Speakers

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Aaron Kamenash
Camston WratherMr. Kamenash Co-Founded Camston Wrather LLC in 2014 and currently serves as the Chief Innovation Officer; overseeing all aspects of process design, engineering, implementation, and optimization of plant operations for Camston Wrather's Carlsbad, CA Resource Recovery Facility as well as the development of the next generation of process facilities.
Education: The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) Majors in Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering and minoring in Industrial & Organizational Psychology.
Sessions
Recovering Critical Minerals for the Future
2:26 PM - 2:31 pM -
Adam Wise
GeerGarageAdam Wise is the Founder & CEO of GeerGarage, the outdoor gear-sharing marketplace making our natural environment accessible to all - one rental at a time. Launched in Seattle in 2020, GeerGarage’s community-driven technology matches local people with the specific equipment they need to get outside when adventure calls. Prior to GeerGarage, Adam has 9 years of experience working as an engineer and product manager at Microsoft.
Sessions
Policies, Partnerships and Progress: A Seattle Story
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Aditi Gogineni
L’Oréal USA Research & InnovationSessions
When to Leverage Biobased Materials
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Agustina Mir
SortileSessions
The Playbook for Textile-to-Textile Recycling
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Alan Jacobsen
AmazonDr. Alan Jacobsen currently leads the science and innovation team within the Net Zero Operations organization at Amazon. In the nearly five years he has been with Amazon, he has held various roles focused on the science, innovation, and sustainability of products and packaging. Dr. Jacobsen has a wealth of experience in early-stage innovation, including co-founding two start-up companies and building a portfolio of over 100 issued patents in his 20 year career, mostly related to materials innovations for the automotive, aerospace, energy, and consumer products sectors. Dr. Jacobsen is currently leading Amazon’s effort to fundamentally rethink the solutions and technologies needed to address the issues with today’s plastics. He holds a PhD from University of Southern California, MS from Northwestern University, and BS from New Mexico State University.
Sessions
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Alessandra Pistoia
MicrosoftAlessandraPistoiaSenior Program Manager, Zero Waste and Circular EconomyMicrosoftConnect viaAlessandra leads Microsoft’s zero waste and circular economy agenda. Leading the corporate strategy to progress towards Microsoft’s electronics, packaging, operation, and construction & deconstruction waste prevention commitments, she collaborates with cross-company stakeholders, customers, partners, and organizations to make meaningful impact on accelerating a circular economy for Microsoft and the globe.
Sessions
How to: Scaling Equitable Reverse Logistics
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Alessia Falsarone
University of ChicagoAlessiaFalsaroneExecutive in Residence | Adjunct Instructor | Circular Economy and Sustainable BusinessUniversity of ChicagoConnect viaAlessia Falsarone is a practitioner faculty at the University of Chicago leading the Circular Economy and Sustainable Business Management program. She previously spent fifteen years as Managing Director, head of sustainable investing, portfolio strategy and risk for a global asset manager based in New York, and also held investment leadership roles with AIG and Citigroup. Alessia serves as independent director in public and private corporate boards in Europe and the UK, and is part of high-level advisory groups promoting environmental and climate finance including the International Sustainability Standards Board. In recognition of her innovative vision for business and society, she received the Honoree Award from the Women’s Venture Fund and the NACD 100 for boardroom governance. She has contributed to initiatives on the topic at the Society of Corporate Compliance, the Swiss Sustainable Finance Initiative, the United Nations, the World Bank, and USAID, including delivering roadmaps on climate risk management and green finance development on behalf of the UK PACT Green Recovery Fund and Carbon Trust. An award-winning author, she is a graduate of Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Univ. Bocconi.
Sessions
Track and Trace: Navigating the Enabling Tech Landscape
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Alex Nichols-Vinueza
World Wildlife FundSessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Ali Schachtschneider
Spiber Inc.Sessions
Material Innovators Showcase: Bringing Circularity into the Fold
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Alice Hartley
Under ArmorAlice Hartley is Director of Circularity at Under Armour. In this role she leads UA’s overall Circularity strategy, including design and product considerations as well as solutions for circular systems.
Previously she worked for 10 years at Gap Inc., where she led Product Sustainability and circularity initiatives. As part of Gap’s Sustainable Innovation team she designed and launched supply chain programs including Washwell, a water savings program for denim laundries, and Gap’s Mill Sustainability Program, both of which scaled globally to include dozens of facilities. She also led Gap’s work in cotton sustainability, and collaborated closely with brand and product teams to launch Gap For Good, Gap brand’s sustainability platform, as well as its Generation Good product collection.
Earlier in her career, Alice worked in green buildings and at nonprofit research institutions, including Rocky Mountain Institute and the Sustainability Institute, founded by Donella Meadows. She holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from MIT Sloan.
Sessions
The Playbook for Textile-to-Textile Recycling
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Alicea Meredith
McDonough Braungart Design ChemistryAlicea is an Environmental Chemist and Toxicologist for MBDC. She is a material health assessor for the Craddle to Craddle Certification. She has also worked as regulatory toxicologist and product steward.
Sessions
Achieving and Scaling Cradle to Cradle Solutions
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Alissa Baier-Lentz
Kintra FibersAlissa Baier-Lentz is the Co-Founder and COO of Kintra Fibers, an H&M-backed materials science company that has developed a proprietary bio-based and biodegradable polyester. By utilizing bio-based inputs and designing a biodegradable material from the outset, while using standard polyester production equipment for manufacturing, Kintra Fibers is seamlessly transforming the apparel industry to work in harmony with the planet. Kintra has garnered interest from over 500 apparel brands and manufacturers, and has launched pilots to prototype their materials with global brands including Inditex, H&M, Bestseller, Pangaia, and Reformation. As a circular fashion advocate, Alissa has spoken at forums such as United Nations, SXSW, COP26, Milan Fashion Week, and EARTHDAY. Her work has been recognized by groups such as Forbes 30 Under 30, the United Nations Conscious Fashion Campaign, and the Think Beyond Plastics Textile Innovation Award.
Sessions
Material Innovators Showcase: Bringing Circularity into the Fold
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Allison Lin
MarsAllison Lin is the Global VP of Packaging Sustainability at Mars, Inc., where she leads the cross-segment strategy to improve the sustainability impact of Mars’ packaging. She was previously the SVP of Sustainability and Market Development at Westfall Technik, and has spent the majority of her career driving Packaging Sustainability at Brand Owners such as P&G, Starbucks, and Coca-Cola, launching multiple projects to move packaging to reusable or recyclable formats, or utilizing higher levels of recycled and renewable content. She has a BS in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke.
Sessions
The Plastics Treaty: Next Steps on Negotiations
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmNavigating the Negotiations: An Update on the Global Plastics Treaty
2:04 PM - 2:24 PM -
Aly Khalifa
McDonough InnovationAly Khalifa is the Chief Technical Officer of McDonough Innovation and the COO of MBDC. These entities are built upon the pioneering thought-leadership of William McDonough, Time Magazine's "Hero for the Planet." The team at McDonough Innovation work with leading technologies and progressive brands to realize the latest advances in eco-effective solutions. Their work spans across creative scales: from corporate sustainability strategies to circular carbon metrics to innovative material development. Aly's team at MBDC works with clients to define products across supply chains and down to the molecule to assess their suitability to be Cradle to Cradle Certified®. This certification is recognized by Amazon as a top qualification for it's Climate Pledge Friendly program. Their clients include Ralph Lauren, Walmart, Unilever, SABIC, L'Oreal, Herman Miller and IFF. Prior to joining the McDonough companies, Aly led his own innovation consultancy for 27 years, working with top consumer brands to invent unique products and direct their manufacturing globally. His design collaborations have garnered more than 40 patents, been exhibited at the Louvre, and nominated for a Grammy. He is an Eisenhower Fellow and served as an Expert in Residence in Australia to mentor Impact Entrepreneurs. He has co-founded several positive impact companies including Oceanworks, a leading ocean plastic materials marketplace.
Sessions
Achieving and Scaling Cradle to Cradle Solutions
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Aly Bryan
Closed Loop PartnersAly is an Investor on the Closed Loop Ventures Group team –– the seed and pre-seed investment division of Closed Loop Partners focused on catalyzing innovations in the circular economy. She leads sourcing, diligence, transactions and portfolio management. Prior to joining Closed Loop Partners, Aly was an Engagement Manager in McKinsey & Company’s Sustainability and Energy practices. She has deep expertise in cross-value chain innovations and cutting–edge technologies supporting circular business models in advanced manufacturing, textiles, building products and consumer goods. Aly has supported companies ranging from early- and growth-stage startups to Fortune 50 enterprises with a focus on operations, investment and top-of-house strategy. Aly earned her Master’s from the London School of Economics and Political Science and her BA from Davidson College. Originally from the Midwest, Aly currently resides in New York City where her love for fresh pressed beet juice may have tipped the scales to an obsession.
Sessions
Funding the Future: Unlocking Circular Investments
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Alyssa Macy
Washington Conservation ActionAlyssaMacyChief Executive OfficerWashington Conservation ActionConnect viaAlyssa Macy (Wasco, Navajo, Hopi) is the CEO of Washington Conservation Action, a statewide environmental policy and advocacy organization with deep roots in the state. She is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon and was raised on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Prior to WCA, she served her Nation as the Chief Operations Officer where she was responsible for $33 million in tribal programming and services. Her previous experiences include working in transportation, campaign management, communications and international advocacy within United Nations bodies. She is a published writer and co-authored the first ever national report on Native American voting in 2005. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and spending time outdoors. She is a graduate of Arizona State University where she received her B.S. in Justice Studies.
Sessions
Learning from Indigenous Voices
4:30 pm - 5:30 pmA Special Welcome and Connecting to Place
1:30 PM - 1:38 PM -
Ambika Singh
ArmoireAmbika Singh is the founder and CEO of Armoire, a clothing rental membership for ambitious women. A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School, she held roles at Microsoft, Boston Consulting Group, and startups TravelPost and Rover before embarking on entrepreneurship. Ambika serves on the board of United Way King County, and has volunteered as Seattle Chapter Leader for Pratham USA, the largest NGO working to eradicate illiteracy in India. She has been featured on the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list, and was a finalist for GeekWire's Entrepreneur of the Year. Ambika is a sought-after speaker, and has been invited to share her story at Amazon, Microsoft, American Express, Harvard Business School, MIT, and the UW Foster School of Business.
Sessions
Policies, Partnerships and Progress: A Seattle Story
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Amelia Landers
StarbucksAmelia Landers is a VP of Business Strategy at Starbucks. She leads a team responsible for sustainable packaging, store equipment and productivity. In this role, she sets strategies to re-imagine Starbucks iconic cup and packaging, to achieve a bold aspiration to reduce waste by 50%. In addition, she leads the retail store equipment and production strategy to support product innovation and enable effortless and efficient barista craft.
Prior to this role, Amelia led the Starbucks beverage business, responsible for product innovation, go to market strategy and P&L. Prior to Starbucks, Amelia worked at Procter & Gamble in Brand Management, on the Gillette Blades and Razors business.
Amelia’s go to beverage every morning is a tall Americano, in a personal cup of course.
Sessions
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Amy Senter
Martin BrowerAmySenterGlobal Vice President, SustainabilityMartin BrowerAmy Senter is Global Vice President, Sustainability at Martin Brower. Before her time at WBCSD, Senter was the Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Kellogg Company. The company sells 1,000 products marketed in 180 countries, and is rated one of the most valuable food brands worldwide. After joining the company in 2012, she was promoted to various sustainability positions within the company, and in 2018, her duties expanded to lead Global Sustainability for Kellogg. In that role, Senter led global strategies to deliver the company’s responsible sourcing and natural resource conservation commitments across its supply chain, partnered with Kellogg’s R&D division to develop the company’s Wellbeing food design approach, and delivered new commercial opportunities. Senter also represented Kellogg in many multi-stakeholder initiatives and industry groups.Prior to joining the Kellogg Company, Senter worked for the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., where she led National Environmental Policy Act compliance for the Farm Service Agency. In that role, she oversaw the environmental law compliance across the USD $8 billion agency, and partnered with key programs and agencies on environmental protections and benefits.Senter earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Policy, both from the University of Michigan.
Sessions
Mastering Circular Metrics and Measurements
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Andrew Telfer
City Of GuelphSessions
Building a Regional, Circular Food System
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Andrew Lee
Seattle Public UtilitiesAndrewLeeCEO & General ManagerSeattle Public UtilitiesConnect viaAndrew Lee has worked for Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) for over 11 years and is currently the SPU General Manager / Chief Executive Officer (GM/CEO). Andrew has spent his entire 23-year career working on water, wastewater, and stormwater issues, with 17 of those years in local government for Seattle, San Francisco, and Bellevue. Andrew is regionally and nationally recognized for his expertise in water/wastewater regulations, smart water technology, and asset management. He is committed to delivering high quality utility services, maintaining affordable rates, and partnering with and serving the community with a focus on environmental justice. He is also passionate about developing high performance organizations through an emphasis on shared leadership, employee engagement, continuous improvement and diversity/equity/inclusion. Andrew has a bachelor’s and master’s degree, both from Stanford University.
Sessions
Policies, Partnerships and Progress: A Seattle Story
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Andrew McCue
MetabolicSessions
Building a Regional, Circular Food System
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Andrew Howley
Ask NatureSessions
Ecology 101: What Nature Can Teach Us
9:00 am - 10:00 amRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Andy Ruben
TroveAndyRubenFounder & Executive ChairmanTroveConnect viaAndy Ruben is the founder and executive chairman of Trove, the market leader in branded resale and trade-in for world-class brands and retailers such as Canada Goose, lululemon, Patagonia, REI, Levi’s, and more. Ruben has spent more than two decades pioneering change across retail, consumer products, and sustainability. Prior to starting Trove, he led a number of transformational efforts at Walmart, including serving as the first-ever chief sustainability officer and overseeing global corporate and ecommerce strategy.
Sessions
Navigating the Resale Explosion
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Anita Schwartz
WSP USAAnita is a Vice President for the Sustainability, Energy, and Climate Change group at WSP USA, bringing over 15 years of experience in sustainable business strategies to accelerate the achievement of net zero goals. As the domain lead for Circularity services at WSP USA, Anita leads a team supporting Fortune 500 clients, non-government organizations, and the public sector in embedding a just and equitable transition to a circular economy. At WSP, Anita partners with clients on waste mitigation, packaging redesign, and logistics improvements to advance material efficiency and carbon avoidance. She also lends her expertise to non-government organizations transitioning to durable and reusable packaging in the consumer goods industry. This work extends to standards development for packaging reuse, which builds on her decade plus at Waste Management Inc, where she led innovative business development solutions for solid waste, recycling, reverse logistics, and bio-based materials. Prior to Waste Management, Anita developed LEED-certified retail complexes, consulted on green building solutions, and created energy management strategies for commercial properties.Anita is currently a co-author and technical committee member for the UL 3600 Circular Economy Standard and has also served on the Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council: Sustainability and Efficiency Task Force. She is a LEED AP, TRUE Zero Waste Advisor, LEAN Six Sigma professional, and has a B.A in International Business from DePaul University.
Sessions
How to: Scaling Equitable Reverse Logistics
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Asha Agrawal
Tin Shed Ventures, PatagoniaAshaAgrawalManaging DirectorTin Shed Ventures, PatagoniaAsha is the Managing Director of Tin Shed Ventures, Patagonia's venture capital fund and corporate development group, through which she invests in regenerative agriculture, apparel innovation, and biodiversity, and runs Worn Wear, Patagonia's recommerce business.
Sessions
Navigating the Resale Explosion
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Ashima Sukhdev
City of SeattleAshimaSukhdevClimate Mitigation & Circular Economy Policy AdvisorCity of SeattleConnect viaSessions
The 2023 Reusies
9:00 am - 11:30 amPlace-Based Solutions: Co-Developing Equitable, Circular Economies
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Ashley Leidolf
Dow Inc.AshleyLeidolfSenior Marketing Manager, Value Chain & Sustainable PackagingDow Inc.Ashley has 17 years of experience bringing sustainable packaging solutions to market with some of the world’s most prominent brands. Prior to joining Dow in 2019, she gained diverse experiences from a variety of roles spanning both technical and commercial functions, from start-up to multi-national, in sustainable packaging and consumer goods product development. She led the development and launch of new packaging and technologies across 5 continents for companies including PepsiCo, Amcor, HAVI Global Solutions, and 915 Labs. Ashley received a DuPont Packaging Award, R&D 100 Award, Chairman’s Award, and a patent for her work on sustainable packaging at PepsiCo, and a Pinnacle Award for Marketing Excellence at Dow.
