Board Members

Pete Adrian – [email protected]

Pete was elected to the NRC Board in 2019 and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Legislative and Membership Committees. Pete is a longtime member Illinois Recycling Foundation and served on the IRF Board from 2001 – 2010. Pete began his career in 1994 as the Director of Recycling Services at Northern Illinois University. In 1997, he took on the position of Solid Waste Coordinator for DeKalb County, Illinois and in 2001 began his current position with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, Illinois.

Rick Anthony – [email protected]

Richard V. Anthony is volunteer board member of ZWIA who began his career in Public Administration in 1971 as a manager of the California State University Long Beach Recycling Center. He received a MS in Public Administration in 1974. Mr. Anthony has worked his entire career in environmental program management positions. He is an internationally recognized and published expert in the area of Resource Management using the Zero Waste Systems approach. Richard Anthony is a founder and member of the Board of Directors of the California Resource Recovery Association, the Grassroots Recycling Network, the Zero Waste International Alliance, the USA National Recycling Coalition.

Jay Bassett – [email protected] |770.778.5090

Jay Bassett has 35 years of public service with over 14 years leading and working transforming EPA’s unfinished business of RCRA with EPA’s “Road Ahead” principles by accelerating the broad, ongoing public dialogue on sustainable materials management.  He also served as an advisor for EPA’s community driven solutions to achieve meaningful outcomes on priority issues for communities.  Jay serves on several boards for “sustainability based” local, state, and national nonprofits and coalitions and has been active in engaging and advancing K12 initiatives and green school programs as a foundation for sustainable community and circular economy development.

Keima Borsuah – [email protected]

Keima is a huge fan of the environment and always ready to give her time, ideas in supporting environmental sustainability. Her role with the university has over the years introduced her to working with diverse groups within the environmental arena. She is a member of the NRC through her membership with OKRA. 

Maggie Clarke – [email protected] |[email protected]

A Ph.D. zero waste researcher, consultant, and educator for 30+ years, and NRC board member, she continues to advance NRC’s goals by creating an online library to enhance sharing of information that improves programs, laws, and plans. She is also helping NRC lobby effectively for the 3Rs, as well as making NRC membership and benefits available and embraced by the public. Maggie is creating and promoting best practices to maximize recycling participation, disaster debris prevention and recovery.

Cheryl Coleman – [email protected]

Cheryl T Coleman is the Senior Vice President for Sustainability at The Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI). ISRI represents over 1,500 companies in more than 30 countries. Cheryl’s leads ISRI’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) work including recyclability determinations, safety and workforce recruitment and retention. As a NRC Board member, Cheryl brings expertise in policy and practical matters related to recycling. Cheryl has over 30 years of experience in materials management. Cheryl previously served as the Director of the Resource Conservation and Sustainability Division at US Environmental Protection Agency where she led efforts to improve the US recycling system, reduce food loss and waste, used electronics management and beneficial use of industrial materials. Prior to her tenure at EPA, Cheryl was the Director for Compliance and Enforcement for materials and wastes at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

Alec Cooley – [email protected]

Alec Cooley has worked in the recycling and sustainable materials management field for over 30 years, most recently as a senior advisor with Busch Systems. Alec got started as an operations manager for the Arcata Community Recycling Center in Northern California, followed by a nine year period working as the solid waste reduction manager for Humboldt State University. Between 2006 and 2009, he worked for the National Recycling Coalition as a program manager. More recently, Alec worked for close to a decade as director of recycling programs for Keep America Beautiful. In that role, he managed all collegiate and public space recycling initiatives, including behavior-related projects and the development of best practice resources.

Alec is a certified TRUE Advisor and has previously served on the board of directors of the California Resource Recovery Association, including as board president, as well as the Carolina Recycling Association.  Alec lives near Charleston, SC.

