Michelle is the Director of Project Development for True Pigments. She has been working on remediating acid mine drainage for a decade. She completed her MS in Environmental Studies at Ohio University with a concentration in environmental monitoring of AMD impacted streams. She has worked as a Watershed Coordinator for Rural Action; led the Appalachian Ohio Watershed Council, a collaborative group of agencies, universities, non-profits, soil and water conservation districts and consulting companies that aims to support networking and mentoring opportunities for watershed groups and their partners in Appalachian Ohio and to provide a forum for a strong voice on regional water resource issues; and served as the President for the Ohio Mineland Partnership, a group whose mission is to support and promote responsible reclamation and wise use of minelands and affected streams by forming partnerships with the public, private industry, and natural resource organizations.
Nigel is the Operations Manager for True Pigments, LLC. Nigel hails from Northern England, where the rolling hills, proud people, and scars left behind from bygone industrialization make Appalachia feel like home. His combination of scientific experience and a love of tinkering lend themselves to producing pigment from acid mine drainage, building value out of the environmental legacy of mining. He has a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology and a B.S. in Physiological Sciences from Newcastle University, UK. Nigel began working for Rural Action in April, 2026. Previously, Nigel managed research facilities and projects in medical, environmental, plant sciences, and engineering at Ohio University.Outside of work, Nigel enjoys tending the small family farm with his wife and three children. When he’s not at home you could find him coaching youth soccer, playing soccer, officiating youth swimming, or kayak fishing.
Brooke Ripley is serving a 12 month term with VISTA. She is a multimedia artist and environmentalist. She recently graduated with an MS in Environmental Studies from Ohio University, where she also worked as an Instructor of Record and as a Graduate Assistant. She holds an MFA in Painting + Drawing from Ohio University and a BFA in Fine Arts from the Columbus College of Art & Design, with minors in Art History and Social Practice. Her artistic practice explores the experience of climate crisis through speculative fiction, revealing the failures of anthropocentrism and the need for radical care. She also uses her skills in oil painting, murals, and land art to create immersive and engaging experiences for her audiences. She has exhibited her work at the Ohio Art League, the Atlanta Artists Center, and the Wild Goose Collective.
John is a Technical Consultant with True Pigments, an artist and a Professor of Art Ohio University. He joined the True Pigments team to help us create quality artist's pigments. Sabraw's artwork has been a catalyst to raise local and national awareness about AMD and environmental issues. His efforts have substantially streamlined our pigment processing methods and increased the quality of our product.
Visit his website - www.johnsabraw.com
Guy is a Technical Consultant with True Pigments and a Professor of Civil Engineering at Ohio University’s Russ College of Engineering and Technology. He developed the technology used in our water treatment process, including the preliminary engineering design for the full-scale facility at Truetown. Guy leads all research conducted at our Corning facility and is involved in all aspects of technology and construction for True Pigments.