Currently, Ashley is the Sr. Marketing Manager for Value Chain Engagement for Circular Packaging at Dow. Her role focuses on increasing collaboration across the value chain to accelerate adoption of sustainable packaging solutions and to create circular ecosystems for plastic packaging. She also has responsibility for shaping the commercial strategy and introduction of Dow’s circular products made from advanced recycling processes. Ashley served on the Executive Committee of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition from 2019-2022.
Ashley holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and is a certified yoga and meditation instructor.
Sessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Ashley Hall
WalmartAshleyHallLead for Sustainable PackagingWalmartAshley Hall is the Lead for Sustainable Packaging at Walmart.
Sessions
Sponsored: Walmart's Circular Connector: Accelerating Packaging Innovations
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmAll In on Circular Connections: How Walmart is Catalyzing Packaging Innovations
11:10 AM - 11:20 AMU.S. Plastics Pact Sustainable Packaging Innovation Awards
11:20 AM - 11:23 AM -
Ben Stern
NohboBenSternCEONohboBen founded Nohbo as a passion project freshmen year of high school, after learning about the insanely destructive impacts of most single-use plastics. Nohbo made waves with an appearance on Shark Tank, and went on to secure a deal with Mark Cuban. Today, Ben leads a team of mission-driven beauty and personal care experts that are determined to rid the world of unnecessary plastics. They partner with CPG's and hotels to convert existing lines into patented podded solutions, collaboratively making products that melt away and leave no trace behind.
Sessions
Formulated Products: Inspiring Innovation Through Green Chemistry
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Benja Juster
GreenBiz GroupBenjaJusterDirector of Experiential, VERGEGreenBiz GroupConnect viaBenja Juster is an experiential leader who designs unforgettable experiences to spark a social dialogue and deepen human connection. As the Director of Experiential for VERGE, they create inspiring, empowering, and cohesive experiences that build community to accelerate solutions for the climate crisis.
Benja’s previous work includes leading experiential at Google, Apple, and Red Bull. They serve as a Creative Advisor for Take 3 Presents and previously served as a Technical Advisor for the Land Art Generator Initiative at Fly Ranch and Creative Consultant for the San Francisco Institute of Possibility.
Sessions
Guided Networking at Circularity 23
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Bethany Edwards
World Business Council for Sustainable DevelopmentSessions
Mastering Circular Metrics and Measurements
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Brad Sparks
The Prince's Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S)Brad Sparks is Executive Director of A4S (Accounting for Sustainability), part of The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation. He leads the US Chapter of the A4S CFO Leadership Network, supporting Fortune 500 CFOs and their finance teams in embedding sustainability into strategy and business decision-making. He also leads A4S activities across the US, including working with asset managers, asset owners and the wider finance community. Brad previously served as an Executive Director with KPMG focused on ESG issues. Brad is a lecturer at UCLA Anderson and an Executive-in-Residence at Cornell University’s Center for Global Sustainable Enterprise.
Sessions
Transition Finance: The Path From Carbon-Intensive to Carbon-Free
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Bridget Croke
Closed Loop PartnersBridgetCrokeManaging DirectorClosed Loop PartnersBridget Croke is a Managing Director and founding team member at Closed Loop Partners, an investment and innovation firm working to accelerate a more circular economy. Bridget has spent the last 20 years building movements to help drive a more sustainable economy – from the local food movement to the circular economy. This work has included a national campaign to improve quality of life with less consumption; building and executing campaign tools to move consumers to Buy Fresh, Buy Local; a start up turned growth company incentivizing consumers to recycle right and Purpose, a consultancy and incubator leveraging the tools of movement building to solve global challenges.
Sessions
Accelerate at Circularity 23
11:24 AM - 11:50 AM -
Bridget Allen
KadeyaSessions
How Water Can Flow in the Circular Economy
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Brittany Darras
BraskemSessions
The Promise of Partnership: Investing Together in Residential Recycling
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Bruce Harrell
City of SeattleBruce Harrell was born and raised in Seattle, worked as an attorney before serving on City Council, and is currently mayor – Seattle's first Asian American, first biracial, and second Black mayor. He grew up in Seattle’s redlined Central District, his African American father worked for the city’s electric utility and his Japanese American mother worked for the city’s library. Bruce graduated Garfield High School and then attended the University of Washington on a football scholarship, where he won a Rose Bowl and received a Bachelor of Arts in political science. He went on to earn a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law and worked as an attorney on technology issues and later public interest law.
Bruce was first elected to the Seattle City Council in 2007, re-elected twice, and twice elected City Council President by his peers. On Council, he was a leader racial equity, public safety reform, and economic and educational opportunity. In 2021, Bruce was elected mayor of Seattle on a commitment to address the homelessness crisis with urgency and compassion, to ensure public safety for all communities, and to restore trust, hope, and unity in local government and civic life. Bruce and his wife Joanne are proud to be the parents of three children and the grandparents to two grandchildren.
Sessions
Welcome from Mayor Bruce Harrell
10:34 AM - 10:42 AM -
Bryan Lewis
GreenBiz GroupBryanLewisProgram Manager I GreenBiz.orgGreenBiz GroupConnect viaBryan Lewis leads the Emerging Leaders program at GreenBiz.org, which elevates, cultivates and supports the next generation of Black, Indigenous and other leaders of color (BIPOC) in the climate community. His work connects underrepresented young professionals to global leaders in the sustainability industry and builds lasting connections that bridge the gap towards a diverse and well-resourced green workforce.
Prior to joining GreenBiz, Bryan served as Executive Director of EcoWorks Detroit where he led climate and energy education, building decarbonization, and local community organizing initiatives. He has a background in youth mentorship and career development and currently leads a network of emerging clean energy leaders in Michigan. Bryan received a Masters in Energy Science, Technology, and Policy from Carnegie Mellon University.Sessions
Tuesday Keynotes
10:30 am - 12:00 pm -
Bryan Walker
IDEOBryan Yuji Walker leads the organizational design portfolio at IDEO. He actively pursues new ways that designers can catalyze and support massive change of complex, human systems, and has worked with organizations in a diversity of industries (consumer electronics, health care, fashion, sports apparel, retail and hospitality, food and beverage and financial services). He is passionate about collaborating with organizations to design innovation strategies that build upon existing assets to meet future needs and goals—and ultimately support enterprise-wide transformation. He has a bias towards action, believing the best way to help an organization become more innovative is by working together to bring more innovative "products" to market.
Bryan’s work has been widely recognized. His innovative design research on a baby stroller was awarded the product design of the year by the Human Factors Ergonomic Society and was later featured in the Smithsonian. His work has also been written about in BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, USA Today and Fast Company.
In addition to his work at IDEO, Bryan is a core design team member for the Aspen Institute First Movers Fellowship Program. He also lectures at Cornell University, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and the California Center of Arts on the topics of design thinking, organizational design, consumer experience design and service design.Sessions
The Power of Play: Leveraging Joy and Creativity for Circular Solutions
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Bryce Hesterman
Resource Recycling SystemsBryce Hesterman: Bryce Hesterman is a Senior Consultant with over 15 years of experience in recycling operations, research and market development. Prior to joining RRS, he co-founded and operated a regional commercial recycling company where he had primary direction over the New York metro region business operations. Bryce has been a core member of RRS’ circular systems and infrastructure team, playing a key role in projects that involve developing infrastructure and markets for increasing material reuse, recovery and developing circular economies.
Sessions
Place-Based Solutions: Co-Developing Equitable, Circular Economies
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Bryony Clear Hill
International Council on Mining and MetalsBryonyClear HillManager – Standards, Reporting and Circular EconomyInternational Council on Mining and MetalsConnect viaBryony leads ICMM’s work on circular economy, working with many of the largest mining and metals companies in the world and a range of external stakeholders to drive action within the industry and across metal value chains. This work focusses on both identifying ways to make the mining process more circular, as well as ensuring that metals stay in use for as long as possible and never become waste. She also works on standards and reporting, including working with investors and downstream buyers of metals on the information they need to have confidence in their supply chains. She currently sits on the expert working group developing the new GRI Sector Standard for Mining. Bryony holds a BA in Geography from the University of Oxford and is a fellow of the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability.
Sessions
Recovering Critical Materials From E-Waste and the Untapped Urban Mine
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Caitlyn Holt
Elevate TextilesCaitlyn Holt is Director of Product Development and Innovation for Cone Denim in Greensboro, N.C. She leads Cone’s global product development team to research and develop denim innovations from the fiber to the roll of fabric. A proud third-generation Cone employee, Caitlyn has led Product Development, Merchandising, and Customer Service during her 10 years with the company. In 2022, Fashion Impact Fund, Lenzing and Worn Again Technologies asked Caitlyn to join a roundtable event at UN Headquarters to recognize World Circular Textiles Day. The mission is to make the textiles industry fully circular by 2050. Caitlyn earned a Master of Textiles and a Bachelor of Science in Fashion and Textile Management from North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles. She currently serves on the Dean’s Young Alumni Leadership Council and remains very involved in her alma mater.
Sessions
The Playbook for Textile-to-Textile Recycling
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Carmen Gama
Eileen Fisher Inc.CarmenGamaDirector of Circular DesignEileen Fisher Inc.Carol is the Senior Manager of Global Sustainability at The North Face, where her work spans all aspects of The North Face’s environmental footprint, from retail waste to regeneratively-grown raw materials. She oversees the brand’s sustainability initiatives and helps teams across the brand action on TNF’s sustainability strategy and goals. She is a textiles enthusiast and loves handcrafts. She co-founded Aggie Reuse Store, a creative reuse store at UC Davis. She has a BA and an MFA in Design from UC Davis and an MBA in Sustainable Management from Presidio Graduate School.
Sessions
Designing for Circularity from the Ground Up
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Carol Shu
The North FaceCarolShuSenior Manager, Global SustainabilityThe North FaceConnect viaCarol is the Senior Manager of Global Sustainability at The North Face, where her work spans all aspects of The North Face’s environmental footprint, from retail waste to regeneratively-grown raw materials. She oversees the brand’s sustainability initiatives and helps teams across the brand action on TNF’s sustainability strategy and goals. She is a textiles enthusiast and loves handcrafts. She co-founded Aggie Reuse Store, a creative reuse store at UC Davis. She has a BA and an MFA in Design from UC Davis and an MBA in Sustainable Management from Presidio Graduate School.
Sessions
Talking the Talk: Effective Communication Strategies
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Casey Paus
Stryker's Sustainability SolutionsCasey Paus is the director of brand marketing for Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions. His team is responsible for all commercialized products from commercial launch to obsolescence. Stryker’s Sustainability Solutions is a business unit within the greater Stryker corporation that specializes in medical device reprocessing. They partner with hospitals to reduce supply costs and further the circular economy by extending the useful life of single-use medical devices (SUDs). Casey has 15 years of industry experience and has spent the last 7 years striving to make healthcare more sustainable through his work at Stryker.
Sessions
The Carbon Saving Power of New Business Models
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Cassandra Palmer
AnthesisCassandra is an Associate Director with Anthesis Consulting Group and has 14 years of experience assisting companies along their sustainability journeys. Cassandra partners with clients to help them identify circularity opportunities, develop strategies, and implement programs. Cassandra has particular expertise in circular revenue models and sustainable products & packaging. Prior to Anthesis, Cassandra oversaw waste reduction and recycling programs for Best Buy, including the consumer-facing electronics take-back program. She also was a strategy and operations consultant for Deloitte Consulting. Cassandra holds an MBA from the University of Colorado and a BS in natural resources management from the University of Minnesota.
Sessions
The Carbon Saving Power of New Business Models
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Chad Bolick
UNIFISessions
The Playbook for Textile-to-Textile Recycling
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Chantal Emmanuel
LimeLoopChantalEmmanuelCTO, Co-FounderLimeLoopConnect viaChantal believes that leveraging the right technology at the right time has the power to solve problems in magical ways. Her career continually brings her to the intersection of technology, design, and social impact. Her decade in tech included being Lead Engineer at Red Clay Design, and most recently, she served as a Digital Strategist at the leading consulting firm, SYPartners, where she partnered with clients at a number of Fortune 100 companies, guiding them through their digital strategy. Today, as CTO and Co-Founder of LimeLoop, she oversees the digital and hardware component's development of LimeLoop's smart shippers, working to replace the 165B single-use cardboard and plastic packaging.
Sessions
Circling Net Zero: Emission Reductions with Circular Strategies
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Charlie Schwarze
Circular Action AllianceCharlieSchwarzeBoard ChairCircular Action AllianceConnect viaSessions
Exploring EPR: The State Policy Landscape
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Chastity McLeod
NestleSessions
Charting the Path to Circular Packaging
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Chelsey Evans
EtsyChelseyEvansDirector of Sustainability StrategyEtsyConnect viaSessions
Redesigning with Reduction-Driven Packaging Strategies
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Cheryl Lam
WalmartCheryl has been leading sustainable packaging for Walmart Private Brands for 3+ years. She brings 20 years of experience from Unilever with a focus on material and product innovation. She partners with suppliers to identify viable options to drive Walmart’s Regenerative commitments.
Sessions
Sponsored: Data Drives the Future of Packaging
4:00 pm - 5:00 pmSponsored: Walmart's Circular Connector: Accelerating Packaging Innovations
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Chris Bross
iFixitSessions
Repairability v. Durability: Building Electronics that Last
4:30 pm - 5:30 pmRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Chris McFarlane
StarbucksSessions
Building the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Chris Davidson
WestRockChrisDavidsonSessions
Redesigning with Reduction-Driven Packaging Strategies
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Chris Wirth
AMP RoboticsChrisWirthVice President, Corporate AffairsAMP RoboticsConnect viaChris Wirth is vice president of corporate affairs for AMP Robotics. Wirth oversees corporate communications, government and regulatory affairs, and industry partnerships. Wirth brings more than 25 years of business-to-business (B2B) experience at companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies in the technology, sustainability, and government sectors. Prior to AMP, he held roles in marketing at Flex Ltd (NASDAQ: FLEX) incubating an internal renewable energy start-up and was vice president of marketing for Spruce Finance (formerly Clean Power Finance), a solar energy financier. Before his time at Spruce, Wirth held B2B marketing and channel development roles at two renewable energy start-ups where he led go-to-market functions for market expansion of solar energy technology and project development in government and commercial sectors. He also managed international and government channel development for a subsidiary of defense giant BAE Systems plc (LSE: BA) and led channel strategy and market analytics for Interline Brands (acquired by Home Depot), a national distributor of building and construction supplies. Wirth served as an analyst for VML (now VMLY&R, a WPP plc company), a global marketing and communications agency, working with clients ranging from Bayer to Intuit. Wirth started his career in the semiconductor and aerospace sector. Wirth holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from San Jose State University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Florida.
Sessions
Sponsored: Disrupting the Plastics Value Chain: New Innovations Changing the Status Quo
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Christina Binkley
The Wall Street JournalSessions
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Christina Boyd
PrintpackSessions
Cutting through the Chemical Recycling Noise
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Ciara May
RebundleCiara Imani May, Founder, and CEO of Rebundle, is creating space for Black women in clean beauty with the first U.S -made plant-based hair extensions brand. Ciara's combined passion for sustainability and understanding of health disparities in personal care products inspired the vision for Rebundle's first product, braidbetter.
Sessions
Accelerate at Circularity 23
11:24 AM - 11:50 AM -
Cody Marshall
The Recycling PartnershipSessions
The Promise of Partnership: Investing Together in Residential Recycling
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Colleen Ecohawk
Eighth GenerationColleen Echohawk is a born organizer, change-maker, and leader. Her experiences as anIndigenous woman, small business owner, community organizer, and executive leader informher efforts in building a community of justice and reconciliation.An enrolled member of the Kithehaki Band of the Pawnee Nation and a member of the UpperAthabascan people of Mentasta Lake, Colleen is proud to have called Seattle home for over twodecades. She is a champion for change, igniting successful coalitions to bring about positiveshifts in Seattle’s housing, homelessness, racial justice, sustainability, and public safety issues.Colleen is committed to service. As the Executive Director at the Chief Seattle Club, Colleen ledthe effort to create nearly $100 million in new affordable housing in Seattle and oversaw thebest rapid rehousing success program in the county. At the Seattle Community PoliceCommission, Colleen worked to address the systemic racism in our criminal justice system.Colleen is the co-founder of the Equatible Recovery and Reconciliation Alliance and the founderof the National Coalition to End Urban Indigenous Homelessness.In her latest role as the CEO of Native lifestyle brand Eighth Generation, Colleen is using herconnections and business acumen to take the small business global. Through an artist-centricapproach and positive outlook, the brand is poised under Colleen’s leadership to shareauthentic, Native-designed art and home goods with an international audience eager forethically made products.In her spare time, Colleen loves to watch Netflix originals, belt Beyonce with friends at karaoke,take her dog Rizzo for long walks, and bake for her friends and family.Awards and Public Service:She is recognized as one of Seattle’s most influential people by Seattle Magazine and SeattleMet Magazine (2018-2021). Colleen is proud to have received the King County Martin LutherKing Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service (2020), the Adeline Ga
Sessions
Learning from Indigenous Voices
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Cory Connors
Orora Packaging SolutionsSessions
Pushing the Pedal on 2025 Packaging Goals
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Cory VanLoocke
Ring Container TechnologiesSessions
Pushing the Pedal on 2025 Packaging Goals
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Crystal Bayliss
U.S. Plastics PactSessions
Redesigning with Reduction-Driven Packaging Strategies
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Cynthia Power
MOLTE VOLTECynthia is a circular-programs expert with 15 years of experience. She previously managed EILEEN FISHER Renew for many years before working at tech-resale startup Recurate. She now works independently, helping brands, industry groups and investment funds to understand and navigate the circular landscape, including building and scaling resale and reuse programs. She (like most of us) is passionate about the high quality, durable goods that already exist and how we can prolong their useful lives.
