Waste Reduction Program Manager

Kami Bruner

Kami Bruner, Waste Reduction Program Manager, leads Zero Waste Washington’s Repair Economy efforts and Fix-it Fair initiative. Kami originally hails from Nashville, TN with extended layovers in New Orleans and Los Angeles. She’s interested in systems thinking, organizational capacity-building, and serving as conduit between great people and great ideas. She earned a BA in Religious Studies from The University of the South (Sewanee) and an MS from Tulane University where she focused on sustainable community development and disaster resilience, and completed a Permaculture Design Certificate in Detroit in 2012. When not at Zero Waste Washington, you’ll likely find Kami repurposing scavenged treasure. (Contact: kami[at]zerowastewashington[dot]org)

Finance and Operations Manager

Jennifer DeCastro

Jennifer DeCastro, Finance and Operations Manager

Waste Reduction Program Director

Xenia Dolovova

Xenia Dolovova, Waste Reduction Program Director, plans and facilitates Zero Waste Washington waste reduction efforts, including community-based projects, research, and statewide policy projects. Before moving to Seattle and joining ZWW in early 2019, she lived in Abu Dhabi where she managed projects in a start-up environment. Originally from Moldova, she has 11+ years of experience, business, marketing, and sustainability, holding an MBA degree from Paris Business School and a PMP Certificate. She leads Zero Waste Washington’s Fix-It Fair program and Repair Economy movement, Organics management research, Phthalates research, Zero Waste Hackathon, Litter Assessment project, and organizational communication efforts. (Contact: xenia[at]zerowastewashington[dot]org)

Executive Director

Heather Trim

Heather Trim, Executive Director, joined Zero Waste Washington in 2016. Prior to Zero Waste Washington, Heather has been active in zero waste issues, including helping lead the Seattle bag campaign and helping get the ban on styrofoam serviceware products passed. Previously, Heather was Director of Science and Policy at Futurewise, focusing on habitat, shoreline, stormwater and other issues related to landuse. Before that, she worked on similar issues and including toxic pollution and plastics. Heather earned a BS in geology from Yale University and a PhD from UCLA in geochemistry (Contact: heather[at]zerowastewashington[dot]org or 206-441-1790)

Outreach and Policy Coordinator

Ashley Whitley

Ashley Whitley, Outreach and Policy Coordinator, is passionate about community and environmental justice. She enjoys the beaches and warm weather of her hometown near San Diego but has always been drawn to the Puget Sound. Ashley is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, with a degree in Geoscience and Environmental Studies. She is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy and Planning. Ashley’s previous position was as an outreach educator for the Pacific Science Center, where she taught K-12 science lessons to students throughout Washington State. Her favorite subjects to teach were geology, environmental science, and anatomy. In her free time, Ashley enjoys swimming, crochet, and learning how to bake. (Contact: Ashley[at]zerowastewashington[dot]org)

Consultants

Waste Reduction Strategist

Elisabeth Archer

Elisabeth Archer, Waste Reduction Strategist, works to engage communities to end reliance on single use plastics and promote the use of durables and bring-your-own food service ware. Elisabeth has always been dedicated to the environment starting with trying to save the Harp Seals in grade school. Her work experience has been as a copywriter, management consultant, advertising strategic planner and now environmental activist. She is a graduate of Wellesley College, bilingual in French, passionate about travel, cultural exchange, social justice, food, soccer, and raising the next generation (Contact:  Elisabeth[at]zerowastewashington[dot]org).

Communications Strategist

Nathan Jackson

Nathan Jackson, communications strategist, is a communications professional who balances strategy with tactics. He has worked in the environmental, educational, and social justice fields his entire career. He is an expert in messaging, email campaigns, communications strategy, and social media and is working to help nonprofits succeed in their work by having a solid communications platform.

