Our Team

  • Ben Veres

    CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

    Prior to Kateri, Ben was the Chief Strategy Officer of Vence where we helped bring virtual fencing to more than a million acres of rangeland. When he’s not working on Kateri, Ben can be found in the mountains - he summited Mt. Everest in 2021.

  • Kevin Silverman

    VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCT

    Kevin is a carbon markets expert with deep domain knowledge in protocols and MRV. He oversees Kateri’s product development and R&D. He previously advised on projects spanning livestock, croplands, forestry, and more.

  • Dillon Gruber

    RANCH OPERATIONS MANAGER

    Dillon grew up in a rural ranching community in Montana and has spent his life learning how to grow regenerative agriculture and increase conservation. He previously worked at the TomKat Ranch studying soil health in livestock systems. When he’s not on the ranch, he’s an expert fly-fishing guide. 

  • Regenerative Grazing is Best

    Ford Smith

    SALES MANAGER

    Ford Smith grew up working on the family ranch along the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley, MT. He studied economics and political science at Williams College, and loves whitewater kayaking. Ford aims to show how good grazing practices and healthy soils can create nutrient-dense food, keep our water sources clean, and improve producers’ bottom line. He has been involved with various research related to this via his work with Regenerative Land Solutions and Montana State University.

  • Ian Hazelhoff

    DIRECTOR OF NEW MARKETS

    Ian has experience developing carbon offset projects in the agriculture/ALM space, as well as stream and wetland mitigation projects for US compliance markets. He has a firm understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks of environmental projects, and has developed relationships with industry groups and policymakers. His early career focused on innovative large-scale ecosystem restoration projects.

  • James Hunt

    SPECIAL PROJECTS

    James has had a passion for regenerative agriculture and grazing throughout his career. He has worked across the space as an investor, a consultant, and a growth leader since earning his Masters in Sustainable Agriculture from NC State. His interests span crop technologies, livestock, and agroforestry.

  • Tyler KepTrine

    SENIOR MANAGER, DATA SCIENTIST

    Tyler joins the team with a wealth of experience in AI, ML, and data ops. He contributes to our soil carbon modeling and validation efforts, and builds data products that automate Kateri's key geospatial analytics workflows.

  • Liam Donaher

    SOFTWARE ENGINEER

    Liam is a core team member behind the development of the digital tools used by our ranch partners. His many years of design and programming experience are invaluable in working with our customers to provide the best features for managing their animals and improving their land.

  • Melissa Brandao

    COMMUNITY LIAISON

    Melissa brings over two decades of experience in the livestock and ag-tech space. She previously led US Sales for Moovement and has founded multiple businesses to help ranchers and farmers maximize their lands potential.

  • Director of R&D

    Kevin Tu

    DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

    Kevin has a PhD in ecosystem science with 25+ years R&D experience quantifying carbon, water and energy cycling between the atmosphere, plants and soils. He brings together a wealth of knowledge and expertise from a diversity of disciplines to advance the science behind regenerative land stewardship, from plant physiology and soil biogeochemistry to micrometeorology and remote sensing. His innovations are used by NASA to Big Ag, with proven outcomes of scalability, reliability and cost-savings.

  • Marshall Whorley

    SALES MANAGER

    Marhall’s passion and interest in agriculture started with his grandfather, a rancher and local livestock auction operator. He attended school at Texas A&M University & completed TCU’s Ranch Management Program. Marshall has managed ranches throughout Texas and Oklahoma with an emphasis on a sustainable production model. He bring boots on the ground experience throughout the diverse regions of Texas. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family and working farm animals.

Ranch Advisors

  • Dry region ranching can restore arid lands apes to make the best use of what water is available by increasing soil health and natural capital reserves.

    Alejandro Carrillo

    Alejandro is a 4th gen rancher from Mexico. He has been advising dry region ranches for 20 years. He is a delegate to the United Nations.

  • anaging the whole gives better results and fewer unexpected problems. Many publications today are filled with gloomy forecasts about agriculture and the environment. Yet, there are few who offer realistic solutions that strengthen our natural capital

    Kirk Gadzia

    Kirk has been with Holistic Management Institute for over 25 years. He’s the author of Rangeland Health and advises the largest US ranches.

  • Matt Ricketts

    Matt founded Triple R Bar S Consulting with the intent to provide ranchers & land owners with concise, understandable & practical advice & planning tailored to their unique situation. Matt has over 42 years of ranch planning, management, & research experience, putting ranchers & land owners first, helping them develop a plan that caters to their individual, resource, & business goals in an economical fashion. He has a track record of sound advice with proven results.

  • Anna Clare Monlezun, Ph.D

    Anna Clare is a rancher and Rangeland Ecosystem Scientist based in Colorado’s high country. A published writer, public speaker, and educator, she's conducted field research and advised ranchers and landowners across the U.S. on regenerative management and long-term sustainability through an agroecological framework.

  • Enrique Guerrero

    Enrique has first-hand experience ranching to restore highly degraded land in Texas and Mexico. His work has proved that strategic grazing and holistic management can bring back ecosystems from the point of failure including from drought, desertification, and invasive species.

  • Jim Gerrish

    Jim Gerrish is an independent grazing lands consultant providing service to farmers and ranchers on both private and public lands across the US and internationally. He has worked with numerous ranchers using both irrigated pastures and native rangeland as well as working with livestock farmers in high natural rainfall environments.

Partners
Yardstick uses soil sampling as part of an MRV solution to verify natural capital assets like carbon credits.
Regenerative land solutions partners with Kateri to help lead a new era of natural capital origination.

Connect with Us to Unlock Your Land's Potential
Moovement works with Kateri to track cattle and other managed grazing animals to increase insights into generating natural capital.
Shell invests in AMP grazing as a way to sequester carbon in soil
Ranch Planning is a critical step in finding new paths for managed grazing to produce Natural Capital. Matt Ricketts, an expert in the space, helps advise Kateri's clients.
Vence virtual fencing unolocks a new era for managed grazing that can generate surplus returns in terms of natural capital.