Sessions
Navigating the Resale Explosion
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Danielle Jezienicki
Grove CollaborativeDanielleJezienickiVice President of SustainabilityGrove CollaborativeConnect viaDanielle Jezienicki is the Vice President of Sustainability for Grove Collaborative, the leading digital-first brand & ecommerce platform for natural home and personal care products, and the world's first plastic-neutral retailer. A certified B Corp, Grove serves hundreds of thousands of households in the U.S. every month. At Grove, Danielle manages Grove's sustainability program, advocacy and corporate giving.
Prior to Danielle’s current role at Grove, Danielle was the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSI) where she supervised ESG reporting and sustainability initiatives for the Company and its West Coast brands including Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, Williams-Sonoma, Rejuvenation and Mark & Graham. Long inspired by the possibilities of sustainability-first consciousness provide, she was an Impact Analyst for four years at Sonen Capital, an investment firm that prioritizes socio-environmental outcomes in conjunction with financial returns. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Management at Presidio Graduate School and BA from Brown University.
Sessions
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Danielle Nkojo
Ralph LaurenDanielleNkojoSustainability Lead, Product and CircularityRalph LaurenConnect viaAs Sustainability Lead, Product and Circularity at Ralph Lauren, Danielle directs the implementation of the company’s circularity strategy, including circular product development, creating circular experiences, and assessing innovations for circularity potential. Danielle has worked with other major corporations where she managed the transition to more sustainable materials and processes. Danielle has also worked inside municipal and federal government agencies for over a decade with roles in sustainable materials management, waste diversion, and land remediation for local governments including Sustainable DC, and the US EPA.
Danielle holds a Juris Doctor from Vermont Law School with a focus in Environmental Law, a BA in Economics from Pace University and is a certified TRUETM Zero Waste Advisor.
Sessions
Achieving and Scaling Cradle to Cradle Solutions
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Danii Mcletchie
Carnicycle LLCDanii is a creative, believer, and Sustainability professional with a track record of leadership and entrepreneurship. A graduate of Howard University's School of Engineering, Danii started her sustainability career working at corporations such as Watts Water Technology and Campbell's Soup Company. At Watts Water, Danii facilitated program and project management of new and existing sustainability initiatives for 16 manufacturing plants across North America. While at Campbell's Soup Company, Danii managed multimillion-dollar sustainability projects as a manufacturing engineer and launched a sustainability engagement team to promote best sustainability practices to hourly employees and plant leadership. Danii is also a co-founder of Carnicycle, a social enterprise that provides waste management solutions, environmental training, and sustainability best practices to Caribbean industry stakeholders. Danii has been recognized for her work and achievements, including being nominated for the Island Innovation Award, being a UNDP Green Fund Finalist, and receiving the Best Sustainability Business Pitch from MicroPitch.In addition to her professional work, Danii is a Sustainable Fashion Ambassador for Re/Make and a freelance consultant helping small businesses and startups improve their green operations. She holds certifications in Lean Six Sigma and UNDP Sustainable Project Management and is committed to promoting sustainability and environmental awareness in underserved communities through her faith.
Sessions
Talking the Talk: Effective Communication Strategies
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Darla Arians
Colorado Department of Public Health and EnvironmentSessions
The Promise of Partnership: Investing Together in Residential Recycling
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Dave Bennink
Building Deconstruction InstituteDave Bennink is the founder of the Reuse Innovation Centers, Director of the Building Deconstruction Institute, and owner of Re-Use Consulting. He has existed within the circular economy for over 30 years, and has trained and worked with sustainable groups in 44 states/4 provinces/13 countries, helping start 80 new circular businesses. He has diverted over 100,000,000 pounds from landfills, keeping that material in circulation and avoiding the need to harvest over 10,000 acres of standing forest among other benefits. He focuses on growing the circular economy, embodied carbon/energy, helping lower-income homeowners, ’green-collar’ job creation, historic preservation, and advancing the various material reuse industries throughout North America. He is an expert in building deconstruction, and helps with these efforts throughout North America, including the leading effort in Portland, OR. Long term planning is underway for 6 Reuse Innovation Centers, where these ‘business cooperatives’ salvage, store, market, and sell reclaimed materials, repair items, recycle, and re-manufacture products and even salvage and sell mature landscaping from job sites. His equity efforts with clients revolve around being thankful that women, people of color, and women of color are willing to help him help the community and the planet. His perspective is that they are helping him as much as he is helping them, and that is just a glimpse of what a sustainable future looks like. Finally, Dave Bennink started the ‘Building Deconstruction Institute’ to focus on building the circular economy throughout the world, and to train up the industry to be successful by making a positive impact on communities and the environment.
Sessions
Keeping Buildings in the Loop with Circular Deconstruction
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
David Cutler
Nutshell CoolersSessions
The Leading Edge: How Consumer Behavior Change Drives Business Opportunity
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmAccelerate at Circularity 23
11:24 AM - 11:50 AM -
David Hirschler
ERIDavidHirschlerSenior Director of Sustainability & Legislative ComplianceERIDynamic Program Manager with 10+ years' achievement in the environmental management/sustainability space. Bilingual (English and Spanish) leader adept at building innovative partnerships and rolling-out programs that increase public awareness and engagement. Holds Master of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.
Sessions
The Circular Electronics Roadmap: Two Years In
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
DeLaine Mayer
GenecisAs Head of Partner Success at Genecis Bioindustries, DeLaine Mayer develops scalable solutions for plastic pollution reduction and food waste mitigation, enabling partners to achieve their sustainability and climate impact goals. DeLaine’s previous work in the energy sector contributed to the development of multimillion-dollar distributed energy projects in the United States, Mexico, and Jamaica and her work in the Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) industry is advancing the development and deployment of bioplastics technology to engender more sustainable supply chains. DeLaine holds an M.S. from New York University in Global Affairs and Energy/Environmental Policy and an M.S. in Space Resources from Colorado School of Mines.
Sessions
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Dennis Wilson
Saint-Gobain Circular Economy Solutions NADennisWilsonVP, ESG & Managing DirectorSaint-Gobain Circular Economy Solutions NAConnect viaDennis is the Vice President of Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) for Saint-Gobain in North America, the parent company of CertainTeed and also the Managing Director of Saint-Gobain Circular Economy Solutions, a new venture focused on circularity in the built environment. Dennis joined CertainTeed/Saint-Gobain in 2007 and has since worked in a variety of operational EHS, product stewardship and sustainability roles. Dennis’ teams manage Saint-Gobain North America’s ESG programs as well as process & product sustainability efforts including waste, water, energy, greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy and product life cycle assessments.Dennis holds a BS in Applied Environmental Health & Safety Sciences (Safety Sciences) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Environmental Protection & Safety Management from St. Joseph’s University, an MBA from LaSalle University, and a certificate in Sustainable Engineering from Villanova University. Prior to his time at CertainTeed/Saint-Gobain, Dennis held a variety of operations, quality, and regulatory positions in the pharmaceutical, and paper and plastics industries. Dennis is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC), Circular Philadelphia and ecomedes.
Sessions
Built Environment Innovators Showcase: Breaking New Ground
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Destana Herring
Regeneration.VCDestana is an Associate at Regeneration.VC where he has worked since the firm's inception, performing key functions across investment analysis, marketing strategy, operations, and platform development. As an Analyst, Destana helped diligence and underwrite the fund’s initial investments spanning carbon capture, deep tech, AI/ML-driven recommerce and apparel. Previously, Destana analyzed impact investment opportunities at Avivar Capital, an institutional capital and foundation-focused RIA.
In 2021, Destana graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in Economics and relevant coursework in entrepreneurship, environmental economics, finance, and sustainable development. With the Harvard College Impact Investing Group, he researched existing venture philanthropic models, studied DEI strategies in private capital markets, and developed the building blocks for a student-managed impact investment fund vehicle. Destana currently resides in San Diego, CA.
Sessions
Gen Z's Role in Shaping the Circular Economy
2:31 PM - 2:51 PM -
Devin Giles
International PaperDevinGilesManager, Renewable SolutionsInternational PaperConnect viaDevin manages sustainability projects at International Paper, the world's leading manufacturer of pulp, paper, and fiber-based packaging products. Devin works across IP’s business groups and functional areas to create, lead and execute strategies that support International Paper's vision of being among the most successful, sustainable, and responsible companies in the world. Devin has an MBA from Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business, where she concentrated in Sustainability & Strategic Leadership, and earned a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability Management & Policy.
Sessions
When to Leverage Biobased Materials
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Doug Pilgrim
Davies OfficeSessions
Circling Net Zero: Emission Reductions with Circular Strategies
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Dylan de Thomas
The Recycling PartnershipDylande ThomasVP of Public Policy & Government AffairsThe Recycling PartnershipConnect viaDylan de Thomas is Vice President of Industry Collaboration for The Recycling Partnership, working with the team there to increase both the quantity and quality of the curbside collected recyclables across the U.S. Previous to joining the Partnership, he worked for Resource Recycling for a decade, directing and producing content for three publications and three conferences covering various aspects of the recycling industry. Now, when he isn’t indulging his hobby of recycling container photography he can be found with his family and an assortment of domestic animals at their home in Portland, Oregon.
Sessions
Exploring EPR: The State Policy Landscape
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Dylan Siegler
GreenBiz GroupDylanSieglerSVP, SustainabilityGreenBiz GroupConnect viaDylan has spent nearly two decades building better environmental and social impacts in the nonprofit and public sectors and the Fortune 500. Prior to GreenBiz, she was a lead strategist on the social innovation team at Verizon, where she introduced climate justice as a core element of the company’s climate approach and worked to address the rural digital divide. Formerly, at power company NRG, she developed climate and water strategy, and helped conceive and launch a consultancy to help commercial customers navigate climate action, resilience, clean energy, and energy efficiency.
She now applies her experience in the field to lead and build upon GreenBiz’s offerings for sustainability professionals, working to support, drive, and lift up sustainability practice in business. A former music journalist, she lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Sessions
Up to Speed: Workforce Training for the Circular Economy
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Ed Haedt
Amcor Flexibles North America HealthcareEd has 38 years in flexible packaging. With a degree in chemistry, his career began in R&D with the development of new packaging materials to provide the needed shelf life for perishable food products while also meeting the needs of retailers and consumers. Many of these early packaging material developments were driven by customer’s who had goals to move away from materials that had a poor reputation for sustainability. The second half of Ed’s career has been in the healthcare packaging industry (pharma, medical device, and consumer health) where he has been more focused on commercial aspects of the business with various leadership assignments in marketing, product management, pricing, strategy development, M&A, and business development. Throughout his career, he has always had a passion towards finding new solutions that have substantially better sustainability versus incumbent options.
Sessions
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Elizabeth Chamberlain
iFixitSessions
Forged for Fixing: Crafting a Repair Culture
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Elizabeth Bridges
OurCarbonElizabeth is a Founder of OurCarbon, a startup developing applications and markets for the sequestered biogenic carbon fixed from underutilized organic waste streams that have undergone an advanced pyrolysis process. Elizabeth and the OurCarbon team are focused on pairing unique waste streams and processing conditions with specific roles in supply chains that result in a reduction of the fossil-derived and virgin material inputs in the final product. OurCarbon is currently being utilized in the apparel, printing, footwear, furniture and building material industries.
Sessions
Circling Net Zero: Emission Reductions with Circular Strategies
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Elizabeth Nichols, PhD
U.S. Department of StateSessions
The Plastics Treaty: Next Steps on Negotiations
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmNavigating the Negotiations: An Update on the Global Plastics Treaty
2:04 PM - 2:24 PM -
Elizabeth Start
Start Consulting GroupElizabeth Chin Start is the founder of Start Consulting Group LLC, a Milwaukie-based business. Her career has spanned local government, private industry, nonprofit, and consulting, with a focus on the circular economy and materials management. Start Consulting Group works to weave equity and justice into the circular economy. Elizabeth is also a reuse artist and advocate.
Sessions
Place-Based Solutions: Co-Developing Equitable, Circular Economies
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Ellie Moss
PerpetualAs the Executive Director of Perpetual, Ellie is focused on facilitating the transition to the reuse economy, starting with foodware in smaller US cities. Ellie has been working on solutions to the plastic waste problem since she was the lead author for Sea of Opportunity in 2017. Since then her work has included 'The Dirty Truth about Disposable Foodware,' commissioned by The Overbrook Foundation, and the development of the Living Landscape of Reusable Solutions (www.reuselandscape.org), also commissioned with Overbrook in partnership with The Plastics Solutions Fund. Other work includes Reducing Plastic Pollution: Campaigns That Work (www.campaignsthatwork.org), advising Morgan Stanley on their Plastic Waste Resolution, and working with the Reusable Packaging Association. Ellie began her work as a strategy consultant with The Boston Consulting Group in 2005 and spent six years with Blu Skye Sustainability Consulting working with companies such as Walmart, Nestle Purina, Energizer, and Microsoft. Ellie has a dual degree in Economics and Public Policy from Brown University and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Sessions
Building the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Emily McGarvey
Room & BoardEmilyMcGarveyDirector Of SustainabilityRoom & BoardEmily McGarvey is the Director of Sustainability at Room & Board. She is responsible for implementing social and environmentally-sound strategies that further advance Room & Board's mission of delivering built-to-last furniture through sustainable practices that prioritize American craftsmanship. Emily brings 20 years of experience spearheading social and environmental strategies with a focus on product, supply chain, operations, and branding. As Target's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, she played an integral role in developing the corporation's sustainability program, rolling out enterprise-wide initiatives including the company's chemical management and transparency policy and their Car Seat Trade-In program. In 2018, she founded Star Impact Consulting, where she provided purpose-driven strategy and branding for both for-profit and nonprofit business sectors such as Apparel Impact Institute.Before leading social and environmental initiatives, Emily held various roles in buying, sourcing, and product development where she drove positive financial results through global product management, category management, financial analysis, vendor negotiation, market & trend analysis, and cross functional teams.Emily received her Bachelor of Arts from Concordia College where she studied business and English writing.
Sessions
What about Wood: Collaboration for Circular Lumber
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Emily Roberts
RubiconSessions
Charting the Path to Circular Packaging
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Emily Tipaldo
U.S. Plastics PactWith more than a decade of experience with plastics, recycling, and materials management, Emily brings her skills of stakeholder engagement, industry expertise, and passion for reducing climate change to the U.S. Plastics Pact. The U.S. Plastics Pact is an ambitious initiative led by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to unify diverse public-private stakeholders across the plastics value chain to rethink the way we design, use, and reuse plastics, to create a path toward a circular economy for plastic in the United States. Through previous work with the research and consulting company MORE Recycling and the Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council, Emily built incredible knowledge and value chain connections that support her work today as Executive Director of the U.S. Plastics Pact.
Sessions
Pushing the Pedal on 2025 Packaging Goals
9:00 am - 11:30 amAll In on Circular Connections: How Walmart is Catalyzing Packaging Innovations
11:10 AM - 11:20 AMU.S. Plastics Pact Sustainable Packaging Innovation Awards
11:20 AM - 11:23 AM -
Emma Stone
Good Things FoundationDr Emma Stone is Director of Evidence and Engagement at Good Things Foundation - the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity. Good Things runs the National Digital Inclusion Network, National Databank, and an exciting, emerging circular electronics initiative: the National Device Bank. Emma also leads on the Data Poverty Lab, Minimum Digital Living Standards, and Health and Wellbeing Alliance for Good Things Foundation. Website: www.goodthingsfoundation.org
Sessions
The Circular Electronics Roadmap: Two Years In
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Emma Segal
Disrupt DesignSessions
Up to Speed: Workforce Training for the Circular Economy
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Eric Faurot
GreenBiz GroupEricFaurotCEOGreenBiz GroupEric Faurot leads GreenBiz Group, the leading B2B media company amplifying sustainable innovation. In this role he is responsible for the overall strategy and growth of the company. Previously he managed and produced some of the most influential technology events, including COMDEX, INTEROP, Black Hat and Web 2.0. Most recently he grew the technology division of UBM from $38 million to $63 million in three years.
