Our Team

Serving as CGO, Andrea drives the commercial development process with customers focused on the introduction of novel formulations and ingredients involving both major and emerging cannabinoids, as well as product lines containing a full spectrum or specific phytocannabinoid ratios that are 100% THC free. She is the key liaison between customers, industry and academic research collaborators, and PPM’s R&D and product development teams. She also leads PPM’s marketing initiatives and relationship building with hemp industry companies and regulatory agencies. She is motivated to change each person’s world for the better and do so in each interaction, as well as with products created with scientific innovation. Pushing all team members at PPM to higher levels is one of Andrea’s superpowers which in turn helps PPM bring its customers and end-use consumers the benefits of new and efficacious cannabinoid-based products.

Dr. Andrea Holmes received her Ph.D. in organic chemistry at New York University and was a National Institutes of Health post-doctoral Fellow at Columbia University in the Department of Chemistry and Columbia Medical College, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. She is a Professor of Chemistry at Doane University in Nebraska and holds appointments at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She was the recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award that was funded by the National Science Foundation and a national recipient of Henry Dreyfus Teacher Scholar award. Andrea published over 60 articles on nano-structured materials, miniaturized sensors, surface modifications for antimicrobial resistance, and has developed colorimetric sensors to detect warfare agents, abused narcotics, and cannabinoids.

Jonathan is an analytical chemist with 20 years of experience. At PPM, he is responsible for all analytical laboratory operations and hires, trains and manages all lab technicians. He ensures that the HPLC and GC/FID/MS instruments are properly maintained, performs quality control procedures, and conducts both internal and external validations. Jonathan’s analytical lab operates 24×7 to support all PPM R&D and production activity. Most importantly, he makes sure that the PPM analytics are world-class and that PPM technicians conduct each and every analysis with accuracy, reproducibility, and consistency. Jonathan’s expertise has significantly contributed to PPM’s intensive process controls, research and development successes, and optimization of production processes.

Jonathan received his BS degree in Biology at Georgia Southern University. Since 1999, he has held high-level positions in industry where he supervised over 75 employees conducting testing for highly sophisticated and exacting customers, including the DOE, DOD, and EPA. Jonathan and the technician teams he managed used a plethora of analytical instruments and techniques, including LCMS, HPLC, GCMS, ICPMS, Hg analyzers, and other analysis equipment. His competence in volatile and semi-volatile analysis is extremely important for chemical profiling of PPM’s hemp biomass and extracts.

Arsalan Khalid contributes to PPM as a Process Engineer. HIs multi-disciplinary professional and academic background significantly adds to the robustness of PPM’s product and process development capabilities. He is expert with surface chemistry and modification, material characterization, analytical techniques, reaction chemistry, performance testing, and chromatography-based methodologies. Prior to PPM, his work with various adsorbent-based advanced technologies and nanocomposites including research on different materials including graphene enhances PPM’s approach to problem-solving. His engineering skills together with his project management experience have accelerated PPM’s process development and optimization efforts.

Arsalan’s academic training is broad and a record of excellence, having earned awards and scholarships at every degree level. Arsalan earned a BS in Engineering in Polymer and Petrochemical Sciences from NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan, a MS in Chemical Engineering from King Fahd University, Saudi Arabia, and a MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts – Lowell.

Dr. Luping Yan trained extensively in pharmacognosy and natural products then gained experience in food, supplements, and agricultural industries focused on plant-based medicinal and nutraceutical research and product innovation. He is a critical contributor to the PPM R&D efforts. Luping’s specific qualifications in purification techniques and molecular structure characterization allow him to lead several of PPM’s minor cannabinoid isolation and purification projects.

Dr. Yan earned a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, a Master’s in Medicinal Chemistry (Natural Products) from West China College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sichuan University, China, and conducted post-doctoral research at Essa Pharma in Vancouver and Houston, where he synthesized natural products with high bioactivity. At Kemin Industries in Iowa, Luping’s work led to a series of novel marigold extractions, saponifications, and filtrations that positioned the company as a global leader in that segment. At Vega, the Danone sports nutrition subsidiary, he worked with product and method development, as well as labeling and regulatory affairs teams. Luping has a track record of creatively overcoming challenges associated with the complexity of purifying therapeutic compounds and medicinal drugs obtained from plants and other natural sources. With over ten years of experience in academia and industry, Dr. Yan is a passionate scientist who inspires PPM’s R&D team on a daily basis with his insights, optimism and leadership.