Kansas City native and serial entrepreneur Steve has built four successful companies and invented two products that enjoy widespread use. A love of the wild took him to Colorado where he could pursue his personal interests in skiing and climbing, sports that saw him soon become a mountain rescue mission coordinator in Eagle County, Colorado. … Read more
Teresa is the President and CEO of Race to Zero Waste and is the strategic vision of the organization. She has worked with the organization’s staff, board, volunteers, and contractors to develop new concepts and make zero waste more accessible in public spaces. At the height of the pandemic, she worked on discovering new zero … Read more
CJ has focused on the plastic pollution crisis for most of her career. Her research on microplastic has been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and she’s worked on numerous campaigns at the local, state, federal, and institutional levels that tackle plastic pollution at the source. CJ has a master’s degree in Development Practice from Emory … Read more
Emin Israfil is the founder and CEO of Rubbish, a San Francisco-based tech company transforming waste management and recycling using data, AI, and delightful user experiences. The company’s unique approach to fostering clean and sustainable communities has gained recognition from organizations like NASA, Google, Apple, and Accenture. Having started programming at the age of 10, … Read more
Breathe Free Detroit’s campaign organizer KT Morelli is a seasoned activist in Detroit, Michigan who has lived in the shadow of Detroit’s incinerator for over a decade. Her dedication and expertise in community organizing has helped harness collective energy for this grassroots, community-powered campaign which was successful in shutting down the incinerator in March of … Read more
Annette Poliwka is a Zero Waste Consultant and Board Member of The League To Save Lake Tahoe, with the infamous bumper stickers to “Keep Tahoe Blue.” She spent years as a Zero Waste Commissioner in Berkeley, appointed by the Mayor, where they passed historic legislation on single use disposables. Her work at the City of … Read more
Gary Liss has 50 years of experience in recycling and waste management and is Chair of the Zero Waste International Alliance Certifications Committee. He is a leading advocate of Zero Waste, Vice-President of Zero Waste USA, and a founder and past President of the National Recycling Coalition. He is a principal of Zero Waste Associates, … Read more
Adrian Hernandez boasts a diverse career path. He began in retail brand development, multi-unit operations, and licensing for a multinational tea company. Afterwards, he forayed into the world of technology serving as the Director of Business Development for Global Tech Group before his entrepreneurial spirit led him to found The Drink Station, a tea and … Read more
Sherry Bell Surrette grew up on a small farm in rural West Tennessee. She earned her bachelor’s in agronomy from the University of Tennessee at Martin, and a master’s from Mississippi State University in agronomy with a minor in plant pathology. She holds a doctorate in biology from the University of Mississippi. Throughout her career, … Read more
Jenn Harrman develops policy and programs to help Nashvillians rethink, refuse, reuse, and recycle. As Zero Waste Program Manager for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and a public servant of over 7 years, her work centers on implementing sustainable, resilient, and equitable alternatives to landfill disposal for the benefit of all who … Read more