Sessions
Welcome
10:30 am - 10:40 am -
Erin Simon
World Wildlife FundErinSimonVice President, Plastic Waste and BusinessWorld Wildlife FundConnect viaErin works to drive positive change across industries by leading WWF’s packaging and material science program. Key to conservation is the overall protection of the planet’s natural resources, and packaging plays a vital role in that.
Through her efforts, she works with business and industry to help them make informed, sustainable material choices for their products and packaging. Her work focuses on the major commodities that go into packaging, which come in many different forms and materials, and how to integrate sustainability into the decisions and trade-offs that must be evaluated across a product’s lifecycle.
Erin works with companies to strategically address their packaging work streams by focusing on developing transparency in the supply chain for the major packaging materials and pursuing strategies that reduce the environmental impact of these materials through responsible sourcing.
Prior to joining WWF, Erin worked at Hewlett Packard for 10 years as a packaging engineer responsible for the design and implementation of laser jet printer and media packaging. Her expertise is in material science, design innovation, procurement, manufacturing, and logistical and point of purchase aspects of packaging.Sessions
The 2023 Reusies
9:00 am - 11:30 amThe Plastics Treaty: Next Steps on Negotiations
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmNavigating the Negotiations: An Update on the Global Plastics Treaty
2:04 PM - 2:24 PM -
Erin Gately
Iron MountainAs Circular Economy Manager at Iron Mountain, Erin is redefining “waste” from one system as “input” to other systems and processes in support of a circular economy. She works to discover and innovate new circular pathways for materials and encourages circular products and business models at Iron Mountain. Erin is a 20+ year sustainability professional with an MBA in sustainable business practices who has worked at a small non-profit in addition to multiple Fortune 1000 companies. Her focus is to provide value as a cross-functional bridge in the design of circular economy systems and her professional passion is influencing organizations to overcome roadblocks to collaborate toward a circular economy.
Sessions
The Circular Electronics Roadmap: Two Years In
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Eva Gladek
MetabolicEvaGladekFounder & CEOMetabolicConnect viaEva Gladek is the founder and CEO of Metabolic, a consulting, research, and venture building firm focused on tackling global sustainability challenges and advancing a circular economy. Eva founded Metabolic in 2012 with the mission of transitioning the global economy to a fundamentally sustainable and circular state. Metabolic provides strategies and tools, crunches data, creates new technologies, builds pilots and scales up innovations. Headquartered in Amsterdam, Metabolic has an international and interdisciplinary team working with governments, businesses, and non-profits around the world.Eva holds a Master’s in Industrial Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor’s in Molecular Biology from Amherst College. In her years of consulting work and concept development, she has advised hundreds of organizations, ranging from progressive cities to global NGOs, and industry leaders in nearly every economic sector. She is an expert in technical environmental management techniques and has developed a number of frameworks for systems thinking, the circular economy and sustainable design. She is consistently listed among the top influencers in sustainability in the Netherlands, a country recognized as leading the transition to the circular economy.
Sessions
Funding the Future: Unlocking Circular Investments
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Evelyn Ritter
Toxnot by 3EAs Senior Solutions Engineer at Toxnot, a 3E company, Evelyn applies technology to simplify the complex world of supply chain compliance, sustainability and human labor for manufacturers and customers. She has collaborated with a variety of compliance, sustainability, and circularity initiatives, including serving on the committees for the Health Product Declaration, Product Circularity Data Sheet, and USGBC. Prior to Toxnot, she worked in product stewardship for the furniture manufacturer Herman Miller, as well as helping commercialize a screening technique for PFAS chemicals.
Sessions
Toxic-Free Textiles: The Path to Eliminating PFAS
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Gabriella Smith
Upcycle ProjectGabriella Smith is the founder of Upcycle Project, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the waste generated by the fashion industry. Through her innovative workshops, mentorship programs, and inspiring TEDx Talks, Gabriella has emerged as a leading voice in promoting circular solutions. Her passion for sustainable fashion and responsible production has led her to create disruptive events and products that challenge traditional approaches.As a conscious observer, Gabriella is committed to advancing textile waste management, sustainable sourcing, and ethical production as the future of fashion.
Sessions
Material Innovators Showcase: Bringing Circularity into the Fold
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Garry Cooper
Rheaply, Inc.GarryCooperCEORheaply, Inc.Connect viaDr. Cooper is a Scholar at Google for Entrepreneurs and an Adjust Assistant Professor at Northwestern University Department of Physiology. Before Rheaply, Dr. Cooper was a Senior Consultant at Ernst & Young, LLP in the Life Science Advisory practice where he worked in performance improvement and supply chain for biopharmaceutical clients.
Sessions
Keeping Buildings in the Loop with Circular Deconstruction
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Gayatri Keskar, PhD
Material ConneXionDr. Gayatri Keskar is a trusted advisor to some of the world's most recognized brands, arming them with bestsustainable practices from concept to production. She has a deep understanding of the landscape of materialinnovation, expertise in product development, and a passion for identifying holistic approaches for harmonizingmaterials, processes, and technologies to address pressing industry challenges and meet the market's shiftingdemands.Throughout her career, Dr. Keskar has led cross-functional teams and fostered collaborations with keystakeholders across academic, corporate, and government organizations to advance the consumer goods industry with purpose-driven innovation.She is a Fast Company Executive board member and the Vice President of Research at Material ConneXion,where she offers strategic resource management and cross-industry insights to start-ups and Fortune 100/500companies, like NBCUniversal, Nike, Microsoft, Ford, Hunter Douglas, and Estée Lauder, enabling thedevelopment of positive impact products and experiences.
Sessions
When to Leverage Biobased Materials
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Gene Eidelman
Azure Printed Homes, Inc.Gene Eidelman is a cofounder of Azure Printed Homes. Azure is fundamentally changing the construction industry by 3D printing homes with recycled polymers 70% faster and 30% less expensive than current construction methods with positive environmental impact. Gene immigrated to Los Angeles from Ukraine. He was recognized for resettling 6,000 refugees from the former Soviet Union, and appeared on Oprah Winfrey Show. He also served on boards of numerous non-profit educational organizations in the US, India, and the UK. He holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and is working on a Ph.D. in sustainable construction.
Sessions
Accelerate at Circularity 23
11:24 AM - 11:50 AM -
Geoffrey Inch
Braskem -
Georgia Sherwin
Closed Loop PartnersSessions
The 2023 Reusies
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Gerrine Pan
RidwellGerrine Pan is the VP of Partnerships at Ridwell. She is a serial entrepreneur-turned-climate enthusiast. At Ridwell she focuses on creating new end market solutions for hard-to-recycle household items such as multi-layer plastic film. Gerrine has an MBA from Harvard Business School and resides in the Bay Area.
Sessions
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Gillian Garside-Wight
Aura ConsultantsGill leads Aura's consulting offer, with over 25 years’ experience in the packaging industry, strategically developing packaging strategies, roadmaps, and packaging solutions to meet the needs of clients, consumers and the plant. She has worked with many global retailers and household brands on projects spanning sustainability and innovation to supply chain optimisation. With a real passion for sustainability, her quest is to educate, influence and drive a circular economy wherever possible while complementing creativity, technical functionality, and commercial realities.
Sessions
Sponsored: Data Drives the Future of Packaging
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Harry Tannenbaum
MillHarry Tannenbaum is the President and co-founder of Mill. Mill has built an entirely new system to prevent waste, starting with food. The company has created a practical and impactful way to take steps at home that are good for your kitchen and our planet.Prior to Mill, Harry led the centralized analytics group and ecommerce business at Nest, the first machine learning thermostat and the leading brand for the connected home. During his time at Nest, Harry helped to scale the business to more than $1B in annual revenue, leading to its acquisition by Google, where he was a director in Google’s hardware organization focused on ecommerce and subscription offerings. Before Nest, Harry briefly worked at an investment bank, before deciding he wanted to work in climate. He received his bachelor’s degree in Economics from UCLA.
Sessions
Circling Net Zero: Emission Reductions with Circular Strategies
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Heather McKenney
ChemFORWARDHeather is a public health toxicology and product safety specialist. Her work is primarily focused on reducing the burden of disease in populations through thoughtful formulation and standard setting. She is Safer Chemistry Lead at ChemFORWARD, a science-based, non-profit value chain collaboration aimed at advancing safer chemistry. Previously, she led Toxicology and Product Safety at The Honest Company, a beauty/personal care, diaper, wellness, and home care CPG company based in Los Angeles.
Sessions
Formulated Products: Inspiring Innovation Through Green Chemistry
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Heather Clancy
GreenBiz GroupHeatherClancyEditorial DirectorGreenBiz GroupHeather Clancy, vice president and editorial director at GreenBiz, specializes in chronicling the role of technology in enabling corporate climate action and transitioning to a clean, inclusive and regenerative economy. An award-winning journalist, she started her journalism career on the business desk of United Press International, and her articles have appeared in Entrepreneur, Fortune, The International Herald Tribune and The New York Times.
Clancy was the launch editor for the Fortune Data Sheet, the magazine's newsletter dedicated to the business of technology. She co-authored the Amazon best-seller for entrepreneurs, "Niche Down, How to Become Legendary By Being Different." She is proud to serve on the boards of the WSLA Alumnae Group, a mentorship organization dedicated to nurturing feminine leadership in the corporate sustainability movement, and EcoAthletes, a collective of collegiate, professional and amateur athletes dedicate to using their voices to surface solutions to climate change.
Sessions
Recovering Critical Materials From E-Waste and the Untapped Urban Mine
9:00 am - 11:30 amShining a Light on Frontline Communities
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmTrack and Trace: Navigating the Enabling Tech Landscape
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Helen Kao
StarbucksHelen Kao is a group manager in Sustainable Packaging at Starbucks, focusing on Reusables. In this role, she develops strategy, tools and best practices to establish and grow Reusables across global markets, in support of Starbucks environmental goals of cutting climate, water and waste footprints in half by 2030. Helen holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Sessions
The 2023 Reusies
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Holli Alexander
EastmanHolliAlexanderStrategic Initiatives Manager, Global SustainabilityEastmanAs strategic initiatives manager in Eastman’s Global Sustainability Organization, Holli Alexander helps translate the complexity of sustainability into tangible and actionable efforts.
For the last 10 years, she has focused on plastics, recycling and sustainability. In 2012, Holli launched and led the Full-Wrap Label Consortium, a group founded by Eastman to address the challenges recycling PET bottles that use shrink labels. She represents Eastman in a variety of external organizations including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s CE100. She serves on the Sustainability Advisory Board for PLASTICS and is leading an emerging work group there exploring chemical recycling technologies.
Holli was born and raised in Indiana and received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indiana University.
Sessions
Cutting through the Chemical Recycling Noise
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Irene Martinetti
WBCSDIreneMartinettiManager, Circular EconomyWBCSDIrene leads the Circular Transition Indicators work at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Developed for business, by business, the Circular Transition Indicators (CTI) are paving the way for effective management and scale-up of circularity by business organizations of all sectors and sizes, globally. A Columbia University graduate, she's a circular economy enthusiast with experience in a variety of sustainability topics.
Sessions
Mastering Circular Metrics and Measurements
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Jake Mitchell
GreenBiz GroupJakeMitchellStartup Programs ManagerGreenBiz GroupConnect viaJake Mitchell manages the Accelerate program at GreenBiz, which includes searching and selecting startups to participate in VERGE programming. He also collaborates on event design, strategy, and content to grow GreenBiz’s innovation ecosystem.
Prior to GreenBiz, Jake worked across various industries including film & podcast production, sales & marketing for early stage startups, and non profits in renewable energy and economic development.
Currently, Jake is pursuing his MBA in Sustainability at Bard College. Outside of work, you can find him in the woods playing disc golf, upside down in a handstand, or following the whims of his golden retriever.
Sessions
Accelerate at Circularity 23
11:24 AM - 11:50 AM -
James Alan Parker
Oregon Native American ChapterSessions
Learning from Indigenous Voices
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Jared Blanton
Antenna GroupSessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Jason Hawkins
ReusablesSessions
Building the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Jason Pelz
Tetra PakJasonPelzVice President, Sustainability, U.S., Canada, Central America and CarribeanTetra PakConnect viaJason Pelz is Vice President of Sustainability for Tetra Pak in the United States, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean. Jason and his team work with a range of stakeholders across various geographies to advance Tetra Pak’s global sustainability ambitions, including growing recycling and collection of post-consumer cartons, and reducing climate impact across the value chain. Jason also serves as Vice President of Recycling Projects for Carton Council of North America, where he works with food and beverage brand owners, local municipalities and communities, and other third parties such as recyclers and paper mills to increase the availability of carton recycling in the U.S. and Canada.
Sessions
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Jason Brown
MicrosoftJason Brown is the leader of the Design for Service & Repair (DSR) team for Microsoft Devices, with over 19 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. He has a proven track record of incorporating repairability and serviceability into product design, and is dedicated to designing products with longevity, circularity, modularity, and ease of repair and service in mind. As a panelist at the Circularity conference, Jason will share his insights on the importance of circularity in product design, and how the DSR team is prioritizing this approach for Microsoft Surface devices. He is excited to contribute to the conversation and exchange ideas with other experts in the field.
Sessions
Repairability v. Durability: Building Electronics that Last
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Jay Inslee
WashingtonElected in 2012, Jay Inslee is the longest serving governor in the United States. Washington has seen historic economic growth over that time and has been consistently ranked as one of the best states to live, work and do business. He has helped put Washington state at the forefront of fighting climate change; put massive new investments into education, behavioral health and housing; and helped families by funding the Working Families Tax Credit and implementing the nation’s best paid family leave program.
Sessions
Welcome Remarks from Governor Inslee
1:46 PM - 1:54 PM -
Jeff Caroll
Urban Wood Economy Inc.Sessions
What about Wood: Collaboration for Circular Lumber
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Jennifer Carrigan
Pyxera GlobalJennifer is the Associate Director for Pyxera Global’s Strategic Initiatives where she works with corporate clients and local communities to design and implement sustainable business model solutions.Prior to her work at Pyxera Global, Jennifer led a non-profit community collaborative focused on accelerating regional circular solutions in North Carolina called Circular Triangle. She is also trained in Lean Six Sigma organizational change management methodologies, advanced evaluation techniques, knowledge management, and community organizing. Jennifer is passionate about outdoor recreation and access to green space and spends a lot of time hiking, rock climbing, and kayaking.Jennifer received her master’s in Public Health from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill with a focus on behavior change.
Sessions
How to: Scaling Equitable Reverse Logistics
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Jesse Klein
GreenBiz GroupJesseKleinJesse KleinGreenBiz GroupSessions
Quantifying the Impacts of Regenerative Agriculture
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Jesse Simons
SOLARCYCLE Inc.Jesse Simons is Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at SOLARCYCLE, a tech-driven solar circular economy platform. Prior to founding SOLARCYCLE, Jesse served on the Executive Team of the Sierra Club as Chief of Staff and National Program Director where he led climate and clean energy strategy. He brings in-depth knowledge on climate and the circular economy and has extensive experience scaling and managing large teams in both entrepreneurial and established environments.
Sessions
Circling Net Zero: Emission Reductions with Circular Strategies
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Jo Banner
The Descendants ProjectSessions
Shining a Light on Frontline Communities
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmThe Descendants Project: A Conversation With the Founders
10:46 AM - 11:06 AM -
Joan Gibbons
LendleaseJoan Gibbons is an Associate Sustainability Manager for Lendlease Construction based in San Francisco, where she is currently helping Lendlease meet its ambitious goal of achieving absolute zero carbon across every scope by 2040, while creating $250M of social value by 2025.At Lendlease, Joan is collaborating across the company's national portfolio to optimize material circularity across construction project sites, and is driving implementation of a variety of other sustainability initiatives to reduce the company's environmental footprint. Joan holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a LEED AP BD+C accredited professional. She is committed to ongoing learning and collaboration to achieve ambitious sustainability goals, and is passionate about creating social and environmental value through her work.
Sessions
Built Environment Innovators Showcase: Breaking New Ground
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Joanne Brasch, PhD
California Product Stewardship CouncilSessions
A Fresh Look at Fashion Policy
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Jocelyn Quarrell
Bold ReuseSessions
Building the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Joe Macleod
and End.JoeMacleodFounder & Head of Endineeringand End.Connect viaJoe Macleod is the founder of the worlds first customer ending business. A veteran of the product development industry with decades of experience across service, digital and product sectors. Author of the Ends book that iFixIt called the best book about consumer e-waste.
