Our Team

Elliott Notrica

Founder & CEO​

Trained as a chef, Elliott founded Symbio to apply next-generation synthetic biology to address food waste. Elliott was a 2023 Future Founders Fellow, and a 2024 Amgen Scholar. He has presented extensively on epigenetic and genetic modification of A. Oryzae. ​

Nikolai Valencia

Head of Sales

Trained as a chemist, Nikolai leads sales and business development for Symbio. Motivated by the need to make a change in today’s world, he is excited to support Symbio’s rapid growth as a leader in food waste valorization. Outside of the lab, he is passionate about climbing, swimming, art, and connecting with others.

Omar Santoyo

Fermentation Technology Lead 

Omar leads research and development for Symbio, with a focus on process optimization and applied microbiology in advanced production systems. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and baking bread. ​

Dr. Johnny Drain, PhD

Technical Advisor

Dr. Drain is an internationally-renowned fermentation expert and the CEO of deep-tech startup HypeSound. He co-founded food tech company Win-Win, holds a PhD in Computational Materials Science from Oxford, and is the author of Adventures in Fermentation. 

Dr. Travis Wyman, PhD 

Technical Advisor

Dr. Wyman has a PhD in microbiology and molecular genetics from Emory University in Atlanta, is an expert in Next Generation Sequencing and has been working in biodefense for the past 15+ years. . He lives with his wife and two children in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Andrew Lusk, Esq. 

Strategic Advisor 

Mr. Lusk is an established executive, attorney and investor. As President of CL Holdings, Mr. Lusk pursues diverse opportunities across real estate, technology and healthcare. He previously served as President of Crown Holdings and Senior Vice President of Jamison Properties. He attended New York University School of Law and the University of Southern California.

Travis Hawk, MBA 

Strategic Advisor

Mr. Hawk is an experienced corporate leader and investor with a strong passion for business and community. He holds degrees from Saint Louis University and Drake University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and rehabilitating his rescue donkeys.

Charles Rose 

Strategic Advisor

Mr. Rose is an experienced Food Ingredients professional and VP of Commercial, Americas at Natara Global.  Charles brings extensive leadership experience in sales, marketing and management. Throughout his career, he has held various senior sales roles with a number of companies including Corbion, Dupont and Solae. Charlie currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with his family.