Research Consultant

Vigilija Klima

Vigilija Klima, Research Consultant. Vigilija is an environmental expert, lecturer, speaker, and team leader with 17 years experience in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), NATURA2000, waste management, ISO14001, monitoring plans, environmental audits. The main focus of her expertise lays within the energy and power sector, retailers, infrastructure, and transport sector projects. Vigilija combines science and business knowledge to raise environmental awareness and lead companies to eco-friendly, socially responsible, and sustainable future. (Contact: vigilija.c@gmail.com)

State Lobbyist

Bruce Wishart

Bruce Wishart, State Lobbyist, has served as a lobbyist for environmental groups in Olympia for the past 25 years. He currently operates a lobbying firm in Olympia, specializing in natural resource and environmental work. Prior to that he worked as Policy Director for People for Puget Sound. Bruce also served as a Staff Lobbyist and Chapter Director for the Sierra Club. Bruce is a graduate of University of Oregon School of Law (J.D. 1985) Bruce is an avid cyclist, putting thousands of miles on his bike during the dry portions of the year. He enjoys skiing in the winter months and spends time during the summer and fall surfing on the coast, fly fishing, and sea-kayaking in the Salish Sea. (Contact: wishart.bruce[at]comcast[dot]net)

Board of Directors

To reelect Zero Waste Washington board members for 2023-2026 submit your vote here. To vote by mail, call us at 206/441-1790 or email michelle@zerowastewashington.org and we’ll send you a ballot. Ballots must be received by Dec. 9. Zero Waste Washington members can also vote for board members at the annual meeting.

Todd Carey

Todd Carey has worked in the recycling and sustainability field for the past 20 years, from the King County Solid Waste Division to the predecessor of Zero Waste Washington – Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation (WCRC). During his tenure at WCRC he had several roles including bookkeeper, database manager and office manager. He also coordinated projects such as the pilot computer and fluorescent lamp recycling programs. Todd lives with his wife and daughter in Seattle, and enjoys skiing, biking, and hiking throughout Washington and the Northwest.

 

Tere Carral

Tere Carral is the CEO and Founder of Bridge Latino, a multicultural marketing agency focused on the Latino/Hispanic market. Tere initiated her career with Procter and Gamble Mexico, managing high-revenue brands. She was then selected to transfer to the P&G headquarters in Cincinnati, where she managed the global strategy and later worked at Cranium, The Schwan’s Food Company, and Topps Company/Wizkids. Tere holds a bachelor degree in Actuarial Science from the Anahuac University in Mexico City and holds an MBA from IPADE University in Mexico City w/ exchange in HEC Paris, France. Tere is also a Trustee for The Evergreen School.

Steve Gilbert

Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT, is founder and director of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND). He is a Diplomat of American Board of Toxicology and an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington. Previously, Steve worked for Health Canada in Ottawa and owned and ran biotechnology pre-clinical research companies. In recent years, Dr. Gilbert published his book A Small Dose of Toxicology- The Health Effects of Common Chemicals and created Toxipedia, a free, online encyclopedia on the toxicology, human health effects, and environmental effects of chemicals, drugs, and consumer products. He has also been engaged in education about In the health and environmental impact of past and present work at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. He passionately believes that one of the most important things that public health professionals can do is to widely share their knowledge and scientific information.

Moji Igun

Moji Igun is the founder of Blue Daisi Consulting which offers zero waste + sustainability consulting services to small businesses. She serves small businesses by connecting them with the tools and resources they need to reduce waste and implement more earth-friendly business practices. Moji is certified as a TRUE Zero Waste Advisor and enjoys drawing connections between zero waste and the broader spectrum of sustainability. You’ll likely find Moji nerding out about plants, cats, or sustainable small businesses.

