We are Witi.
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Our Team
Ramon Alarcon
CEO + Founder
Ramon has a career history of innovation. He previously served as VP of Engineering and Technology at blu, an e-cigarette company. He took blu from infancy to e-cig market maker and global #1 brand. He led his team through two big tobacco acquisitions, 20+ product launches, and growth to $250M in annual sales. He also built its portfolio of 80+ patents. Ramon has played a pivotal role in defining a new industry, setting industry standards for high-volume e-cig manufacturing at a global scale, and provided the FDA expertise to help shape regulations. He previously worked in VR at NASA, a pre-IPO computer device startup, vehicle tech at Ford, and has engineering degrees from Stanford.Ramon is a member of a number of industry and standards organizations, including the Cannabis Manufacturing Committee for the National Cannabis Industry Association and the UL Standards Technical Panel for e-cigarette battery safety.
Read MoreRamon has a career history of innovation. He previously served as VP of Engineering and Technology at blu, an e-cigarette company. He took blu from infancy to e-cig market maker and global #1 brand. He led his team through two big tobacco acquisitions, 20+ product launches, and growth to $250M in annual sales. He also built its portfolio of 80+ patents. Ramon has played a pivotal role in defining a new industry, setting industry standards for high-volume e-cig manufacturing at a global scale, and provided the FDA expertise to help shape regulations. He previously worked in VR at NASA, a pre-IPO computer device startup, vehicle tech at Ford, and has engineering degrees from Stanford.Ramon is a member of a number of industry and standards organizations, including the Cannabis Manufacturing Committee for the National Cannabis Industry Association and the UL Standards Technical Panel for e-cigarette battery safety.
Rick Conrey
Director of Software Development
Rick is a rockstar developer. He brings over a decade of experience in designing first-rate embedded systems, working on a broad range of products from resource constrained devices to large 7-passenger vehicles. He gained his experience in different industries, vaporizers at blu, electric vehicles at NIO, audio at Velodyne Acoustics, and more. Rick has also built desktop and full stack web apps, and holds an engineering degree from Santa Clara University.
Read MoreRick is a rockstar developer. He brings over a decade of experience in designing first-rate embedded systems, working on a broad range of products from resource constrained devices to large 7-passenger vehicles. He gained his experience in different industries, vaporizers at blu, electric vehicles at NIO, audio at Velodyne Acoustics, and more. Rick has also built desktop and full stack web apps, and holds an engineering degree from Santa Clara University.
ADAM HOFFMAN, PHD
Electrical Engineer
Adam brings to the table a diverse experience in medical devices and consumer electronics. He has created electronics for, among other things, hospital beds, automated blood diagnostics machines, implantable tissue expanders, vaporizers, and surgical robots; at companies such as Hill-Rom, Abbott, blu, and Verb Surgical. He has a PhD in Life Sciences from Indiana State University, and a Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Read MoreAdam brings to the table a diverse experience in medical devices and consumer electronics. He has created electronics for, among other things, hospital beds, automated blood diagnostics machines, implantable tissue expanders, vaporizers, and surgical robots; at companies such as Hill-Rom, Abbott, blu, and Verb Surgical. He has a PhD in Life Sciences from Indiana State University, and a Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Monica Joya
Project Management
Monica is a strong engineering professional skilled in program management and product development of medical devices and consumer electronics. She has gained her experience in different industries, including in-vitro diagnostic medical devices at Intuity Medical Inc, pulmonary drug delivery systems at Alexza Pharmaceuticals, and hardware design at Hewlett-Packard. Monica has a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering and Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University.
Read MoreMonica is a strong engineering professional skilled in program management and product development of medical devices and consumer electronics. She has gained her experience in different industries, including in-vitro diagnostic medical devices at Intuity Medical Inc, pulmonary drug delivery systems at Alexza Pharmaceuticals, and hardware design at Hewlett-Packard. Monica has a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering and Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University.
