Chief Executive Officer

Aaron Fields is a seasoned grower, manager & executive in the field of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) with over 20 years of extensive experience in greenhouse production. Throughout his distinguished career, Aaron has made significant contributions to both innovative startups and industry giants, including Monsanto, Syngenta, Gotham Greens, and Eden Green Technology.

With expertise encompassing a wide spectrum of areas – from growing and management to research, genetics, production, and design Aaron has played a pivotal role in advancing the technologies and practices that are driving the future of sustainable agriculture. His work has taken him to diverse locations, allowing him to apply his skills and knowledge in varied and challenging environments.

Mr. Fields has been committed to furthering the CEA industry through education.  He has been interviewed in numerous podcasts and has been a speaker to professionals and students of all ages. Aaron has been featured in many industry publications and starred in a YouTube channel focused on teaching the public about hydroponics and fresh produce.  He continues to speak at industry conferences and advocate for the industry to the government.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Aaron enjoys time spent with his wife and two daughters, Harper and Iris. Together, they enjoy exploring the beach, hiking, music, and travel.

SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR

Zuleyka Mendoza Ramos joined Campo Caribe in January 2021. Prior to CC, Ms. Mendoza worked as the Purchasing and Corporate Relations Director for Empacadora Hill Brothers, where she also held the roles of Sales Manager, Quality Control Supervisor and Receiving Supervisor.  As the Corporate Relations Director, Ms. Mendoza positively changed the image of the company and established solid relationships with senior executives of the major supermarket chains on the Island, as well as with different organizations.  These partnerships made possible the realization of beneficial seminars for Produce Managers of club stores and supermarkets chains, in the fields of health and security, fresh fruits and vegetables diseases and seasons, and FDA regulations, setting an industry precedent.  

In addition, Ms. Mendoza developed a strategic marketing campaign for a new product being launched, resulting ranked top on sales on the Island.  Her excellent personal skills, together with her ability to communicate and motivate, not only contributed to great sales increase results, but also helped her lead a successful group of merchandisers, establishing a novel service within the industry. 

Aligned with the company values and committed to the community, Ms. Mendoza participated in an initiative supporting homeless individuals, transforming their lives in amazing ways, and becoming excellent professionals; she describes this as one of her most gratifying experiences.  Her appointment as a Purchasing Director, supported by her expertise in sales, and other executive roles, not only involved her in the development of the company’s Strategic and Succession Plans, but also allowed her to establish excellent relationships with suppliers in the United States and many other countries, as well as expanded her knowledge in the food industry in Puerto Rico. 

Zuleyka is passionate about tennis and traveling the world; her nieces, nephews, and furry companions mean the world to her.

BS (Cum Laude) in Business Administration from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus

DIRECTOR OF GROWING

Jonah Helmer joined Campo Caribe (CC) in 2022. Prior to joining CC, Mr. Helmer worked as a Grower at Element Farms and Researcher in the Cornell Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Group under the direction of Dr. Neil Mattson and Dr. Michael B. Timmons. Mr. Helmer has experience designing, growing in, and managing multiple types of crop production systems including greenhouse leafy greens and herbs, hydroponic strawberries, industrial and medical cannabis, and aquaponic production systems.

As a researcher in the Cornell CEA Group, Mr. Helmer designed novel hydroponic and aquaponic production systems for strawberries. He hired and managed research assistants for experiments evaluating the efficiency of these novel production systems. Mr. Helmer published information on these systems for farmers on the Cornell CEA website (https://cea.cals.cornell.edu/crops/cea-strawberry-runner-propagation-for-deep-water-culture/).

During his time at Element Farms, Mr. Helmer worked closely with the Head Grower to optimize water quality to increase arugula yields and implemented an integrated pest management system which reduced greenhouse pests by 20-50%.   Mr. Helmer is passionate about sustainable agriculture and providing access to fresh healthy produce. He loves hiking and exploring the natural world.

BS (Highest Honors) in Plant Sciences from Cornell University

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Kevin López Gómez, originally from Mexico, joined Campo Caribe in January 2024.  Kevin graduated from Tufts University with a focus on Mechanical Engineering.  Before joining Campo Caribe, he served as the Production and Maintenance Manager at GreenLife Farms, one of the few farms that integrates Deep Water Culture (DWC) with Cravo Greenhouses for crop production.

At GreenLife Farms, Mr. López was instrumental in expanding the farm's production capacity by 20 times over three years, enabling it to service 25% of Publix stores, the largest employee-owned supermarket chain in the U.S.  His expertise encompasses the maintenance and upkeep of a wide range of equipment, along with experience in both DWC and Gutter Systems.  Kevin's skills in optimizing resource use, developing new processes, and managing CAPEX initiatives have significantly enhanced infrastructure and efficiency in his previous role, and he continues to apply these skills at Campo Caribe.

In his free time, Kevin enjoys playing soccer and dancing salsa and bachata, reflecting his vibrant and energetic personality.

BS (Magna Cum Laude) in Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University

COMPTROLLER

Wendy Márquez joined Campo Caribe in July 2022. Ms. Márquez graduated from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus with a major in Accounting. Before joining Campo Caribe, she pursued the public sector of accounting gaining skills in various industries and participating in numerous private sector financial audits. 

 In her free time, Wendy enjoys spending time with her son.