Pivot Bio Leadership

Chris Abbott is Chief Executive Officer of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. As the company’s first non-founder CEO, Abbott is at the helm of a company that has rapidly scaled its products across more than 20 million acres and is celebrating 15 years of innovation and impact in agriculture.

Currently available across North America and expanding globally, including into Brazil, Canada and Africa, Pivot Bio’s products represent a breakthrough innovation and one of agriculture’s most promising technology solutions. The company has been recognized three times by TIME magazine on its annual Best Inventions list, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list of private companies, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list, and by MIT Technology Review as one of 15 Climate Tech Companies to Watch.

Abbott has helped accelerate Pivot Bio’s growth, innovation pipeline and global expansion while strengthening its position as a trusted partner to farmers. He also led the establishment of the company’s Centers of Excellence in St. Louis and its global headquarters in the Twin Cities, positioning Pivot Bio closer to customers, innovation partners and the future of ag innovation. Abbott was recognized as a Twin Cities Business 40 Under 40 honoree for his leadership and impact across the agriculture and business sectors.

Widely recognized as an emerging voice at the intersection of agriculture, technology and innovation, Abbott has spoken at leading global forums including the World Economic Forum Annual, World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit and the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue. He has been featured on CNBC, CNN, ABC Global News and in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times among others for his leadership in the fertilizer and commodity markets. He is a passionate advocate for farmers and rural communities and frequently speaks about agriculture’s critical role in food security, energy resilience and the industry.

Before joining Pivot Bio in 2023, Abbott was Co-Head of Conti Ventures at Continental Grain Company, where he helped build one of the industry’s leading investment portfolios across agriculture and food technology. Throughout his career, he has invested in and advised companies spanning biologicals, digital agriculture, processing, logistics, food ingredients and consumer brands. Earlier in his career, he held investment and capital markets roles at Piper Sandler, EcoAlpha Asset Management and Craig-Hallum Capital Group.

As an advocate for creating programs to support youth, Chris serves on the board of InnerCity Tennis. He is a Farm Foundation fellow, and has served on numerous company boards, and is a current member of the Pivot Bio Board of Directors. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota.

Ryan Degnan is Chief Growth Officer of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. He leads the company’s strategy, corporate development and digital organizations, helping shape Pivot Bio’s long-term growth agenda through strategic partnerships, international expansion, market development and business transformation initiatives.

As a member of the executive leadership team, Degnan is responsible for identifying and advancing opportunities that strengthen the company’s competitive position and accelerate adoption of its breakthrough crop nutrition solutions. His team works across the business to develop growth strategies, evaluate new markets, expand digital capabilities and build partnerships that support Pivot Bio’s mission of helping farmers improve productivity, profitability and resilience.

Since joining Pivot Bio in 2025, Degnan has played an important role in advancing the company’s global growth strategy and supporting expansion efforts beyond North America. He has helped strengthen the organization’s strategic planning capabilities while building the systems, multinational partnerships and market intelligence needed to support the company’s next phase of growth. He has also been instrumental in expanding the company’s focus on digital enablement and data-driven decision making across the enterprise.

Degnan brings experience at the intersection of agriculture, strategy, technology and business development. Prior to joining Pivot Bio, he was a leader at McKinsey & Company, where he worked across the firm’s Chemicals & Agriculture, Sustainability, and Growth, Marketing & Sales practices. During his tenure, he advised companies throughout the agricultural value chain, helping launch new ventures, develop growth strategies and drive transformation initiatives across agricultural inputs, distribution, digital software, hardware and data-driven businesses.

He is recognized as a thought leader on the application of emerging technologies in agriculture, drawing on his unique combination of agricultural expertise, strategic advisory experience and intelligence background. His perspectives on digital transformation, artificial intelligence and innovation in agriculture have been featured in publications from the World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company, including work exploring the role of space-based technologies and generative AI in shaping the future of global agriculture.

Before his consulting career, Degnan served as a military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army. He held leadership positions in both the United States and Afghanistan, developing expertise in strategic planning, complex problem solving and team leadership under demanding conditions.

Known for his ability to connect long-term strategy with practical execution, Degnan is passionate about helping organizations navigate change, unlock new growth opportunities and create lasting value. He is particularly interested in the role technology, innovation and partnerships can play in strengthening agriculture and supporting farmers around the world.

Degnan earned a Master of Business Administration from the Yale School of Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame.

Travis Frey, Ph.D., is Chief Technology Officer of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. He leads the company’s global research and development, innovation and scientific organizations, advancing the next generation of breakthrough technologies designed to help farmers improve productivity while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers.

Since joining Pivot Bio in 2025, Frey has played a key role in accelerating the company’s innovation pipeline and strengthening its research capabilities. Under his leadership, Pivot Bio introduced four new products in 2025, the most product launches in the company’s history, including innovations for corn, cotton and grain sorghum, as well as a new dry formulation that expands application flexibility across crops and production systems. He also helped drive the expansion of the company’s St. Louis research presence through the establishment of a new Center of Excellence, further enhancing Pivot Bio’s ability to develop and commercialize transformative agricultural technologies.

Frey brings more than two decades of experience spanning scientific discovery, product development, commercialization and corporate strategy across both global agricultural companies and emerging technology innovators. Throughout his career, he has focused on translating breakthrough science into practical solutions that can be deployed at scale, helping advance new technologies in plant genetics, biotechnology, gene editing and microbial crop nutrition.

