Management Team / Advisory Board Bios
Yogesh Sharma
Co-founder & CEO
A career entrepreneur, Yogesh has 20+ years of entrepreneurial experience building companies in Austin, Silicon Valley, New York and India. Prior to co-founding Trashless, he founded and led organizations with 100s of employees and millions in revenue in media, technology and marketing industries. Yogesh grew up in an intensely foodie environment with his mother growing, buying and cooking food - trashlessly of course. The years building Trashless have been the most humbling, and intensely satisfying years of his career - working to create a new paradigm in a challenging industry, with a mission-driven team.
Joe McDermott
General Manager, Operations & Products
With over 10 years of managerial experience in hospitality and production, Joe is recognized for strong work ethic and his ability to achieve organizational objectives. Joe’s responsibilities at Trashless include the planning, organization, and management of operational personnel, procurement, as well as product development. Through his strong team leadership and management skills, Joe keeps the Trashless operations team highly motivated and on task in this rapidly changing environment.
Ved Prakash
Co-founder and VP, Engineering
A consummate engineer and entrepreneur, Ved has over 20 years of software development experience in India and the US. At Trashless he manages the software engineering team, based in Mysore, India. He has built several large scale software products, web apps, mobile apps and more, while training and managing teams of engineers and product managers. He is also a passionate cook intrigued by the science of how ingredients come together to create distinct flavors and nutritional benefits. Trashless enabled him to bring his passions for food and computing together to help create a new technology-enabled paradigm in this industry.
Ashok Srinivas
VP, Technology
An engineering focussed & results oriented technology leader, Ashok has over 20 years of global software development experience. Ashok leads Trashless’ growing technology, marketing analytics and customer support teams based in Mysore, India. He has a strong understanding of data, business & process management. He has lead the development of global technology products in a variety of domains including ecommerce, online advertising, CRM, and marketing automation.
Ronnie Johnson
Brand Manager
Ronnie is a creative thinker, problem solver, and a critical member of the Trashless team. She has created organizations during her time at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and has a knack for design. Throughout her time at Trashless she's designed labels, edited product videos and helped the team with all aspects of launching new products. She plans to continue her journey with Trashless as it grows into something that will have a far reaching impact on the world!
Srinivas SR
General Manager, Web Operations
Srinivas is a customer focused, value-driven, passionate product management and business analysis professional with 8+ years of experience in ecommerce, travel & hospitality domains. At Trashless he manages the development of the Trashless.com platform, and the product catalogs it hosts. He has a deep understanding of the business with an excellent grip on market research and data analysis. He has led cross functional teams to plan, build and manage multiple products.
Michelle Smith
General Manager and Creator, The Trashless Pet Store
Michelle Smith-Polanco is a results-driven, performance-focused, and highly organized professional with extensive executive management experience in healthcare. Her experience with community engagement, leading teams, providing solutions, driving profit, and improving efficiencies while maintaining quality, timeliness, and efficiency makes her a great fit for managing The Trashless Pet Store and its growth. Michelle has a passion for engaging people to get more involved with making positive environmental changes in their lives, which is how her idea for the first zero-waste pet-store was born.
Sameer Panje
General Manager, Customer Support
Sameer brings to Trashless a unique combination of competencies - process & workflow design, a robust understanding of tech and a burning passion for food. He has rich experience in various functional areas like learning & development, operations, sales, customer support and kitchen management across a career spanning 20+ years.
Mujtaba Mazhar
Senior Web Developer
Part of Trashless’s Mysore, India software development team, Mujtaba has several years of experience building web, ecommerce and POS applications on various platforms. An experienced engineer and technology project manager, at Trashless he develops and manages core features of the technology platform. Mujtaba has a B.E. in Information Sciences from the National Institute of Engineering, India.
Rachel Koper
Production Manager
Rachel brings her discerning, precise and picky nature into ensuring Trashless products meet the highest possible quality standards inside and out. She has over 20 years as a Gallery Director, Program Director and Curator of national, state and local art exhibitions. She’s partnered with government agencies, the non-profit and corporate sectors extensively. Her expertise in choosing art and artists who align with the desires of our community is regionally awarded. She is a leader in resourceful business solutions and best practices. She is also a gardener, freelance writer and painter.
Jasen Trautwein
Director
Jasen Trautwein is a successful veterinarian, and co-founder of the fast growing Pathway Vet Alliance. He holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M. Outside of Pathway, Dr. Trautwein currently serves as a consulting veterinarian and board member of the Capital of Texas Zoo and Veterinary Growth Partners. His passion for the health of individuals, communities and the planet brought him to Trashless, where as a board member since Sept 2017, he has provided strategic and financial guidance to the company. Jasen is not full time and works for the company on an as-needed basis.