Sterling Loro
Sales Development
Sterling has a diverse background in sales, business development, customer acquisition, distribution, and retail management. His decades of experience spans crafting global deals in the hyper-competitive consumer electronics supply chain segment (Natalex International and Akyumen Technologies) to hands-on retail manager and executive director of sales and distribution (Apex Solutions and Northstar Holistic Collective.)
Read MoreSterling has a diverse background in sales, business development, customer acquisition, distribution, and retail management. His decades of experience spans crafting global deals in the hyper-competitive consumer electronics supply chain segment (Natalex International and Akyumen Technologies) to hands-on retail manager and executive director of sales and distribution (Apex Solutions and Northstar Holistic Collective.)
CHRIS MYLES
Senior Systems Engineer
Chris is a maker. He’s created an extensive range of designs from high volume medical devices and consumer electronics to one-of-a-kind commissions and prototypes. With his diverse skill set and a Mechatronic Masters from Stanford, he’s created for Abbot, blu, LimeLab, AliveCor and many others.
Read MoreChris is a maker. He’s created an extensive range of designs from high volume medical devices and consumer electronics to one-of-a-kind commissions and prototypes. With his diverse skill set and a Mechatronic Masters from Stanford, he’s created for Abbot, blu, LimeLab, AliveCor and many others.
DENNIS RASMUSSEN
Principal Mechanical Engineer
Dennis brings over twenty years of design and high volume manufacturing experience in consumer electronics and medical devices, with over twenty five patents in both fields. As Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer, he was Ramon’s first hire at blu eCigs development team. Before working at blu, Dennis worked at Axis surgical designing medical devices including an RF ablation device for spinal surgery and an orthoscopic camera for knee surgery.
Read MoreDennis brings over twenty years of design and high volume manufacturing experience in consumer electronics and medical devices, with over twenty five patents in both fields. As Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer, he was Ramon’s first hire at blu eCigs development team. Before working at blu, Dennis worked at Axis surgical designing medical devices including an RF ablation device for spinal surgery and an orthoscopic camera for knee surgery.
Our Advisors
STEVEN BROWN, PHD
SCIENCE + SAFETY
Steven is a strategic leader with a broad range of experience spanning specialty chemical, pharmaceutical, and consumer packaged goods industries. His expertise is focused on technology Innovation, product development and commercialization, defining IP strategies, and maximizing the impact of R&D. Steven earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Clarkson University – Center for Advanced Materials Processing. He currently serves as Vice President of Technology for a private company in North Carolina.
Read MoreSteven is a strategic leader with a broad range of experience spanning specialty chemical, pharmaceutical, and consumer packaged goods industries. His expertise is focused on technology Innovation, product development and commercialization, defining IP strategies, and maximizing the impact of R&D. Steven earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Clarkson University – Center for Advanced Materials Processing. He currently serves as Vice President of Technology for a private company in North Carolina.
GINA D’ANDREA
SALES + BIZ DEV
Gina has been a trailblazing internet sales executive for over 25 years. She’s helped online media outlets launch, organize, strategize and deliver billions of dollars in online ad revenue over the tenure of her career, most recently as SVP of Sales at What to Expect and SVP/Chief Revenue Officer of Bankrate.com. Prior, she has held senior sales leadership positions at a variety of leading Internet brands including AOL, Yahoo!, GeoCities, Fertilityauthority.com, Juno Online and Ziff Davis publishing. Gina has a Business Management degree from the University of Buffalo.
Read MoreGina has been a trailblazing internet sales executive for over 25 years. She’s helped online media outlets launch, organize, strategize and deliver billions of dollars in online ad revenue over the tenure of her career, most recently as SVP of Sales at What to Expect and SVP/Chief Revenue Officer of Bankrate.com. Prior, she has held senior sales leadership positions at a variety of leading Internet brands including AOL, Yahoo!, GeoCities, Fertilityauthority.com, Juno Online and Ziff Davis publishing. Gina has a Business Management degree from the University of Buffalo.
KEITH EMMONS, M.D., MPH
HEALTHCARE + RESEARCH
A former general surgeon, Dr. Emmons uniquely blends practice with business and its ability to scale. He is also president of Medical Systems Management, assisting physician organizations to move into Managed Care. Previously leadership roles include SoCal Medical Director for United HealthCare, Senior Medical Director of California for Aetna Life Insurance, Treasurer of the Golden State Medical Society, Board of the National Medical Association, among many, many other posts and achievements.
