Management Team
Kelly Farhangi
President & CEO
Kelly Farhangi and her husband Dr. Ron Najafi founded CP Lab Safety in 1996. She took over leadership of the company in the early 2000s and brought the manufacturing of its flagship product, ECO Funnel®, back to the USA from China in an attempt to steer the company toward its new mission of Making Science Green. The decision to "reverse offshore" the manufacturing of her products highlights the tone of Ms. Farhangi's management: a close-knit team, a small carbon footprint, and a healthy environment. Female leaders are under-represented in manufacturing and especially in the scientific industry, so her contributions will provide inspiration to the next generation of women in science. As an immigrant and a proud Iranian-American, Ms. Farhangi has worked tirelessly to build a business that contributes to the health and well-being of all people in the workplace.
Under Kelly's direction, CP Lab Safety has grown from a small number of product lines to a large and diverse portfolio. The company manufactures ECO Funnels, Solid Waste Containers, Chromatography Funnels, Drum Feed Safety Clamps, and a wide array of research chemicals under the trade name CP Lab Chemicals™. The use of ECO Funnels in laboratories over the last quarter century has prevented more than 1 million liters of solvent pollution, helping to reduce the environmental impact of scientific research worldwide.
As a Bay Area Green Business and a Woman Owned Small Business, CP Lab Safety maintains a reputation as a “small business with a big heart.” Under Ms. Farhangi's leadership, the company was awarded the Congressional Certificate of Recognition for Environmental Sustainability from the office of congressman Jared Huffman, and each year the staff takes a volunteer day to help clean up the local environment. Kelly and her husband also host regular fundraisers to raise money for refugees. As the business grows, Kelly plans to hold CP Lab Safety to the same high standards of human kindness, integrity and environmental sustainability that it has maintained for more than 25 years.
Ron Najafi, Ph.D.
Founder of CP lab Safety and inventor of ECO Funnel®
ECO Funnel® was invented in 1996 by Dr. Ron Najafi as a response to a common problem found in laboratories. While working as a Ph.D. synthetic organic chemist in the San Francisco Bay Area, he heard complaints from staff about strong odors far from the laboratory. Dr. Najafi realized that the chemical fume contamination was not limited to the lab, but instead was being exhausted through the fume hood and spread throughout the facility. As a member of the company's Health and Safety Committee, Dr. Najafi conducted tests to determine the severity of emissions from waste bottles typically left unsealed beneath a fume hood. His findings of the dramatic solvent loss led him to create ECO Funnel to prevent fumes from escaping the waste containers... even when the lid was left open. CP Lab Safety was founded to promote ECO Funnel and other methods of safeguarding worker health and safety.
Dr. Najafi brings 25 years of chemistry experience to the business. Over the years he has founded several other companies, including NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and Emery Pharma, as well as performed roles at Rhône Poulenc Rorer (now Sanofi-Aventis), Perkin Elmer Applied Biosystems (now Thermo Fisher), and Aldrich Chemical Company.
Dr. Najafi has more than 70 patents and pending patent applications on his inventions. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry from the University of San Francisco, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Davis.
Michelle Walters
Marketing and eCommerce Director
Michelle Walters serves as the Director of Marketing and eCommerce at CP Lab Safety, where she has played an integral role in the company’s growth and brand development for nearly two decades. Throughout her tenure, Michelle has held a variety of leadership roles spanning web development, product design, eCommerce, and marketing. Her broad expertise has been instrumental in establishing CP Lab Safety’s digital presence, expanding its product portfolio, and leading both the Marketing and Web departments with a focus on innovation and customer engagement.
Michelle is also the creative mind behind CP Lab Safety’s line of periodic table–inspired products, which have achieved national recognition in media outlets and among educators. Her designs, including the best-selling periodic table lanyard, have become signature offerings for the company and are widely adopted in academic and professional settings.
Michelle holds a degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She resides in Napa Valley and remains committed to fostering collaboration, team success, and the continued advancement of CP Lab Safety’s mission.
Jessica Kurtz
Head of Customer Success
Jessica Kurtz joined CP Lab Safety in 2015 as a Customer Service Representative, quickly distinguishing herself through her professionalism, dedication, and strong interpersonal skills. Her ability to build lasting customer relationships and her talent for problem-solving soon led to her promotion to Accounts Manager, where she oversees client satisfaction and ensures a seamless experience for every customer.
A true reflection of CP Lab Safety’s supportive and people-first culture, Jessica’s second child became affectionately known as the company’s “office baby” in 2018, accompanying her to work during his early months. This experience underscored the company’s commitment to fostering a family-friendly environment built on respect, collaboration, and care.
Jessica is known for cultivating close connections with clients and colleagues alike, helping CP Lab Safety uphold its reputation as a small business with a personal touch and a customer-first approach. Always just a phone call or email away, she leads her team with warmth and dedication, ensuring customers continue to return with confidence and trust.
Residing in Sonoma County, Jessica can often be found cheering from the stands at her children’s ball games or enjoying weekends at the racetrack. Known for her fun-loving spirit—like her family’s tradition of dressing in themed costumes each Halloween—Jessica embodies the balance of professionalism, approachability, and heart that makes her an invaluable member of the CP Lab Safety team.
Marjan B. Mohyee
Corporate Controller, HR Director
Marjan B. Mohyee has been part of CP Lab Safety for more than 25 years, nearly from its inception, and has played a central role in shaping the company’s growth and direction. As proprietor of Centaur Financial Services and head of CP Lab Safety’s accounting operations, she has provided strategic vision, financial guidance, and long-term planning that have been instrumental in establishing the company’s stability and success.
Over the years, Marjan’s responsibilities have expanded beyond accounting to include leadership of Human Resources, where she has worked to cultivate a supportive and people-first workplace culture. Her dual expertise in finance and HR allows her to balance fiscal responsibility with a deep commitment to employee well-being—ensuring that CP Lab Safety remains both a strong business and a positive place to work.
Marjan resides in Novato, California, home to CP Lab Safety’s headquarters, in scenic Marin County. Passionate about social justice, she is a steadfast advocate for human rights both locally and globally, bringing that same dedication to fairness and integrity into her leadership at CP Lab Safety.