Colleen Foster – [email protected]

[missing bio]

Bob Gedert – [email protected]

Bob Gedert is the Immediate Past-President of the National Recycling Coalition. He was NRC President from 2015-2018 & 2020-2022 and NRC Vice President from 2010-2015. Bob was the lead author of the American Recycling Infrastructure Plan (ARIP) for the NRC Recycling Is Infrastructure Too Campaign. Bob is an adjunct professor at Xavier University in Cincinnati, teaching Climate Change and Sustainable Materials Management classes. Bob has retired from a 45-year career in guiding communities toward sustainable materials management through a systems approach, bridging recycling best practices and sustainability with local economic development practices. He is currently writing a book on actions one can take to slow the effects of climate change.

Wayne Gjerde – [email protected] | Ph 651-757-2392 | Cell 651-285-0460

As the Recycling Market Development Coordinator with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Wayne consults with startup and expanding companies in the areas of finance, new product development, business plan development, sales and marketing. Wayne has also done extensive work in economic analysis linking the environment and economy. Wayne has been a speaker at many local and national recycling events.

Wayne has forty plus year’s experience in market development, financial analysis, banking, new business start-ups, sales, marketing, new product development, customer service, consulting, business development, extended producer responsibility and management. He has worked in the private and public sector.

Wayne is a current Board member of the National Recycling Coalition.

Wayne earned his B.S. in Business Administration at St. John’s University-Collegeville, MN. He also has attended the Minnesota Bankers Commercial Lending School and Robert Morris Associates Commercial Lending School

Damany Head – [email protected]

A Managing Partner in Essential Recycling, where Damany has been expanding recycling in the commercial industry since 2008, he is an engineer by trade and a leader by birth. His natural ability to relate to people, while simultaneously driving concrete results, demonstrates his creative power.

Damany is significantly invested in his community. In 2016, he became the Chair of the Pontiac Regional Chamber of Commerce Board, where he works with civic, governmental, and business leaders to have a voice in the city’s planning initiatives and to enhance the business climate in the city. In the past two years Damany has worked with schools, community partners, and Pontiac Regional Chamber Members to create the Pontiac United Education Coalition (PUEC), a 501c3 non-profit organization, aimed at improving educational outcomes for students in Pontiac, and providing parent support. The PUEC launched Pontiac READS! in 2021, which is a local chapter of the Campaign For Grade Level Reading, aimed at increasing the reading proficiency of children by 3rd grade.

Charles Kamenides – [email protected]

Charles Kamenides is the Waste Services Manager for the City of Longmont Colorado Waste Services Department. Technical experiences include development and management of collection systems, recycling centers, public outreach and education programs, state and local policy and sustainability planning.  Major improvements and focus areas include development and implementation of curbside organics collection, enhanced pay-as-you-throw rate structure, and an every-other-week trash collection option for the residential sector. 

Charles was instrumental in the design and construction of a Renewable Natural Gas fueling system, in which methane gas from the city’s wastewater treatment plant is made into fuel for the solid waste collection vehicles.  This system reduces the reliance and costs associated with carbon fuels and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.  Charles is the president of the board of directors for Recycle Colorado, represents the City of Longmont at the Boulder County Resource Conservation Advisory Board, and a SWANA member.

Marta Keane – [email protected]

Marta has been involved in the recycling industry since 1988, starting in the private sector but joining the public sector in 1992. She has been the Recycling Coordinator and Environmental Programs Administrator in several municipalities over the years. For the past 18 years she has filled the role of the Will County Recycling Specialist, writing the County Solid Waste Plan, implementing collection programs for a variety of materials and coordinating education through the website, social media and advertising. She has been a member of the Illinois Recycling Association since 1992, serving as a Board Member and is a past-president. She is also Chair of the Illinois Product Stewardship Council, the current president of the Illinois Recycling Foundation, and an NRC Board Member since 2020. She is on the NRC Communications Committee and Legislative Committee. She enjoys nature, serving on a couple local non-profits, being a wife and the mother of two.

Kristine Kubat – [email protected]

Kristine adds to this expertise as someone with direct experience across a broad range of social and political roles, serving as a grassroots organizer, a volunteer, the executive director a legacy recycling organization and as chief aide to a Hawaii state senator. She is eager to continue working with NRC to fulfill its mission and elevate its influence.