Head of Endineering at AndEnd. TEDx Speaker. Wired says “An energetic Englishman, Macleod advises companies on how to game out their endgames. Every product faces a cycle of endings, from breakage to customer burnout to falling behind consumption trends. It's important to plan for each of them. Not all companies do."
Sessions
Designing for Circularity from the Ground Up
9:00 am - 12:00 pmEndineering 101: How to Design for the 'Ends'
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Joel Makower
GreenBiz GroupJoelMakowerChairman & Executive EditorGreenBiz GroupConnect viaJoel Makower is a well-respected voice on business, the environment, and the bottom line. As a writer and strategist on corporate sustainability practices and clean technology, he has helped a wide range of companies align environmental goals with business strategy. Joel is a bestselling author or co-author of several books on business and sustainability, including his latest, The New Grand Strategy: Restoring America's Prosperity, Security, and Sustainability in the 21st Century (St. Martin's Press).
He is a frequent commentator in print, broadcast and online media, and a sought-after speaker to companies and business groups around the world. In 2012, Joel was awarded the Hutchens Medal by the American Society for Quality, which cited “his ability to tell compelling stories that both inform and inspire business leaders toward profitable action.” From 1991 to 2005, Joel was editor of The Green Business Letter, an award-winning monthly newsletter on corporate environmental strategy. He is a graduate in journalism from the University of California at Berkeley and is an advisor to both for-profit and non-profit organizations. The Associated Press has called Joel "the guru of green business practices."
Sessions
WBCSD North America Networking Reception
5:30 pm - 8:00 pmComms Summit Day 1
12:00 pm - 7:00 pmComms Summit Day 2
7:30 am - 1:00 pmSetting the Stage
1:40 pm - 1:50 pmCorporate Collective Action in the Age of Urgency
11:15 am - 11:30 am -
John Paap
Jac VandenbergJohn Paap is an experienced fresh produce industry leader who brings a wealth of experience in the areas of sustainability, innovation, branding, marketing and supply chain. Amongst his various roles, he currently serves as the Sustainability and Brand Marketing Manager of Jac. Vandenberg, Inc. and participates in several global sustainability forums. Since stepping into this role, John has been instrumental in the development, introduction and success of various sustainability initiatives that has earned the company various awards. In addition to his passion for sustainability, John is a self-described history enthusiast who enjoys researching and speaking about the origins and evolution of fresh produce throughout human history.
Sessions
Pushing the Pedal on 2025 Packaging Goals
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
John Davies
GreenBiz GroupJohnDaviesSVP, Executive NetworkGreenBiz GroupJohn Davies heads up GreenBiz Group's research efforts and leads the GreenBiz Executive Network, a member-based, peer-to-peer learning forum for sustainability professionals. The network is made up of senior executives from $1B+ corporations working together to share best practices and lessons learned for implementing sustainable development programs. Davies is an experienced entrepreneur and innovator who has applied his business and management skills to launching start-ups as well as improving the operations of existing businesses. He is a frequent keynote speaker at international events, is well-known for his supply chain and sustainability expertise and is the author of numerous articles in business, industry, and educational publications. Davies received his BA from SUNY at Fredonia and his MA from the University of Delaware.
Sessions
Open Hours: Building Community Through GreenBiz Peer Networks
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmOpen Hours: Building Community Through GreenBiz Peer Networks
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
John Holm
PYXERA GlobalJohnHolmVice President, Strategic InitiativesPYXERA GlobalConnect viaJohn Holm is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at PYXERA Global where he spearheads the organization’s new ventures in circular economy, last mile energy access, and corporate advisory services. He has spent the majority of his career pioneering new markets for global brands, leading the market entry of the Subway chain in Hungary and Libri in Romania, while also advising Starbucks and IKEA on their respective market entries in Central & Eastern Europe and the Balkans (Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia). Additionally, John also serves on the Hoops4Hope board and is a senior adjunct lecturer for Maastricht School of Management in The Netherlands on Shared Value and Circular Economy. While facilitating cross-sector partnerships is his primary job function by day, John also enjoys spending time exploring new terrain and kayaking with his wife and dog.
Sessions
How to: Scaling Equitable Reverse Logistics
9:00 am - 10:00 amRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
John Shegerian
Electronic Recyclers InternationalJohnShegerianCo-Founder and CEOElectronic Recyclers InternationalConnect viaJohn Shegerian – the serial entrepreneur responsible for co-founding Homeboy Industries, FinancialAid.com, Engage and many other impactful organizations -- currently serves as co-founder, Chairman and CEO of ERI, the largest cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction and electronic waste recycling company in the United States.
Sessions
Barriers and Opportunities to Improving Recycling Across Sectors
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
John Hewitt
Consumer Brands AssociationJohn Hewitt is the Vice President of packaging and sustainability, at the Consumer Brands Association. He leads the packaging and sustainability efforts on behalf of the consumer packaged goods industry, bringing extensive knowledge of the recycling system and years of state and federal policy experience.
Hewitt joined the Consumer Brands Association from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), where he served as both special counsel to the secretary and as the agency’s general counsel. At the department, Hewitt was responsible for complex litigation and regulatory matters, as well as representing the department on interagency initiatives, such as the governor’s drought task force and international climate change program.
As the Vice President of packaging and sustainability, John also works directly alongside Consumer Brands’ Smart Label program in improving the transparency and effectiveness of product labels to promote consumer access to clear recycling instructions.Sessions
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Jon Smieja
GreenBiz GroupJonSmiejaVP, CircularityGreenBiz GroupConnect viaJon earned his BS in Chemistry from the University of St. Thomas and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of California – San Diego. After graduate school, Jon joined Steelcase Inc. as their environmental chemist and eventually moved into a role as a leader in sustainable design and development. He joined Andersen Windows & Doors where he served as corporate sustainability manager and was responsible for product lifecycle assessments, material ingredient transparency, and preparing Andersen for a future in the circular economy. Jon is now the VP of Circularity and Senior Analyst at GreenBiz Group, a media and events company that works to accelerate the just transition to a clean economy.
Sessions
Toxic-Free Textiles: The Path to Eliminating PFAS
4:00 pm - 5:00 pmCircularity 23: Turning Intention to Action
1:38 PM - 1:46 PMDay 1 Closing Remarks
2:56 PM - 3:00 PMDay 2 Closing Remarks
11:57 AM - 12:00 PM -
Josh Epstein
Sustainable NE SeattleJosh Epstein is the Executive Director at Sustainable NE Seattle, a nonprofit that reduces our community's collective footprint and increases our climate resilience through education and practical solutions. He also manages the NE Seattle Tool Library, which is like a book library but with tools. Josh lives in Shoreline with his partner Laurie, their 3 year old Cedar, their dog Ellie, their many chickens, and a bunch of plants. Josh and his team are starting a North King Tool Library and ReUse Center and he wants to talk with you about it.
Sessions
Policies, Partnerships and Progress: A Seattle Story
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Joy Banner, PhD
The Descendants ProjectDr. Joy Banner is Co-Founder and Co-Director of The Descendants Project, a nonprofit foundation committed to the liberation of the Black descendant community through the dismantling of inequitable and discriminatory economic, environmental, and social systems inherent in the violent legacies of slavery. As part of this work, Dr. Banner is on the front lines of the struggle against environmental racism in the form of petrochemical plants and heavy industry along Louisiana’s River Road, otherwise known as “Cancer Alley.”
Sessions
Shining a Light on Frontline Communities
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmThe Descendants Project: A Conversation With the Founders
10:46 AM - 11:06 AM -
Joycelyn Chui
Restaurant2GardenBorn and raised in Hong Kong, Joycelyn speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. The time she spent assisting local Chinese-speaking restaurants navigate thecity-mandated waste management programs influenced the genesis of the Restaurant 2 Garden project. Joycelyn has a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Washington. She's dedicated to environmentally-just and place-based solutions to keep food scraps out of the landfill.
Sessions
Policies, Partnerships and Progress: A Seattle Story
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Julia Marsh
SwaySessions
When to Leverage Biobased Materials
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Kai Erickson
Free GeekSessions
Forged for Fixing: Crafting a Repair Culture
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Kamal Patel
TraversalSessions
Place-Based Solutions: Co-Developing Equitable, Circular Economies
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Kara Fulcher
MichelinKara S. Fulcher is Director of Sustainability for Michelin North America, a role that spans industrial operations, commercial and external engagement, and strategy development. She has been part of the Michelin team since 2015, working in both regional and worldwide functions. Kara holds a PhD from Princeton University in diplomatic history and an MBA from Clemson University.
Sessions
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Karen Hagerman
How2RecycleSessions
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Karine Kicak
AnthesisKarine has worked over 15 years in science-based sustainability. Before joining the LCA Service Line at Anthesis, she spent 8 years as an in-house corporate social responsibility consultant in the retail industry where she has worked to drive the long-term development of CSR strategies for two large Canadian fashion companies. She has extensive knowledge of the apparel and footwear industry’s hot spots across all impacts, including circularity, climate change, responsible sourcing, traceability and green chemistry.
Karine is a Chemical Engineer and started off her career as a Life Cycle Assessment expert with the International Reference Center for Life Cycle of Products and then worked for a consulting firm with a mandate to deliver robust sustainability metrics and roadmaps to a wide array of clients and sectors.
Karine has been involved in developing product footprint tools with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, is a member of the Material Innovation Initiative advisory council and is the author and co-author of numerous peer-reviewed LCA studies.
The expertise that Karine has developed in her professional career is unique. It joins technical and analytical capabilities with a strategic vision of corporate social responsibility from a client’s perspective.
Sessions
The Carbon Saving Power of New Business Models
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Karla Magruder
Accelerating CircularityKarlaMagruderFounderAccelerating CircularityKarla Magruder is the Founder and President of Accelerating Circularity. She has 35 years of global experience from fiber to finished garments. In her current role at Accelerating Circularity, she leads the organization’s work in enabling the industry’s transition to textile-to-textile circular systems. Prior to her current role, she founded Fabrikology International, a textile consulting company where she worked on material developments and guided both nonprofits and for-profit organizations towards more sustainable textile strategies. Textile Exchange, USAID, Lenzing, and Carhartt were previous clients. Karla is currently a Textile Exchange Governance Board member, Gr3n Advisory Board member
Sessions
The Playbook for Textile-to-Textile Recycling
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Kate Kurtz
Seattle Public UtilitiesKate is the Organics and Landscape Resource Conservation Program Lead for Seattle Public Utilities. The goals of this program area include compost participation, both with responsibly putting organics into the green bin or a backyard system, and then using that finished compost product on the backend to ensure a truly circular system. She has deep experience in soil science, organic residual management, and technical communications. She has served as a consultant helping utilities and industry groups with science communications and strategic planning, a biosolids project manager for King County, a research assistant at the University of Washington, and a chemist at Soil Control Lab in Watsonville, CA.
Sessions
Breaking Down Compostable Packaging
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Kate Daly
Closed Loop PartnersKateDalyManaging DirectorClosed Loop PartnersConnect viaKate Daly is Managing Director at impact investment firm Closed Loop Partners and leads their Center for the Circular Economy, an innovation center for research, analysis and collaboration. Prior to joining Closed Loop Partners, Kate served in New York City government for more than a decade, most recently as Senior Vice President at the NYC Economic Development Corporation, where she oversaw business development programs to foster the growth of entrepreneurship across sectors including smart cities, healthcare, cleantech, fashion, tech, media, and advanced manufacturing. Kate previously served as the Executive Director of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. Kate earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from Cornell University and a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania.
Sessions
Building the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Kate Davenport
Eureka RecyclingKateDavenportCo-PresidentEureka RecyclingKate Davenport is the co-president of Eureka Recycling, a zero-waste social enterprise that demonstrates zero waste as a strategy to address climate change, local economic development, and social and environmental justice. With key recycling contracts servicing the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Eureka has invested over $20 million in their MRF and recycling collections over the last 15 years. Previous to the role of co-president, Davenport was the director of business development at Eureka and led on merging Eureka’s mission and values with business development, materials marketing, and operational systems change and efficiencies. Previous to Eureka, Kate co-developed operations for Envirelation, the first commercial organics collection service in Washington, D.C. She worked with Flexcar and the Zipcar, the first car sharing companies in the US. Kate was a Program Director at EcoVentures International with a focus on environmental microenterprise development in East Africa, South Asia, the Caribbean, and the US. Kate has a B.A. from Tufts University.
Sessions
Pushing the Pedal on 2025 Packaging Goals
9:00 am - 11:30 amCharting the Path to Circular Packaging
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Kate Melges
Greenpeace USASessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Kate Walker
Center for Sustainable Materials ManagementSessions
A Fresh Look at Fashion Policy
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Katherine Huded
The Recycling PartnershipKatherine leads The Recycling Partnership’s dynamic data and innovative digital solutions work. She previously oversaw the Partnership’s material advancement work, including the Polypropylene, PET, and Film & Flexibles Coalitions, and managed stakeholder engagement for the policy initiatives. Before joining the Partnership, Katherine led recycling technology marketing for Rubicon Global, circular economy communications for Novelis, and sustainable product marketing for The Home Depot. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Business Strategy from the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business.
Sessions
Charting the Path to Circular Packaging
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Kathleen Fiehrer
Intel CorporationKathleen Fiehrer is a 25-yr veteran at Intel. She has worked in various sustainability roles at Intel including manufacturing, supply chain, the data center and most recently client computing. Currently she is a Sustainability Technologist within the Client Ecosystem Development team focusing on driving sustainability across the product lifecycle. Areas of focus are repairability, life cycle analysis, carbon footprint reduction and material reuse.
Sessions
Recovering Critical Materials From E-Waste and the Untapped Urban Mine
9:00 am - 11:30 amRepairability v. Durability: Building Electronics that Last
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Katie Kennedy
Seattle Public UtilitiesKatie Kennedy serves as Seattle Public Utilities’ Waste Diversion Lead focused on construction and demolition waste. Katie manages the City’s requirements around C&D recycling and diversion including material disposal bans, mixed waste processing qualified facility program, and waste diversion reports for building permits. She also works to increase building material reuse and salvage through Salvage Assessments required for remodeling and demolition projects and to measure and communicate greenhouse gas benefits from increasingly focusing on reuse and waste prevention.
Sessions
What about Wood: Collaboration for Circular Lumber
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Katrina Shum
LushKatrinaShumHead of Sustainability, North AmericaLushKatrina Shum is the Sustainability Officer, North America for Lush Handmade Cosmetics.
Sessions
Redesigning with Reduction-Driven Packaging Strategies
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Katy Bolan
GoogleSessions
Recovering Critical Materials From E-Waste and the Untapped Urban Mine
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Keiko Niccolini
PR3Keiko Niccolini is a marketing, operations and reuse leader currently fighting plastic pollution and disposable waste through strategic partnerships, systems solutions, and industry-changing product innovations. She has extensive experience in both the food & beverage and CPG industries. Her experience with entrepreneurial and more established brands, including Conde Nast, Moët Hennessy, Illy Caffé and others, makes her a key driver of an organization's growth and success. In 2021, Keiko helped to spearhead the delivery of the first public private partnership in reuse in North America with the launch of the Reuse Seattle, a city initiative of Seattle's Public Utilities Department. Keiko now focuses exclusively on working with cities and municipalities to develop and operationalize reuse as a climate, waste and social solution.
Sessions
Building the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Ken Voeller
REIKenVoellerDivisional Vice President, Circular CommerceREIKen Voeller is the Divisional Vice President of Circular Commerce at REI.
Sessions
Navigating the Resale Explosion
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Kenny Arnold
EMFKenny is a designer and an advocate for the circular economy. In his work he leverages play as an approach to engage people, reframe challenges, and make a positive impact. As Senior Manager of Service Design for North America, at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, he supports leading organizations in their effort to operationalize circular economy principles and strategies. Prior to joining the Foundation, Kenny worked across industries as an innovation consultant and industrial designer to develop new products and services.
Sessions
Designing for Circularity from the Ground Up
9:00 am - 12:00 pmSidebar
3:00 pm - 3:30 pmKeynote Sidebar
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM -
Korena Mafune
University of WashingtonDr. Korena Mafune is a Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in the Winkler Lab at the University of Washington. Over the last decade, Dr. Mafune has designed and taught various courses focusing on sustainability, soil ecology, climate change, and environmental assessment. Much of her research has focused on old-growth forest ecosystems, but she has also been involved various large-scale restoration projects, park management projects, and is currently implementing her knowledge in search of sustainable agricultural practices. Dr. Mafune is fascinated with tripartite interactions among plants, fungi, and bacteria, and aspires to better understand how these drive ecosystem function from small to large scales in a changing climate and how these interactions can be harnessed for a sustainable future. She is an advocate for science communication and education at all levels. Her research and passion for science has been featured across various media outlets including The Seattle Times, RadioLab, National Geographic Magazine, Hulu, The Discovery Channel, and PBS.
