, LLC in 1997 after serving as a Water Utility Manager in Azusa and Huntington Park, California. Prior to that, Mr. Bowcock worked for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and as a U.S. Army Civil Affairs Team Leader who designed and constructed water treatment and distribution systems for various federal branches of government in Southeast Asia and South America. Since 1990 Mr. Bowcock received several appointments from the California Superior Courts to serve on California Watermaster Boards. He is a licensed California Grade V Water Treatment Operator and maintains various other water industry licenses. As water resource manager for several large international companies in the food and beverage, mining, resort, hospitality and property management verticals, he has developed sustainability plans with an emphasis on climate change, i.e., drought management, wire-to-water efficiency and resources allocation.

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Melanie Santos Grant

Steward Asset Management

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Melanie Santos Grant

Ms. Grant advises the True Elements team across key ESG growth initiatives in the financial services and data industries. She started her professional career in fixed income securities at Goldman Sachs bringing new products to market. She subsequently worked as an attorney at Morgan Lewis and Bockius. She is currently the founder of 2ndGenPartners, a private equity independent sponsor focused driving growth in the agribusiness distribution, healthcare. education and health and wellness product sectors. Ms. Grant is responsible for originating and evaluating investment opportunities as well as structuring and negotiating transactions. She also currently serves on the advisory boards of Steward Asset Management, an institutional investor in emerging managers and School Improvement Partnership, a data and research provider to municipal bond investors in charter schools, having recently served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Melanie graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers College where she was President of the student body and earned her JD from the University of Virginia, School of Law.

Will Sarni

Will Sarni

Water Foundry

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Will Sarni

Mr. Sarni is a hydrogeologist and has worked in the climate sustainability space for more than 20 years. Will Sarni advises True Elements in industry trends and product development. He also sponsors the Company in introductions to global multi-national companies focused on climate and water issues. Mr. Sarni is the founder of the Water Foundry a private consulting firm. He specifically works with large multi-nationals on corporate water strategies, water technology innovation, and market entry strategy. Before the Water Foundry, Mr. Sarni was the Managing Director of Deloitte Consulting’s water strategy practice. Mr. Sarni is an internationally recognized thought leader and many time author including his most recent work “Digital Water: New Technologies for a More Resilient, Secure, and Equitable Water Future” (Routledge, 2021).

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Virginia Santy

X Genesis

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Dr. Virginia (Ginny) Santy Sweeny

Ginna is a researcher dedicated to a range of social and environmental issues related to water, social justice, and environmental wellbeing. She is the Director of Research for X Genesis, a startup studio devoted to combining entrepreneurship and social good. In her role, Ginna leads a research team in conducting primary and secondary research to inform market-driven solutions to the world's wicked problems. She is responsible for creating unique methods combining theories, paradigms, and tools such as design and systems thinking to facilitate innovation and problem-solving. She presents at conferences on entrepreneurial approaches to problem-solving in various industries such as health, water, aging, and city planning and design. In addition to her work at X Genesis, Ginna is a researcher and thought leader in the areas of research design and processes in support of entrepreneurship, vulnerable populations, and re- conceptualizing the relationship between data and design to facilitate women’s economic well-being. A former professor, she has presented her research on women and work around the world and worked with a variety of clients to implement programs supporting women’s needs in the public and private sector.

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Louis Sweeny

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Louis Sweeny

Louis Sweeny has been working in the environment and public health fields for over 25 years, with an emphasis on the intersection of policy, data management, and digital strategy. Working first as an evaluation analyst at EPA in DC, he then pursued graduate research at MIT on the impacts of the then nascent “internet” on organizational culture around environment (“Connecting people not computers”). In 1998, Louis co-founded EHS-Online as a fee-for-content internet startup in the environment space. After the 2000’s dot bomb, he returned to policy consulting to EPA, CDC, USGS, states, tribes, NGO’s and private sector clients with Ross Strategic. Louis was lead author on the Exchange Network (EN) Blueprint, the EN implementation plan, and then the E-Enterprise Blueprint. Louis also advised CDC in their development of the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network. Louis’ work on the EN was recognized in a Fed 100 award. During sabbatical in 2016–17, Louis traveled extensively, read, cooked, and relearned to code. Since 2018, Louis has provided independent consulting and advising in the areas of digital strategy/architecture, machine learning, and energy. Recent projects include leading the development of the E-Enterprise Community Information Platform, and advising on the E-Enterprise digital strategy and interoperability architecture. Louis is an expert meeting designer and facilitator with a deep interest in improving virtual and physical meetings and collaborations, especially through practices like Liberating Structures.

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Victoria Tang

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Victoria Tang is a first-year MBA student at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Victoria started her career in investment banking at PwC Corporate Finance, focusing on capital raises for early to growth-stage consumer tech and media startups. Before Wharton, she was a Senior Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis at One Concern, a Series B climate resilience startup. As the first in-house Finance hire, Victoria instilled financial discipline in the company, led operational and strategic planning, and enabled C-suite to make critical decisions through robust financial analysis. With extensive operational experience, Victoria is passionate about empowering founders to build their startups from scratch. At Wharton, Victoria continues to work closely with early-stage tech startup founders and pursues her investment interest in Climate Tech. She serves on the board of Wharton’s Entrepreneurship Club and Femtech Club. Victoria graduated from Claremont McKenna College in 2017 with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and a Master's Degree in Finance.

Advisory Board

Jeff Canada

Jeff Canada

Business Advisor

Jeff Rumbley

Jeff Rumley

Business Advisor

Amy Turner

Amy Turner

Environmental Community Advisor

How True Elements is Organized

True Elements is a Delaware corporation formed in 2019. The Company operates in a virtual environment with team members located throughout the United States. Our corporate offices are located in Naples, Florida.

Our Company lives by three core principles of making a difference, acting responsibly, and achieving financial success. Our culture emphasizes the importance of diversity and providing opportunity to all without deference to color, race, gender or age. We actively seek to help those who may be disadvantaged, by leveraging our intellect and insights.

We are a learning organization.

Our structure is relatively “flat” and “non-hierarchical” and we recognize that good ideas can come from anywhere and anyone.

We emphasize low friction communication and build accountability through project and relationship tracking transparent to all team members.

When we work with innovation partners, these are the values and beliefs that we bring to our relationships.

Our Motivation

To make a difference

First and foremost, we have the opportunity to use our unique life and career experiences to positively affect a global “meta” problem that will define the future.

To be responsible

Secondly, we believe water quality is one of the most complex and critical issues of this moment, and the next 30 years. Big challenges require honest stewardship that results in positive social impact. We have a responsibility to make that impact a reality.

For financial success

Lastly, we know there is a financial opportunity inherent in solving the problem of water quality worldwide, for our company and for our customers.