ISO 13485:2016
DEVICE DEVELOPMENT

Evan Ross: Mindfully Motivated

Nectar Product Development’s (NectarPD’s) Experience Manager, Evan Ross, is tall and thin with dark hair and a contained, yet wry, sense of humor that you can see playing at the corner of his lips in a barely perceptible smile. We meet at the NectarPD offices; he’s been focused on his work like some people are focused on solving a thousand piece puzzle, picture-face down. It takes a good thirty minutes before I see him start to unwind and let his personality show. The first thing we talk about, however, is what motivates him. For Evan, what motivates him the most is a project that really tests his ability to learn and implement new information. One of the projects Evan lead a team on involved a lot of people with PhDs who wanted a machine for chemical analysis, called Wyatt. “Being in the presence of such intelligent people was really humbling and exciting,” he said. “The challenge of working on technology and design so complex was inspiring.”

Evan Ross, a Southern California native who chose to study engineering in college, describes being bored as not having something to work on. “I want to feel like I’m adding value to something. I like relaxing, but you can only relax so much.” Ever since Evan was a kid, he’s enjoyed taking things apart to understand them. He’d do this both with machines and programs as well as people. “I’m a pretty heavy introvert,” he says, “and for me, meeting new people is taking a lot in and thinking about it.” Now, Evan leads teams that develop and build new software and physical designs, and he places a high value on understanding people so he can break apart the components that affect the end-user.

He appreciates the company culture of NectarPD. Like most of the team, he’s worked for companies that have had a very standard, corporate culture. It would be difficult to get to know Evan except outside of the office; he’s very focused on the work at hand. However, at NectarPD, Evan finds it easy to be himself and share ideas with people.

While some companies have office parties, many of the NectarPD staff have been known to attend festivals. Evan himself has played guitar since he was in highschool and has a passion for music. Festivals offer a variety of music, immersive art experiences, and an emphasis on self-reliance and creative expression. It’s no secret that an increasing amount of companies —such as Google and IDEO— encourage their employees to attend festivals such as BurningMan to inspire innovative ideation. Evan went to his first festival along with the NectarPD team. He’s gone to a few more since, and has found that festivals like these not only provide a way to experience surreal life and an alternative culture; they also tend to nurture creativity and empathy. “The outlook on life of expanding your mind, being open to things” became a useful tool in gaining a broader perspective. I asked him what immersion into the festival taught him, and it was simply to “not be so critical of others; instead, be mindful of your place in the world.”

Most of the people at NectarPD are “sustainability-minded”, Evan says. They care what their impact is. Although it can be hard to imagine how far-reaching one person’s, or one company’s, efforts reach, Evan thinks about what the end-user is benefiting from the products he has a hand in creating. The majority of work done at NectarPD is for the industrial sector or for the medical field. The goal is that products enable the end-user to work more efficiently and with more ease.

When I ask him how these products might help, he explains. “Some products help people in the medical field better execute a surgery on a patient. Others make working in an industrial plant safer by preventing injuries.” Evan claims that, at the very least, “workers are happier because they aren’t working with a machine that’s always breaking.” To him, the effort is like the many grains of sand that make up the beach. “These are small, but still meaningful, impacts on the world.” 

It was in college that Evan first discovered his passion for working with design and technology. He took a course on Human and Computer Interaction, and thought, “I want to make software interfaces for making music.” Evan had already been interfacing with technology to support and explore his passions; he made videos of him skateboarding, recorded his band’s music, and designed his band’s web-page. So, when he saw that NectarPD had made products for M-Audio, he was inspired to join. Only after working on medical and industrial design did he realize how challenging and exciting those projects truly are.

It seems that Evan’s mind is constantly seeking the next opportunity to grow. He places a high value on education. “To me, education and information is everything,” he says. “That’s how I was brought up, with education being this very important thing to have and to share.” He speculates that some indigenous tribes, even if they enjoy their way of life, could have the opportunity to improve their life if they had access to more information. “They could build irrigation systems and improve their lives,” for example. More locally, he stresses the dangers of ignorance when it comes to policy making. “A functioning democracy depends on informed voters… people who understand how to digest various issues of varying size.” He puts a further emphasis on considering your place in the world by describing how voting a certain way can be selfish and harm others, while it is more responsible to consider the greater impact of the choices of each individual —and of each policy.

It’s nearing the end of a long day at NectarPD as I sit with Evan. He’s come to the end of a project recently, and is looking forward to the next one. For now, he’ll head back home, along the coast, to tend to a garden and play his guitar. He’s looking forward to his next ski-trip, to getting lost in the endless blue sky and the hushed, snowy whites of the mountains. There’s only one thing I still want to know. I push for one more answer, “In a world that’s constantly changing, how do you adapt and change with it?”

He takes a moment to reflect, and then answers.

“People talk about going through journeys to change your perspective on life, and how it affects your work and creativity and your approach to the world. I think everyone should simply try and find the truth about themselves, and have transformative moments. Doing that alone will cause you to grow and gain a new perspective.” 

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Nectar is an award-winning design & engineering consultancy with a specialization in medical device development. We are proudly 13485 certified, we adhere to the highest industry standards. Nectar has been an industry leader in Southern California for over 25 years. Our proven user-centered design process has facilitated the successful launch of hundreds of products in the market.
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We are an ISO 13485-certified design and engineering firm based in Southern California, specializing in the development of cutting-edge medical devices.

