Speakers
Exclusive Insight From a Variety of Voices
The speakers below are confirmed for 2025.
Marisa Adler, Senior Consultant, RRS
Marisa Adler is a senior consultant with Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), where she founded RRS's textile circularity practice. Marisa advises public and private organizations on their textile circularity goals. Her work focuses on leveraging collaborative action to drive systems-level change. Marisa serves on the Board of Directors for the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART) Association; chairs the New York State Association of Reduction, Reuse and Recycling's Textile Recycling Council; and is a seated member of the California Product Stewardship Council's Statewide Textile Recycling Advisory Committee. Prior to joining RRS, Marisa led waste programming for the NYC Department of Sanitation and studied natural resource management at Cornell University and Antioch New England Graduate School.
Marisa Adler
Holli Alexander, Strategic Initiatives Manager, Circularity, Eastman
Holli Alexander is a strategic initiatives manager in Eastman’s circular advocacy organization. She helps translate the complexity of sustainability into tangible and actionable efforts. Her priorities today are focused on sustainability, circular economy and advocacy. She has worked closely with plastic recycling for over a decade. In 2012, Holli launched and led the Full-Wrap Label Consortium, a group founded by Eastman to address the challenges of recycling PET bottles that use shrink labels. Holli currently serves on the boards of directors for the Association of Plastic Recyclers, the U.S. Plastics Pact and the Plastics Industry Association. She also represents Eastman in a variety of other external organizations including The Recycling Partnership, Sustainable Packaging Coalition and the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network. Holli co-authored a chapter on mass balance in Current Topics in the Circular Economy of Polymers, which was published by the American Chemistry Society in 2021.
Holli Alexander
Steve Alexander, President and CEO, The Association of Plastic Recyclers
Steve Alexander serves as president and chief executive officer of the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR, the Voice of Plastic Recyclers®), a Washington, D.C.-based trade association whose members represent more than 95% of the processing capacity for post-consumer plastics in North America. APR serves the plastics recycling industry by providing technical and educational solutions with the goal of creating a greater supply of quality material for recycling and enhancing the quality of the existing supply stream. Steve is also the president of Resource Recycling, Inc., a publishing and conference management firm that produces the Plastics Recycling Conference, among others.
Steve Alexander
Jae Allen, Founder and CEO, FabricFeed
Jae Allen is the founder and CEO of FabricFeed, a climate tech startup revolutionizing textile recycling through data-driven solutions. With a background in economics from UC Davis and digital product management experience, he combines systems thinking, behavioral economics and sustainability to develop innovative tools that streamline circularity in fashion.
Passionate about making sustainable fashion as effortless as breathing, Jae is building FabricFeed to help brands, recyclers and municipalities manage textile waste more efficiently. Under his leadership, FabricFeed is developing AI-powered compliance tools, inventory management solutions and real-time market insights to drive industry-wide change.
A lifelong fashion enthusiast, Jae understands both the cultural and economic forces shaping the industry and is committed to redefining the value of textiles. Through FabricFeed, he aims to create a future where clothing is seen as a liquid asset, fostering a truly circular economy.
Jae Allen
Matt Allen, Head of Business Developement, Reju
Matt Allen has over 25 years’ experience in footwear and apparel industry. He has worked at global brands including Timberland, PVH and Perry Ellis and is now head of NA business development for Reju.
Matt Allen
Shelli Austin, President, InTek Logistics
Shelli Austin has been a recognized leader in the logistics and intermodal/railroad industry for 29 years. She holds bachelor’s degrees in business from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and logistics and supply chain management from Penn State.
Shelli’s focus has been on the cutting edge of advances in the intermodal industry by finding unique logistics services that help shippers accomplish the impossible within their supply chain to build a competitive advantage. Shelli has been instrumental in the intermodal space building strategic alliances with the Class I railroads and building successful strategic solutions for shippers across North America in their 53’ domestic and 40’ repositioning intermodal programs.
Shelli is a big believer of giving back to the industry. She has been actively involved with the TIA as a board member, supporting the Intermodal knowledge development within the group. Currently, she is serving on the IANA board and is the past chairman.
Shelli Austin
Kate Bailey, Chief Policy Officer, The Association of Plastic Recyclers
Kate Bailey is the chief policy officer for the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), the only North American organization focused exclusively on improving the recycling of plastics. Kate leads APR’s advocacy in U.S. states to drive significant new legislation to increase plastics recycling, improve material quality and expand recycled content markets. She is also actively engaged with U.S. federal agencies and the UN global plastics pollution treaty to scale up plastics recycling as a solution to both reduce plastic waste and carbon pollution. In her previous role, Kate successfully worked with governments, consumer goods companies, NGOs and other stakeholders to pass several leading local and state-level policies to improve recycling, including Colorado’s Producer Responsibility for Packaging program in 2022. She is based in Colorado.
Kate Bailey
Sunil Bagaria, Chairman, GDB Circular
Sunil Bagaria is the chairman of GDB Circular and the president and co-founder of the parent company GDB International. Sunil founded GDB International in 1993, and has built the business into a global provider of sustainability solutions with operations in over 35 countries and with 500 employees.
GDB Circular is the plastics recycling and PCR manufacturing arm of the GDB group of companies. GDB Circular operates across 9x facilities in the United States, with a focus on film-to-film PCR recycling operations. GDB’s LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE and PP PCR is supplied to plastic converters and brand owners across the United States. In the Rogers, Minnesota, facility, GDB Circular is partnered with General Mills and Schwan’s Company, amongst others, to pioneer a regional circular economy for flexible films. GDB Circular is also a portfolio company of global sustainability leaders Alliance to End Plastic Waste and Closed Loop Partners.
Sunil Bagaria
Stephanie Baker, Director of Advocacy, KW Plastics
As the director of advocacy for KW Plastics, Stephanie Baker advocates for pro-recycling policies and healthy plastics recycling initiatives within the recycling system and supply chain. Her role includes overseeing government relations, community engagement, marketing and public relations.
Stephanie previously served as KW’s director of market development and led polypropylene procurement. Her experience includes establishing closed loop recycling programs, beyond bottle expansion initiatives, policy, communications, economic development, strategic planning and community affairs.
Professionally, Stephanie serves on The Association of Plastic Recyclers’ (APR) Communications and Public Affairs Committee and on the Alabama Recycling Coalition Board of Directors. She is also a member of ReMA and the Scrap Recycling Association of Alabama. She was recognized by Plastics News as a “Woman Breaking the Mold” and by Business Alabama as a “Mover and Shaper.” She is also an Alabama Leadership Initiative graduate. Stephanie serves as president pro tempore of the Troy City Council. She and her husband have two daughters.
Stephanie Baker
Sandeep Bangaru, Vice President, Circular Platform, Eastman Chemical Company
Sandeep Bangaru is vice president of Eastman’s Circular Platform. In this role, Sandeep has responsibility for enabling and executing the company’s circular packaging and textiles platforms.
Sandeep obtained a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2003 and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2017.
Since joining Eastman in 2013, he has served in a variety of roles in sales and business management. These roles have brought experience in several industries, including coatings and animal nutrition, with a focus on developing new strategies while driving organizational change.
Sandeep Bangaru
Scott Barbour, President and CEO, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
Scott Barbour joined Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. in September 2017 and serves as president and chief executive officer. Before joining Advanced Drainage Systems, Scott served in a variety of roles with Emerson Electric Company and its affiliates from 1989 to 2016, including executive vice president of Emerson Electric and business leader of Emerson Network Power from 2011 to 2016; group vice president of Emerson Climate Technologies from 2010 to 2011; president of Emerson Climate Technologies Asia Pacific Division from 2008 to 2010; and president of Emerson Climate Technologies Air Conditioning Division from 2003 to 2008.
His extensive background is in product planning, marketing, sales, engineering and operations. Scott serves as a board member for Recreation Unlimited, a not-for-profit organization serving individuals with physical and developmental disabilities through sports, recreation and education. He earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University and an MBA from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.
