Elaheh has over a decade of academic and professional experience as an architect and creative director on issues around sustainability and design. She served as Chief Creative Officer for the award-winning San Francisco architecture firm Mark Cavegnero Associates prior to opening her own company in San Francisco.
One of the first research topics that her studio tackled was on the rise of fast fashion and its debilitating impact on our planet, following a visit to different parts of China to investigate these environmental issues first-hand. Many meetings and months of research later with Dr. Kristen Mitchell and AquaNRG, she founded LEONOEL at the intersection of design, environmental science and technology.
Elaheh received a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Georgia Institute of Technology. She is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and a member of the American Institute of Architects.
Sailing for six weeks across the North Pacific Gyre, Kristen witnessed the impact of consumer lifestyles on our oceans. After spending weeks with the crew counting thousands of tiny bits of plastic, she knew she wanted to find creative ways to lessen our environmental impact.
Kristen focuses on the most sensitive environmental issues facing our planet. She has translated her scientific systems thinking background into policy work in congress and as a senior advisor at USDA as a part of the Obama administration. Her work spans across researching plastics in the oceans, water sustainability, to advising on policies for agricultural research, and creating environmental educational tools.
Dr. Mitchell earned her PhD in Isotope Biogeochemistry from Utrecht University after earning a Master’s of Science in System Earth Modeling. She also holds a Master’s of Science in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences from Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Marine Chemistry at Eckerd College.
Sarah brings a finance focused background to the team, including her experience in public accounting at Ernst & Young and banking as a vice president at J.P. Morgan. She received her MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.A in Business Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