Leslie Lukacs – [email protected]

Leslie Lukacs is the Executive Director of Zero Waste Sonoma formally known of the Sonoma County Waste Management Agency and oversees Household Hazardous Waste, recycling, organics and zero waste program for Sonoma County. Leslie has worked over 20 years in solid waste and resource management industry.  Previously to this position, Leslie was the Director of Zero Waste at SCS Engineers, a solid waste, recycling and organics management consulting firm, for 13 years and had her own consulting company for 7 years.

Leslie serves as President of the National Recycling Coalition and has served on the Board of Directors for 3 years.  Prior to being appointed to the NRC board, Leslie represented the California Resource Recovery Association on the Recycling Organization Council.  Leslie is an advisor to the Zero Waste International Alliance, the Zero Waste USA and the California Resource Recovery Association.  She is also the founder of numerous stakeholder groups including the Green Initiatives for Venues and Events (GIVE) Council, Compost Coalition of Sonoma County, Sonoma County Zero Waste Task Force, and the Zero Waste North Bay Symposium.

Mary McClellan – [email protected]

Mary McClellan has served as the Executive Director of the Carolina Recycling Association (CRA) since 2016, serving North and South Carolina’s recycling industry with a mission to advance waste reduction and recycling in the Carolinas.  She has happily contributed to the recycling industry for the past 20 years in the state & local government, private, and non-profit sectors.  She is an executive board member of the National Recycling Coalition and has served on the Board since 2018.  

Lisa McDaniel – [email protected]

Lisa oversees regional solid waste management policy and planning initiatives related to waste reduction, resource recovery and market development in the Kansas City metro. Prior to joining MARC, Lisa managed a variety of solid waste projects for both municipal and private sector clients. She currently serves as the chair of the Missouri Product Stewardship Council and is a past President of the Missouri Waste Control Coalition.

Marialyce Pedersen – [email protected]

Marialyce Pedersen is a professional writer, sustainable materials management professional and certified TRUE Advisor, supporting waste prevention, reuse, composting, responsible plastics use and ocean and climate protection. She served as NRC Board Secretary from 2019-2022, and was re-elected to a second term on the NRC Board of Directors in 2022, and will continue to volunteer on the Communications, Legislative and Membership committees. She also serves on the GBCI TRUE Advisory Council and helped to develop the TRUE Advisor course and exam in 2017. Marialyce was a senior environmental policy analyst for Disney for 16 years; worked in recycling for local government; and developed curriculum and taught a Zero Waste in Business course for community college students in 2012-2013. Marialyce can often be found outdoors – hiking, walking, e-biking, swimming and exploring and traveling the world, or at her home in So Cal, gardening, entertaining cats and working on green remodeling projects.

Brittany Rosenberg – [email protected]

[missing bio]

Lisa Skumatz – [email protected]

Lisa Skumatz is President of Skumatz Economic Research Associates (SERA), a consulting firm with a nationwide client base. Lisa is an economist with 40 years in in-depth solid waste program and policy planning and evaluation research for cities, counties, and states. Lisa is known for her quantitative analysis expertise and she focuses on research that helps inform program decision-making by communities, states, and haulers. She is best known for her work in PAYT, Integrated / comprehensive / ZW plans, outreach, food / organics, Triple Bottom Line, program cost-effectiveness, and measurement / metrics. Lisa has won two nationwide lifetime achievement awards for her work in Solid Waste.

Martie Solomon – [email protected] | [email protected]

With 28 years in the trash industry, Martie’s focus is to educate the public and help them with proper program implementation. She has been a member of the NRC through her state RO CRRA (California Resource Recovery Association) since 2002, but joined the Board as a member at large in 2020. Martie has been the Treasurer for the NRC for the past year and is excited to be part of this organization because she believes it is important to have a nationwide focus. 

Cynthia Vant Hul – [email protected]

Cynthia Vant Hul is President of Mariposa Eco Consulting has 25 years of experience in the solid waste management field. Vant Hul has provided a broad of solid waste consulting services in Southern California. Cynthia is a proud Board member of the NRC.