Scott Barbour
Andrea Bassetti, Senior Analyst, Plastics Recycling, Americas, ICIS
Based in San Francisco, Andrea Bassetti conducts research and analysis of recycling markets at ICIS. Her role includes, but is not limited to, data collection and analysis on recycling supply. Together with her team, she focuses on maintaining a deep understanding of global recycling incentives and trends to provide a comprehensive overview of the market to clients and partners. Her focus is on the Americas market, conducting this work in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Andrea Bassetti
Mauricio Batres, Chief Operating Officer, Grupo Tayacana
Mauricio Batres, MBA-MSc, is vice president of SERPROIM and chief operating officer of its parent company, Grupo Tayacana, which is based in Nicaragua with operations in Costa Rica and El Salvador. Mauricio is a dynamic and results-driven leader responsible for overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations and driving its strategic vision forward.
As vice president of SERPROIM, one of the largest importers of secondhand textiles in Nicaragua (+20 million pounds per year), Mauricio consistently focuses on innovation and the development of new textile recycling methods to reduce waste to improve the environment.
With a strong background in business strategy, recycling models and secondhand retail industry, Mauricio works closely with the board of Grupo Tayacana to implement long-term growth plans, optimize processes and adapt to local market trends, such as Central America's growing demand for unique sustainable fashion.
Mauricio Batres
Crystal Bayliss, Director, Strategy and Engagement, U.S. Plastics Pact
With 15 years of supply chain experience in the consumer-packaged goods industry, Crystal Bayliss developed a passion for the circular economy as the rigid plastics procurement manager. In that role, she enjoyed educating and engaging both internal and external business partners to understand how their individual actions were critical to collective sustainability initiatives. Today, Crystal oversees the U.S. Pact’s progress toward Roadmap 2.0 targets and deliverables and leads several workstreams. She focuses on helping companies make progress on their circular design and PCR commitments as well as creating systems-level changes to increase the collection and recycling of plastic packaging. Crystal’s experience leading cross-functional teams and multi-stakeholder partnerships is helping the U.S. Plastics Pact bring together the entire value chain to advance the circular economy and solve the plastics waste crisis.
Crystal Bayliss
Anne Bedarf, Director, Packaging and Plastic Sustainability, Colgate-Palmolive
Anne Bedarf joined Colgate-Palmolive in 2017 and is the director of packaging and plastic sustainability. At Colgate, Anne is driving progress towards Colgate's packaging sustainability targets including industry transition to recyclable squeeze tubes. Prior to joining Colgate, Anne spent nine years with the nonprofit GreenBlue, managing membership, training and projects for the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), and also previously worked in local government and environmental consulting. While at the SPC, Anne worked with brands, retailers, packaging suppliers, local and federal governments and nonprofits to develop the on-pack How2Recycle labeling program.
Anne Bedarf
Brent Bell, Vice President of Recycling, WM
Brent Bell has been in the waste industry for over 25 years. Brent started at USA Waste in 1997 and worked at the corporate offices during the USA/Waste Management merger in the late 1990s. Brent moved to the recycling group a few years later and helped grow the recycling business to become the largest residential recycler in North America. Brent is currently the vice president of recycling for Waste Management, responsible for operations of more than 100 facilities and sales and marketing of 10 million tons of recyclables, which are sold to our customers around the world by the WM export team.
Brent received a BBA with a degree in accounting in 1995 from the Stephen F Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Brent was raised in Houston and currently lives in Friendswood, Texas.
Brent Bell
Nina Bellucci Butler, CEO, Stina Inc.
Nina Bellucci Butler is CEO of Stina Inc., a mission-based research and technology company. She delivers unbiased guidance on navigating the role plastics play in sustainability. She has testified before the U.S. Congress, served as a subject matter expert for XPrize, and presented to the OPEC Secretariat as well as on other global stages such as the World Bank, a United Nations Summit, the World Plastic Summit in Monaco, the World Petrochemical Conference, the Global Plastic Summit, the World Circular Economy Forum, the Nat Geo Circular Economy Forum, and the Plastic Recycling Conference dating back to its inaugural event. Her team conducts critical research such as the Annual Plastic Recycling Study, develops online resources such as CircularityInAction.com and leads multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Plastic Squeeze Tube Recycling Project. Nina has volunteered on several expeditions including the Ocean Plastic Recovery Project: Katmai Clean Up, and now serves as their advisor.
Nina Bellucci Butler
Jason Bergquist, Vice President of U.S. Operations, RecycleMe
Jason Bergquist is the vice president of U.S. Operations for RecycleMe, a division of Reclay StewardEdge. Jason brings over 35 years of experience in recycling and waste roles. He has managed commercial and municipal waste hauling divisions, single-stream recycling hauling and material recovery facility operations, bottle bill redemption pickup and sorting operations, among others, in Maine, New York, and California. Additionally, Jason has significant international experience, having worked in the manufacturing industry in both Europe and Asia.
He holds a Juris Doctor degree from John F. Kennedy University of Law and has provided counsel in the areas of EPR, ESG, Superfund compliance, beverage container deposit law, and hazardous waste management. Jason and his wife live in Maine and are proud to have raised three children together.
Jason Bergquist
Dr. Anya Brandon, Director, Plastics Policy, Ocean Conservancy
Dr. Anja Brandon is an environmental engineer and policy expert specializing in plastics pollution and waste management. As the director of plastics policy at Ocean Conservancy, Anja leads a team working to eliminate plastic pollution at the state, federal and international level. Anja has been instrumental in drafting landmark state and national legislation regulating plastic pollution, including as part of the team of environmental advocates that helped draft and pass the strongest plastics legislation in the country, SB 54 in California. Her background includes a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Stanford University and experience as an AAAS Congressional Science Fellow for U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley. Anja's work has earned her recognition as one of Fast Company's Most Creative People of the Year in 2023. Anja’s unique combination of scientific expertise and policy strategy has made her an effective advocate, go-to expert and change maker.
Dr. Anya Brandon
Dr. Joanne Brasch, Director of Advocacy, California Product Stewardship Council
Dr. Joanne Brasch holds a Ph.D. in textile economics and environmental analysis from the University of California, Davis, where she spent 14 years lecturing and researching. She currently works as the director of advocacy at the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) leading projects that promote a circular economy using product stewardship and extended producer responsibility. Joanne is appointed by CalRecycle to the California carpet advisory committee and holds the vice chair position. She made Waste360’s “40 under 40” list in 2021.
Dr. Joanne Brasch
Aly Bryan, Ventures Investor, Closed Loop Partners
Aly Bryan 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 supports 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 Bryan
Neil Cameron, Partner, Emerald Technology Ventures
Based in Emerald’s Toronto office, Neil Cameron’s sector expertise is in the field of advanced materials and processes; he co-leads the materials and sustainable packaging practice at Emerald with his colleague Fredric Petit.
Neil’s academic background is in advanced materials, with a Ph.D. in chemistry from McGill University and a B.Sc. in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of King’s College (Dalhousie University), but generally, if it has mass, occupies space, is intriguing, and creates value, he is interested.
He is delighted to help entrepreneurs and corporate partners succeed in a vibrant, sustainable ecosystem.
When not on the road or on calls, he is most likely to be found deep in the Canadian wilderness, cycling, or on the slopes, recharging for the next challenge. He is a product of the global village and is happy to exchange ideas and opportunities in English or French.
Neil Cameron
Stan Chen, CEO, RecycleGO
Stan Chen is a recognized leader in sustainability and technology, with a focus on recycling, blockchain and AI. As the driving force behind RecycleGO, he develops innovative solutions that enhance supply chain transparency, reduce emissions and ensure compliance with global sustainability regulations. His expertise lies in integrating digital product passports and AI-powered insights to help businesses make data-driven decisions that balance environmental responsibility with profitability. Through blockchain technology, Stan has pioneered systems that provide verifiable, immutable data across supply chains, enabling companies to adopt circular economy models and mitigate disruptions. With decades of experience in the recycling industry, Stan has worked with industry leaders, NGOs and governments to scale sustainable practices worldwide. His mission is to bridge the gap between technology and sustainability, empowering organizations to build resilient, forward-thinking supply chains that drive long-term value for both business and the planet.
