2025 Speakers, Day 2 – Communities

Keynote Showcase 2025
Day 1
Day 2
At A Glance
Beatriz Martins Arruda

Beatriz Martins Arruda

Regenerative Researcher
CASA Latina (Council of Sustainable Settlements of America Latina)
Vanessa Zapata

Vanessa Zapata

Staff Attorney
Just Zero
Prof. Saleem H. Ali, Ph.D.

Prof. Saleem H. Ali, Ph.D.

Member of the United Nations International Resource Panel
United Nations
Jon Schroeder

Jon Schroeder

SMM Specialist
MnTAP
Xinci Tan

Xinci Tan

Organics Program Manager
Zero Waste Sonoma
Neil Seldman

Neil Seldman

Director, Recyclng Cornucopia Program
Zero Waste USA
Lily Laurence

Lily Laurence

Senior Associate | Communications & Engagement
Cascadia Consulting Group
Elizabeth Balkan

Elizabeth Balkan

Zero waste policy and reuse implementation specialist
self-employed
Christina Riley

Christina Riley

East Bay Program Manager
OKAPI Reusables
michael looney

Michael T. Looney

Senior Advisor to the Commissioner
State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Laura Orlando

Laura Orlando

Senior Scientist
Just Zero
Sunni Hutton

Sunni Hutton

Co-Director of Grants & Fundraising
Sow Joy Peoples Fund
Eric Sargent

Eric Sargent

President & Founder
Circular Economy Club Boston
Richard Anthony

Richard Anthony

President
Zero Waste International Alliance
Brandi Hutton

Brandi Hutton

Toward Zero Waste Program Manager
Sustainable Connections
Michael Wasserman

Michael Wasserman

Senior Consultant
Eunomia Research & Consulting
Leigh Ratterman

Leigh Ratterman

Community Resilience Specialist
City of Missoula, MT
Charles Moore

Charles Moore

Research Director
Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research
Sherry Gong

Sherry Gong

Zero Waste Coordinator
Race to Zero Waste
Samantha Romanick, PhD

Samantha Romanick, PhD

Microplastics and Zero Waste Consultant
Save Our Sodus
Kevin Budris

Kevin Budris

Deputy Director
Just Zero
Clare Miflin

Clare Miflin

Executive Director
Center for Zero Waste Design
Kevin Drew

Kevin Drew

Zero Waste USA Advisor and Zero Waste Consultant
Heather Trim

Heather Trim

Executive Director
Zero Waste Washington
Jessica Jane Robinson

Jessica Jane Robinson

CASA OKAPI Social Media Intern Project Manager, and President of RBInc
Resilience Birthright Inc
Erica Cirino

Erica Cirino

Communications Manager
Plastic Pollution Coalition
Laura Anthony

Laura Anthony

President
Zero Waste San Diego
Sarah Hofman-Graham

Sarah Hofman-Graham

Management Analyst
Washington D.C., Department of Public Works
Connor Hoemann

Connor Hoemann

Toward Zero Waste Program Assistant
Sustainable Connections
Gary Liss

Gary Liss

Principal
Zero Waste Associates
Erin Ash

Erin Ash

Senior Director of Programs
Spoonfuls
Daniella Menendez

Daniella Menendez

Zero Waste consultant
Circular Consultancy
Tom Wright

Tom Wright

Founder
sustainablebizness.com
Hugo Mata

Hugo Mata

Principal
Soluna Outreach Solutions
Maurice Sampson II

Maurice Sampson II

Eastern Pennsylvania Director
Clean Water Action/Fund
Paula Luu

Paula Luu

Senior Project Director
Closed Loop Partners
Jeremy Drake

Jeremy Drake

Principal
Strategy Zero Waste Solutions
Dan Knapp

Dan Knapp

Founder
Urban Ore
Sarah Currie-Halpern

Sarah Currie-Halpern

Co-Founder and Partner
Think Zero LLC
Ruth Abbe

Ruth Abbe

President
Zero Waste USA
Kimberly Rios

Kimberly Rios

Sustainability Education Manager
Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful
Kirstie Pecci

Kirstie Pecci

Executive Director
Just Zero
Sining Liu

Sining Liu

Summer intern
MnTap
Chris W. Burger

Chris W. Burger

Chair, Sierra Club Zero Waste Team
National Sierra Club
Larissa Wright-Elson

Larissa Wright-Elson

Network Connector
Anchor Gardens
Bethanie Carney Almroth

Bethanie Carney Almroth

Professor of Ecotoxicology
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Bob Gedert

Bob Gedert

Professor
Xavier University - Cincinnati
Elizabeth Ellman

Elizabeth Ellman

Sustainability Programs Coordinator
City of Bexley
Anja Brandon, Ph.D.

Anja Brandon, Ph.D.

Director, Plastics Policy
Ocean Conservancy
samuel edlund nzwc 2025

Samuel Edlund

Efficiency Intern
MnTap