MEET THE TEAM AND TALENT BEHIND THE INNOVATION
Suzanne Akullian, Founder
AxEL Mobility was born from a deeply personal mission. Suzanne created the company to design a better mobility solution for her husband Leo, who lives with multiple sclerosis—and in doing so, set her sights on transforming the lives of the nearly half a billion people worldwide who struggle with limited mobility. Suzanne brings a uniquely powerful combination of experiences to this endeavor: a career spanning corporate event production, live entertainment (including the Eco Challenge and World Cup ski races), and over a decade at Edwards Lifesciences, where she played a vital role in launching a lifesaving heart valve therapy. She is currently engaged with Octane OC, a Southern California nonprofit incubator connecting med tech startups with industry leaders and investors. Suzanne’s blend of production expertise, medical device experience, and personal drive gives AxEL both the operational foundation and the human urgency to bring this product to life.
Leo Perez, Brand Identity
Leo is the inspiration behind AxEL Mobility—and its most important critic. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Leo experiences firsthand the daily limitations that drive every design decision in this product. He brings far more than personal stakes to the team, however: a 15-year career in sales, marketing, and brand development with Fortune 500 companies including Frito-Lay/PepsiCo, Nike, and Oakley gives him sharp commercial instincts and a deep understanding of what it takes to connect a product with an audience. Leo’s dual role—as the user this product was built for and as a seasoned brand professional—ensures that Shift is designed not just to function beautifully, but to resonate with the millions of people whose lives it has the potential to change.
Jason C. Hill, Designer
Jason is an award-winning automotive designer with over three decades of experience shaping the future of mobility. A graduate of the prestigious Art Center College of Design, he launched his career at Mercedes-Benz's first North American design studio, where he contributed to the concept work that gave rise to the Smart car. He went on to lead exterior design on Porsche's iconic Carrera GT concept before founding Eleven LLC in 2003—an eco-focused design consultancy whose clients have grown to include Subaru, Hyundai-Kia, and WM Motors, among others. Jason served as Chief of Design for Aptera Motors, helping define one of the most talked-about solar-assisted EVs in the industry, and his work on the T3 Motion electric vehicle saw real-world adoption by law enforcement agencies nationwide. A long-time adjunct professor at Art Center and a sought-after lecturer on sustainability and efficiency design, he brings a rare combination of visionary aesthetics, engineering collaboration, and environmental purpose to every project.
Jose Vasquez, Engineer
Jose brings the manufacturing muscle to make the Shift a reality. As owner of Modelo Group, Inc., Jose has spent 30 years in automotive prototype modeling, building a client roster that includes Tesla, Rivian, and several high-profile stealth projects. His deep expertise in translating cutting-edge designs from concept into physical, production-ready form is exactly what a product like this demands. His experience working alongside the most innovative names in the EV industry means he understands both the precision and the pace required to bring a first-of-its-kind mobility device to market.