Stan Chen
Myles Cohen, Founder, Circular Ventures, LLC
Myles Cohen has been the president of two of the USA’s largest recycling companies and MRF operators: Pratt Recycling and Sonoco. Since retiring from Pratt Industries, he has formed Circular Ventures, LLC, a sustainable packaging and recycling advisory firm. In that role, he serves on boards of directors including the board of VIPA USA. VIPA Group is the largest independent exporter of recovered fiber globally, selling to paper mills in 100 different countries. Myles has served on several boards of NGOs over his career and is a past president of Paper Stock Industries (part of ReMA), and he is a Lifetime Achievement recipient in the recycling industry. He is a sought-after speaker and delivered a keynote earlier this year at the Packaging Recycling Summit. He has worked closely with Bloomberg Intelligence to reveal a more accurate recycling rate for OCC (cardboard) versus what the industry has published.
Myles Cohen
Scott Coleman, CEO, Revolution Sustainable Solutions, LLC
Scott Coleman is a leader in sustainable business innovation dedicated to integrating environmental responsibility with commercial success. Scott joined Revolution in 2013 with successive roles and impact on operations, sales and guiding the company’s focus on innovation in sustainable solutions for flexible plastics. As the president and CEO, he continues to lead the company’s mission to enhance the sustainability and circularity of flexible plastic through a unique, vertically integrated business model that advances the recycling rates and use of post-consumer recycled content. Under his tenure and leadership, the company has grown from two locations to over a dozen across the U.S and Canada. Scott earned an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and holds B.A. and M.S. degrees in economics from Iowa State University.
Scott Coleman
Sarah Coulter, Americas Program Director, Accelerating Circularity
Sarah Coulter has spent more than a decade creating successful sustainability programs from the ground up, including the past four years with Accelerating Circularity. She is a supply chain sustainability generalist with extensive experience in program design and development, research and writing, standards and certifications, claims and labeling, building hybrid business models, technical design and management, and forging strategic partnerships.
As a speaker, panelist, and facilitator, Sarah has shared her knowledge with diverse audiences worldwide. She holds a BFA in art history from the University of Kansas and an MS in sustainability management from Columbia University.
Sarah Coulter
Curt Cozart, Chief Operating Officer, The Association of Plastic Recyclers
Curt Cozart is chief operating officer for the Association of Plastic Recyclers and president of Common Sense Solutions, Inc., a consulting company specializing in plastics recycling plant design and optimization. At APR, he oversees the Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability, PCR Certification, Design Training and Design Recognition programs. While at Common Sense Solutions he played key roles in the design and improvement of most of the U.S. plastic recycling infrastructure. He has worked in the plastics recycling industry since 1991, where as a project manager for Mobil Chemical Company he built the first North American film recycling plant dedicated to LLDPE stretch film. He holds a B.S. in applied engineering mechanics from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served domestically and overseas in the U.S. Army as an engineer officer.
Curt Cozart
Neil Darin, Senior Director of Resiliency and Holistic Packaging, tms (a HAVI company)
Neil Darin is the senior director of resiliency and holistic packaging at tms, with nearly 30 years of experience collaborating with brands, consumers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and researchers to drive innovation and business opportunity through packaging. A packaging engineering graduate from Michigan State University, he is a pioneer of packaging technology, with numerous patents related to functional features enabling consumer experiences, microwave susceptors, shelf-life extension and modified material surface properties.
Neil has been honored as an Innovator of the Year by OM Scotts and Kraft Foods and recognized by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute with the Packaging Line of the Year award. He has held key roles at OM Scotts and Sons, Union Camp Corporation, Kraft Foods and HAVI/tms.
Neil Darin
Kate Davenport, Chief Impact Officer, The Recycling Partnership
Kate Davenport is the chief impact officer for The Recycling Partnership, a purpose-driven organization committed to building a better recycling system.
The past few years have brought monumental change to recycling and the circular economy effort with the passage of significant public policy. Kate's work focuses on implementing this catalyzing policy to realize desired impacts.
Kate has an extensive background in environmental sustainability, having previously co-led Eureka Recycling, a nonprofit recycler and zero waste advocacy organization in the Twin Cities. She has worked across stakeholder groups to bring on-the-ground experience in recycling to highlight the challenges and opportunities in recycling to advocate for private and public action that can exponentially expand the environmental, social and economic benefits of recycling and zero-waste strategies.
A founding member of the Alliance for Mission Based Recyclers, Kate’s experience spans roles at EcoVentures International, aiding microenterprise development and plastics recycling in South Asia, East Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S.; Envirelation, one of the first organic collection companies in the United States; and SustainUS, contributing to UN Environment Program negotiations on sustainability and climate issues.
Kate Davenport
Resa Domino, Managing Partner, Signalfire Group
Resa Dimino is a managing principal at RRS and managing partner of the Signalfire Group. She thrives at the intersection of policy and operations, bringing an operational grounding to policy development and a policy context to operational issues. She has 30 years of experience in waste reduction, recycling, product stewardship, solid waste management and environmental economic development. Resa has worked in recycling businesses and with trade groups, and served as the lead policy staff for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. She is currently focusing on collaborative initiatives to improve recovery, increase sustainability and facilitate product stewardship. She has extensive experience and deep networks in the recycling policy sector, including NGOs, trade groups and government entities. She has managed and directed multiple recycling supply chain and infrastructure gap analyses for public and private sector clients.
Resa Dimino
Ben Dixon, Partner and Head of Materials and Circular Economy, Systemiq
Ben Dixon is a Systemiq partner and leader of its materials and circular economy platform. He works with industry, government and civil society to accelerate progress towards circular systems of industrial production and consumption that design out waste and pollution.
Ben started his career as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company and then spent 10 years in industry (Shell, BG Group and Queensland Curtis LNG) with deep experience in sustainability risk management and delivery of sustainability programs from the corporate center to the front line in more than 20 countries worldwide. His academic background is in environmental science, and he holds an MA in natural sciences from Cambridge University and an MSc in environmental technology from Imperial College London.
Ben Dixon
Edward Dominion, Founder, President and CEO, D6 LLC.
Edward (Ed) Dominion is the founder, president and CEO of D6 LLC., a leader in sustainable packaging and regenerative recycling. Armed with an innovative spirit, Ed Dominion, Martin Troudt, and Ben McGregor launched D6 Inc. in 2014, which has evolved into a globally recognized company working toward closing the recycling loop.
Under his leadership, D6 has achieved milestones such as pioneering tray-to-tray recycling, introducing regenerative recycling techniques and adhering to stringent sustainability certifications. Ed's vision extends beyond business success; he is committed to creating a closed-loop circular economy and achieving carbon-negative packaging by 2035+. Known for his resilience, Ed relocated D6 to Texas to ensure growth during the pandemic and has fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration. Recognized by industry leaders and policymakers alike, Ed continues to drive meaningful change in the packaging and recycling sectors.
Edward Dominion
Katie Drews, Co-President and CEO, Eureka Recycling
Katie Drews is the co-president and CEO of Eureka Recycling, a nonprofit, mission-driven organization committed to zero waste. As a recycling operator, Katie works to bring Eureka’s unique “perspective from the pile” to industry and environmental discussions, advocating for effective solutions and systemic changes rooted in strong policy. She also serves as the national director for the Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling, where she works to challenge recycling myths, oppose false solutions and drive meaningful reform in plastic production. Katie emphasizes shifting the focus from "Can we recycle?" to "Should we recycle?" Her work underscores that recycling is only a component of a larger strategy that should be focused on reduction and reuse to address the plastics crisis sustainably.
Katie holds both a bachelor's degree in business administration and an MBA from Hamline University, bringing her diverse experiences and a strong foundation in marketing and business strategy to her work.
Katie Drews
MaryEllen Etienne, Director, U.S. Green Building Council
MaryEllen Etienne is committed to resilience—personally and professionally. She has helped numerous businesses, municipalities and nonprofits embrace sustainability and is a dedicated advocate for circularity.
