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. Brooke Ripley is a multimedia artist, environmentalist and scientist. She holds an MS in Environmental Studies and an MFA in Painting + Drawing from Ohio University, with certificates in Appalachian Health, Arts Administration, and Museum Studies. She received her 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 the climate crisis through speculative fiction and the role of native plants in creating resilient communities. Her collaborative, community art is on display at the Boardman Arts Park in Delaware, OH. She has exhibited her work at the Ohio Museum Complex, the Ohio Art League, and the Atlanta Artists Center.
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.