Read MoreA former general surgeon, Dr. Emmons uniquely blends practice with business and its ability to scale. He is also president of Medical Systems Management, assisting physician organizations to move into Managed Care. Previously leadership roles include SoCal Medical Director for United HealthCare, Senior Medical Director of California for Aetna Life Insurance, Treasurer of the Golden State Medical Society, Board of the National Medical Association, among many, many other posts and achievements.
HERSCHEL THOMPSON
ECOMMERCE & MARKETING
Herschel is a marketing and e-commerce veteran with 25 years of experience. Having managed annual media budgets of $50M, he has a deep specialization in customer acquisition, retention and growth. Early in his career he founded a company to develop and market a patented nicotine-fading therapy, selling the business 7 years later. He went on to work with numerous startups, DTC brands, and retailers, holding digital leadership positions at Bloomingdale’s, Liz Claiborne Inc. and Charming Shoppes (Lane Bryant, etc.). Priorly, Herschel had senior strategy roles at two Top 10 agencies, serving IBM, Volvo, MasterCard, M&M/Mars and Intel, and was an independent consultant to Goldman Sachs. In 2019 his work won a Rakuten Marketing Golden Link Award for “Best Use of Data-Driven Marketing,” and Herschel was twice a nominated finalist for their “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2019 and 2018.
Read MoreHerschel is a marketing and e-commerce veteran with 25 years of experience. Having managed annual media budgets of $50M, he has a deep specialization in customer acquisition, retention and growth. Early in his career he founded a company to develop and market a patented nicotine-fading therapy, selling the business 7 years later. He went on to work with numerous startups, DTC brands, and retailers, holding digital leadership positions at Bloomingdale’s, Liz Claiborne Inc. and Charming Shoppes (Lane Bryant, etc.). Priorly, Herschel had senior strategy roles at two Top 10 agencies, serving IBM, Volvo, MasterCard, M&M/Mars and Intel, and was an independent consultant to Goldman Sachs. In 2019 his work won a Rakuten Marketing Golden Link Award for “Best Use of Data-Driven Marketing,” and Herschel was twice a nominated finalist for their “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2019 and 2018.
WILLIAM TRUE, PHD
TOBACCO + REGULATORY
Bill is a futurist and creative technology leader. An e-vapor aerosol and e-liquid pioneer with deep M&A experience. He is currently the CTO of Curian, a hardware and software extraction platform for botanicals. As CTO of Fontem Ventures and SVP of R&D at Lorillard, he led technology innovations as well as the development of the regulatory science and compliance infrastructure for tobacco and e-vapor industries. Bill has a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Vanderbilt.
Read MoreBill is a futurist and creative technology leader. An e-vapor aerosol and e-liquid pioneer with deep M&A experience. He is currently the CTO of Curian, a hardware and software extraction platform for botanicals. As CTO of Fontem Ventures and SVP of R&D at Lorillard, he led technology innovations as well as the development of the regulatory science and compliance infrastructure for tobacco and e-vapor industries. Bill has a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Vanderbilt.
JORDAN WEST
CLOUD SERVICES + PRIVACY
Jordan is a leader in consumer-focused data privacy, storage, and processing. He has over a decade of experience in backend services; designing and developing data storage and processing infrastructure that is used by hundreds of millions of end-users around the world. He currently works for a Fortune 100 company and contributes to an open source data storage solution used by Uber, Netflix, Chase, Home Depot, and many others.
Read MoreJORDAN WEST
CLOUD SERVICES + PRIVACY
Jordan is a leader in consumer-focused data privacy, storage, and processing. He has over a decade of experience in backend services; designing and developing data storage and processing infrastructure that is used by hundreds of millions of end-users around the world. He currently works for a Fortune 100 company and contributes to an open source data storage solution used by Uber, Netflix, Chase, Home Depot, and many others.
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