Before joining Pivot Bio, Frey served as Chief Technology Officer at Mindful Care. Earlier, he was Chief Technology Officer at Calyxt, where he led the company’s pioneering work in gene-edited crops and oversaw the commercial launch of the world’s first gene-edited high-oleic soybean oil. Following the merger of Calyxt and Cibus, he served as Executive Vice President of Strategy and Sustainable Ingredients, helping shape the company’s post-merger growth strategy and product portfolio. Prior to those roles, he held leadership positions at WISErg Corporation and spent more than 12 years at Monsanto, where he contributed to major advancements in plant breeding, pathology, biotechnology and agricultural innovation.

Widely recognized as a scientific innovator, Frey is the inventor on dozens of patents and author of numerous publications focused on plant health, genetics, crop performance and agricultural technology. His work has contributed to the development of new genetic traits and disease-resistance technologies that have been deployed across hundreds of millions of corn acres globally. He is a frequent speaker on the future of biological innovation, crop nutrition and agricultural technology, and has appeared at industry events including the Minnesota Ag Expo and other leading agriculture forums.

Frey earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from The Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Science degree in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology and Biotechnology from the University of Delaware and DuPont Pioneer. He also earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Debra Frimerman is Chief Legal Officer of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. She leads the company’s legal, compliance and governance functions, helping guide Pivot Bio through continued growth in North America and international expansion while protecting the company’s intellectual property portfolio and advancing its long-term strategic objectives.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, Frimerman advises the company on enterprise risk management, corporate governance, and commercial transactions. Her experience in law, business development and corporate strategy enables her to help navigate complex decisions at the intersection of innovation, growth and value creation.

Prior to becoming Chief Legal Officer, Frimerman served as Pivot Bio’s Chief Business Development Officer, where she built the company’s business development function and helped shape its first long-range strategic plan. In that role, she identified new revenue opportunities, developed domestic and international partnership strategies, evaluated emerging technologies and led strategic initiatives designed to accelerate growth and strengthen the company’s competitive position.

Before joining Pivot Bio, Frimerman served as General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer at Calyxt (NASDAQ: CLXT), where she led legal, intellectual property, compliance and governance functions during a transformative period for the company. As a key member of the executive leadership team, she advised the board of directors on governance, executive compensation, cybersecurity, risk management and corporate strategy. She also led a complex series of mergers valued at more than $650 million and played a central role in the company’s public market and investor engagement activities.

Earlier in her career, Frimerman served as Associate General Counsel of Syngenta and Head of Legal for Syngenta Seeds’ U.S. business, where she advised on mergers and acquisitions, technology licensing, regulatory strategy and industry consolidation. Prior to Syngenta, she practiced corporate law with Stoel Rives and Lindquist & Vennum (now Ballard Spahr), advising clients on securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions and corporate governance matters.

Widely respected for her expertise in governance, strategic transactions and business transformation, Frimerman has been recognized as a Notable Woman in Law by Twin Cities Business. She currently serves on the board of the Pinky Swear Foundation, whose mission is to help kids with cancer and their families with financial support, where she chairs the Growth Committee.

Frimerman earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Robert (Bob) Houghton is Chief Financial Officer of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. He oversees the company’s financial strategy and operations, including financial planning and analysis, capital allocation, fundraising, cash flow management, financial reporting and investor relations, helping position the company for long-term growth and profitability.

Since joining Pivot Bio in 2024, Houghton has played a central role in strengthening the company’s financial foundation and advancing its path toward sustainable growth. Under his leadership, Pivot Bio has reduced its spend rate by more than 70 percent while successfully raising more than $200 million through equity financing and venture debt. His focus on disciplined capital management, operational efficiency and strategic investment has helped support the company’s continued expansion while maintaining a strong financial position.

Houghton brings more than 30 years of experience leading finance organizations across publicly traded and private companies. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for improving profitability, optimizing cash flow, strengthening balance sheets and helping organizations navigate periods of transformation and growth. He is particularly recognized for his expertise in capital markets, strategic planning, forecasting and investor engagement.

Before joining Pivot Bio, Houghton served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of LifeTime Group Holdings (NYSE: LTH). Earlier, he held senior finance leadership positions at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), where he served as Senior Vice President of Finance, and at C.H. Robinson, where he was Vice President of Investor Relations and Treasurer. He also spent more than 15 years at General Mills in a variety of leadership roles, including Director of Investor Relations, and began his career in finance at International Paper.

A respected voice in the finance community, Houghton has been featured on CFO Thought Leader podcast, where he shared insights on financial leadership, capital allocation and business performance. His experience spans food, consumer products, logistics and high-growth industries, providing a broad perspective on building resilient businesses and creating shareholder value.

Houghton earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Alvin Tamsir, Ph.D., is Scientific Fellow and Co-Founder of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. As one of the company’s original founders, Tamsir has played a central role in transforming a scientific breakthrough into a commercial technology platform that is redefining crop nutrition for farmers around the world. He leads the development of Pivot Bio’s microbial technologies, overseeing interdisciplinary teams spanning synthetic biology, computational biology, analytical chemistry and plant biology.