Sessions
Ecology 101: What Nature Can Teach Us
9:00 am - 10:00 amRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Kristy Drutman
Brown Girl GreenSessions
The 2023 Reusies
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Krupa Koestline
KKT ConsultantsCosmetic Chemist Krupa Koestline is a thought leader, trend forecaster, and industry pioneer in sustainable and clean beauty. With over a decade of experience, Koestline has created award-winning formulations with an emphasis on sustainability utilizing the latest innovations for several well known brands in the clean beauty space.From product conception to its last drop, Krupa consults brands on every aspect of ways to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact without compromising efficacy or cosmetic elegance. This includes sustainable ingredient discovery and development, supporting greener manufacturing practices, and championing more transparency. Journalists, brands, and retailers tap Krupa as their go-to expert to gain more insight into clean and sustainable beauty. In addition to features in top outlets like Allure, ELLE, and Fat Mascara, Krupa has also served as a clean-beauty guest expert for Cosmopolitan’s Clean Beauty Awards and Byrdie’s Eco Beauty Awards. She has also helped outlets like The Zoe Report and retailers like Credo update their definition of “clean beauty” to emphasize sustainability.
Sessions
Formulated Products: Inspiring Innovation Through Green Chemistry
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Kurt Ritter
Coca-ColaSessions
Pushing the Pedal on 2025 Packaging Goals
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Lauren Phipps
Yale School of the EnvironmentLaurenPhippsMaster of Environmental Management CandidateYale School of the EnvironmentConnect viaLauren Phipps works to accelerate the transition from a linear to a circular economy. She is the former Vice President and Senior Analyst on the circular economy at GreenBiz Group, where she led the company’s circularity strategy, programs, and partnerships. Lauren launched the Circularity conference in 2019 with an aim to connect stakeholders and solutions from across the value chain to cultivate a community of practice, in which professionals are empowered to transform products, organizations, industries, and systems. Lauren sits on the advisory board for the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network and frequently writes and speaks about the circular economy opportunity across plastics and packaging, food, electronics, and apparel. She was named one of WWF’s Women Leading the Plastic Revolution in 2021. Lauren holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Analysis and Sociology from Pitzer College and lives in Oakland, California.
Sessions
Recovering Critical Materials From E-Waste and the Untapped Urban Mine
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Lauren Schreiber
IDEOSessions
The Power of Play: Leveraging Joy and Creativity for Circular Solutions
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Leslie Hushka
Green Dot North America, Inc.LeslieHushkaDirector, Chief Sustainability OfficerGreen Dot North America, Inc.Connect viaSessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Lilah Horwitz
Eileen Fisher Inc.Lilah Horwitz comes from a background in sustainable fashion design. After graduating from Parsons School of Design in New York, she launched her own independent label, making one-of-a-kind garments from vintage textiles. She came to EILEEN FISHER Renew in 2014. With one foot in the visual brand-creative and one in marketing, Lilah works to highlight the exciting story and pioneering techniques of the EILEEN FISHER take back and resale program.
Sessions
The Carbon Saving Power of New Business Models
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Linda Duijs
LyondellBasellAs PMO Manager End Markets in LyondellBasell’s Global Circularity & Low Carbon Solutions Team, Linda is responsible for the overall coordination of the Marketing and product development of the end markets globally. Linda enables the central strategy execution of circularity opportunities and the brand owner funnel.
Before this, Linda was working as Program Manager Circular Economy in LyondellBasell’s Global Sustainability Team, being responsible for managing the company’s corporate program for circular economy and helped to steer the company’s ambition and strategy based on the circularity goals and she was working in a variety of commercial roles within LyondellBasell in the last 11 years. Linda is based in Rotterdam.
Sessions
Sponsored: Collaborative Strategies for Enhancing Circular Value Chains
7:50 am - 8:50 am -
Lindsay Brewer
Covington & Burling LLPLindsayBrewerAssociateCovington & Burling LLPLindsay is an attorney specializing in environmental, social, governance (ESG) legal and regulatory matters. She counsels companies in a range of industries on developing and implementing their sustainability strategies, including communicating environmental marketing claims.
Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College, a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment, and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. She was selected as an Environmental Law Institute (ELI) Emerging Leader in 2021 and, since 2022, she has served on the Steering Committee of ELI's Emerging Leaders Initiative. The National Black Lawyers recognized Lindsay as a "Top 100" attorney in Washington, DC in 2023. Lindsay was also selected as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Pathfinder in 2023.
Sessions
Talking the Talk: Effective Communication Strategies
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Lindsey Hermes
Avery DennisonSessions
Track and Trace: Navigating the Enabling Tech Landscape
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Lindsey Boyle
Circular Citizen ConsultingLindseyBoyleMarket Strategist & FounderCircular Citizen ConsultingLindsey Boyle is passionate about business that supports well being and regenerates nature. Lindsey’s work is focused on helping citizens make the choices required on our journey from a linear to a circular economy. As chief strategist for Circular Citizen Consulting, a certified BCorp, Lindsey works with brands towards the goal of mainstreaming circular culture. Lindsey’s expertise is in creating demand; using market research data and human-centered design to inform circular innovation, brand strategy and storytelling. Lindsey was formerly senior vice president with global insights & innovation agency The Sound, a partner to Google. Lindsey has a foundation in strategic brand marketing from Kraft Foods. This early role provided transparency into the harmful industrial food system and was a catalyst for Lindsey becoming co-founder of Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture, where she is currently board chair. Lindsey lives in Victoria, BC Canada with her learning-to-be-circular family. She holds a Commerce degree from Queen’s University.
Sessions
The Leading Edge: How Consumer Behavior Change Drives Business Opportunity
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Lisa Christian
Point BLisa is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the philanthropy, education, nonprofit, technology, healthcare and retail industries. She is especially skilled in strategy development, implementation, operations and measurement models and has a passion for team development and change management. At Point B, Lisa specializes in social impact assessment and ESG strategy execution across business functions.
Sessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Liz Berry
Washington State House of RepresentativesState Representative Liz Berry represents Washington’s 36th Legislative District, located in the shadow of the Space Needle. It includes the Seattle neighborhoods of Queen Anne, Magnolia, Interbay, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Crown Hill, and Greenwood.Liz serves as Chair of the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee and is a member of the Environment & Energy and Transportation committees, where she is a passionate advocate for working families, combating climate change, and building vital infrastructure that is safe, equitable, and green. In the 2023 legislative session, Liz was the prime sponsor of the WRAP Act (HB 1131) which will modernize the way our state manages recycling, putting costs of the system onto producers of packaging and paper and significantly increasing our recycling rate. Liz previously led the region’s largest civil justice advocacy organization dedicated to standing up for the legal rights of patients, consumers and injured workers. A lifelong champion for women in leadership and reproductive justice, Liz served as president of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington and as a board member for Pro-Choice Washington. For four years, Liz worked for U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords, lastly as her Legislative Director. Liz earned her B.A. in Communications, Law, Economics, and Government from American University in Washington, DC, and interned abroad for the U.S. Embassy in Brussels. She has continued studies at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Executive Education. Liz lives with her husband Michael, a small business owner, and their two young children in Queen Anne.
Sessions
Exploring EPR: The State Policy Landscape
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Liz Fikejs
Seattle Public UtilitiesLiz Fikejs has worked in local government for over 25 years, focusing on conservation programs across multiple natural resources. Most recently, her work at Seattle Public Utilities has centered on preventing food and textile waste through partnerships that span public sector agencies, private businesses, national NGOs, and local community organizations. Examples include the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment and leading Seattle Public Utilities’ Food Rescue Innovation work. Liz is dedicated to systemic change that digs below surface-level challenges and creates larger scale solutions.
Sessions
Building a Regional, Circular Food System
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Liz Lipton-McCombie
NordstromSessions
Forged for Fixing: Crafting a Repair Culture
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Lori Gustavus
GreenBiz GroupLoriGustavusDirector, EuropeGreenBiz GroupConnect viaLori is a creative strategist who believes in the power of business for good. She strives to make a positive impact by engaging leaders around the mission critical issues that will accelerate our transition to a planetary economy. To support this shift, she taps into her experience in sustainable business leadership, stakeholder engagement, corporate strategy, change management, as well as marketing and communications.
An entrepreneur at heart, Lori leads the GreenBiz Group’s international expansion activities in Europe, including the 2022 launch of the GreenBiz Executive Network - Europe. Prior to joining GreenBiz, Lori served for 8 years at sustainability consulting firm Quantis in global communications, marketing and strategy leadership roles. She is based in Paris, France with her family and beloved dog Inka.
Sessions
Roundtable Breakfasts
7:45 am - 9:00 amSucceeding in the New US-EU Sustainability Landscape
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Love-Ese Chile, PhD
Regenerative Waste LabsSessions
Breaking Down Compostable Packaging
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Marcu Alexander
DanoneSessions
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Marisa Adler
RRSSessions
A Fresh Look at Fashion Policy
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Mark Marchioli
GoodwillSessions
The Playbook for Textile-to-Textile Recycling
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Marty Mulvihill
Safer MadeMartyMulvihill -
Mary Holt
CarnegieSessions
Built Environment Innovators Showcase: Breaking New Ground
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Matt Prindiville
UpstreamMatt Prindiville is the Chief Solutioneer and CEO for Upstream, a norms-disrupting non-profit that helps business, non-profit, government & community leaders ideate, accelerate & scale the new reuse economy & circular systems for packaging and foodware. In this role, Prindiville works with entrepreneurs, policymakers and culture-shapers to ideate and accelerate the transition from single-use to reuse. Matt is a recognized thought leader within the plastic pollution movement and helped found the global Break Free from Plastic Movement, the Cradle2 Coalition and the Make It Take It Campaign. Previously, he helped create and establish multiple national campaigns and coalitions to transform industry sectors to become more sustainable - such as the Electronics Takeback Coalition, the Multi-State Mercury Campaign, and Safer Chemicals and Healthy Families Coalition. Matt has advised the United Nations Environment Program on their plastic pollution strategies and written for The Guardian, GreenBiz, and Sustainable Brands among other publications. Prindiville’s work has been featured in The Economist, The New York Times, Fast Company, on NPR’s 1A, Jack Johnson’s Smog of the Sea film, and 60 Minutes, among others. For more information visit upstreamsolutions.org and www.mattprindiville.com.
Sessions
The Plastics Treaty: Next Steps on Negotiations
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Maura Dilley
Cascade CircularMauraDilleyPartnerCascade CircularConnect viaSessions
Designing for Circularity from the Ground Up
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
McKenna Morrigan
City of SeattleSessions
Building the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Megan Daum
American Beverage AssociationMeganDaumVP, SustainabilityAmerican Beverage AssociationConnect viaMegan Daum is the vice president of sustainability at the American Beverage Association (ABA), where she oversees the industry’s sustainability programs, policies and activities. Prior to joining ABA, Megan was the vice president of sustainability at the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), where she headed the sustainability program for thirteen years. She sits on various U.S. and International Committees on packaging, policy and sustainability. She has a Master’s Degree from the University of Vermont and lives in Washington DC.
Sessions
Exploring EPR: The State Policy Landscape
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Meghan McLane
Victoria's SecretSessions
Track and Trace: Navigating the Enabling Tech Landscape
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Melodie Reynolds
Elate BeautySessions
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Mercedee Renz Hutton
DellMercedee Renz Hutton is Director of ESG Transparency & Reporting for Dell Technologies, where she is responsible for regulated and non-regulated reporting and disclosures. She is also leading the development of forward-thinking IT solutions to generate greater ESG traceability and transparency both internally and externally.
She has been with Dell 7 years, prior to which she served in communication and marketing roles for 10 years at non-profits and sustainability businesses. Mercedee holds a BA from the University of Texas at Dallas, MA from Richmond American International University in London, and MBA with majors in finance, data analytics, and management from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Sessions
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Mesbah Sabur
CirculariseSessions
Digital Product Passports: Insights and Actions From the Field
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Mia Davis
Credo Beauty, Pact CollectiveMiaDavisVP, Sustainability & ImpactCredo Beauty, Pact CollectiveConnect viaMia creates strong and meaningful safety and sustainability standards for the beauty industry. She is the VP of Sustainability & Impact at Credo Beauty, the largest clean beauty retailer, and the Co-Founder of the new nonprofit membership organization Pact Collective. Pact's mission is to bring beauty stakeholders together to move toward circularity, and to start to make a dent in hard-to-recycle beauty waste. Mia was on the founding team at Beautycounter, and has advised numerous innovative brands and Safer Made, the venture capital firm that invests in teams that bring safer products and technologies to market.
Sessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pmFormulated Products: Inspiring Innovation Through Green Chemistry
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Michael Martin
r.CupMichaelMartinFounder & CEOr.CupMichael Martin — a recovering Wall Street Investment Banker — is the Founder and CEO of Effect Partners and r.Cup. He has been an thoughtleader in sustainability and social change innovation and marketing for almost 30 years, starting with the non-profit, Concerts for the Environment. EFFECT identifies major sustainability issues and acts as a catalyst to create movements leading to social change using music, arts and culture. Michael developed the first-ever, national global warming campaign putting global warming into the public consciousness. Dating back to 1990, he has helped produce the national Earth Day Concerts on the National Mall. He contributed to the growth of green energy in this country, has created national campaigns for the organic industry and created movements around new technologies such as the Prius and Mirai. His companies have worked with clients ranging from Apple, Toyota, UPS, Target, Clif Bar, Live Nation, U2 and Mumford & Sons. Michael introduced many of the greening practices currently being used in the music industry today. He has consulted and advised several hundred artists, festivals, venues and events over the years in best greening practices and innovations. In addition to Effect Partners, Michael has conceived of, incubated and helped launch several companies including: Native Energy, People’s Organic Café, The Big Know, and now r.Cup His latest venture, r.Cup, aims to disrupt the wasteful single-use plastic cup at live events. r.Cup reduces the environmental impact of live events and concerts with a reusable, recyclable, rental cup program.Sessions
Building the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Michael Smith
Regeneration.VCMichaelSmithGeneral PartnerRegeneration.VCConnect viaMichael is a General Partner at Regeneration.VC, an early stage venture fund supercharging consumer-powered climate innovation. He has founded and operated media and real estate businesses and enjoyed an extensive career as a global touring DJ. He led numerous environmental initiatives and has been an active investor in early to later stage impact companies. Starting in the late 90s, Michael ran marketing and digital platforms for Smith Broadcasting, a group of 20 network TV stations, which eventually sold to Boston Ventures. Shortly thereafter, he followed a lifelong passion in becoming a touring DJ, performing alongside Guns N Roses, Rihanna, and Diplo. In 2006, Michael launched and scaled The Playlist Generation, a leading background music provider to over 10,000 retail locations. In 2010, he co-founded Creative Space, an adaptive reuse real estate firm responsible for 80 projects in LA & SF.In 2015, he formed Ponvalley, an environmental initiative with philanthropic, research, and impact investing practices. Within two weeks following the 2016 election, Michael assembled an emergency climate summit with Former VP Al Gore, Gen. Wesley Clark, the Dept. of Energy, and Harvard leadership. He currently serves on the boards of PVBLIC Foundation, the American Renewable Energy Institute, and the Sustainable Change Alliance. He is a founding advisor to Salk Institute’s Harnessing Plants Initiative and served as a Venture Fellow at UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School. Michael is a graduate of Northwestern University. He resides in Santa Barbara with his wife and two kids.
Sessions
Funding the Future: Unlocking Circular Investments
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Michelle Tulac
EMFMichelleTulacSenior Project Manager - North AmericaEMFSessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Michelle Mestres
GreenBiz GroupMichelleMestresEnterprise Sales RepresentativeGreenBiz GroupConnect viaAs an Enterprise Sales Representative, Michelle supports the GreenBiz sales team and coordinates business development strategies. Michelle graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies as well as a degree in International and Global Studies. Prior to GreenBiz, she was a Sustainability Specialist at an electrical manufacturer where she worked on product transparency and sustainability through integrating eco-design and circular economy principles into new product development. Outside of work, Michelle is an avid reader, yogi, and foodie.