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Darren Saravis

CEO

Darren is an accomplished, dynamic leader who founded Nectar, X-Naut, and BreathDirect. He is committed to improving the world through the synthesis of technology, science, and art. Under Darren’s leadership, Nectar is leveraging the latest advances in cutting-edge technology to transform medical device development and design. As part of his

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Steven Wells Ph.D.

Director of Operations

Dr. Steve Wells holds a critical role in steering Nectar’s operations and defining its strategic direction. His impactful leadership has established a clear course for the company’s success. He has revitalized the company with a passion for maximizing impact through expert resource utilization since taking the helm in 2020. Steve has boosted Nectar’s portfolio, streamlined processes, and reinvigorated its innovation agenda, all with the goal of developing life-saving and impactful products. His background in senior leadership roles at Georg Fischer and his people-focused, results-driven leadership style make him an invaluable asset to our team. Steve’s extensive knowledge in chemistry, biocompatibility, and biology only adds to his value as a team member.

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Principal Engineer

John is a true asset to Nectar, having been a founding member and instrumental in shaping the company’s portfolio and establishing its reputation for engineering excellence. With over 30 patents and numerous design awards to his name, John is a master of product architecture and subsystem integration, as well as design for manufacture, mechanisms, and root cause analysis. His passion for creating simple and holistic solutions that take into account a wide range of variables is evident in his work and has made him a valuable member of the Nectar team.
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Aaron Gifford

Principal Engineer

With a wealth of experience as a medical device developer, Aaron is a valuable addition to the Nectar team. His expertise in transferring medical devices and IVD instruments to production is unmatched, and his 25 years of professional engineering experience speaks to his expertise. At Nectar, Aaron plays a crucial role in ensuring regulatory compliance throughout product development and manages projects with skill and precision. His recent leadership in the development of the critical care Covid EUA BDR-19™ ventilator is a testament to his abilities, and his 13 patents in the medical device space further highlight his contributions to the field.
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Larry Larson

Director of Hardware and Firmware Engineering 

Larry Larson is a highly experienced engineering professional who has served as Nectar’s Director of Engineering for several years. He has extensive experience in leading, overseeing, and managing the design and development of innovative products, and has been involved in 70 unique product design cycles to date. With a deep understanding of highly regulated industries such as medical and aerospace devices, Larry has been instrumental in bringing cutting-edge technologies to market and delivering solutions that meet the needs of his clients. He has a passion for engineering and is dedicated to advancing the field by delivering products that are safe, effective, and of the highest quality.
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Adam Marten

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Adam Marten has worked in the aerospace and consumer products industries since 2006 with lead engineering experience in conceptual design, product development, analysis and performance qualification testing. Adam has experience leading a range of technical projects, including multiple structural analyses for military and aerospace applications. He has also worked directly with engineering teams to develop medical devices and laboratory instrumentation.

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James Wilkin

Industrial Design Manager

James is a seasoned professional with over seven years of experience at Nectar, where he brings his expertise in industrial design, user interface, and user experience to the table. With a background in the highly competitive automotive industry, working for heavyweights like Daimler and Tesla, James is a true asset to the Nectar team. He is responsible for ensuring that the company adheres to user-centered design best practices, and he works closely with clients and partners on crucial human factors strategies for FDA submissions and the overall usability engineering process. James’ achievements in this field speak to his exceptional skills and dedication to the work he does.
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Associate Project Manager

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Redon Berisha

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Clinical Expert - RN, BSN, CLNC

With over two decades of experience in healthcare innovation, Kerry has been instrumental in transforming patient care and improving patient outcomes across the globe. Her extensive knowledge and expertise in the cardiovascular and cardiothoracic operating room, as well as her experience in emergency medicine, geriatrics, pediatric psychiatry, and main OR, make her a versatile and valuable member of the team. From small hospitals to large teaching institutions, Kerry’s 20 years of experience with patient documentation, including the use of EPIC, Cerner, and Meditech electronic charting systems, have positioned her as a leader in her field. Her recent involvement in helping transition the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center’s Cardiac Surgery program from paper charting to electronic documentation further underscores her commitment to advancing the healthcare industry.

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Marketing Manager

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User Experience Designer

Brayton is a multi-disciplinary designer with a A.A in Studio Arts and a B.S in Industrial Design from California State University Long Beach. As a user experience designer, Brayton specializes in usability evaluations, user research, feedback studies, GUI design, mobile app design, human factors evaluations, and formative studies. In his free time, Brayton enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking as well as other creative pursuits. He approaches problems with a solution-focused mindset and enjoys exploring ideas. 
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Accounting Coordinator

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Sean Wells

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Jonathan at his core is a Human Factors Engineer with his M.S. in Human Factors and Minor in Sociology from California State University of Long Beach. At Nectar, Jonathan is responsible for managing and maintaining the company’s ISO 13485 Quality Management System keeping in compliance with US and international regulations for product development. Jonathan’s role ensures each department is in compliance every step of the design process, making him a critical Nectar team member. Jonathan’s Human Factors background also allows him to aid in user research, feedback sessions, usability evaluations, and formative studies such as risks assessments. When he’s not in the office, Jonathan enjoys film photography, and reading.
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Uran Çabra

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Uran Çabra, with a background in Mechatronic Systems Engineering, has been working on Embedded Systems, specifically on IoT product development. His responsibilities include firmware development and electronics design and testing. He holds a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Autonomous Mobile Robotics.
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