Tamsir co-founded Pivot Bio in 2011 with fellow scientist and graduate school lab mate Karsten Temme, Ph.D., after pioneering new approaches to applying engineering principles to biology. Their research focused on harnessing and enhancing naturally occurring microbial processes, laying the scientific foundation for what would become the world’s first commercially successful gene-edited nitrogen-fixing microbes for cereal crops. Since the company’s founding, Tamsir has helped shape Pivot Bio’s scientific vision and innovation strategy while advancing a pipeline of breakthrough biological technologies.

Over the course of his career at Pivot Bio, Tamsir has built and led one of the agricultural industry’s premier synthetic biology organizations, growing the research team from fewer than 10 scientists to more than 200 researchers across multiple scientific disciplines. He co-authored many of the company’s foundational patents covering microbial discovery, engineering and agricultural applications and led development of Pivot Bio’s first commercial nitrogen-fixing product for corn. His work has helped establish the scientific platform that underpins the company’s expanding portfolio of crop nutrition technologies.

Internationally recognized for his contributions to synthetic biology and microbial engineering, Tamsir has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in leading scientific journals, including Nature, Nature Chemical Biology, Scientific Reports, the Journal of Experimental Botany and ACS Synthetic Biology. His pioneering research has advanced the understanding of genetic circuits, microbial engineering and biological nitrogen fixation, helping establish the scientific foundation for a new generation of agricultural innovation.

Tamsir earned a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California, San Francisco, where his doctoral research focused on synthetic biology under the mentorship of Christopher Voigt, renowned bioengineer and member of the Pivot Bio Scientific Advisory Board.

Pivot Bio announced the appointment of Laureen Thompson to the role of head of people and human resources in April of 2025. She will serve as a member of the company’s executive leadership team, reporting to Chris Abbott, chief executive officer of Pivot Bio.

“Laureen brings significant experience to this leadership role,” said Abbott. “As we have continued to grow, she has played an important role in shaping our workforce strategy, fostering a positive workplace culture and driving the engagement of our team. I look forward to her aligning human resources strategies with overall business objectives, supporting both organizational growth and team member well-being.”

In her new position, Thompson will focus on the company’s overall people and human resources strategy, working with team members who are based at four hubs in California, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota, and an office in Brazil. She will oversee all aspects of human resources management: recruitment, talent development, team member engagement, compensation and benefits, and organizational culture.

Thompson joined Pivot Bio in 2022 as senior director of total rewards, bringing more than 25 years of strategic HR experience to the company. In addition to total rewards, Thompson recently took on responsibility for talent acquisition, HR systems and operations.

Her career began at Prudential. During her time there, she was selected to serve in its rotational leadership program. She went on to spend more than a decade at Willis Towers Watson as a consultant and 16 years at VWR/Avantor, where she served as global vice president of total rewards and played a key role in executing two IPOs.

Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts in education from Arcadia University and an MBA from LaSalle University. She is active in the human resources field and serves on several nonprofit boards.

Karsten Temme, Ph.D., is Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. A scientist, inventor and entrepreneur, Temme has spent his career exploring how advances in biology and engineering can solve some of agriculture’s most significant challenges. Today, he guides innovation at Pivot Bio, identifying new scientific and technological opportunities that can shape the company’s future and create greater value for farmers around the world.

Temme co-founded Pivot Bio in 2011 with fellow scientist and graduate school colleague Alvin Tamsir, Ph.D., after the two recognized an opportunity to harness the natural relationship between microbes and plants to transform crop nutrition. During his graduate research, Temme reverse engineered how soil-borne microbes have the potential to fix nitrogen for plants. That work established the scientific foundation for Pivot Bio and a new approach to crop nutrition: re-wiring microbes living on plant roots to spoon feed nitrogen directly for crops.

Over more than 15 years, Temme has helped take Pivot Bio from an early scientific concept to a commercial agricultural technology used by farmers across millions of acres. As the company’s initial CEO, he has helped shape the company’s scientific strategy, technology platform and product vision while building an organization capable of translating advances in synthetic biology and microbial engineering into practical tools for farmers. He is an inventor on over 200 patents or patent applications, with over 90 granted. His leadership has contributed to the development and commercialization of a new category of crop nutrition that provides farmers with a reliable source of nitrogen produced directly at the roots of their crops.

As Chief Innovation Officer, Temme is now focused on the Future Acre, imagining what agriculture could look like in 2050 and helping turn that vision into technologies that deliver meaningful value for farmers. He works with inventors and entrepreneurs across industry, startups and academic institutions to explore emerging science, develop new ideas and accelerate innovations with the potential to shape the next generation of agriculture. At the center of that work is a belief that solving agriculture’s biggest challenges will require collaboration across disciplines and organizations, bringing together the best ideas and technologies wherever they originate.

Temme also brings his engineering mindset and entrepreneurial perspective to broader conversations about the future of agriculture, biological crop nutrition and the role innovation can play in addressing the challenges facing farmers and the global food system. He has shared that vision on global stages including TED and TEDx, helping bring the potential of agricultural biotechnology and synthetic biology to diverse audiences. Throughout his career, he has focused on creating what does not yet exist, turning pioneering scientific advances into solutions that address critical challenges faced by farmers.

Temme earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Iowa and a Ph.D. from the Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering spanning the University of California, San Francisco and University of California, Berkeley.