Sessions
Open Hours: Building Community Through GreenBiz Peer Networks
3:00 pm - 4:00 pmOpen Hours: Building Community Through GreenBiz Peer Networks
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Michelle Lee
IDEOAs a Partner and Managing Director of IDEO's Play Lab, Michelle Lee leads an integrated research, design, and development team that brings engaging, interactive, and playful experiences to market. Building upon IDEO’s 30+ years in toy invention and Michelle’s own background in toy design, the lab leverages the principles of play to connect with people on a deeper emotional level that captivates, delights, and empowers. Michelle is an expert at addressing difficult challenges and creating meaningful change across industries by applying a lens of play. She has helped clients enhance workplace culture, championed responsible digital design, inspired underrepresented students to pursue careers in STEM, and supported organizations as they adopted practices in line with a circular economy. Michelle has shared her passion for play at SXSW, The Delight Conference, The Culture Summit, and through numerous podcasts and articles.
Sessions
The Power of Play: Leveraging Joy and Creativity for Circular Solutions
4:30 pm - 5:30 pmUsing Play to Shift from Anxiety to Action
2:51 PM - 2:56 PM -
Mike Werner
GoogleMikeWernerHead of Circular EconomyGoogleConnect viaMike is Lead for Circular Economy at Google where he is responsible for leading the organization to eliminate waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and drive the development and use of safer chemistry and healthy materials across their operations, products, and supply chains and enable others to do the same. While at Google, Mike also led the product sustainability and environmental compliance team in their consumer hardware division.
Prior to Google, Mike led safer chemistry and biocompatibility initiatives at Apple and product sustainability for Haworth Inc, a global contract office furniture manufacturer. Mike has worked in the green building and product design space for 15 years including with renowned green architect Bill McDonough.
Mike holds a BS in Chemistry from Villanova University. In addition to serving on the board of directors for the Healthy Building Network, he also serves on advisory boards for several organizations including the Green Science Policy Institute, ChemForward, and Materiom.org. Mike previously served as a sustainability advisor to the Department of Homeland Security and National Institute of Building Sciences.
Sessions
Recovering Critical Materials From E-Waste and the Untapped Urban Mine
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Ming-Ming Tung-Edelman
Refugee Artisan InitiativeMing-Ming Tung-Edelman founded and built the Refugee Artisan Initiative (RAI) in 2017 on the fabric of social and environmental justice. The nonprofit's mission is to partner with refugee and immigrant women for a prosperous transition to America through skill training and microbusiness. To date, RAI has created jobs for over thirty refugee and immigrant women by upcycling over 120,000 items and has kept 40,000 pounds of materials out of the landfill. Ming-Ming has won multiple awards and recognitions for her tireless effort on a circular and equitable economy.
Sessions
Wonder Women: Turning Trash Into Treasures
11:06 AM - 11:10 AM -
Moira Zbella
Stanford UniversityMoira serves as the Scope 3 Emissions Program Manager in the Office of the Vice President of Business Affairs at Stanford University. Her work includes evaluation and mitigation of the university’s scope 3 (indirect) emissions from all sources, including business travel and purchased goods, among others. Moira previously managed sustainability assessment and conservation programs in the Office of Sustainability at Stanford for eight years and served as the Program Manager for a residential energy efficiency program at an environmental non-profit organization for two years. Moira also earned her undergraduate degree at Stanford and later completed her MBA at the University of California, Berkeley.
Sessions
Prioritizing Procurement: Driving Demand for Circular Electronics
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Moji Igun
Blue Daisi ConsultingAn international keynote speaker and certified TRUE Zero Waste Advisor, Moji Igun is a sustainability consultant and founder of Blue Daisi Consulting who works with businesses and organizations that want to grow their sustainability practices by pursuing zero waste.She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Zero Waste Washington, King County Solid Waste Division’s Re+ Community Panel, and the NextCycle Washington Governance Board.
Sessions
Place-Based Solutions: Co-Developing Equitable, Circular Economies
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Monica Becker
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation InstituteMonicaBeckerDirector of Market TransformationCradle to Cradle Products Innovation InstituteMonica Becker leads the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s team of sector experts, working to advance circular transformation across markets and supply chains, and sits on the Institute’s Leadership Team. A purpose-driven sustainability expert, Monica has worked across industry sectors to design and implement collaborative, circular economy and sustainable chemistry initiatives. She served as co-director and director of collaborative innovation for the Green Chemistry & Commerce Council where she led industry collaborations on green chemistry innovation with major CPG, fashion and electronic brands, retailers and chemical suppliers and created a green chemistry startup network and pitch event. She led pioneering work to develop and gain adoption of clean and efficient processes for remanufacturing systems at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Golisano Institute for Sustainability (now REMADE) and helped grow the group from five to 50. Monica has worked for over 30 years in technical and policy-related sustainability positions in the chemical industry, consulting, academia, non-profits and in government. She has published widely on a range of technical, economic and policy topics in sustainability and speaks at conferences and webinars internationally. She holds a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering and Masters degrees in Civil & Environmental Engineering and Technology & Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sessions
Achieving and Scaling Cradle to Cradle Solutions
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Nana Fujishiro
Asahi KASEISessions
Digital Product Passports: Insights and Actions From the Field
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Nancy Justice
Pact GroupNancy is currently Senior Vice President - North America for Pact Retail Accessories a division of Pact Group. An Executive Leader in the Sustainability with emphasis on Reuse for the Retail & Plastics Industry specializing in retail, apparel, hangers, and packaging for over 20 years. At Pact, our vision is to lead the Circular Economy through innovative Packaging, Reuse and Recycling solutions.Since our inception, we’ve been creating smarter ways of reducing waste through reusing and recycling resources, therefore keeping them in circulation well into the future. We constantly strive to find better ways of doing things to grow business, enhance sustainability and enrich people’s lives. As a future-driven group, we are committed to creating lasting value for the environment.
Sessions
Pushing the Pedal on 2025 Packaging Goals
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Nasim Shomali
AccentureNasim is a trusted strategy executive and is responsible for managing and growing Accenture’s Software, Platform, and Technology industries’ sustainability books of business. She partners with senior executives from Fortune 500 companies, to help tackle the greatest operational challenges and drive innovation and growth by balancing their agility and scale, cost, and sustainability. Nasim serves as Accenture’s delegate for the Circulars Electronics Partnership and served as the program manager for The Circulars, the world’s premier circular economy awards program. Nasim received her MBA, with a specialization in Finance, from UCLA Anderson’s School of Management and her Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering and Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Washington.
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Natasha Franck
EONNatashaFranckFounder & CEOEONConnect viaNatasha Franck is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EON. EON’s mission is to connect every item with a Digital ID to power sustainable business model transformation across fashion retail. Retail’s leading Digital ID platform, EON turns physical products into intelligent, interactive and circular assets. With Digital ID, brands connect directly with customers to deliver sales, services, and sustainability, and profitably scale new data driven business models. Before founding EON, Natasha worked in smart cities and sustainable urbanism at Delos and Jonathan Rose Companies. Natasha holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Georgetown University.
Sessions
Track and Trace: Navigating the Enabling Tech Landscape
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Natasha Scotnicki
CiscoNatashaScotnickiProgram Manager, Circular EconomyCiscoNatasha Scotnicki is a sustainability professional with over ten years of experience working on sustainability issues with Fortune 500 companies, investors and non-profit organizations. She has a proven track record for building strategic relationships, delivering diverse projects and supervising teams. She is also a strong contributor to revenue generation that supports team budget of $2M+ annually.
Sessions
The Circular Electronics Roadmap: Two Years In
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Nethra Rajendran
GreenBiz GroupNethraRajendranManager, SustainabilityGreenBiz GroupNethra Rajendran is the Sustainability Analyst at Greenbiz. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems with a double minor in Geography and Sustainability from the University of Georgia. She instructed a course at Brown University’s Environmental Leadership Lab in Alaska on sustainability and indigenous perspectives. She is passionate about environmental education, grassroots initiatives, intersectional solutions, and cooking plant-based meals.
Sessions
Investing in Climate Justice
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Nicholas Abbatiello
Dell TechnologiesNicholasAbbatielloSenior Distinguished EngineerDell Technologies20+ years of experience in driving innovation in the area of materials, manufacturing processes and coatings. Passionate about driving more sustainable solutions into new material/process development. Using recycle content, bio-based feedstocks, captured carbon, reducing carbon footprint, etc. Delivering a key note at ANTEC 2018 on the Evolution of Thermoplastic Composites.Sessions
The Carbon Saving Power of New Business Models
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Nicole Bassett
BleckmannNicoleBassettCircularity LeadBleckmannNicole Bassett is the co-founder of The Renewal Workshop, a circular business that is leading the apparel and textile industry towards circular business models restoring value and reducing waste. Prior, Nicole has applied her passion for environmental responsibility and human rights in consumer products. She has served as Director of Sustainability for prAna, Social Responsibility at Patagonia and Head of Human Rights at Specialized Bicycles. Nicole received her Master’s in Environmental Studies with a focus on Business Strategy and Sustainability from York University in Toronto, Canada.
Sessions
Designing for Circularity from the Ground Up
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Nicole Ray
EYNicoleRaySenior Manager, Climate Change and SustainabilityEYConnect viaNicole Ray is a senior manager in EY’s climate change and sustainability services team, based in Atlanta, leading client engagements on ESG strategy, decarbonization pathways and circular economy. Prior to joining EY, Nicole was a sustainability director at Coca-Cola North America, she began working with 80 manufacturing facilities in 2012, leading energy and water efficiency training/initiatives, as well as the recycling programs. In 2015, she transitioned to leading sustainability partnerships and collaboration with customers and NGO’s, and her last few years led sustainable packaging and recovery. Prior to joining Coca-Cola, Nicole created and ran an environmental division for six years at Design & Source Productions, a boutique product and packaging design firm in New York City.
Nicole graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Design in Architecture. While living in New York City, she was active with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the NY Coalition for Resource Recovery, and a staff member of GreenHomeNYC, she also served on the Board and was President of the University of Florida Alumni Association for New York City. She served as Board Chair of SERDC (Southeast Recycling Development Council), and on their board from 2014-2020, and the Community Engagement Committee for The Recycling Partnership 2020-2021.
Sessions
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Nirav Patel
FrameworkNiravPatelFounderFrameworkConnect viaNirav Patel is the Founder of Framework, where he is rebuilding the consumer electronics industry to be better for people and the planet. He is currently focused on launching the Framework Laptop, a thin, light, high-performance notebook that is easy to upgrade, customize, and repair. Prior to Framework, he was part of the founding team at Oculus, building and leading the hardware team and architecting some great virtual reality headsets.
Sessions
Repairability v. Durability: Building Electronics that Last
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Omar Terrie
NesteOmar Terrie is the Federal Public Affairs Manager for Neste's Renewable Polymer and Chemicals business unit. Based in Washington, D.C., Omar leads Neste's public and government affairs efforts on biobased polymers and chemicals throughout the Americas.Prior to joining Neste, Omar worked as the Director of Market Advocacy at the American Chemistry Council's Plastic Division where he organized member engagement on legislation and regulation relevant to polymer producers. Omar has also worked for solar energy interests and in Congress.
Sessions
Digital Product Passports: Insights and Actions From the Field
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Patrick Gaule
MicrosoftPatrickGauleSenior CMDMicrosoftPatrick Gaule is a Senior Color & Material Designer at Microsoft. In his role he envisions the Product Experience through Color and Material Design. Recently, Patrick has been named Device’s Design Sustainability Lead. In this lead role, he is developing sustainable material strategies that set Microsoft’s devices sustainable goals such as EPEAT ratings, reduction of CO2 and enabling closed loop materials. This role supports the larger commitment Microsoft is making to create a more sustainable future. Before Microsoft, he was CMF Lead at Dell, leading material innovative technologies. Prior to Dell, he was an Automotive Industrial Designer for General Electric Plastics. Patrick has a combined 25 years in Material and Industrial Design for Consumer Electronics and Automotive. Patrick is proud to have his name alongside of other Microsoft Designers on 3 patents. He has also authored 3 Microsoft Global Cosmetic Material Specifications that defined device production quality. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Design from Western Michigan University.
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Patrick Keenan
General MillsProviding Packaging Engineering support for Global Sustainability Initiatives at General Mills. General Mills is a U.S.-based food company. We serve the world by making food people love, providing quality brands in more than 100 countries.
Sessions
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Paul Darby
Novamont North AmericaPaul joined Novamont in 2015 as the UK & Ireland Area Manager before transferring to the Novamont North American division in 2018 based in Connecticut as VP of Marketing. His responsibilities include new application development of the Mater-Bi bioplastics product line working closely throughout the supply chain from converters to brand owners plus also municipalities and the waste management sector.
Paul also represents Novamont on the BPI (Biodegradable Plastics Institute) board of Directors and previously on the advisory board of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation New Plastic’s Economy.
He has prior experience working in water treatment, paper manufacturing and plastics applications for global specialty chemical companies plus has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Liverpool.
Sessions
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Paulina López
Duwamish River Community CoalitionPaulina Lopez-Peters is a full time volunteer, organizer, advocate, and the mother of three boys under the age of 16. She originally comes from Ecuador, but has made Seattle her home over the past 20 years. Paulina has over 25 years of experience working on issues of civil rights, social environmental justice, equity, education and diversity. Paulina is keenly in tune with the strengths and challenges of this community as it moves toward environmental health and social and climate justice. Paulina highly regarded organizer, facilitator, community and policy strategist, movement builder focused on building systems of power and shifting power outward to those most impacted by injustice and oppression. Developed consulting with governments, organizations, community and foundations to identify ways to shift power dynamics, and develop frameworks for collaborative co- creating and transformative governance. Through this work and her leadership in social, environmental, and racial justice organizations, Paulina has developed expertise in multi-sector stakeholder engagement, networks, collaborative problem solving, and building power with BIPOC communities of color, immigrants, and refugees. Paulina emigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador and has made Seattle her home for the past 18 years. She first joined DRCC/TAG as a volunteer, advocating in her community for access to a safe, clean environment for South Park’s families. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights Law from St. Thomas University.
Sessions
Shining a Light on Frontline Communities
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Pete Pearson
WWFPetePearsonGlobal Initiative Lead - Food CircularityWWFConnect viaPete Pearson is Global Initiative Lead of Food Circularity at WWF, helping businesses understand the vital intersection of agriculture and wildlife conservation. Pete has led local and national sustainability programs within the retail grocery industry, has over 10 years of technology experience with companies including Hewlett-Packard, Accenture and Albertsons, has worked with public schools and hospitals as an independent sustainability consultant, co-founded a sustainable agriculture non-profit, and co-produced a documentary film on local and regenerative agriculture (www.ToLiveLocal.com). Pete currently lives in Washington DC and enjoys fly fishing, boating, and exploring the outdoors with his family.
Sessions
Quantifying the Impacts of Regenerative Agriculture
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Phil Brown
MetabolicSessions
Track and Trace: Navigating the Enabling Tech Landscape
9:00 am - 12:00 pmDigital Product Passports: Insights and Actions From the Field
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Priscilla Johnson
UpstreamDr. Priscilla Johnson is a Mom, water resources engineer, and educator. With an enduring passion for the environment and 25 years in the chemical, water/wastewater, energy and tech industries, she believes that our planet can thrive without depleting natural resources. In 2022, she joined Upstream as Chief Strategy Officer, where she inspires leaders to ideate, accelerate, and scale circular strategies that create thriving communities and build the reuse service infrastructure of tomorrow.Prior to arriving at Upstream, Dr. Johnson led one of the most aggressive water reduction strategies for Microsoft Cloud as Director of Water Strategy and co-crafting Microsoft’s net positive water strategy.She also served as expert evaluator for the Commercial, Agricultural and Industrial Energy Efficiency Evaluation program at PG&E, the largest private utility in California serving 15 million customers. She helped businesses operationalize sustainability through monetary incentives and managing complex regulatory issues.Dr. Johnson holds degrees from New York University (B.S.) in Communications, Purdue University (M.S. and Ph.D.) in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Water Resources), a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional in Operations and Maintenance and a certified Datacenter Energy Practitioner (DCEP) and Heating, Ventilation and Cooling (HVAC) expert. She has extensive experience with addressing complex environmental contamination sites, including the Dow Chemical Saginaw Bay Watershed Dioxin Contamination cleanup which spanned 22 counties in mid- Michigan.
