FOUNDER & CEO

Lindsay is a material scientist turned entrepreneur with over 13 years of expertise in silk protein research and biotech commercialization. Prior to co-founding Kapha Bio, she pioneered the development of new protein peptides for replacing polluting plastics with biodegradable alternatives, and validating their efficacy in skin-rejuvenating applications for global consumer brands.

Lindsay earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Tufts University as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and holds a B.S. in Biology from Harvey Mudd College.

CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Sue is a seasoned executive with three decades of experience leading commercial teams across the beauty, personal care, and apparel sectors. Before co-founding Kapha Bio, she spent a decade at Bolt Threads as GM of Beauty and Personal Care, where she transitioned proprietary biomaterials from R&D to large-scale market success.

Sue’s entrepreneurial track record includes serving as co-founder and CEO of Lucy Activewear, which she grew into a successful multi-channel brand acquired by VF Corp. Her foundational experience includes five years at Nike as Head of Women’s Brand, overseeing a growth period from $200M to $1B. She holds a B.A. in History from Swarthmore College.

SCIENTIST

Maddie Krieger earned her Ph.D from Portland State University in molecular microbiology in 2021, where she studied stress-tolerance mechanisms in oral bacterial species. After receiving her doctorate, she completed a postdoc at the OHSU School of Dentistry, where she investigated bacterial interactions in oral disease.

Maddie completed a second postdoc at the Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center within the Knight Cancer Institute at OHSU, where she applied advanced computational methodology to better understand the influence of the microbiome on cancer initiation and progression. Maddie is an expert in microbiology, and has conducted in vitro studies examining the role of pathogenic and commensal microbes on human health.

CO-INVENTOR & SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR

David is the Stern Family Endowed Professor of Engineering at Tufts University and a global authority on biopolymer engineering and regenerative medicine. His prolific research career includes over 1,000 peer-reviewed publications and more than 150 patents, which have served as the foundation for over a dozen startup companies.

As the Editor-in-Chief of ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering, David’s work at the intersection of tissue engineering and cellular agriculture guides Kapha Bio’s technical roadmap. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering.

BOARD MEMBER & ADVISOR

Jon brings over 35 years of strategic leadership in the life sciences and drug R&D markets. As a Director Emeritus of McKinsey & Company, he founded the firm’s Biotech practice and Silicon Valley office, counseling global pharmaceutical and medical device leaders on corporate and product strategy.

Jon is also the Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Nashville Biosciences (NashBio), a profitable clinical and genomic data company launched out of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Ironwood Pharmaceuticals and holds an MBA with Honors from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from Wesleyan University.

CLINICAL ADVISOR

Dr. Lio is a leading clinical expert in dermatology and pediatrics, serving as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He received his MD from Harvard Medical School, where he served as Chief Resident in Dermatology. A frequent advisor to high-growth startups in the skin health space, Dr. Lio provides Kapha Bio with critical clinical perspectives to ensure our ingredient innovations meet the highest standards of dermatological safety and therapeutic efficacy.

SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR

George is a world-renowned expert in microbial biofilm research and a Professor at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. He earned his Ph.D from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and conducted postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School. George is the current Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Bacteriology and has been recognized as a Pew Scholar and a Fellow of both the AAAS and the American Academy of Microbiology. His deep understanding of how microbial communities persist and resist treatment is instrumental to Kapha Bio’s mission to combat recurrent infections.