Chris Turner is Chief Commercial Officer of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. He leads the company’s global commercial organization, overseeing go-to-market strategy, sales execution, distribution partnerships, pricing and program development and commercial agronomy initiatives that help bring Pivot Bio’s breakthrough innovations to farmers around the world.

A respected agriculture industry leader with nearly three decades of experience, Turner is helping accelerate Pivot Bio’s next phase of growth by strengthening its commercial capabilities and expanding market adoption. Since joining the company, he has led a comprehensive redesign of the commercial organization, implemented new pricing and customer programs and helped deliver the largest business growth in the company’s recent history. He is focused on building high-performing teams, deepening customer relationships and ensuring growers realize maximum value from Pivot Bio’s products and technologies.

Throughout his career, Turner has held leadership positions spanning commercial operations, business strategy and market development. Before joining Pivot Bio in 2024, he served as Head of Bayer’s U.S. Crop Science division and was a member of the company’s North America leadership team. In that role, he oversaw nationwide commercial operations, including field sales, go-to-market strategies and business performance across crop protection, branded seed and Bayer’s Climate FieldView platform. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President of U.S. Commercial Operations.

Earlier in his career, Turner spent more than 20 years with Monsanto, where he advanced through a series of leadership roles to become a global business leader responsible for commercial strategy, market expansion and strategic partnerships. He is widely recognized for his ability to build and lead commercial organizations, develop growth strategies and deliver results in highly competitive agricultural markets.

Raised on a farm in northeast Missouri, Turner brings a lifelong connection to agriculture and a deep appreciation for the challenges and opportunities facing growers. He remains closely connected to agriculture through his family’s farm in northeast Missouri and is passionate about helping farmers improve productivity, profitability and sustainability through innovation.

Turner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Missouri.

Balaji Venkataraman is Chief Supply Chain Officer of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. He leads the company’s manufacturing, supply chain and facilities functions, overseeing both in-house and third-party operations to ensure Pivot Bio’s industry-leading products are produced and delivered to farmers with best-in-class quality, reliability and service.

Since joining Pivot Bio, Venkataraman has helped strengthen the company’s operational foundation by significantly improving product quality and supply reliability, ensuring consistent delivery to customers across North America. He also led the consolidation of key facilities and the establishment of the company’s Centers of Excellence in St. Louis, positioning operations closer to customers and enhancing Pivot Bio’s ability to scale efficiently as demand grows.

Venkataraman brings several decades of experience as a global operations and supply chain leader with a proven track record of transforming complex supply and manufacturing networks, driving operational excellence and optimizing processes to improve safety, efficiency and profitability. He is widely recognized for his expertise in developing and leading international supply chains and for building high-performing teams that deliver results across global operations.

Prior to joining Pivot Bio, Venkataraman served as vice president of global operations at Corteva Agriscience, where he led large-scale manufacturing and supply chain organizations supporting customers around the world. Earlier in his career, he held a variety of manufacturing, operations and supply chain leadership roles across Dow Chemical companies, including DowDuPont’s Agriculture Division and Dow Chemical, with assignments in both the United States and India.

A respected leader in manufacturing and operations, Venkataraman was a keynote speaker at the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s annual summit in 2022. He previously served on the board of the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre and has been an active advocate for operational excellence and leadership development throughout his career.

Venkataraman holds an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Anna University.

Wendy Watkins is Chief Communications Officer for Pivot Bio and a member of the company’s executive leadership team. She leads the company’s communications, government affairs, and global impact teams, helping to advance Pivot Bio’s mission as one of the leading agtech companies in the world.

With more than 30 years of experience at some of the world’s most admired companies, Watkins has built a reputation for thoughtful leadership in corporate communications, public affairs, and stakeholder engagement. Her work has spanned the CPG, food, hospitality, sports, and agriculture sectors—earning recognition for her deep commitment to integrity, impact, and service. She has been honored by peers and industry groups for her contributions to the field and is known as a trusted advisor to CEOs, boards, and teams navigating transformation, reputation, and responsibility in an increasingly complex world.

Prior to Pivot Bio, Watkins served as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company with more than $12 billion in annual revenue and a presence in over 80 countries. The company’s portfolio includes iconic and innovative brands such as Planters®, SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Wholly®, and Columbus®. Hormel Foods is widely recognized for its commitment to corporate responsibility, sustainability, and community engagement.

As the company’s first CCO, she reported to the chairman and CEO and led all facets of corporate communications, global impact, consumer engagement, public affairs, and philanthropy for its worldwide operations. Under her leadership, the company received consistent recognition for reputation and corporate citizenship, including honors from Fortune, Newsweek, and 3BL Media. Watkins also chaired the Hormel Foods Charitable Trust Foundation and launched several signature initiatives, including Inspired Pathways, a first-of-its-kind program offering free college tuition to the children of all U.S. employees.

A firm believer in the role communications plays in building strong and vibrant corporate cultures, Watkins created Impact!, Hormel Foods’ first employee resource group focused on social responsibility and corporate purpose. She also served as executive sponsor of the company’s Women’s Insight Network and Women’s Leadership Group. A longtime advocate for food security, she helped establish the Hometown Food Security Project, a community-focused initiative aimed at reducing hunger and improving access to nutritious food in the company’s hometown and key markets. She also founded and led the Small Change, Big Impact conference at Harvard University, convening leaders to explore the power of the food industry in advancing global wellbeing.

