Our Team

chief executive officer

Nishan Majarian

As the CEO Nish is focused on driving long-term growth and value, leveraging 20 years of industry experience to develop innovative solutions. As an entrepreneur and leader, Nish has successfully founded and scaled companies that have made a significant impact in the industry.

At Plant Path, Nish spearheads the development and implementation of proprietary data science solutions, while at the forefront of transforming the way we approach sugar alternatives and promoting global health and sustainability.

Prior to Plant Path, Nish co-founded Agrian, a leading ag software and technology company that gained widespread adoption across North America. Agrian was later acquired by TELUS Agriculture, where Nish continued to make a significant impact as the Senior Vice President and Global Managing Director of Agribusiness, overseeing strategy and operations.

Nish’s contributions to the ag-tech sector have been widely recognized. He has been honored with prestigious awards such as the PrecisionAg Institute Entrepreneur of the Year and the Ag Business of the Year.

These accolades reflect his exceptional leadership and commitment to driving innovation in agriculture. Nish holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from California State University, Fresno. He and his wife have two children, and he enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling in his free time.

president & co-founder

Gabe Gusmini Fink, Ph.D.

At Plant Path, we’re proud to have Gabe driving us towards a more sustainable and healthier future through his passion and expertise in agriculture as our President and Co-founder. Gabe holds a notable background in agricultural sciences, including a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and PhD, Gabe has become an expert in plant breeding and genetics.

Gabe’s previous experience includes various leadership roles in Vegetables R&D and biotechnology at Syngenta Seeds before taking on an executive role at PepsiCo leading the charge for plant breeding for oat, potato, and other specialty crops.

Gabe specializes in commercial plant breeding, accelerating innovation, and improving food value chains from field to fork through the genetic improvement of raw materials from plants.

Gabe’s primary areas of focus at Plant Path include establishing the supply chain for new varieties to deliver leaves to processors. His passion for agriculture stems from his belief that healthy, nutritious, and rewarding food is a fundamental human right, and agriculture is the starting point for any food supply chain.

Chief science officer & Co-founder

Mercedes Murua

Bringing exceptional expertise and a strong educational foundation to our team, we are fortunate to have Mercedes on board. With her extensive experience in the field and deep passion for agriculture, she is dedicated to driving innovation and making a positive impact in the global seed and plant breeding industry.

Mercedes holds a Master’s degree in Agronomy and Plant Physiology from Purdue University and a Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy from the University of Buenos Aires. These qualifications, coupled with her certifications and specializations within the field, make her a highly competent and networked expert in genomics and the seed and plant breeding industry.

Holding many R&D lead roles at Syngenta, Mercedes has demonstrated her ability to lead highly strategic teams and deliver exceptional results. She has been at the forefront of innovation, being the first to deploy genomics in a global sweet corn breeding program and developing and deploying a genomics platform for hybrid wheat breeding.

As the CSO, Mercedes is responsible for ensuring the use of the most effective and efficient technologies, methodologies, and information across our Research and Development (R&D) initiatives. She spearheads the development and execution of tools and platforms in genomics, bioinformatics, and biochemistry to enhance our understanding of quality, yield, and agronomics to accelerate product development and commercialization.

Mercedes’s passion for agriculture stems from her personal connection and motivation. As a parent of three children, she is conscious about food, nutrition, and health. Her drive to give parents tools to combat childhood obesity and related health issues worldwide fuels her commitment to bringing stevia into diets with our stevia solution.

Dan Burdett

Dan is a seasoned executive in the field of agri-business, with extensive experience and specialized expertise in business development and innovation, primarily in advancing technologies that offer growers greater crop yields with lower environmental impact. A former manager of ag retail outlets, Dan’s early career involved driving growth for local growers through the deployment of cutting-edge technologies. Throughout his professional journey, Dan has maintained an unwavering focus on customer satisfaction, guided by a grower-centric approach.

His deep knowledge and extensive work with numerous crops have provided him with a valuable perspective on creating value through the entire value chain. One of Dan’s most notable achievements includes his leadership role in forming and launching Dulcinea Farms, a vertically integrated produce company that successfully introduced the mini watermelon to the market.

Today, Dan brings us his expertise and counsel to several transformative companies, serving on the board of Nature Sweet Tomatoes and Plant Pathways, and supporting early-stage Ag Tech and Food Tech firms. When not dedicated to his work, Dan enjoys the natural beauty of North Carolina’s hiking trails.

Manager of Food and Nutrition Sciences

Keagan Ringling, Ph.D.

With an impressive educational background, Keagan holds a PhD in Nutrition and a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Minnesota. Keagan specializes in improving crop materials for food use, making him an invaluable asset to the team. His drive to innovate within the agricultural food system stems from a desire to achieve economic profitability, environmental sustainability, socio-cultural prosperity, and positive health outcomes. By focusing on stevia, Keagan aims to support rural economic development and address the societal and economic burdens caused by diseases related to added sugar consumption.

Having a personal connection to farming, Keagan is committed to carrying on his family’s legacy. Drawing from his experiences working with food companies, Keagan is determined to provide cutting-edge solutions that benefit both farmers and food companies while tackling one of the biggest public health challenges of our time.

Prior to joining Plant Path, Keagan gained valuable experience in various roles including positions held at Nutrition Sustainability Strategies, Bay State Milling Company, and Grains for Health Foundation. He currently holds positions as a Scientific Advisory Board Member at Old Ways Food Council and a Board Director at the Ralph K Morris Foundation.

breeding Lead

Zack Shearin, Ph.D.

Zack brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team. With a strong educational background and years of hands-on experience in plant breeding, he is committed to driving innovation and success in the stevia and agriculture industry.

Zack holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics from The University of Georgia. Prior to his doctoral studies, he completed a Master’s degree in Agronomy and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Botany from North Carolina State University.

With over 20 years of agricultural research experience in various sectors, including government, university, and commercial organizations, he is an invaluable asset to our team. His specialization lies in disease and insect resistance, data analysis, and operations, allowing him to tackle complex challenges in plant breeding.

As the Breeding Lead, his primary areas of focus include leading the breeding team, variety development and population creation. He is currently involved in initiatives aimed at bringing the most advanced breeding technologies to stevia improvement, envisioning a future where stevia varieties surpass the taste of sugar while offering high yields and adaptability.

Zack’s passion for agriculture stems from his deep-rooted connection to the industry. Born into an agricultural family, he is driven by his desire to help farmers enhance their productivity and profitability. He firmly believes that making stevia the widely preferred source of sweetness can have a positive impact on people’s health