Who we are

Adriana Corrales is a forest ecologist with a joint position as an Assistant Professor at the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá. Her research focuses on the ecology and taxonomy of tropical ectomycorrhizal associations, and shifts in fungal community composition caused by biotic and abiotic factors. Her work has demonstrated key interactions between soil biogeochemical cycling, forest function, and ectomycorrhizal fungi in tropical montane forests.

Bethan began studying underground fungal networks during a PhD at the University of Cambridge examining Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and their genetic interactions with crop plants. She has a computational biology background through research into the genomics and transcriptomics of mycorrhizal fungi and a role as a Senior Computer Biologist in the Genome Reference Informatics Team at the Sanger Institute, UK. At SPUN, Bethan coordinates the sequencing of soil eDNA and the computational processes required to identify which mycorrhizal fungi are present.

Clara Qin is an ecologist, statistician, and environmental scholar who studies how fungal communities respond to multifaceted global change. Having researched soil microbiota in both unmanaged and agricultural systems, her work aims to unify eco-evolutionary theory across disciplinary contexts through methods development and process-explicit statistical modeling. She received her PhD from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2023 and has won numerous awards for her papers and talks.

Cátia is a conservation biologist with experience in conservation assessments, planning and action. She worked for almost 10 years at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and was part of the team leading the State of the World’s Plants and Fungi reports. Cátia is an IUCN Red List Trainer and co-authored more than 500 extinction risk assessments for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. She is also a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and is highly involved in the Global Strategy for Fungal Conservation, which aligns a research strategy with the CBD Global Biodiversity Framework targets. This Strategy will connect mycologists, decision-makers, and governments to ensure the effective conservation and protection of fungi informed by scientific evidence.

Daniela León Velandia is an Agricultural Microbiologist with a Master's in Biological Sciences and a Ph.D. in Plant Ecology and Ecophysiology from the University of Tartu. Her research has focused on the distribution of plant mycorrhizal traits in natural environments and the study of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in the Colombian Amazon. With over 14 years of experience in mycorrhizal research, she has collaborated with research groups at the Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas SINCHI and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Passionate about the agricultural and scientific sectors.

Jason is working with Toby and the board to create an organization and platform for scaling the impact of SPUN. Over two decades, Jason’s career has centered on building new mission-driven organizations that rewire legacy systems to benefit people and the natural world. He brings to this work his experience designing platforms for global enterprises, and advising startups and their investors from day zero through growth and venture scale exits. Recently, he co-founded btheory.ventures—a venture studio focused on incubating startups in the climate space.

Jinsu is a data scientist hoping to close the geospatial digital-divide in the work to preserve nature and protect people. Jinsu aims to be a point of connection between his communities and innovative science. He developed a high-resolution mangrove species discrimination model for East African coastal forests. At SPUN, Jinsu is building the tools and models which will allow for predictions of mycorrhizal biodiversity using remote sensing data.

A San Francisco native, he began his career at Grey and Arnold in the U.S. before moving to Europe. There, he took on senior production roles, first as Senior Producer at Leo Burnett Milan and later as Head of the TV/Video Department at Benetton’s Fabrica in Treviso, Italy. His journey eventually brought him to Amsterdam, where he led the production departments at 180 and Wieden+Kennedy.

As Lead Designer, Jordan oversees the visual design department at SPUN. In the past, he has led web, mobile, and product design projects for startups and global brands. He is also a design partner at b-theory, focusing on rapid concept design and product incubation.

Justin has been researching microbes since 2014. Their research has taken them from rooftops and rainforest to better understand the biogeography of microbial symbiosis. During this time they have generated maps of where microbes are and why. Justin is currently working on their PhD in Evolution with Toby Kiers on the evolutionary ecology of underground networks. Their work has also extended into science communication with over 16K followers on their Twitter feed. Justin has the goals of mapping the underground for climate science and sustainability.

Kelcie Walther is SPUN's communications lead. She earned her B.A. in environmental biology from Columbia University, and did her undergraduate thesis research with the Kennedy Lab at University of Minnesota on the ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with hazel and pine. Before coming to SPUN she wrote extensively about climate and environment for Columbia University's Climate School, and worked in science communications for the scientific publisher Cell Press. Kelcie is thrilled to be applying her love for science communication directly to protecting the world's fungal networks.