Watkins previously spent 15 years as Global Vice President of Corporate Communications at Delaware North, one of the largest privately held companies in the world and a global leader in hospitality and foodservice. She served as a corporate officer and member of the leadership team, overseeing enterprise communications for the company’s 60,000 employees operating across five continents. Watkins was also a key advisor to Chairman and CEO Jeremy Jacobs and the Jacobs family—supporting corporate positioning, enterprise reputation, and communications strategy during a period of significant global expansion and brand evolution. Delaware North’s seven subsidiaries span travel hospitality, parks and resorts, sports venues, gaming, and premium dining.

Jacobs, one of the most notable sports owners and industry leaders, serves as chairman of the NHL Board of Governors and is the owner of the Boston Bruins, TD Garden, and the surrounding real estate development in Boston. Watkins also played a role in supporting his leadership across the sports and entertainment landscape, contributing to positioning and strategic communications aligned with his influential presence in both the sports and business worlds.

Before Delaware North, Watkins held communications leadership roles at Marriott and Host Marriott, ultimately leading the global corporate communications team for Host Marriott Services (NYSE: HMS), a global hospitality and foodservice company with more than 60,000 employees worldwide.

She began her career in corporate communications at Empire of America, one of the largest thrift institutions in the United States at the time, with a substantial real estate portfolio and billions in assets under management. There, she led communications for the company’s real estate holding division, gaining early experience in financial services and property marketing.

Throughout her career, Watkins has been active in public policy, especially on issues related to food and travel. Her contributions include serving as a participant in the White House’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative and as an advisor and staff representative to the U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and U.S. Travel CEO Roundtable. She was appointed by the Governor of New York to two terms on the New York State Health Research Science Board, contributing to state policy decisions on health and research.

An advocate for the communications and public affairs profession, Watkins was inducted into the PRWeek Hall of Femme and honored as a Changemaker in the Top Women in PR Awards. She was named a Woman of Influence by Business First for her community leadership while at Delaware North.

Her board service includes the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, where she serves on the executive committee; the Cancer Nutrition Consortium, where she served as president and helped shape the organization’s vision and partnerships with major cancer institutions; and Find the Cause, a national breast cancer research foundation. Watkins was honored by the same organization for her advocacy and stewardship at its annual gala. She also served on the boards of Hormel Health Labs and CytoSport, the parent company of Muscle Milk prior to its acquisition by PepsiCo.

Watkins earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

An internationally recognized expert in symbiotic nitrogen fixation, Dr. Ané has dedicated his career to unlocking nature’s solution to synthetic fertilizer dependence. His research revealing how plants and microbes communicate to form beneficial partnerships—and his vision for engineering these associations in non-legume crops—provides critical scientific guidance for Pivot Bio’s platform. From studying nitrogen-fixing maize in Mexico to developing tools for crop-microbe interactions, his work bridges fundamental discovery with agricultural transformation.

A legendary figure in modern agronomy, Dr. Below’s frameworks—such as the “Six Secrets of Soybean Success” and the “Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World”—have reshaped how growers optimize yield. His practical, field-based insights will be instrumental as Pivot Bio scales adoption and maximizes agronomic performance across diverse geographies.

A global authority in digital agriculture and environmental modeling, Dr. Basso leads multiple national and international initiatives advancing next-generation agricultural modeling and digital technologies to enhance decision-making—from smallholder farmers in the developing world to large-scale producers and policymakers operating at local, national, and global scales. His work will strengthen Pivot Bio’s modeling, sustainability measurement, and impact validation capabilities.

A trailblazer in plant systems biology who decoded how plants sense and utilize nitrogen, Dr. Coruzzi has fundamentally transformed our understanding of nitrogen use efficiency through pioneering time-based gene network analysis. Her lab’s development of predictive network models and their functional validation in plants—combined with 10 patents on nitrogen-responsive gene networks—provides the scientific blueprint for creating crops that require less fertilizer. Recipient of the ASPB Stephen Hales Prize and author of over 200 papers, her work bridges molecular discovery to field applications in rice and maize.

The scientist who first proved nitrogen fixation could be engineered by transferring nif genes between bacteria, Dr. Dixon has spent 50 years unraveling how microbes sense and respond to environmental signals to control this vital process. From his 1972 breakthrough creating the first engineered diazotroph to current work defining minimal genetic requirements for eukaryotic nitrogen fixation, his research established the molecular blueprint for biological nitrogen fixation. His deep understanding of regulatory networks—particularly how oxygen, nitrogen status, and metal availability control gene expression—provides essential guidance for engineering robust nitrogen-fixing systems.

A visionary who revolutionized plant science by pioneering the application of medical imaging technology to agriculture, Dr. Ferrieri developed the world’s first radiolabeled plant hormone for PET imaging, enabling real-time visualization of plant stress responses and resource allocation. His groundbreaking radiochemical tools reveal the hidden mechanisms of plant-microbe interactions and nutrient utilization—providing unprecedented insights into how crops optimize nitrogen and carbon under stress. His expertise in visualizing complex root-soil-microbe dynamics helps advance Pivot Bio’s understanding of engineered microbe performance in real-world field conditions.

