Eleanor Kuntz

Eleanor Kuntz has a diverse work experience spanning various industries. Eleanor is the co-founder and CEO of LeafWorks Inc., a genetics business specializing in plant DNA testing and consulting services for the Natural Products industry. At LeafWorks, they aim to improve brand security and consumer confidence in plant-based products through DNA-based solutions.

Eleanor is also the co-founder of Canndor Herbarium, a company focused on botanical research and preservation.

In addition, Eleanor is a member of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), where they serve as a Cannabis Committee Member and a founding member of the Psychedelic Committee. AHPA promotes the responsible commerce of herbal products and is influential in the regulation of botanicals and dietary supplements.

Furthermore, Eleanor serves as the Vice President of the Board at United Plant Savers (UPS). UPS aims to protect native medicinal plants, fungi, and their habitats while ensuring their sustainable use for future generations.

Eleanor has also served as a board member of the California Growers Association (CGA), an organization that advocates for the rights and interests of cannabis growers in California.

Prior to their current roles, Eleanor worked as the Director of the REVIVE! Agricultural Project in collaboration with Traditional Medicinals, focusing on cultivating senna crops in the Thar Desert and empowering women in agriculture in rural India.

Eleanor also founded Sophie Scientific, where they conducted marker development and population genetic analysis of medicinal plants and worked on conservation and sustainability projects for at-risk medicinal plants in the southeastern US.

Earlier in their career, Eleanor worked as an herbalist at the Sage Mountain Herbal Education Center and as a senior research technician at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where they contributed to the development of a mouse metastasis model for studying colon cancer. Eleanor also worked as a lab technician at New England Biolabs, supporting students in a summer course in molecular biology.

Eleanor Kuntz obtained their Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Smith College between 1998 and 2001. Later, they pursued their PhD in Genetics at UGA from 2005 to 2011.