MEET THE BIO AVENGERS
Trevor Vaughn
FOUNDER
I dream at the nexus of water, energy, agriculture and architecture. These dreams connect with a larger vision for the new age of American agrarian living, a holistic rise of regenerative agri-hood development, ecosystem restoration, bioregional innovation, and dynamic community building.
The rich garden soil to grow HI PHI EARTH sparks from my daily creative practice and the formidable BioAvenger Team we’ve assembled to charge this vision into action. Together we are reengineering outdated industry silos, actively forging circular living systems, fostering vital engagement, and growing localized resource sovereignty.
As a professional actor, singer, performer, and cofounder of The Brooklyn Pearl, I revel in serving audiences and building community. I hold our human and creative stories to be sacred and I thrive to not only honor them, but to amplify our logos as a golden means for transformation.
Lets grow together!
GEORGE ORBELIAN
BOARD MEMBER
I am continually exploring and learning how humans can use system wide comprehensive anticipatory design science innovations in biomimicry, science, engineering, indgenous / original people's wisdom, empowered by precision measurement and technology that makes the invisible visible to empower individuals and communities with knowledge of a regenerative future so that we can share the bliss of life in flow on this beautiful planet.
Dionne Holmquist
BOARD MEMBER
Dionne Holmquist is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, consultant and the Director of Biobased Solutions at Makoce Agriculture Development, a non-profit focused on regenerative agriculture and food sovereignty within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. She is dedicated to promoting social justice and serving tribal nations.
STEVE GRUHN
BOARD MEMBER
Steve Gruhn has been involved in agriculture his entire life. As a visionary farmer & entrepreneur, he has been a strong supporter of the circular regenerative economy with a focus on clean water and soil health. He has developed a state of the art net zero energy input greenhouse and is currently CEO of 42 Biochar, a startup building production machinery and mobile biochar production operations.
Thomas Vanacore
BOARD MEMBER
Thomas Vanacore is a pioneering practitioner in agro-mineral resource development, soil remineralization, and nutrient-dense agricultural management, with a career rooted in innovation supplying high-quality rock dusts and mineral blends to farmers, foresters, researchers, and climate-tech initiatives focused on carbon capture and long-term ecological regeneration. Across all facets of his work, he remains committed to advancing practical and scalable approaches that improve soils, strengthen local resource networks, and contribute to a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.
LISA SUNDBERG
BOARD MEMBER
Lisa Sundberg is a Yurok tribal member from the Trinidad Rancheria and a relentless advocate for tribal sovereignty, regenerative infrastructure, and access to alternative health care. A self-described "political ninja" and visionary strategist, Lisa has spent the second half of her career dedicated to global impact strategies.
Hunter Buffington
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sustainable systems expert focused on creating workable policy for our food supply chain and industrial hemp with a farmer first focus. Hunter is excited to bring these experiences and skills to the agriculture sector with a renewed focus on sustainability, conservation and developing resilient agriculture systems.
REGENERATIVE MEDIA DIRECTOR
AUSTIN DONOHUE
Central to my work with HI PHI Earth has been the opportunity to bring together my experience in event photography, video production, brand marketing, documentary, travel, music, performance, podcasting, and now creative AI integration.
We're excited to launch the regenerative media arm of Hi Fi Earth, which will document, promote, and educate on regenerative agriculture, bioregional finance, soil restoration, circular farming, sustainable grazing, healthy foods, creative performance, and building community.
Many thanks to my great friend and collaborator, Trevor, the village keeper!!
KELLY MULVILLE
BIO ˙ADVISOR
As the director of wine growing at Paicines Ranch my expertise is in regenerative, holistic, vineyard design, advising management and education.
I am passionate at helping farmers restore, biodiversity, and ecosystem health through agriculture.
MARY LUCERO
SCIENCE ADVISOR
Sustainable living is not possible if we remain bound to nineteenth-century models of evolution defined by “survival of the fittest.” My work in endophyte research, academia, and regenerative farming has led me to embrace a twenty-first-century perspective: evolution through symbiosis. This perspective recognizes life itself as a source of energy that is not just sustainable, but regenerative. It challenges the outdated, anti-biotic mindset that feeding a growing population requires waging chemical warfare on pests and weeds. Instead, it calls for a pro-biotic approach—one that values microbial diversity as the ancient force that has stabilized climate and fed growing populations for over three billion years. I enjoy helping growers and their support teams transition to more pro-biotic, regenerative practices, and working with entrepreneurs to develop tools that support regeneration.
MICHAEL SHUMAN
ECONOMICS ADVISOR
Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and a leading visionary on community economics. He is an Adjunct Professor at Bard Business School in New York City. He is also a Senior Researcher for Council Fire, where he performs economic-development analyses for states, local governments, and businesses around North America.
KIRA NIGHTINGALE
BIOTECH ADVISOR
Kira Marie Nightingale is a scientist, innovator, inventor, and consultant specializing in the intersection of medicine and sustainable development. Her proprietary farming methods have the potential to outperform conventional, organic, and other regenerative systems in both yield and scalability. In parallel, her modular floor plans and on-site construction methods enable more affordable, expandable housing, while her neighborhood designs lower upfront development costs. Her biofuel production systems—developed through collaborative partnerships—support local fuel generation for both farming and community operations, reducing energy costs while producing regenerative fuel directly on-site.
BARCLAY PALMER
MEDIA ADVISOR
Barclay is Executive Editor and Head of Business Strategy at Climate and Capital Media, and a board member of its nonprofit parent. He served as a founding senior producer for CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, Amanpour, and NewsNight 2.0; led two top programs at Bloomberg TV; designed and led video programming at RealVision and Newsweek Media Group; and has developed strategies for journalism and sustainability-focused companies and nonprofits.
ALEJANDRO CRAWFORD
BIO ADVISOR
As cofounder of the Democratizing Innovation Institute and cocreator of the RebelBase platform, Alejandro leads a global collaboration to equip people to take on unresponsive systems by launching experiments of their own. He is coauthor of One Size Fits None: Time for an Entrepreneurial Revolution. He serves as clinical professor of innovation at Bard's leading MBA in Sustainability, writes and speaks widely on social innovation and entrepreneurship, and cohosts the What if Instead? podcast.