An influential voice at the intersection of agriculture, environment, and policy, Dr. Kanter transforms how governments and industries manage nitrogen’s dual nature as essential nutrient and major pollutant. His research on technology-forcing policies and whole-system approaches to nutrient management—recognized by the EPA and integrated into the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy—provides crucial frameworks for companies like Pivot Bio operating at the frontier of sustainable nitrogen solutions. His unique background spanning chemistry, law, and environmental policy brings essential perspective to complex agricultural challenges.

A leading voice in global soil health and climate resilience, Dr. Rice was a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. His expertise in microbial science and environmental outcomes will further ground Pivot Bio’s platform in robust, real-world impact.

A world authority on nitrogenase biochemistry and engineering, Dr. Rubio leads the ambitious quest to transfer nitrogen-fixing capabilities directly into cereal crops. His pioneering achievements—including the first complete synthesis of the nitrogenase FeMo-cofactor and the first expression of an active nitrogenase component in a eukaryotic organism—have laid the foundation for engineering self-fertilizing crops. As recipient of an ERC Starting Grant and leader of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s BNF-Cereals project, his work bridges fundamental metallobiochemistry to practical solutions for global food security.

A pioneering force in plant-microbe interactions for over four decades, Dr. Stacey fundamentally changed our understanding of how plants recognize and respond to nitrogen-fixing bacteria. His groundbreaking discovery that non-legume plants like corn and tomatoes can perceive rhizobial signals—overturning decades of scientific dogma—opened new possibilities for engineering nitrogen fixation beyond legumes. With 300+ publications (h-index 101), multiple patents supporting commercial rhizobial inoculants, and a research program spanning from molecular signaling to field applications, his work provides the scientific foundation for next-generation biological nitrogen solutions.

A pioneering microbiologist who has transformed our understanding of microbial communities across human health and agriculture, Dr. Triplett leads groundbreaking research connecting gut microbiome disruptions to autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes and celiac disease using samples from a variety of human cohorts. His innovative work spans from developing the first model system for citrus greening disease to discovering bacterial associations with premature birth and neurodevelopmental conditions establishing him as a master of microbial ecology across diverse environments. With expertise in nitrogen fixation, antimicrobial resistance in agricultural systems, and the complex interactions between plants and their microbial partners, his research provides essential insights into how beneficial microbes can be harnessed to improve both crop health and human wellness.

A transformational leader who built one of the world’s premier plant sciences programs, Dr. van Kessel pioneered research in nitrogen fixation and sustainable cropping systems that has fundamentally shaped modern agricultural science. As the founding chair of UC Davis’s Department of Plant Sciences—created through the merger of four departments into one of the largest on campus—he established a legacy of interdisciplinary excellence spanning basic research to field application. His groundbreaking work on nitrogen cycling, soil fertility, and nutrient use efficiency has generated over 15,000 citations and provided the scientific foundation for developing more sustainable and productive agricultural systems. With expertise bridging agronomy, soil science, and plant-microbe interactions, his research directly informed strategies for reducing synthetic fertilizer dependence while maintaining high crop yields—core principles that continue to guide innovations in biological nitrogen fixation and sustainable agriculture.

In retirement, Dr. van Kessel continues to inspire, recently launching a 10,000-kilometer cycling challenge in his native Netherlands to raise funds for childhood cancer research in honor of his nephew and survivor, Tijn. Donations are still welcome! Pivot Bio has deep gratitude for Dr. van Kessel, for his leadership, mentorship, and enduring example.

A visionary in synthetic biology who bridges computation and life sciences, Dr. Voigt co-directs MIT’s Synthetic Biology Center where he develops genetic circuits that program cells like computers. His pioneering work refactoring nitrogen fixation genes and creating the Cello software platform—which allows scientists to program living cells using principles from electronic design—provided the foundational technology for Pivot Bio. As the former founding Editor-in-Chief of ACS Synthetic Biology and mentor to founders of companies like Fieldstone Bio, Asimov Bio, and Robigo, his influence extends across the entire bioengineering landscape.

Chris Abbott is Chief Executive Officer of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. As the company’s first non-founder CEO, Abbott is at the helm of a company that has rapidly scaled its products across more than 20 million acres and is celebrating 15 years of innovation and impact in agriculture.

Currently available across North America and expanding globally, including into Brazil, Canada and Africa, Pivot Bio’s products represent a breakthrough innovation and one of agriculture’s most promising technology solutions. The company has been recognized three times by TIME magazine on its annual Best Inventions list, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list of private companies, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list, and by MIT Technology Review as one of 15 Climate Tech Companies to Watch.

Abbott has helped accelerate Pivot Bio’s growth, innovation pipeline and global expansion while strengthening its position as a trusted partner to farmers. He also led the establishment of the company’s Centers of Excellence in St. Louis and its global headquarters in the Twin Cities, positioning Pivot Bio closer to customers, innovation partners and the future of ag innovation. Abbott was recognized as a Twin Cities Business 40 Under 40 honoree for his leadership and impact across the agriculture and business sectors.

Widely recognized as an emerging voice at the intersection of agriculture, technology and innovation, Abbott has spoken at leading global forums including the World Economic Forum Annual, World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit and the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue. He has been featured on CNBC, CNN, ABC Global News and in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times among others for his leadership in the fertilizer and commodity markets. He is a passionate advocate for farmers and rural communities and frequently speaks about agriculture’s critical role in food security, energy resilience and the industry.

