About Us
Melissa Brandao
Founder & President
Recognized by the White House and the Smithsonian Institute of American History for her contribution to rural innovation, Melissa looks out across the great divide between technology and adoption--products and people--to solve challenges in an industry that is both wary and ripe for change.
She started her career at Apple Computer during the birth of online services. Apple was an indoctrination in how product design and user experience makes great products and great companies stand out from the rest.
Melissa was recruited from Apple to one of the worlds first FinTech start ups, Internet Securities, now EMIS. Melissa became Managing Director, based in Moscow, Russia at the age of 24. She was a pioneer in operations development for EMIS, opening twelve offices from Moscow, Russia to Santiago,Chile within four years.
Upon returning to the US, she turned her attention to the challenges of traditional agriculture and climate. In collaboration with Jamie Hyneman of the Mythbusters. Melissa founded Barefoot Motors in 2006 an all electric all terrain vehicle for specialty crops.
In 2011, she founded HerdDogg, a smart technology ear tag for tracking livestock and livestock biometrics. She holds three patents on ear tag technology with HerdDogg.
In 2022, she founded Rogue Cattle Company to find a path towards integrating livestock technologies, user adoption and the growing emphasis on enteric emissions (methane from cattle) measurement and verification.
She speaks several languages and has worked in some of the world's most challenging environments from downtown Moscow to remote Montana--and loved every minute of it.
"Change is inevitiable but never easy. It's a series of steps we take to ensure we're not just living, but alive!"
- Melissa Brandao
David "Duppy" Proctor
Chief of Technology
Duppy, the Chief Tech at Rogue Cattle Company, is renowned as the head hardware guru, celebrated for his hands-on prowess in crafting innovative hardware designs. He's not your typical Silicon Valley executive glued to a desk; instead, he's often found in the field, sleeves rolled up, actively experimenting and refining tech innovations.
His leadership and instrumental role in HerdDogg's launch from the America's Greatest Makers show reflect his unwavering commitment to advancing technology's impact in the agricultural sector, setting the stage for innovative solutions that resonate deeply within the industry.
Duppy is about making a practical solution that works, not a product seeking a solution. His knack for turning concepts into tangible hardware realities that truly defines him.
With an extensive 30-year background in hardware development, Proctor's expertise isn't just theoretical—it's rooted in practical experience. During his tenure at Microsoft, Proctor's approach wasn't limited to conceptualizing; he was hands-on, crafting groundbreaking hardware solutions and contributing to technological advancements. His practical approach significantly impacted Microsoft's hardware development, infusing it with real-world insights.
Proctor's dedication to hardware development goes beyond his professional persona; he's approachable and relatable—a tech enthusiast and inventor who thrives on transforming ideas into functional hardware. He has the Maker Mentality of sharing and collaboration. He has mentored more than a dozen companies from start up to product.
Duppy is a graduate of California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) and he holds twelve patents including two patents he co-authored with with Melissa at HerdDogg.