A Commitment to Innovation and Sustainability

Engineering Culture. Cultivating Consciousness.

A Passion for Cultivating Innovation

Through all of our initiatives at Genetica Impact we give power to the people

Hemp Health

Focus: Natural wellness and nutrition.
Core Idea: Hemp-based health innovations such as charas, hemp salads, and herbal extracts.
Goal: Reinforce the body through plant synergy — proving that hemp can be food, medicine, and balance.

Art of Hemp

Focus: Creativity, culture, and education.
Core Idea: Bringing people together through art, music, design, and fashion rooted in hemp’s philosophy.
Goal: Unite communities through self-expression — establishing hemp as a cultural medium that connects generations.

HempTech

Focus: Science, energy, and innovation.
Goal: Reimagine renewable energy and technology through plant intelligence — making nature a power source.

Hempact

Focus: Social empowerment and inclusion.
Core Idea: Using hemp and creativity to bridge communities across race, class, and identity.
Goal: Build collective progress through projects like Capital Thread, connecting police, students, artists, and neighborhoods.

Hempfacstructure

Focus: Long-term infrastructure and sustainability.
Core Idea: Hemp-built resorts, vineyards, and architectural developments that merge luxury with environmental consciousness.
Goal: Create sustainable spaces that redefine what progress looks like — physical ecosystems built from hemp.

Hempconomy

Focus: Economic systems and opportunity creation.
Core Idea: Building new value frameworks — crypto, NFTs, regenerative finance, and hemp-based circular economies.
Goal: Empower people economically through hemp — making sustainability profitable and scalable.

Built to Create Value Beyond Money

Human Value

Every project must help people grow — mentally, emotionally, or economically.
Metrics: youth engaged, jobs created, collaborations formed.

Environmental Value

We restore what we use. From hemp cultivation to product design, everything must return more to nature than it takes.
Metrics: hemp acreage offset, carbon offset, renewable systems built, waste reduced.

Cultural Value

We create experiences that connect communities through art, music, and shared creativity.
Metrics: events, cultural collaborations, artistic impact.

Meet the Team

Zaire Higgins

Ceo/Founder

Born and raised in Albany, New York. I studied Social Philosophy at SUNY Cortland for three years, and that’s where I really started questioning why our systems feel so broken. I’ve never been the type to just accept things as they are—I challenge the norm by stepping into it and trying to make it work better, not just fighting it from the outside.

Genetica is my way of doing that for the people. To me, it’s about bringing people together through hemp and giving my team the support to run with their wildest ideas, as long as those ideas bring others together too. I’m truly here for the people, and Genetica is the platform I built to prove that in real time.

Ben Fenton

Creative/Directive Lead

Born and raised in western New York but now based in Teton Valley, Idaho, I work and gain creativity in the mountains daily while continuing my professional career. In my free time I enjoy traveling, snowboarding, and playing bass guitar. With Genetica, I’m focused on bringing mountain culture, creativity, and stylish, functional design together—using the energy of the outdoors to help build a brand that feels alive, authentic, and connected to the landscapes we move through.

Oba Awolowo

Urban Development Lead

Hey, I’m Oba Awolowo. I’m a writer, producer, and DJ from Long Island, NY. I love music, reading, and leisurely walks, as well as exercising. I’m currently studying communication with a focus in journalism. I’m looking to bring people together through music and storytelling, regardless of what medium they seek out. With Genetica, I want to help build a sound and story that people can feel—using music, narrative, and culture to connect communities and carry the mission forward. I wholeheartedly believe in Genetica and its vision.

Ariele Vance

Creative/Artistic Design Lead

My name is Ariele Vance, and I earned my B.A. in Graphic Design & Digital Media. I’m a creative who loves illustration, design, and visual storytelling. In my free time, I enjoy hiking and exploring the wonders of nature, and I bring that sense of curiosity and grounding into my work. The change I want to see in the world is simple: people supporting people, and a society that’s more open, understanding, and empathetic. Through my art and my work with Genetica, I hope to create visual spaces where people can feel seen, inspired, and connected to both themselves and their communities.

Sebastian Alessi

Strategy/Coordination Lead

I’m 22 years old and grew up in the scenic mountains of Vermont, where I developed my love of skiing, the outdoors, and community. I later attended Clarkson University, where I learned to challenge myself academically and personally while building strong connections with people from all backgrounds. I thrive around good energy, great conversations, and any chance to get outside. Whether I’m skiing, exploring, or meeting new people, I’m always looking for ways to make life meaningful and fun. Genetica gives me a way to channel that energy into something bigger—bringing people together through movement, nature, and a shared culture around hemp.

Nik Knobloch

Development/Strategy Lead

My name is Nik Knobloch, and I’m from New Paltz, New York. I love nature and connecting with the world through movement. I am an avid rock climber, cliff jumper, snowboarder, mountaineering lover, and overall enjoyer of the intersection between nature and human athletic potential. I am an educator of Physical Education and Personal Wellness in downtown Ithaca. Through blending my personal passions with the power of education, I am trying to create an environment for students to explore exercise and wellbeing on their own terms, ultimately creating as many lifelong movers as possible. I believe in Genetica’s mission wholeheartedly and am excited to use my perspective to help shape a movement-based, nature-driven vision for the brand.

Kamil Trantham

Outreach/Networking Lead

Born and raised in Albany, New York, I studied Criminal Justice at the University of Utica. I’ve worked as a Patrol Officer in North Carolina for the last three years. I’ve always wanted to improve the community I grew up in, and I feel that Genetica is the perfect way to do so from a different angle. In my free time I enjoy going on peaceful drives in my car, spending time with friends and family, and exploring ways to advance myself in terms of gaining useful knowledge to further my ability to help those around me and the community. With Genetica, I’m committed to bridging safety, trust, and opportunity—showing what it looks like when community work and culture-building move together.

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