Sway's story begins in Carmel, California, where the forest meets the sea.
That’s where I spent my childhood climbing trees, collecting hermit crabs, and playing jump rope with long strands of kelp. Through my school years, I studied the climate crisis and the many inequities wrought by waste and pollution. My love for nature led me to explore incredible ecosystems all over the world. The more I saw, the more awestruck I was by our planet’s beauty – but also by the ubiquity of plastics spoiling and disfiguring even the most remote corners of Earth.
As a designer building brands and packaging systems, I was intimately aware of the challenges facing brands as they made attempts to do better. Thin-film plastics and their reusable, recyclable, and commercially compostable alternatives just don't cut it! I became deeply familiar with the gambit of existing regenerative materials – mycelium, scoby, microalgae, agricultural waste – and identified seaweed as the gamechanging resource that could entirely disrupt the plastics industry. It turns out, this familiar marine material from my childhood is full of untapped potential!
My co-founders and I built Sway with the vision of creating a truly regenerative future. We've traveled all over the world visiting seaweed farms, explored regions of the world most affected by plastic waste, and met with biomaterial innovators across borders and backgrounds. And now, we’ve built a team of remarkable individuals to bring seaweed replacements for plastics to market. We're so excited for what comes next.
Let's make waves.
Julia Marsh
Sway CEO & Co-Founder
Our Team
Plastic pollution bears immense consequences across human and natural systems. To solve them, we believe that we must unite a team that is just as diverse. Our team includes material engineers, supply chain enthusiasts, product designers, and environmentalists. We've each found ourselves confronted with the same frustrations around plastic packaging – and the drive to do something about it.
Leland Maschmeyer
CO-FOUNDER & BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Leland is the former Chief Brand Officer of Chobani where he led product innovation and expansion, marketing modernization, and business transformation. In 2020, the World Economic Forum elected him a Young Global Leader.
Matt Catarino
LEAD MATERIALS ENGINEER
Matt is a chemical and materials science engineer, with industry experience in polymer extrusion and material development. In his spare time, you'll find Matt at the gym, running Spartan races, or hanging out with his cat, Ozzie.
Danielle Zola
SUPPLY CHAIN LEAD ADVISOR
Danielle spent years developing scalable, sustainable packaging and sourcing solutions for CLIF Bar before joining our team. Outside of supply chain innovation, she's best known for running marathons and organizing trash clean ups.
Emily Nicholson
SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGIST
Emily’s background is in supply chain innovation in both Argentina and the Dominican Republic. She’s largely responsible for the connections Sway is forming with seaweed farmers, processors, and their communities.
Russell Reed
PARTNERSHIPS & IMPACT LEAD
Russell is a student of geography, fascinated by the deep interconnection between humans and the environmental systems we exist within. He is especially interested in indigenous knowledge and regenerative solutions.
Clint Morris
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR
Clint is passionate about finding the harmonies between agricultural practices and advanced manufacturing solutions to produce sustainable results. On weekends, you'll find him connecting with his rural roots at his family's ranch.
Niall Collins
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIST
Niall is passionate about developing the bioeconomy. His goal is to help shift industries away from fossil-based and resource-intensive supply chains, towards regenerative practices. He's also an avid sailor!
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