Board of Directors

Rick Barnett his extensive experience in strategic transactions and financial analysis for healthcare and medical device companies, as well as his expertise and skills in hospital operations, risk and compliance management. He joined SeaStar Medical’s Board of Directors in January 2021 after serving as President, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Satellite Healthcare, Inc for seven years. During this time, Mr. Barnett has served as the Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee, as well as a member of the Finance, Quality, Risk/ Compliance, and Governance/Compensation committees for Satellite Healthcare, Inc. Mr. Barnett currently serves on the CutisCare, Inc and is a member of the Strategy and Audit Committee.

Mr. Barnett is a member of the board of directors of the National Kidney Foundation – Northern California & Pacific Northwest where he served as a member of the Nominating, Strategic Partnerships, and Membership committees and has also served a term as the Chair of the Board. He also previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the West Coast Sourcing Solutions, a product procurement company. From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Barnett has previously served as a Senior Vice President of VHA, Inc., a purchasing cooperative for community-owned, nonprofit healthcare institutions, General Partner & Board Member of North State Surgery Centers, LLC, an ambulatory surgical clinic center and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Hospital Council of Northern California - Northern Sierra Section, a non-profit hospital and health systems trade association. Mr. Barnett holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Pacific Union College and and a master’s in business administration from California State University, Fullerton. He also has received the Corporate Director certification from the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) in 2021.

Allan Collins, MD has served as a Director on the board of SeaStar Medical since January 2021 and has substantial scientific and technical knowledge of medical devices similar to our products, as well as his extensive experience in managing and executing business and strategic plans for companies in the healthcare industry. Dr. Collins has served as the Chief Medical Officer at NxStage Medical, a medical device company for the treatment of kidneys, and as the Executive Director of the Kidney Care Initiative at the Chronic Disease Research Group, a non-profit organization that focuses on answering questions on patient experiences with chronic diseases and a division of the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr. Collins served as a Director within the United States Renal Data System, a national data system that analyzes information about chronic kidney disease. Dr. Collins has published more than 300 articles, 600 abstracts, and 20 book chapters, and has given more than 365 invited presentations. His clinical experience and research have focused on acute and chronic care of end-stage kidney disease and chronic kidney disease patients, and prospective and retrospective clinical studies on dialysis techniques and associated outcomes.

The former president of the National Kidney Foundation, Dr. Collins served on its scientific advisory board for six years, with the Kidney Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative, and on the International Society of Nephrology’s Commission for the Global Advancement of Nephrology Committee. He completed his medical degree at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Andres Lobo has served as a Director on the board of SeaStar Medical since 2019. He has extensive expertise in executing investment, business and financial strategies for public companies, as well as expertise in matters relating to corporate governance, financial risk management and strategic opportunities. Since 1994, Mr. Lobo has served in various roles at the Dow Chemical Company, including Risk Seeking Assets Director, Corporate Real Estate Director and Customer Financial Services Portfolio Manager. He has extensive experience with Dow Chemical Company operations in Latin America, having served in senior finance roles in Brazil and Argentina and Southern Cone. Earlier in his career, Mr. Lobo served as Corporate Account Manager at Leasing Andino, S.A., a commercial leasing company, in Santiago, Chile.

Mr. Lobo holds bachelor’s degrees in commercial engineering and business from the Universidad de Santiago de Chile.

Bruce Rodgers joined the board of SeaStar Medical in 2022, bringing considerable experience in business, management, and law. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and President of LM Funding. Prior to that Mr. Rodgers owned Business Law Group, P.A. ("BLG") and served as counsel to the founders of LM Funding, LLC ("LMF"). Mr. Rodgers is a former business transactions attorney and was an associate of Macfarlane, Ferguson, & McMullen, P.A. from 1991 to 1995 and a partner from 1995-1998 and was an equity partner of Foley & Lardner LLP from 1998 to 2003.

Mr. Rodgers holds an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and a Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Florida. Mr. Rodgers also served as an officer in the United States Navy rising to the rank of Lieutenant, Surface Warfare Officer. Mr. Rodgers is a member of the Florida Bar and holds an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell.

Richard Russell joined the board of directors of SeaStar Medical in 2022, bringing his experience in public company operations, including in the financial services industry, financial analysis and reporting, mergers and acquisitions, and risk management.. He serves as Chief Financial Officer of LMFA, a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Capital Market where he has provided financial and accounting consulting services with a focus on technical and external reporting, internal auditing, mergers & acquisitions, risk management, and CFO and controller services. Mr. Russell also served as Chief Financial Officer for Mission Health Communities and, before that, in a variety of roles for Cott Corporation, including Senior Director Finance, Senior Director of Internal Auditing, and Assistant Corporate Controller. Mr. Russell’s extensive professional experience with public companies includes serving as Director of Financial Reporting for Quality Distribution, a transportation and logistics company, and as Director of Financial Reporting for Danka Business Systems PLC, a supplier of photocopiers and office imaging equipment. Mr. Russell also serves as Chief Financial Officer of Generation Income Properties, Inc., which is a publicly traded real estate company that has been trading on the OTCQB Venture Market since March 2019. Mr. Russell serves on the board of directors for Trident Brands Inc. (“TDNT”), a publicly held consumer products company that has been trading on the OTCQB Venture Market since April 2015. Mr. Russell is also Chairman of the Hillsborough County Internal Audit Committee since January 2020 and has been a board member since August 2016.

Mr. Russell earned his bachelor of science in accounting and a master’s in tax accounting from the University of Alabama, a bachelor of arts in international studies from the University of South Florida, and a master’s in business administration from the University of Tampa.

Since 2019, Eric Schlorff has Chief Executive Officer of SeaStar Medical, responsible for the management, strategy, and operations of the company. He has extensive experience in financial planning and managing large, complex organizations and as well as deep knowledge of SeaStar Medical’s business operations, including the scientific basis, regulatory requirements and sales and marketing channels.

Prior to joining SeaStar Medical in 2016, Mr. Schlorff spent more than 20 years at Dow Chemical Company, serving in served in multiple role, including Global Director of Alternative Investments for the Dow Chemical Pension Plan, Global Finance Leader for Crop Protection & Seeds at Dow AgroSciences, Global Market Intelligence Leader at Dow AgroSciences, Global Financial Manager of Royalties at Dow Agrosciences, Senior Investment Manager of Alternative Investments at Dow Chemical Company, New Business Development of Pharmaceuticals at Dow Chemical Company, Global Financial Analyst within the New Businesses division at Dow Chemical Company, and Global Financial Analyst within Dow AgroSciences at Dow Chemical Company.

Mr. Schlorff has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology from Mac Murray College, an M.S. in pharmacology from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and a master’s in business administration from University of Illinois Urbana-Champlain.

Kenneth Van Heel has served as a Director on the Board of Directors of SeaStar Medical since 2021 and previously served from 2011 to 2015. He brings experience in venture capital investment, financial analysis and reporting, risk management, strategic planning, and public company operations, as well as his expertise and skills in working with companies in the medical device and healthcare industries. Mr. Van Heel is the Chief Executive Officer at Motorcity Systems, a software provider in the trucking and transportation industry and also serves as a Director and Advisor at Gantec, Inc., a biotechnology company for agricultural products. Prior to joining Motorcity Systems, Mr. Van Heel spent 20 years at Dow Chemical Company in various roles in strategic planning, investments, private equity, venture capital and business development.

Mr. Van Heel holds a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and master’s degree in business administration from DePaul University.