Laurel (Lo) Friesen is the founder, CEO and Chief Extractor of Heylo. Upon obtaining a degree in Environmental Chemistry from Northwestern University, Lo followed a passion for medicine to conduct research in a renowned gastroenterology lab in Chicago, IL. She has been published on multiple papers related to esophageal disorders. The experience inspired her to explore cannabis as medicine and to enter the emerging industry in 2015.
Lo joined Eden Labs, the leading CO2 extraction equipment manufacturer, to build a Research and Development department. Leading a team of 5 people she managed the development of Eden Labs' newest system, the FX2 Supercritical CO2 Extractor.
After working with two other cannabis processors, Lo obtained a cannabis processing license from Washington State and launched Heylo in 2017. She established the company with core values of education and transparency which have elevated the standard of excellence for the broader industry.
Lo and the Heylo team are committed to education and facilitate community engagement by hosting educational events, a concert series, public tours, and American Chemical Society meetings as well as other professional meetups. Her personal mission is to enable active and engaged lifestyles with cannabis.
