Anja Brandon, Ph.D.

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. Prior to joining Ocean Conservancy, Anja was the AGU/AAAS Congressional Science Fellow in the office of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), where she was the lead policy advisor on issues including plastics, ocean and water pollution, and toxic pollutants. In that role, she led the revision and reintroduction of the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, the first federal EPR legislation for packaging introduced in Congress. Anja holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Stanford University where she was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship for her research on plastic waste management challenges and novel methods to break down common plastics. Anja’s work has earned her recognition as one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People of the Year in 2023 and invitations to speak and lecture on plastics policy at national and international conferences and universities across the country. Anja’s unique combination of scientific expertise and policy strategy has made her a trusted thought partner, go-to expert, and change maker.