MaryEllen is a director at USGBC where she works on green building. Prior, she led numerous reuse and recycling initiatives including Reuse Alliance, ReuseNYC, London Community Recycling Network and Materials for the Arts. As a thought leader, MaryEllen created and writes the ”‘Women in Circularity” column published by Resource Recycling, has developed and delivered a range of innovative programs and services, helped develop the TRUE certification and provides guidance on industry research, policy and legislation.
She earned a Master of Arts in sustainability and change management from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Arts in social sciences from the SUNY College at New Paltz. MaryEllen maintains LEED Green Associate and TRUE credentials and is a member of the National Recycling Coalition.
MaryEllen Etienne
Robert Flores, Senior Vice President of Sustainability, Berry Global
Robert Flores is senior vice president of sustainability at Berry Global. Flores leads execution of the company’s ambitious Impact 2025 sustainability strategy, which includes commitments to improve product recyclability, increase the use of post-consumer recycled content and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5°C.
As a long-time sustainability professional and plastics expert, Flores has worked with local, national and global organizations, including the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Recycling Partnership, Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Alliance to End Plastic Waste to foster a circular economy.
Robert Flores
Beth Forsberg, Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer, Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona
Beth Forsberg has been a key leader at Goodwill for over 18 years, currently serving as senior vice president, chief sustainability officer at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona (GCNA). With more than 30 years of experience in donated goods retail (DGR), she has driven GCNA’s sustainability initiatives, including the first large-scale sorting and grading program. She also played a pivotal role in supporting the ASU team to open a groundbreaking material recovery facility, converting plastic waste into new products.
Previously as vice president of retail and operations at Goodwill Industries of San Diego County, Beth oversaw 10 departments, quadrupling sales revenue and launching the Sustainability Division with initiatives like curbside collection to enhance material diversion. She also expanded GCNA's Retail Operations Center by introducing innovative programs like e-commerce and textile grading, significantly boosting revenue and waste diversion efforts.
Beth Forsberg
Amanda Forster, Materials Research Engineer, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Amanda Forster is a materials research engineer in the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. She is also the leader of the Surface and Trace Chemical Analysis Group. She holds a B.S. in textile chemistry and an M.S. in textiles, fiber and polymer science from Clemson University and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. She has published numerous papers related to the long-term stability of polymeric materials used in body armor and methods for body armor testing. Her current research interests are working on standards, data and measurements to facilitate a circular economy for textiles and fiber-reinforced composites as a part of NIST’s broader circular economy program.She is eager for the opportunity to leverage her prior leadership efforts and passion for standards development to help facilitate circularity and sustainability for textiles.
Amanda Forster
Domenico Fortuna, Investment Banking, DC Advisory
Domenico Fortuna is a senior member of DC Advisory’s financial advisory team based in New York. Specializing in the chemicals and materials sector, Domenico drives activity in the firm’s circular and sustainable economy practice. Domenico joined DC Advisory in 2024 from Rothschild & Co, bringing over a decade of industry experience, having advised on more than $50 billion in M&A and capital raising transactions in his career.
He holds an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business and a Master of Engineering from Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, where he graduated summa cum laude.
Domenico Fortuna
Jessica Franken, Director of Government Affairs, Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART)
Jessica Franken, SMART’s director of government affairs, has 25 years of experience in government relations, public policy and advocacy. She has worked on Capitol Hill and represented industries including recycled textiles, nonwoven fabrics, healthcare packaging and electric vehicles. Jessica has been a leading advocate for sustainability policies, helping organizations advance environmental goals by promoting textile recycling, waste reduction and circularity.
Her work includes developing position papers, legislative strategies and government submissions. She has authored over 150 policy articles and successfully testified before state legislatures, securing victories on trade, taxation, manufacturing and labor policy.
Jessica holds a Master of Public Policy from George Mason University, where she earned the Alexis de Tocqueville Award for excellence, and a Bachelor’s in government and politics from the University of Maryland. She is also President of The Franken Group, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in strategic advocacy and policy development.
Jessica Franken
Emily Friedman, Recycled Plastics Senior Editor, ICIS
Emily Friedman is an experienced sustainability leader and market editor, driven by a passion for people and the planet. In her current role, she exposes market trends and provides thought leadership for the North American recycled plastics industry. Prior to ICIS, Emily was a corrosion expert and reliability engineer at ExxonMobil, serving both refining and petrochemical operations. She holds a degree in materials science and engineering from Virginia Tech and resides in Houston, Texas.
Emily Friedman
Ellen Fry, Project Specialist, Accelerating Circularity
Ellen Fry has spent more than a decade working in material and textile research and development for various brands in the U.S., including adidas and Tory Burch. She holds a BA in textiles, apparel and design from the University of Northern Iowa. Fry currently serves as Accelerating Circularity's U.S. project specialist and resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Ellen Fry
Rebecca Geppert, Director of Partnerships, Refiberd
Rebecca Geppert is the director of partnerships at Refiberd, a startup which has created a novel technology powered by AI to facilitate accurate material identification for textile to textile recycling. Her background is in product development and circular design, with experience at retailers like Kohls, Emmelle Design and Best Made Company. She combines extensive knowledge of textiles and apparel with experience at innovative tech startups to work towards a more sustainable industry through reuse, repair and recycling solutions.
Rebecca Geppert
George Gigounas, Partner, Co-Chair, U.S. Environmental Practice, DLA Piper LLP
George Gigounas, co-chair of the firm's U.S. environmental practice, has 25 years of experience in environmental and products litigation. Relevant here, he defends lawsuits involving environmental issues and emerging contaminants in the plastics sector: he manages subpoenas to polymer manufacturers from the California Attorney General related to its case against ExxonMobil; leads the defense for a food and beverage company in the Earth Island Institute v. Crystal Geyser Water Company, et al. lawsuit alleging liability for global plastic pollution based on recycling labels and marketing; defends allegations of false marketing regarding recycling rates and microplastics; leads the defense in a unique Endangered Species Act suit bringing claims related to tire chemicals; and defends multiple threatened lawsuits alleging products contain PFAS compounds. George's experience in environmental litigation and strategic approach to defending legal challenges regarding recycling give him strong insight for the plastics recycling sector navigating the evolving legal landscape.
George Gigounas
Constanza Gomez, Co-Founder and CEO, Sortile
Constanza Gomez is the co-founder and CEO of Sortile. She is an industrial engineer and computer science major with an MBA from Columbia Business School. She spent over four years researching Latin American retailers, where she developed a passion for sustainable fashion and supply chains. In August 2021, along with Agustina Mir, she co-founded Sortile and is currently on a mission to divert textiles from landfills.
Constanza Gomez
Katarina Goodge, NRC Postdoctoral Research Chemist, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Katarina Goodge is a research chemist in the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. They hold a B.S. in chemical engineering from Ohio State University and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in fiber science from Cornell University. Katarina specializes in fiber-forming polymers, surface functionalization and fiber/fabric properties characterization. Their work at NIST focuses on developing advanced mechanical recycling methods and on enabling rapid, efficient sorting of textiles.
Katarina Goodge
Shannon Gordon, Chief Operating Officer, Circular.co
Shannon Gordon is chief operating officer of Circular.co, the leading AI sourcing platform for sustainable and next-gen materials. Circular’s first-of-its-kind recycled plastic database drives transparency, efficiency and cost savings, expediting its buyers’ sustainability journey.
Shannon brings almost 20 years of executive experience at both technology startups and large global brands to the business. As vice president of customer experience at Walmart.com, she grew Walmart’s order-online, pickup-in-store business from a seven-store pilot to a $1 billion profit and loss. This work gave Shannon a passion for connecting the digital and physical world that has been core to her career ever since.
Shannon has also worked at McKinsey & Company and served as CEO of theBoardlist (acquired by Board Prospects), an online talent marketplace that brings greater diversity to public and private company boards. She has a B.A. from Middlebury College and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Shannon Gordon
Keefe Harrison, CEO, The Recycling Partnership
Keefe Harrison is a founder and the CEO of The Recycling Partnership, a mission-driven NGO committed to protecting the planet by fixing recycling and activating a circular economy in the U.S.