Konstantinos is an automation engineer with a background as a database administrator, software developer, and IT manager at Greenpeace International. After years in IT management, he returned to software development, finding it more enjoyable and fulfilling. Passionate about making life easier for scientists, he identifies repetitive tasks in their work and automates them, allowing them more time for creative pursuits. He holds a degree in International and European Economics from the Athens University of Economics and Business—a choice he now calls a youthful misstep, but one he’s long forgiven himself for.

Linda leads the organization’s efforts to build a strong, collaborative, and mission-driven team. With a focus on fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment, she oversees workforce strategy, organizational development, and operational leadership to ensure that SPUN’s people and processes align with our mission.

With a background in HR, operations, and organizational development, Linda is passionate about creating systems that empower teams to do their best work. Her experience spans both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, with a deep commitment to mission-driven organizations dedicated to meaningful impact.

Linda holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resources and an MBA specializing in Leadership and Consulting.

​With over 15 years experience working at advertising and production companies in North America and Europe, Magda is SPUN's Production Lead. Magda works as part of the Communications team across all of SPUN's visual content, bridging the gap between film sets and fungi.

Since her PhD at the University of Buenos Aires and postdoc years at the University of Guelph, Mica has specialized in the field of soil microbial ecology. Much of her research explores how soil and plant-associated microbes respond to agriculture, land use change, and restoration. Her work also aims to link microbial communities with broader ecosystem processes relevant to soil and environmental health, to promote sustainable agricultural practices and foster resilient ecosystems.

Michael Van Nuland is an ecologist and evolutionary biologist interested in the connections between plant and microbial biodiversity. He combines data science approaches with large-scale observations, controlled experiments, and molecular sequencing to explore how plant-microbe interactions shape species biogeography and broad ecological patterns. His work on the evolutionary dynamics and climate change responses in plant-microbe linkages received multiple awards from the National Science Foundation and from a variety of organizations dedicated to advancing soil ecology research.

SPUN's Project Manager, Research & Operations, Rachel Pringle, has a BSc. from the University of North Texas and an MSc. from Leiden University. Interested in mycological research and promoting interdisciplinary work, Rachel has carried out research with the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre using DNA metabarcoding to analyze grassland fungal diversity, and was part of a research group at the Centre of Applied Research for Art, Design and Technology, Den Bosch, studying mycelium-based biodesign. She is now the research manager at the Kiers Lab at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Sophie is the dedicated Executive Assistant at SPUN. Before joining SPUN, she honed her skills as Executive Assistant & Office Manager at JamJar Investments, a renowned venture capital firm, and Louise Bradley, a leading interior design company in London. In these roles, she provided exceptional support to CEOs and founders, enhancing her expertise in executive assistance. Sophie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in textiles embroidery from London College of Fashion at the University of the Arts London. Beyond her role at SPUN, Sophie also provides behind-the-scenes support as a Research Assistant to the Kiers Lab at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. Sophie is curious about fungi, combined with a mission-driven mindset.

Steve Mendelsohn oversees SPUN's financials and non-scientific business operations. His career has focused on leading a variety of humanitarian, arts and media non-profits/NGO's in their work around the world. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Before working with non-profits, Steve managed marketing at American Express and Razorfish, a digital consulting firm.

Sujai has worked in the fields of genomics and bioinformatics for over 20 years. He has a PhD in Evolutionary Genomics from the University of Edinburgh and has contributed to genomics research at every scale, from analysing individual microRNA sequencing experiments to building tools for the Earth BioGenome Project. He also enjoys teaching bioinformatics and has a masters degree in Educational Psychology as well as a Software Carpentries certification. Sujai is responsible for SPUN's scientific computing and data management needs.

Toby Kiers is a Professor of Evolutionary Biology and University Research Chair at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her lab uses nanoprobes and high-resolution imaging to map the nutrient flows and architecture of plant-fungal networks. She is globally-recognized for her scientific work in the evolution of symbiotic trade, and her public outreach activities, including a 2019 Ted Talk. Kiers won an Ammodo Award in 2019 for “unfettered science,” and was awarded the E.O. Wilson Award for Natural History in 2021 and a Stairway to Impact Award from the Dutch Science Foundation in 2022. Kiers was named as one of the 22 Scientists playing a crucial role in expanding our understanding of biodiversity by the UN committee on biodiversity.

Tom Shimizu received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in 2003, working on biophysical problems of intracellular signaling using stochastic methods. He subsequently held a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, where he developed Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments in live bacteria. In 2009, he joined the faculty of AMOLF as a Group Leader, and since 2015 also holds a joint appointment as Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His research group develops biophysical experiments, theoretical models, and data analysis methods to bridge dynamics at the scale of molecules, cells and whole organisms.