Sessions
The 2023 Reusies
9:00 am - 11:30 amBuilding the Reuse Revolution
9:00 am - 12:00 pmWhy Reuse Wins
10:42 AM - 10:46 AM -
Rachel Taplinger
L'OrealSessions
The Promise of Partnership: Investing Together in Residential Recycling
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Rachel Simon
Global Electronics CouncilRachel leads projects to develop criteria for the Global Electronics Council’s EPEAT ecolabel, the premiere global ecolabel for the IT sector. Her current focus is a new set of criteria promoting circularity, safer chemistry, and ESG performance that will apply to all EPEAT product categories. Dedicated to creating a world where only sustainable technology is bought and sold, she researches new areas, analyzes the impacts of products, and develops new resources that support the procurement of sustainable electronic products and services.Rachel brings over 15 years of experience partnering with industry to research and assess the sustainability impacts of chemicals, materials, and products. Her expertise extends beyond the electronics sector to include product life cycle assessment, and chemical alternatives assessment, to identify opportunities for improvement.Prior to joining GEC, Rachel served as the Director of Supplier Engagement for the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council (GC3), where she worked with brands, formulators, and chemical manufacturers to enable the identification and implementation of green chemistry solutions along the value chain. She also served as a Senior Research Associate at the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, working with industry to advance sustainable manufacturing, incorporating the human health and environmental impacts of chemicals, materials, and products into sustainability assessments.
Sessions
Prioritizing Procurement: Driving Demand for Circular Electronics
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Rachel Zipperian
P&G Responsible BeautyAfter gaining a bachelor’s degree in science, studying chemistry, education, and comprehensive science from the University of Cincinnati (Ohio), Rachel completed her master’s degree in physical organic chemistry, working in photochemistry and molecular modeling. She loves science and people and is inspired to learn about things that are hard to see and challenging to measure.
Rachel joined P&G Beauty in 2002 and has worked on brands like on Olay, Pantene, Aussie, Natural Instincts before joining Herbal Essences team. Rachel’s scientific expertise areas include cosmetic chemistry, skin and hair physiology, as well as sustainability and design thinking. She represents P&G Beauty at press and industry events and at scientific and academic conferences. Additionally, as a mother of two daughters, Rachel has a tremendous personal and professional passion for STEAM education, creative thinking and sustainability. She is an active volunteer, working to make the world a better place.Sessions
Pushing the Pedal on 2025 Packaging Goals
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Rachel Kibbe
Circular Services GroupRachel is a leading circularity expert with over a decade of experience in sustainability and fashion’s reverse supply chain. Her advisory firm, Circular Services Group (CSG) advises some of the largest retailers and NGOs in the world on sustainability and circularity strategy and is actively leading an effort to shape US policy for end-of-life textile waste solutions. Her contributions and work have been featured by Vogue, The Guardian, The New York City Mayor's Office, the US Department of Commerce, and more. She’s a board member of The Free Store Project.
Sessions
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Rachelo Palopoli
TarkettSessions
Built Environment Innovators Showcase: Breaking New Ground
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Rakesh Vazirani
TUV RheinlandRakeshVaziraniGlobal Head of Sustainability Services, Consumer ProductsTUV RheinlandWith the objective of connecting the dots between Risks (industry-specific, geographically-sensitive) AND Capital (Human, Material, and Environmental); Rakesh leads Sustainability Services for TUV Rheinland’s Products Business Unit spread across 12 countries. a) From measuring the carbon footprint of a product, to quantifying progress with energy efficiency of a process, or evaluating safety/quality/compliance/sustainability (social & environmental) practices, TUV Rheinland’s 20000 global employees enable safety during the interaction of Human, Technology, and Environment.b) After completing his Bachelors of Engineering in India, Rakesh gained experience about Supply chain traceability and environmental compliance with GE Aircraft Engines and TOSHIBA Japan, Digitization of Food Safety for US Fresh Produce Industry, and utilizing Analytical data of Environmental performance to support the execution of improvements for Textile and Electronics products & processes.c) He has 15 years of international experience establishing solutions for 'Product Environmental Compliance', and 'Responsible Sourcing' while working and living in Germany and Japan.d) Rakesh is member of European Union (EU) Technical Advisory Board (TAB) on Environmental Footprint’ (Expert group E03710) and ANSI's Virtual Technical Advisory Group Member (VTAG) ESG Ecosysteme) Themes/Topics/Activities: ESG Due Diligence, Eco labels, Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), Circular Economy, Responsible Production
Sessions
A Fresh Look at Fashion Policy
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Ramona Liberoff
Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE)RamonaLiberoffExecutive DirectorPlatform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE)Connect viaRamona Liberoff is Executive Director of PACE (the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy) at the World Resources Institute, a global public-private platform based in the Hague, Netherlands. After a career leading innovation teams for global clients, she pivoted into impact finance and innovation, including roles as COO of the Innogy Innovation Hub, blended finance for impact ventures in emerging markets, and SPRING Accelerator in Africa and Asia. She is also a founder and early investor in a number of impact ventures in energy, climate and transport.
Sessions
Funding the Future: Unlocking Circular Investments
9:00 am - 10:00 amSetting Targets for Circular Transformation
4:00 pm - 5:00 pmRoundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Randi Marshall
H&MRandi Marshall is the Head of Government & Public Affairs, U.S. at H&M, where she leads the fashion brand’s regional public policy strategy and stakeholder engagement efforts regarding sustainability and circularity. Prior to H&M, Randi held government relations roles at Zillow, AOBA, and Stateside Associates, and served as a policy advisor for the Mayor of the District of Columbia, Chairman of the DC City Council, and the Massachusetts State Senator representing Boston and Jamaica Plain.Randi holds a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in public policy from the University of Baltimore, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts Boston. A native of the California Bay Area, Randi now resides in Washington D.C. with her husband and 3-year-old daughter.H&M
Sessions
A Fresh Look at Fashion Policy
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Ranjani Theregowda
Material Innovation InitiativeSessions
Material Innovators Showcase: Bringing Circularity into the Fold
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Ravi Sharma
DigimarcSessions
Track and Trace: Navigating the Enabling Tech Landscape
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Rebecca Chesney
RebeccaChesneyFood Anthropologist and Sustainability ExpertConnect viaRebecca Chesney is a globally recognized food innovation and sustainability expert with over a decade of experience partnering with others to design a more resilient food system.
Building on her experience with the strategic foresight agency Institute for the Future and global design company IDEO, Rebecca inspires others to think critically about the future and equips them with strategies to take action in the present. As a food anthropologist, Rebecca is well versed in issues related to agriculture, nutrition, cooking, and eating—and the underlying systems that lead to waste and exploitation. She is known for balancing analytical rigor with creativity, unearthing patterns to identify innovation opportunities, and asking the kinds of questions that get to the heart of what's needed to drive change.
Rebecca's projects include writing ten-year scenarios for global food security, leading a multi-year collaborative program to create prototypes for a circular food economy, running an global open innovation challenge alongside the first-ever UN Food Systems Summit, and advising a land-grant university's five-year agriculture and life sciences strategy. A natural relationship builder and collaborator, Rebecca's network spans startup founders, academic researchers, farmers, and corporate leaders from California to China. Her work has been featured by CNN, Wired, and The New York Times, and she is a seasoned speaker and facilitator for events such as Greenbiz Verge and the Smart Kitchen Summit.
Rebecca holds an MA in the Anthropology of Food from SOAS University of London and degrees in accounting and finance from Texas A&M University, where she was selected among 11,000 graduates for the Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award. A native of Texas, she has lived on three continents and is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area.Sessions
Quantifying the Impacts of Regenerative Agriculture
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm -
Ren DeCherney
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation InstituteRen is a licensed interior designer who uses her first-hand experience of the complexities of the building industry to help designers and manufacturers translate their sustainability pledges into reality.Prior to joining the Institute as lead built environment for North America and Australasia, she worked in Portland as a designer, where she took her firm PVC-free, making them the first firm in Portland to make such a commitment. She was then the Director of Industry Transparency at Source, a digital materials platform, where she synthesized design team needs and industry trends to integrate sustainability seamlessly into the design process. This included building various user tools, growing strategic partnerships, and developing all of the sustainability filters on the platform.She then worked at the International Living Future Institute, overseeing the Declare and Living Product Challenge programs. There she worked with both designers and manufacturers to understand the current market incentives for sustainable practices and how to implement sustainability strategy into everyday practices.Ren has an undergraduate degree in Art History and French from Smith College in Massachusetts and holds a Masters in Interior Architecture from the University of Oregon.
Sessions
Built Environment Innovators Showcase: Breaking New Ground
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Rhodes Yepsen
Biodegradable Products InstituteRhodesYepsenExecutive DirectorBiodegradable Products InstituteConnect viaRhodes Yepsen is Executive Director of the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), a non-profit advocating for the scalable diversion of organic waste to composting, by verifying that products and packaging will break down in a professionally managed composting facility, without harming the quality of the compost. BPI is North America’s leading certifier of compostable products and packaging. Yepsen has served on the Board of USCC, and is an advisor to several sustainable packaging groups. He got his start in the composting world as an editor and writer at BioCycle magazine
Sessions
When to Leverage Biobased Materials
9:00 am - 10:00 amBreaking Down Compostable Packaging
10:30 am - 11:30 am -
Rhys Thom
AmazonRhysThomGlobal Lead, Product CircularityAmazonConnect viaCurrently the Global Lead, Product Circularity at Amazon, formerly a Portfolio Director at IDEO Rhys brings the tools of design and amazing teams to help clients tackle the large systemic challenges of reimagine growth, creating new products, services and ventures that are truly future-fit, and making the transition from the industrial-era model of make, take, waste to a modern one that is circular, regenerative and restorative. Prior to this, he spent seven years at the World Resources Institute (WRI), a global sustainability think tank in Washington, D.C. There, Rhys was the Director of Information and Innovation for the WRI Center for Sustainable Cities where he helped to establish and grow the Center’s global network of organizations, working with cities and national governments around the world to design sustainable solutions for urban mobility. He currently lives in Oakland, California where he gets daily lessons on creativity and curiosity from his two daughters.
Sessions
Designing for Circularity from the Ground Up
9:00 am - 12:00 pm -
Rita Barksdale
AmazonRita M. Barksdale is the Amazon Director for the global Renewed Marketplace helping customers reduce planet impact by purchasing pre-owned product with great quality at a reduced cost; the US Home Entertainment Store providing an excellent customer experience for purchasing TVs, Streaming Media players, Home Theatre projectors, and DVD/Blue-ray players; and the US Video Game Store providing gaming enjoyment through physical and digital media. Rita joined Amazon in November 2020 as the Director of Amazon Renewed and increased her scope to include Home Entertainment in February 2021. Her scope was expanded again in December 2023 with the addition of Video Games. Prior to Amazon, she had a vibrant career with General Electric starting on the Technical Sales Leadership Program and progressing through outside sales and sales management positions. In July 2005 she became the product manager for bottom freezer and top freezer refrigeration and built the bottom freezer business for GE Appliances before moving to Belgium to lead their Europe, Middle East, and Africa Pole. She concluded her GE career with GE Healthcare in March 2019. Rita holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Fuqua School of Business, Duke University. She sits on the Consumer Technology Association Retail Council. Her hobbies include investing, audiobooks, and cycling. She finished her first triathlon in August 2019 and is looking forward to the next. She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
Sessions
Navigating the Resale Explosion
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Rob Opsomer
Ellen MacArthur FoundationRobOpsomerExecutive Lead for Plastics and FinanceEllen MacArthur FoundationConnect viaRob is a member of the Executive Leadership team at the Foundation, where he oversees the Foundation's plastics, fashion, food, and finance initiatives. Before arriving at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Rob worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. A software engineer by training, Rob also holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
Sessions
Navigating the Negotiations: An Update on the Global Plastics Treaty
2:04 PM - 2:24 PM -
Rob Lawson Shanks
MolgCEO and co-founder of Molg, a circular manufacturing company. Passionate about using circular design and automation to transform the lifecycle of electronics.
Sessions
Accelerate at Circularity 23
11:24 AM - 11:50 AM -
Robert Little
GoogleRobertLittleSustainability Program ManagerGoogleConnect viaRobert is a Sustainability Subject Matter Expert and Program Manager at Google. His core focus is on advancing Google’s Circular Economy mission to maximize the reuse of finite resources across the company’s operations, products, and supply chains - and enable others to do the same. Robert holds a Masters in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment, with concentrations in Industrial Ecology and Business & The Environment. Before his current role at Google, he served as a two-time EDF Climate Corps fellow for both PepsiCo’s and Google’s Global Sustainability teams, and focused largely on circular economy solutions for packaging waste, recycling efficiency, and composting strategy. Robert is a Fulbright Scholar, previously served as the Chief of Staff for Sherwood Design Engineers, holds a BA in Environmental Policy & Sociology from Pitzer College, and is an avid biker & bike mechanic.
Sessions
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Rosemary Cooper
Share Reuse Repair InitiativeSessions
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Ryan Zakszeki
ArkemaSessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Sandra Gonza
Sessions
Shining a Light on Frontline Communities
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmFrom Fashion to Fabric Graveyards: The Hidden Costs of Our Linear Economy
11:50 AM - 11:57 AM -
Sara Osborne
AlbertsonsSessions
Building a Regional, Circular Food System
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Sarah Burkhart
DellSarah Burkhart is the Senior Director of Product Management for Software and Experiences in the Dell Client Solutions Group. Sarah is a seasoned product management leader who has built a career around moving the needle for the experiences our customers have with the Dell client portfolio. Her team defines and delivers innovative solutions for Dell PCs that delight end users and enterprise IT decision-makers at a time when people’s expectations about their PC are rapidly evolving. A native Texan, she and her family of five (three young boys!) keep busy and active exploring all there is to do in Central Texas.
Sessions
Forged for Fixing: Crafting a Repair Culture
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm -
Sarah Dearman
The Recycling PartnershipSarahDearmanChief Innovation OfficerThe Recycling PartnershipConnect viaSarah is the Chief Innovation Officer for The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit organization solving for circularity by mobilizing people, data, and solutions across the value chain to unlock the environmental and economic benefits of recycling and a circular economy. Sarah leverages her corporate, government, and nonprofit experience to build collaborative, action-oriented initiatives that advance the system. Sarah’s recent efforts have included building the U.S. Plastics Pact, Circular Economy Policy Accelerator, Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, and more with her stellar team and partners.Before joining The Partnership, Sarah led sustainable packaging at Coca-Cola. Prior to that, she worked at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources where she managed the governor’s conservation program.
Sessions
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Sarah Golden
GreenBiz GroupSarahGoldenVP, Energy | VERGE ElectrifyGreenBiz GroupConnect viaDriven by the urgency of the climate challenge, Sarah follows trends and innovations that are accelerating the clean energy transition. She brings more than a decade of experience in climate, clean energy and politics. She holds B.A. in Politics and Environmental Studies from Whitman College, and was an Annenberg Dean’s Scholar at the University of Southern California, where she earned an M.A. in Communications.
Sessions
Keeping Buildings in the Loop with Circular Deconstruction
9:00 am - 10:00 am -
Sarah Haworth
VF CorporationSessions
Toxic-Free Textiles: The Path to Eliminating PFAS
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Sarah Coulter
Accelerating CircularitySessions
The Playbook for Textile-to-Textile Recycling
9:00 am - 11:30 am -
Saskia Van Gendt
Rothy'sSaskiaVan GendtHead of SustainabilityRothy'sConnect viaSessions
Roundtable Lunches
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm -
Scott Breen
Can Manufacturers InstituteScottBreenAssociate Manager, Sustainability and Circular Economy ProgramUS Chamber of Commerce FoundationConnect viaScott Breen is vice president of sustainability at the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI). CMI represents U.S. metal can manufacturers and their suppliers. His responsibilities include promoting the can as a sustainable/circular package, making sure federal and state legislation and regulation do not disadvantage the can and leading the industry’s efforts to build upon the can industry’s leading recycling rates. Scott’s roles prior to CMI were associate manager of the Sustainability and Circular Economy Program at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and attorney-adviser at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Along with his position at CMI, Scott also explores various aspects of sustainability as creator and co-host of the podcast "Sustainability Defined."
Sessions
The Promise of Partnership: Investing Together in Residential Recycling
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm -
Scott Burr, PhD
Accelerated Filtration Inc.Sessions
How Water Can Flow in the Circular Economy
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm -
Shana Rappaport
GreenBiz GroupShanaRappaportSVP, Climate Tech & Executive Director, VERGEGreenBiz GroupShana Rappaport has dedicated her career as a convener and community builder to advancing systemic solutions to the climate crisis.
Over the last ten years, Shana has built and scaled VERGE — the leading climate tech event focused on accelerating a just transition to a clean economy. VERGE convenes the world’s largest companies, public sector leaders and technology innovators to advance solutions to the climate crisis and our most pressing global challenges.
Outside of her work leading VERGE with GreenBiz Group, Shana is a sought after public speaker, moderator and facilitator around sustainability and systems change. She previously served as Board Director of Project Drawdown and the Buckminster Fuller Institute, and is a trained leader of Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project. Shana also Associate Edited a book published in 2019, “Evolving Leadership for Collective Wellbeing: Lessons for Implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals”.
Shana previously served as Director of Education for Bioneers, and as a nationally recognized community leader during her time as an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Southern California.