Hannah Johnson

Hannah Johnson has trained and worked in waste reduction strategy and zero waste implementation for the past eight years. She is the founder of two companies; HumanEco Design & Consulting and Durable Dish which specialize in zero waste strategy for commercial and private businesses and waste reduction for large and small-scale events. Hannah is excited to serve on the Zero Waste Washington board because she believes in the mission and the drive to engage the community and advocate for more sustainable waste prevention methods. In her free time she loves to write and enjoy the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

 

Teresa Jones

Teresa Jones has over 30 years of experience working in television. In late 2006, she joined the Startup Sales Team at KUNS-TV, the local Univision affiliate, where her current title is Multi-Media Market Consultant. In the course of her career, Teresa has produced and co-hosted several Spanish Language TV and Radio programs. She does Voice-Overs on TV/Radio commercials, documentaries and promotional videos, and has Emceed at several local community events. Teresa is very involved in the Latino Community. Over the last 10 years, she has sat on several Boards, including Casa Latina and the Pierce County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. More recently, she served as an Advisor to the Board of Directors of the Washington Hispanic Media Association or WAHMA.

Kyle Loring

Kyle Loring detests waste, and fondly recalls a time when the local dump on Anderson Island doubled as an exchange depot, and when a youngster could collect and turn in recycling to earn a little pocket change. Although a few decades have passed, Kyle continues to look for ways to reduce waste in his personal life and is thrilled to support Zero Waste’s efforts to curb waste at a grander scale. In his day job, he wields environmental and land use laws to empower clients to save species and beautiful places from extinction. In his off hours, he explores as many of those places as possible, preferably with his wife and his bike.

 

Patty Liu

Patty Liu is currently the Recycling Program Manager of the West Coast team of Green Eileen and Eileen Fisher. She holds an MBA of Sustainable Business from Pinchot University, now known as Presidio Graduate School. Her interest in solid waste is focused in closed loop design and reusability.

Marie Novak

Marie Novak became interested in resource conservation and waste reduction during an internship spent conducting residential and business recycling and composting outreach throughout King and Snohomish Counties. She is very excited to be serving on the board of Zero Waste Washington and advocating for systems-level waste solutions, especially around extended producer responsibility and cradle to cradle design. She currently works for Cascadia Consulting Group where she supports climate, sustainability, and natural resource policy and planning projects. Marie recently graduated from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance where she earned an MPA with a certificate in Environmental Management. Prior to graduate school, Marie served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Marie grew up in San Antonio, and although she misses the Mexican food, she enjoys the scenic beauty and mild weather of the Pacific Northwest.

Tristen Pamphlet Gardner

Tristen Pamphlet Gardner (he/him)is an ex-rugger and recovering science nerd who has been working in the field of hazardous waste for over 12 years with a focus on compliance and education. Starting as an inspector for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and now as a Policy Liaison at the Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County. Tristen is passionate about determining who is responsible for environmental contamination and keeping our communities healthy and educated about their own risks.

Shirlee Tan

Shirlee Tan, PhD has been working in the field of science policy for over 17 years, with a main focus on the effects of chemicals on human health. Her career has primarily focused on chemical regulation and science policy at the national, international, and now local levels. Her early career began at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) where she served as an Environmental fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has since worked for the Smithsonian Institution, the EPA, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France, as a consultant to the Endocrine Society, and now as the lead toxicologist for Public Health Seattle and King County. Shirlee strongly believes that everyone has the right to know how chemicals affect health, and an informed public can help decision-making and the market towards safer and cleaner products and policies. In her spare time Shirlee loves exploring the natural world with her family and experimenting in the kitchen.

Sally Wolf

Sally Wolf has been an enthusiastic volunteer on environmental issues for many years. She worked on the successful ban on styrofoam, opting out of yellow pages delivery and the Green Bag Campaign in Seattle, and as a former member of the Board of Directors of CELP (The Council for Environmental Law and Policy) has worked on the Columbia River Treaty and other clean water issues in Washington State. She is a retired attorney whose career included most recently serving as the Internal Auditor for the Seattle Housing Authority. She was a long-term member of the board of Building Changes, addressing the complicated issues of homelessness. In her free time she enjoys hiking, biking, traveling and spending time with friends.