An international speaker, media pundit and environmental author, Keefe is a 25-year veteran of the space, fiercely committed to her organization’s mission of delivering lasting change. Under her leadership since 2014, The Partnership has grown from an idea to a national movement that’s leveraging more than $170 million of investment, partnering with more than 3,000 U.S. communities and delivering more than 1 billion new pounds of recyclables… and they’re just getting started. Before recycling, Keefe worked on a logging crew in North Carolina, researched sea turtles in Costa Rica and studied reindeer husbandry in Finland.
Keefe Harrison
Marissa Heffernan, Associate Editor, Resource Recycling
Marissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling in January 2022 after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. After developing a special focus on recycling policy, they are also the editor of the monthly newsletter Policy Now.
Marissa Heffernan
Dan Holtmeyer, Managing Editor, Resource Recycling
Dan Holtmeyer is a writer, editor and photographer in Northwest Arkansas, where he oversees Resource Recycling's national publications focusing on the recycling industry. His career in journalism, in both reporter and editor roles, has stretched from Nebraska to Oklahoma, Missouri, Minnesota and here in the Natural State. Prior to joining Resource Recycling, Dan managed the recycling program of a local regional nonprofit, connecting stakeholders, collecting data, and supporting public education and outreach.
Dan Holtmeyer
Eddie Ingle, Chief Executive Officer, Unifi
Eddie Ingle serves as chief executive officer of Unifi and is a member of the company’s board of directors. Eddie has more than 30 years of experience with Unifi, having held senior roles from 1986 to 2018. Before returning to the company in 2020, he served as CEO for Wellman International and Indorama Ventures Global Recycling Business.
Eddie received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Dublin Institute of Technology. He began his career at Unifi's operations in Letterkenny, Ireland, in 1986 and moved to Winston-Salem in 1991 to work for Unifi in the U.S. Throughout the years, he has held numerous leadership positions, including vice president of supply chain and global corporate sustainability officer. He has a steadfast belief in Unifi, its people and its products, with a goal of fulfilling the company’s mission of being the world's most sought-after performance and sustainability textile partner.
Eddie Ingle
Ahmad Kawas, Global Business Director - Circular and Renewable Solutions, Dow Chemical Co.
Ahmad Kawas is a highly motivated leader at the world’s leading material science company, currently serving as the global business director, circular and renewable solutions at Dow P&SP. In his current role, sustainability is a large focus, as well as a personal passion. He is responsible for Dow's "Transform the Waste" target of achieving 3 million metric tons of circular and renewable solutions by 2030.
Ahmad’s background is focused on leading sales and business development teams across multiple geographies and business units including North America, Europe, India, the Middle East and Africa. Prior to his current role, he was the senior sales director for Dow's packaging and specialty plastics business, responsible for a sales team focused on industrial and consumer packaging sales with more than $1 billion in annual sales.
Ahmad Kawas
Dr. Chris Killian, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, Eastman
Dr. Chris Killian is senior vice president, chief technology and sustainability officer with responsibility for Eastman’s global technology, innovation and sustainability organizations. He leads Eastman’s innovation driven growth strategy to deliver sustainable material solutions to customer and societal needs. Prior to his current position, Chris served as senior vice president and chief technology officer. Chris also serves as the executive sponsor for Connect, the Eastman resource group that promotes the inclusion, development and advancement of African American and Black team members throughout the company.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joined Eastman in 1996 as a research chemist. During his career at Eastman, he has held various technology and business leadership positions, including director of polymers technology, director of the Tritan growth platform, and vice president of advanced materials technology.
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Chris and his wife Sharon reside in Johnson City, Tennessee, and have three daughters. He is an inventor on more than 40 U.S. patents, a 2015 ACS Heroes of Chemistry awardee, and a member of the American Chemical Society and the UNC at Chapel Hill Chemistry Advisory Board.
Dr. Chris Killian
Andriana Kontovrakis, Director of EPR Solutions, Reverse Logistics Group
Andriana Kontovrakis is an EPR policy and program management specialist with more than 25 years’ experience in the waste management, recycling and circular economy space. She is currently the director of EPR solutions with Reverse Logistics Group. She manages a team responsible for providing PRO support services for existing and newly formed EPR programs across the U.S. Prior to this role, she was RLG’s director of compliance services for five years, a policy analyst with the extended producer responsibility (EPR) compliance unit at the global electronics recycler Sims Lifecycle Solutions, and the deputy director for waste prevention at the New York City Department of Sanitation.
Andriana Kontovrakis
Edward Kosior, President, NEXTLOOPP Americas
Professor Edward Kosior’s expertise in the plastics recycling sector spans 49 years, split between 22 years as an academic and 27 years developing cutting-edge solutions to reduce global polymer waste and carbon footprint.
Professor Kosior, founder of science-based technology consultancy Nextek Ltd, has launched a number of successful projects, most recently NEXTLOOPP; which is closing the loop on post-consumer polypropylene plastic packaging; its parallel initiative NEXTLOOPP Americas; and COtooCLEAN, which uses a unique super-critical CO2 technology to decontaminate, de-ink and delaminate soft plastic films back to food-grade compliance.
His achievements have been recognized by IOM3 (Prince Phillip Medal 1999, and Sustainable Future Award, Circular Economy 2023, for COtooCLEAN), The Alliance to End Plastics Waste (Alliance Prize, $3 million for Circular Solutions for Plastics Films 2023), the World Packaging Award 2022 for Packaging Excellence (NEXTLOOPP), and Packaging Europe Sustainability Awards (Driving Circular Economy 2023 for COtooCLEAN and overall winner 2021 for NEXTLOOPP).
Edward Kosior
Rob Kurtz, Recycling Marketing Specialist, Rumpke
Rob Kurtz has been with Rumpke for about three and a half years. In his role as recycling marketing specialist, he is tasked with moving all of the plastics and metals for the company. In 2024, Rumpke moved 52.6 million pounds of plastic to end users to be recycled. This included 30.3 million pounds of PET, 12 million pounds of HDPE and five million pounds of polypropylene.
Rob Kurtz
Jennifer Lake, President and CEO, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes
As president and CEO of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes (GFL), Jen Lake leads a nonprofit social enterprise spanning 20 counties across New York with an annual budget exceeding $57 million and a team of more than 750 employees. Jen strategically advances GFL’s mission: elevating people, community and planet for a good today and better tomorrow. Last year GFL kept 27.6 million pounds of useful items in circulation and community programs impacted more than 184,000 people through 211/LIFE LINE/988, Goodwill Vision Enterprises, Goodwill Learning Academy and other programs. Jen chairs Goodwill International’s circularity committee and leads the Northeast Circularity Hub, a collective of 11 Goodwills.
Before GFL, Jen held positions at the Lauder, WB and Spherion, gaining valuable experience in public and private sectors. This understanding of business operations and a deep empathy for social issues has shaped her leadership philosophy.
Jen lives in Rochester, New York, with her husband, daughter and cat.
Jennifer Lake
Nicholas Laneville, Senior Associate, Hogan Lovells US LLP
Nicholas works in the international trade sphere helping clients to resolve complex cross-border issues. Whether the problem involves domestic law and regulations, public international law, supply chain disruptions or tariff risk, Nicholas helps clients find solutions that meet their needs.
Nicholas has represented clients, including some in the renewables and recycling space, before the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Trade Representative U.S. courts, and the World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Body. These representations have spanned all manner of trade activity, including imports subject to antidumping and countervailing duties, exploring tariff relief options from Section 301 tariffs on China and the global Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum, free trade agreements and origin claims, valuation, classification, and other creative solutions.
Nicholas Laneville
Dan Liswood, Senior Director - NextGen Consortium, Closed Loop Partners
Dan Liswood is a senior project director at Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, where he has managed the NextGen Consortium since 2018. The NextGen Consortium is a multi-year partnership of food-service industry leaders, founded by Starbucks and McDonald’s, to address single-use food packaging waste by advancing the design, commercialization and recovery of food packaging alternatives.
