Who We Are

 James G. Robyn, BA, MBA – President and CEO

James graduated from Colgate University with a degree in Astrogeophysics and he holds an MBA in International Management with a concentration in German from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.  James designs and consults on Natural Swimming Pools/Ponds (NSP’s) throughout the Americas.  He has over 30 years of experience in the “traditional” swimming pool business as the owner of Rin Robyn Pools and he has been marketing NSP’s in the Americas as a Partner with the BioNova®  Global Head Office in Munich, Germany since 2007. 

James has authored articles for WaterShapes magazine and his work has been featured in Luxury Pools, Signature Pools and Aqua magazine as well as numerous other publications.  Robyn lectures frequently at many venues throughout North America and he has addressed groups at the NY Botanical Gardens, the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, the University of Colorado School of Design and the American Society of Landscape Architects Annual Meeting.  He is a member of the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals, a Gold Member of the Genesis 3 Design Group, the National Association of Pond Professionals, an Affiliate of the American Society of Landscape Architects and a member of the US Green Building Council.

Hae-Sun Park Robyn, AS, BS - Vice President and COO

A native of Korea and the daughter of a Korean State Department official, Hae-Sun graduated from high school in Germany and has lived in many countries around the world.  She earned an AS in Radiation Therapy Technology and worked in Oncology. This experience helped her to realize the detrimental influence that unnatural chemicals can have on our environment and health. Hae-Sun earned a BS in Business Computer Systems from Arizona State University and attended the Thunderbird Graduate School of Global Management doing post graduate work in business, marketing, accounting and the German language.  She now has over 30 years of experience in the swimming pool business.  Her expertise in design influences all of the BioNova®  products and services from brochures to technical training sessions.  

Mrs. Robyn resides in Chester, NJ with her husband James G. Robyn.  An active running enthusiast, she has completed 5 marathons, most recently the Boston Marathon in 2009 and the New York Marathon in 2010. The Robyns' two daughters both attended Far Hills Country Day School and The Pingry School. Elder daughter, Karli, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002, and from Fordham Law in 2010, Cum Laude, with the Juris Doctor degree. The younger, Misha, graduated from Columbia University in 2004 and from Tufts University Veterinary Medical School in 2009 with a Masters Degree in Public Health.  She is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. 

Kara E. Smith, BS, LA - Technical Specialist - Design and Project Coordination

Kara joined BioNova®  in 2010 after graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Landscape Architecture. She brings knowledge of design and computer graphics to the firm as well as a passion for the possibilities natural swimming pools hold for US markets. Kara works in all of the marketing and technical aspects of the business, from hosting webinars to writing technical presentations on NSPs. She uses AutoCad to produce scaled drawings and designs for BioNova® clients and Dealer Partners. Proficient in German, Kara uses her skills to provide translations and coordination with the BioNova®  Global Head Office in Munich, Germany. 

Lisa Brooks, Ph.D - Technical Specialist - Sciences

Lisa joined BioNova® in 2011 with a rich depth of experience in chemistry, biology and management, having spent more than 20 years in the corporate world as a scientist, researcher, and manager, with much experience at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey.  Dr. Brooks received her undergraduate degree in Pathobiology from the University of Connecticut and her Ph.D. in Toxicology from UMDNJ Rutgers University in New Jersey.  Lisa is involved in the establishment of microbiological standards for NSPs in North America.

Jimmy Rodriguez - Technical Specialist - Documentation and Drawings

Jimmy's firm affiliated with BioNova® in 2010 by providing support in doing scale drawings and renderings for NSP designs. His experience includes 6 years of drafting designs for both landscapes and interiors in California after completing a 5 year curriculum of study in design and architecture at the Autonomous University of Central America.  Bilingual in Spanish and English, Jimmy provides support to Latin American clients and partners.