Before joining Pivot Bio in 2023, Abbott was Co-Head of Conti Ventures at Continental Grain Company, where he helped build one of the industry’s leading investment portfolios across agriculture and food technology. Throughout his career, he has invested in and advised companies spanning biologicals, digital agriculture, processing, logistics, food ingredients and consumer brands. Earlier in his career, he held investment and capital markets roles at Piper Sandler, EcoAlpha Asset Management and Craig-Hallum Capital Group.

As an advocate for creating programs to support youth, Chris serves on the board of InnerCity Tennis. He is a Farm Foundation fellow, and has served on numerous company boards, and is a current member of the Pivot Bio Board of Directors. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota.

Melih Keyman serves on the Board of Directors of Pivot Bio, where he brings more than four decades of global leadership in fertilizer markets, agricultural commodities and international trade. His deep understanding of global nitrogen supply chains, commodity markets and agricultural economics provides valuable strategic insight as Pivot Bio continues expanding its innovative crop nutrition technologies around the world.

Keyman is Founder and Executive Chairman of Keytrade AG, one of the world’s leading fertilizer trading companies. Since founding the company in 1997, he has built Keytrade into a globally recognized organization serving customers across major agricultural markets. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership positions at Transammonia AG, serving as Senior Vice President and as a member of the boards of Transammonia Inc. and Ferpro AG, a joint venture between Sinochem and Transammonia. He also led the Fertilizer Division at ENKA Marketing in Turkey.

Widely regarded as one of the fertilizer industry’s foremost experts, Keyman has spent decades helping shape conversations around global crop nutrition, fertilizer trade and agricultural market dynamics. He serves on the Board of Directors of The Fertilizer Institute and is a council member of the International Fertilizer Association. A frequent keynote speaker, he regularly shares insights on global fertilizer markets, geopolitical developments and agricultural trends at international industry conferences and executive forums, including engagements with leading financial institutions and business organizations.

Beyond his leadership in agriculture, Keyman is a passionate advocate for education, scientific research and innovation. He serves as the First International Trustee of Northwestern University and, through the Keyman family, has supported several initiatives advancing higher education and agricultural science, including the Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Program and the Keyman Family Fund for Synthetic Biology for Agriculture at Northwestern’s Center for Synthetic Biology.

Keyman is a Kellogg Executive Scholar in Leadership and Management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of New Hampshire and also studied at Hochschule St. Gallen (HSG) in Switzerland. A native of Turkey and Switzerland, he has been based in Switzerland since 1984 and is fluent in Turkish, English and German.

Susan Kim serves on the Board of Directors of Pivot Bio, bringing more than 25 years of finance, operations and strategic leadership experience across technology-driven industries. Her background spans semiconductors, life sciences, software, hardware, manufacturing and data businesses.

Kim is Chief Financial Officer of PsiQuantum. Previously, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Pacific Biosciences of California (PacBio), a publicly traded provider of DNA sequencing solutions, as well as CFO of several venture-backed technology companies. Across these roles, she has helped drive revenue growth, scale finance and operations and realize value through strategic acquisitions.

Earlier in her career, Kim held roles at KLA Corporation and worked as an investment banker in Morgan Stanley’s technology practice. She began her career as a manufacturing engineer at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), giving her a combination of engineering, finance and operating experience that she brings to Pivot Bio’s Board.

Kim earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA and Master of Engineering Management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Matt Ocko serves on the Board of Directors of Pivot Bio, bringing more than four decades of experience investing in breakthrough technologies that strengthen economic resilience, national security and global sustainability. As one of the technology industry’s leading deep-tech investors, Ocko provides strategic guidance on innovation, commercialization and scaling transformative technologies.

Ocko is co-founder and co-Managing Partner of DCVC, one of the world’s premier venture capital firms focused exclusively on deep technology. Under his leadership, DCVC has invested billions of dollars in companies advancing breakthroughs across agriculture, energy, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity, robotics and aerospace. Its portfolio includes industry-leading companies such as Pivot Bio, Oklo, Fervo Energy, Rocket Lab, Planet, SentinelOne and Databricks. Earlier in his investment career, Ocko was also an early investor in transformative technology companies including Meta, Uber and Zoom.

Throughout his career, Ocko has focused on helping entrepreneurs commercialize scientific innovation and build category-defining companies. His investment philosophy centers on technologies capable of addressing some of the world’s most significant challenges, including food security, energy independence, climate resilience and national security. His experience scaling disruptive technologies provides valuable perspective as Pivot Bio continues advancing the future of crop nutrition.

In addition to his work as an investor, Ocko is an accomplished inventor with more than 50 granted and pending patents spanning computer systems virtualization, fraud detection and augmented reality technologies. He is widely recognized for his expertise at the intersection of science, engineering and entrepreneurship, and has spent his career helping founders transform breakthrough ideas into globally impactful businesses.

Ocko earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Yale University.

Ryan Rakestraw serves on the Board of Directors of Pivot Bio, bringing experience at the intersection of agriculture, technology and investment. His career has focused on identifying and supporting emerging technologies and businesses with the potential to address some of the most significant challenges facing the global food and agriculture system.