Prior to joining Closed Loop Partners, Dan spent five years in corporate sustainability consulting where he developed and helped lead sustainability and energy management strategies for multiple Fortune 500 clients and some of the largest real estate owners and operators throughout the U.S. Before entering the private sector, Dan spent four years as a project manager at the Clinton Foundation’s Climate Initiative working on large-scale clean energy projects. Dan holds an MA in international affairs and urbanization from the New School University and a BA from McGill University.
Dan Liswood
Brian London, President and CEO, Whitehouse & Schapiro and President, SMART
Brian London is the president and CEO of Whitehouse & Schapiro, a fifth-generation textile recycling company that traces its roots back to 1907. A Baltimore native, Brian holds degrees in mathematics and comparative literature from Cornell University and earned his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College before training in psychiatry in New York. In 2014, he returned to lead his family's business.
Under his leadership, Whitehouse & Schapiro has greatly expanded its presence as one of the largest buyers and exporters of post-consumer textiles, with headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, and multiple warehouses across the U.S. along with a sorting facility in Costa Rica serving secondhand stores through Central America. The company gives a second (and sometimes a third and fourth) life to over 250 million pounds of textiles annually, with a strong focus on sustainability and on investments in end-markets, including recent infrastructure plans to help rescue end-of-life textile waste as part of a fiber-to-fiber recycling effort in Central America.
Brian also serves as president of the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART), continuing his family's decades-long legacy of industry leadership. He has played a pivotal role in expanding the organization internationally and fostering collaboration with legislators, regulators and nonprofits to advance sustainability within the textile and apparel industries.
Brian London
Lina Gomez Londono, Vice President of Sustainability and Solutions, Debrand
Lina Gomez Londono is the vice president of sustainability and solutions at Debrand. She is committed to stewarding the most impactful programs and business models for the company and its clients, fostering a holistic ecosystem of next-life logistics partners that offer the highest-value solutions for apparel and footwear brands. From fiber reclamation and alternative fuel to recommerce and advanced recycling trials — she serves as the company’s subject matter expert on sustainability and circularity.
Lina partners with clients to harmonize business activities with sustainability objectives, develop technology-enabled value recovery strategies, identify maximum end-of-life solutions for products, and optimize garment materiality. As a trusted partner for fashion brands and solution providers alike, Lina brings a unique perspective with actionable insights that can help drive the fashion industry towards more meaningful changes for the planet and its global communities.
Lina Gomez Londono
Elena Mantagaris, Senior Advisor, Canadian Initiatives, The Association of Plastic Recyclers
Elena Mantagaris has over 25 years of experience establishing partnerships with governments and stakeholders to advance large-scale projects subject to regulatory review and public scrutiny in the plastics recycling, energy, mining and transportation sectors. Prior to working with APR, Elena led the Plastics Division for the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada representing members across the full plastics value chain including resin producers, converters, recyclers and brand owners.
Elena Mantagaris
Brittany Martin, Senior Analyst, Americas Polyolefins, Wood Mackenzie
Brittany Martin is a senior analyst at Wood Mackenzie who specializes in the intersection of sustainability and the petrochemical industry. She graduated from Louisiana State University with an undergraduate degree in environmental management systems and holds a master’s degree in biology from Western Connecticut State University. Though her career began in a lab, she now leverages data to uncover trends and insights that drive informed decision-making for industry leaders shaping the petrochemical space. Passionate about promoting environmentally responsible practices, she advocates for innovative solutions that align with both industry needs and sustainability goals. Outside her professional endeavors, she actively participates in initiatives that support sustainable development and community engagement.
Brittany Martin
Mariane Maximous, Vice President, Feedstocks & Mechanical Recycling – Circularity & Low Carbon Solutions, LYB
Mariane Maximous is a seasoned professional who has more than 24 years of experience in the chemical industry. She currently leads the Feedstock and Mechanical Recycling team, driving several business development opportunities and industry collaboration efforts to achieve LYB’s North America circularity goals.
Prior to this role and returning to LYB in early 2023, Mariane led the global ethylene and methanol strategic sourcing team at Celanese, where she expanded their global relationship with strategic suppliers.
Mariane started her career in 2001 as a process engineer with ExxonMobil at the Beaumont olefins and aromatics plant. She joined LyondellBasell in 2005 at the Channelview olefins site as a cracker engineer, and has held other roles at LYB spanning across olefins and I&D operations, planning and optimization, finance, investor relations, strategy and planning, and various commercial roles in the olefins and polyolefins business units.
Mariane holds B.S. in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, an MBA with concentration in finance and international business from the University of Houston, and a Global Management Academy certificate from Harvard Business School.
Mariane Maximous
Jesse Medlong, Senior Associate, DLA Piper LLP
Jesse Medlong helps enterprises and governments navigate the legal risks and opportunities on their journey toward sustainability, with a focus on climate change, environmental law, dispute resolution and multi-stakeholder negotiation.
Jesse serves as a trusted adviser to clients determined to lead in tomorrow’s economy. He uses his unique blend of experience in international diplomacy, high-stakes litigation and sustainability policy to help clients simplify compliance and forge strategic relationships at the increasingly critical intersection of business and sustainability. He coordinates DLA Piper’s sustainability and ESG efforts in both the technology sector and the consumer goods, food and retail sector, and his clients include Fortune 500 companies and household brands seeking to identify ESG-related liability risks and develop creative, stakeholder-centric approaches to risk mitigation and dispute resolution.
Jesse Medlong
Neil Menezes, Vice President of Material Services, Circular Action Alliance
Neil Menezes is the vice president of material services at Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the first approved producer responsibility organization (PRO) for paper, packaging and food service ware in the U.S. Neil’s focus will be to grow the amount and types of materials that can be recycled by working closely with all stakeholders within the recycling supply chain from design to end markets. Prior to joining CAA, Neil worked at General Mills Inc, working on packaging sustainability policy to develop effective EPR policies to support its successful implementation.
He also has over 15 years of experience working with PROs, producers, waste management companies and other key stakeholders to implement effective EPR and diversion programs in Canada, Europe and South America. Neil also served on several boards and committees, including the Oregon Rulemaking Advisory Committee No. 2, the Illinois Advisory Committee, the Canada Plastics Pact Advisory Committee, and CAA’s national and Colorado boards.
Neil Menezes
Joel Morales, Vice President, Polymers Americas, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Joel Morales joined Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS (CMA)’s predecessor company in March 2013 to cover polyethylene and polypropylene in North America (NA). Joel has brought a wealth of industry knowledge to Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS through multiple stints along the plastics’ value chain. He began his career with polyolefins manufacturer Solvay Polymers, which later became Ineos, in technical services and product development before he moved into field sales. After five years at Solvay Polymers, Joel moved into resin distribution sales for Muehlstein and United Polychem as a product manager. He managed and sold polyethylene and polypropylene resins to various customer segments. In his most recent role before joining Chemical Market Analytics’ predecessor IHS/IHS Markit, Joel was a purchasing manager for Silgan Plastics, a major blow-molding and injection molding plastics converter.
Joel graduated from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and a minor in psychology.
Joel Morales
Helio Moreira, Head of Sorting, TEXTILE house
Helio Moreira, head of sorting at TEXTILE house, is committed to redefining the future of post-consumer textiles. With over 10 years of experience in textile sorting, he has played a key role in developing advanced sorting and reuse methods that extend the life of garments and promote resource efficiency. He also has broad knowledge of the role policymakers and governments play in shaping regulations that influence textile reuse and recycling and sustainability initiatives.
His experience highlights how TEXTILE house is implementing innovative recovery solutions. Through technologies and processes, he leads efficient textile sorting, emphasizes the economic and environmental benefits of circular fashion and advocates for international collaboration and partnerships in scaling textile recycling.
Helio Moreira
Chris Newton, Chief Commercial Officer, Matoha
Chris Newton is a seasoned leader in textile and plastic recycling, currently serving as chief commercial officer at Matoha Instrumentation Ltd. With a proven track record in driving growth and innovation, Chris specializes in advancing NIR sorting technology to enhance material recovery and circular economy solutions.
His expertise lies in bridging the gap between complex recycling challenges and practical applications, empowering organizations to optimize sorting processes for textiles and plastics. Under his strategic leadership, Matoha has expanded its footprint, delivering cutting-edge solutions that address industry pain points.
Chris is passionate about sustainability and is dedicated to creating impactful partnerships across the recycling value chain. He leverages his deep industry knowledge to advocate for data-driven recycling practices and smarter resource management.
Committed to driving change, Chris continues to explore innovative pathways for improving material circularity.
Chris Newton
Adam O'Malley, Director of Energy and Environmental Technologies, U.S. Department of Commerce
Adam O’Malley is an experienced leader at the intersection of energy, environment and trade policy. He directs the U.S. Department of Commerce’s efforts to advance the global competitiveness and supply chain resiliency of U.S. energy and environmental technologies industries through the development and execution of international trade and investment policies and promotion strategies. Adam has extensive experience developing initiatives that promote market conditions and policies in international markets to enable the deployment of advanced technologies and creating opportunities for U.S. companies. His experience leading cross-functional teams and multi-stakeholder partnerships is helping these industries bring together the entire value chain to level the playing field for U.S industry.
Adam O'Malley
Corbin Olson, Senior Analyst, ICIS
Corbin Olson specializes in providing data-driven insights on mechanical recycling in the Americas and ensuring the integrity of ICIS recycling products, in addition to researching and analyzing the recycled plastic commodities value chain.
Corbin Olson
Chellie Pingree, U.S. Representative, U.S. House of Representatives
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree represents Maine’s 1st District and is a national leader in climate policy. Living on the offshore island of North Haven, Chellie has been recognized for her leadership in helping coastal communities address threats to their future.
In the 117th Congress, Chellie was named chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies. In her current role as ranking member, she continues her focus on addressing the climate crisis, creating good-paying jobs and fostering equity.
She is the founder of the Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus, which is working to curb fast fashion pollution through climate-smart policies. Chellie also serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
Jonathan Quinn, President and CEO, U.S. Plastics Pact
Jonathan Quinn is the president and CEO of U.S. Plastics Pact, bringing over 15 years of expertise in plastic packaging and a strong advocacy for a circular economy. He is recognized as an authority in sustainable flexible packaging, a key focus of the U.S. Pact’s Roadmap to 2025 and Roadmap 2.0. Jonathan also has conducted extensive consumer-insight research on the packaged-goods sector and on packaging materials.
Previously, he was vice president of marketing and sustainability at API Group, and held leadership roles at Pregis, NOVA Chemicals, Illinois Tool Works Zip-Pak, COESIA Group and Multisorb Technologies. He holds degrees in packaging science and business management from Clemson University.
Jonathan founded and co-chaired the Flexible Packaging Association’s Emerging Leadership Council and serves on the global board of directors of the International Safe Transit Association. He has received numerous accolades, including “Rising Star under 35” by Plastics News and “40 under 40” by Waste360.
Jonathan Quinn
Maite Quinn-Richards, President, Resource Recycling/Re-colab
Maite Quinn-Richards began her career in the circular economy in the early 2000s when a story she covered as a TV producer turned into a lifelong passion. She spent nearly 20 years in recycling, running NYC’s largest private hauling and recycling company, before leading business development and commodity sales at Sims Municipal Recycling.
She has served on the boards of ISRI, APR, ANJR and NRC, collaborating with industry leaders and brands to advance circular solutions. In 2018, she joined Closed Loop Partners to build the largest privately-held recycling company in the U.S., a goal realized in 2023 with the creation of Circular Services.
Today, Maite is the president of her own firm, Re-Colab, where she works with companies in various capacities—serving as president of Resource Recycling and advising organizations such as Nestlé, GDB Circular and IRG. She continues to connect key players to drive the circular economy forward.
Maite Quinn-Richards
Montserrat Ramírez, PET Operations Director, ECOCE
During her time at the National Association of the Chemical Industry, Montserrat Ramírez was manager of the Plastics Industry Commission for three years (2016-2019), focusing efforts on the adequate regulation of plastics as well as developing awareness and recycling campaigns.
Later Montserrat was the sustainability director at the Mexican Council of the Consumer Goods Industry representing food and beverage, alcoholic beverage, personal care, home care, toys and pet care companies seeking to promote best practices in sustainability based on a comprehensive regulatory framework that allows it.
She is currently the PET operations director at ECOCE, where multiple programs are developed focused on promoting education and recycling of plastic packaging in Mexico. Montserrat has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in administration from La Salle University.
Montserrat Ramírez
Raymond Randall, Senior Manager, Textiles, WM
Raymond Randall is senior manager of textile recycling at WM, and is responsible for strategy, integration and supply chain engagements that will ultimately help shift the textile industry towards greater circularity. With over 25 years of solid waste and recycling experience, he has provided a wide range of services to a diverse set of clients including Fortune 100 companies, NGOs and nonprofit organizations, and city, county and state government agencies. Raymond graduated from Geneva College with a B.S. in business administration and a B.S. in management science. He earned an MBA from the University of Florida.
Raymond Randall
Anna Rajkovic, Market and Innovation Manager, Mechanical Recycling, NOVA Chemicals
Anna Rajkovic is the mechanical recycling market amd innovation manager at NOVA Chemicals. In her role, she is responsible for the company’s PCR product portfolio, and more broadly drives circularity and builds end markets through collaboration with plastic converter customers and the entire plastics value chain. Anna joined NOVA Chemicals in 2008 and has previously held the positions of circular economy market manager, circular economy applications development specialist, as well as technical service specialist for the drum and pipe markets. She has been deeply involved with industry associations like the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. Prior to joining NOVA Chemicals, Anna was a regional sales manager at KWH Pipe in Calgary. Anna has a bachelor's of chemical engineering from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Anna Rajkovic
Roberto Ribeiro, Vice President, Global Ethylene Oxide, Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS
Roberto Ribeiro is a seasoned chemical and petrochemical expert with over 30 years of experience. He is the vice president for ethylene oxide derivatives and PET at Chemical Market Analysis.
Roberto works closely with the chemical and petrochemical sectors and other markets, such as plastic converters, brand owners, oil and gas, and financial industries, providing support and guidance throughout various business chains.
He joined Chemical Market Analytics in April 2021, having previously served as president of Townsend Solutions, a strategic consulting firm. Before, Roberto held various leadership roles in strategic planning, business development, M&A and sales and marketing at companies that are now part of Braskem and LyondellBasell.
Roberto holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance and business administration from São Paulo University (Brazil). Additionally, he holds a master's degree in oil and gas from Universidad Austral (Argentina). He has participated in various professional development courses with Harvard, New York University and MIT.
Roberto Ribeiro
William Robberson, Co-Founder, President and CTO, Kamilo, Inc.
Bill Robberson is co-founder, president and CTO of Kamilo Inc., which tracks and verifies that plastic waste is recycled and delivers geospatial technology to bring real-time supply chain visibility and third-party confirmation of the recycled resin content in plastic products. Bill is a licensed professional engineer (P.E.) and nationally recognized expert in plastics pollution research, prevention and response. He is also the founder of Ocean P3 Systems, an engineering firm specializing in plastics pollution prevention, measurement and ASTM microplastics analysis standards development.
Previously, Bill served with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco, California, where he led the development and use of geospatial location intelligence for environmental emergency response. He is also a decorated U.S. naval aviator/flight test pilot and a licensed airline pilot (ATP).
William Robberson
Scott Saunders, General Manager, KW Plastics, Recycling Division
Scott is general manager of KW Plastics and has over 30 years experience in plastic recycling. He has been active in The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for 25 years serving in various committees, and is a past board vice chair and chair. He currently serves on the APR board. He is also a board member at ReMA and serves on the advisory board responsible for implementing Colorado’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation.