Rakestraw is a Director of Investments on the Agri-Food team at Temasek, where he leads the firm’s food and agriculture investing activity across Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, he originates and executes investments across crop science, biologicals, animal health, specialty ingredients and consumer food and represents Temasek on boards across its Agri-Food portfolio. While at Temasek, he co-founded and led the formation of T3F, an Asia Pacific co-investment vehicle focused on sustainable food and farming, through its final close in 2024.

Before joining Temasek, Rakestraw was a venture principal at Monsanto Growth Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Monsanto, where he evaluated breakthrough technologies across crop science, biologicals and digital agriculture. He previously served as a principal at Cultivation Capital and was a co-founder of The Yield Lab, an agtech accelerator and investment platform.

Rakestraw began his career as a systems engineer at Northrop Grumman, designing advanced defense and space platforms. That technical foundation continues to inform his approach to evaluating emerging technologies and their potential to move from innovation to commercial application.

Rakestraw earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis’ Olin Business School.

Rakestraw earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Cooper Rinzler serves on the Board of Directors of Pivot Bio, bringing experience as a technologist, investor and entrepreneur with a history of building and leading teams to develop and commercialize technologies in early-stage ventures.

Rinzler is a Senior Partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, where he works with entrepreneurs to scale transformative solutions in foundational sectors including energy, industrial materials and agriculture. Beyond investing, he works to shape the frameworks and investment approaches that help the broader climate ecosystem discover, develop and deploy innovation more effectively.

He has created and operated companies in geothermal, energy storage, industrial materials and other parts of the physical economy.

Rinzler is a Hertz Fellow and earned a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds an A.B. in Physics and Engineering Physics from Harvard University.

Karsten Temme, Ph.D., is Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies delivering patented crop nutrition technologies. A scientist, inventor and entrepreneur, Temme has spent his career exploring how advances in biology and engineering can solve some of agriculture’s most significant challenges. Today, he guides innovation at Pivot Bio, identifying new scientific and technological opportunities that can shape the company’s future and create greater value for farmers around the world.

Temme co-founded Pivot Bio in 2011 with fellow scientist and graduate school colleague Alvin Tamsir, Ph.D., after the two recognized an opportunity to harness the natural relationship between microbes and plants to transform crop nutrition. During his graduate research, Temme reverse engineered how soil-borne microbes have the potential to fix nitrogen for plants. That work established the scientific foundation for Pivot Bio and a new approach to crop nutrition: re-wiring microbes living on plant roots to spoon feed nitrogen directly for crops.

Over more than 15 years, Temme has helped take Pivot Bio from an early scientific concept to a commercial agricultural technology used by farmers across millions of acres. As the company’s initial CEO, he has helped shape the company’s scientific strategy, technology platform and product vision while building an organization capable of translating advances in synthetic biology and microbial engineering into practical tools for farmers. He is an inventor on over 200 patents or patent applications, with over 90 granted. His leadership has contributed to the development and commercialization of a new category of crop nutrition that provides farmers with a reliable source of nitrogen produced directly at the roots of their crops.

As Chief Innovation Officer, Temme is now focused on the Future Acre, imagining what agriculture could look like in 2050 and helping turn that vision into technologies that deliver meaningful value for farmers. He works with inventors and entrepreneurs across industry, startups and academic institutions to explore emerging science, develop new ideas and accelerate innovations with the potential to shape the next generation of agriculture. At the center of that work is a belief that solving agriculture’s biggest challenges will require collaboration across disciplines and organizations, bringing together the best ideas and technologies wherever they originate.

Temme also brings his engineering mindset and entrepreneurial perspective to broader conversations about the future of agriculture, biological crop nutrition and the role innovation can play in addressing the challenges facing farmers and the global food system. He has shared that vision on global stages including TED and TEDx, helping bring the potential of agricultural biotechnology and synthetic biology to diverse audiences. Throughout his career, he has focused on creating what does not yet exist, turning pioneering scientific advances into solutions that address critical challenges faced by farmers.

Temme earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Iowa and a Ph.D. from the Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering spanning the University of California, San Francisco and University of California, Berkeley.

Roger C. Underwood serves as Chairman of the Board of Pivot Bio, where he helps guide the company’s long-term strategy and supports its mission to deliver breakthrough crop nutrition technologies to farmers around the world. A lifelong entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist, Underwood brings decades of experience building, scaling and investing in agricultural businesses.

Underwood is best known as the co-founder of Becker Underwood, a specialty crop additive and seed treatment company that he helped build into a global enterprise with operations across North America, Europe, Asia and South America. After more than 25 years of growth and global expansion, BASF acquired the company for $1.02 billion in one of the largest agricultural industry transactions of its time.

Today, Underwood is an active investor and board leader focused on advancing innovation in agriculture. In addition to serving as Chairman of Pivot Bio, he serves on the boards of Kent Corporation and Dryland Genetics, where he continues to support the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs and technology companies.

A dedicated supporter of education and entrepreneurship, Underwood has maintained a lifelong relationship with Iowa State University. He is a Foundation Governor, former chair of Campaign Iowa State and recipient of the Floyd Andre Award, Cardinal and Gold Award and Young Alumni of the Year Award. He was also inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to business and agriculture.

Underwood earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University.