Scott Saunders
Matthew Slutzker, Principal Analyst, Wood Mackenzie
Matt Slutzker is Wood Mackenzie’s principal analyst covering PET and rPET in the Americas to analyze the dynamic regional markets via insights, presentations and commentaries. Contributing to an integrated view of the polyester value chain, he also supports assessments for broader plastics markets and sustainability areas within the circular economy. More recently, he has been investigating how the plastics industry will develop key infrastructure to support future demand within rPET markets.
Matt joined Wood Mackenzie in June 2022 within the oils and chemicals research team, based in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to Wood Mackenzie, he worked in corporate development with Alpek Polyester in Charlotte, North Carolina with a focus on market analysis, M&A activity and strategic planning. Matt holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from Virginia Tech and recently completed his MBA at Wake Forest University with a focus on strategy and leadership.
Matthew Slutzker
Antoinette Smith, Reporter, Resource Recycling
Antoinette Smith has spent years immersed in the commodity plastics, energy and supply chain space. Her particular areas of focus are the PET value chain and macroeconomic influences, and she was awarded two Goldschmidt data fellowships from the SABEW association of business journalists. Antoinette received a degree in magazine journalism from the University of Kansas, and outside of business hours, she fosters rescue dogs and cycles compulsively.
Antoinette Smith
Jeff Snyder, Senior Vice President, Recycling, Rumpke
Jeff started his career with Smurfit WestRock in 1991, where he held several positions on the mill and converting side of the business. Jeff joined Smurfit WestRock’s recycling division in 2008, where he ran several recycling plants in Indianapolis, Indiana; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Huntsville, Alabama; and Columbus, Ohio. Jeff oversaw the building of several single-stream MRFs while with the company.
In 2014, Jeff joined Pratt Industries as the Midwest mill buyer and operations manager. He oversaw the sourcing of 50,000 tons of fiber per month for both the Valparaiso, Indiana, and Wapakoneta, Ohio, paper mills. He also managed three recycling plants and all mill fiber operations.
In 2020, Jeff joined Rumpke as senior vice president of recycling and sustainability, where he oversees the recycling line of business and 14 recycling plants.
Jeff graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a degree in business management. Jeff lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Jackie.
Jeff Snyder
Colin Staub, Associate Editor, Resource Recycling
Colin Staub is an associate editor at Resource Recycling, Inc., reporting on the municipal, plastics and electronics recycling sectors for the company's three trade publications. He first joined the publication as a staff reporter in 2017, and works out of the company's Portland, Oregon, headquarters.
Colin Staub
Kristin Taylor, Director, Closed Loop Partners
Kristin Taylor has a master’s degree in plastics engineering and over 25 years of experience in plastics, packaging and advanced materials. She has held technical and business development roles at ExxonMobil, Sabic, Huntsman Corporation and Metabolix, an MIT-based bioplastics company. Prior to joining Closed Loop Partners in 2022, Kristin was founder and CEO of Radical Plastics, a startup developing biodegradable plastics for packaging, agricultural and industrial applications. In her role as director at Closed Loop Partners, Kristin is responsible for technical diligence and deal flow across both ventures and catalytic capital strategies.
Kristin Taylor
Emily Tipaldo, Program Manager, The Association of Plastic Recyclers
Emily Tipaldo is currently a program manager for the Association of Plastic Recyclers, working with the market development committee. She is also founder of Mustard Seed Illumination, where she consults part-time on sustainability, plastics, and circularity matters - elevating transparency and shedding light on opportunity. She is a homeschool mother of three boys, and lives with her family in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Prior to founding her consultancy, Emily was executive director of the U.S. Plastics Pact, was part of the More Recycling team and worked for the American Chemistry Council.
Emily Tipaldo
Scott Trenor, Technical Director, The Association of Plastic Recyclers
Scott Trenor is technical director at The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). He is leading efforts on APR programs in design for recycling, recyclability testing protocols and global harmonization of packaging design protocols. Prior to joining APR, he was involved in R&D and sustainability at Milliken & Company and Kraton Polymers, giving him 20 years of experience in the polymer industry. His experience includes the discovery, development and commercialization of novel polymers and polymer additives as well as in technology acquisition and licensing. Scott earned his Ph.D. in macromolecular science and engineering from Virginia Tech in 2004.
Scott Trenor
Taylor Uekert, Circular Economy Research Analyst, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Taylor Uekert received her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Cambridge in 2021 for using sunlight to turn plastic and mixed waste into hydrogen fuel. She is now a research scientist in the Strategic Energy Analysis Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where she explores how new circular economy innovations affect our environment, economy and society. She applies methods such as life cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, material flow analysis and community impact assessment to recycling and other circularity strategies in the plastic, chemicals and clean energy sectors.
Taylor Uekert
Julia Viner, Director of Ecosystem Innovation, The Footwear Collective
Julia serves as the director of ecosystem innovation at The Footwear Collective, a collaborative initiative spun out of MIT, dedicated to accelerating circular solutions in the footwear industry by uniting leading brands and retailers, solution providers, suppliers, investors and cross-industry leaders. In this role, Julia spearheads strategic operations and partnership development, focusing on cross-sector collaboration to drive systemic change.
Prior to joining The Footwear Collective, Julia was an investment associate at Closed Loop Partners, a New York-based investment firm leveraging venture capital, growth equity, private equity and project finance vehicles to scale the circular economy across industries. She supported deal origination, investment due diligence and portfolio management for early-stage and growth investments, with a focus on sustainable fashion and consumer goods.
Julia holds a Bachelor of Science in business management with a specialization in allocation and financial planning from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Julia Viner
Christopher Wai, Co-Founder and CEO, Sixone Labs Ltd
Chris Wai is the co-founder and CEO of Sixone Labs, a company revolutionizing blended plastic recycling. Using its proprietary data and AI-powered platform, Sixone selectively extracts useful materials from blended plastic waste – starting with polyester from post-consumer textiles – into high-quality circular polymers.
Prior to founding Sixone, Chris was an executive at Texhong Textile Group and held leadership roles at technology startups in Silicon Valley. Chris has a B.S. in electrical and computer engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.
Christopher Wai
Barry Wallis, Director of Value Creation, Again Technologies, LLC
Barry Wallis has spearheaded sustainable initiatives in recycling and renewable energy projects, transforming waste streams into valuable resources. His diverse background includes closed-loop projects and carbon reduction efforts, resulting in net positive outcomes that enhance development and expansion.
In collaboration with Again Technologies, Barry has identified transportation initiatives and partnerships that improve efficiencies and elevate overall performance within the circularity field. These partnerships include innovative transportation models utilizing rail, barge and relevant trucking.
Additionally, he has directed environmental, regulatory, legislative and certification efforts within the recycling industry.
Barry Wallis
Jennifer Wang, Partner, Full Cycle Resource
Jennifer Wang has spent over 11 years working across the global south, focusing on addressing social and environmental challenges. Her career includes experience in the waste management and recycling industry, where she developed expertise in waste recovery systems and scaling collection efforts in both rural and urban settings. While working with a company focused on waste recovery, she gained insights into sustainable resource management by collaborating with waste pickers to recover rigid and flexible plastics.
Currently, Jennifer applies her experience to research and consulting projects, including scaling waste management solutions in various contexts. She has worked with UNCTAD to study the textile supply chain in Uganda and Tanzania, conducting surveys to assess the social and environmental impacts of the second-hand clothing trade in these markets. Her work continues to focus on sustainability and circular economy practices.
Jennifer Wang
Mark Watts, Associate Director - Packaging Sustainability, Church & Dwight Co. Inc.
Mark Watts has worked for five years with Church & Dwight, leading the company’s packaging materials sustainability programs, materials reporting and compliance with global regulatory changes and technology initiatives for more sustainable solutions.
Having worked in R&D for over 40 years across product, process and packaging roles, Mark’s passion remains to drive creative solutions and leverage new innovation all, with a respect for the impact on the environment.
Mark Watts