List any previous leadership positions held with the National Recycling Coalition or state recycling organizations and describe what you accomplished in those positions.

I have been a member of the Michigan Recycling Coalition beginning in 1993 and involved with the NRC since first joining the industry in 1991. From 2000-2003 I was a member of the Nonprofit Recyclers Council, and co-chair of the council from 2002-2003. I was elected to the NRC board in 2003 and have served as an at-large member of the board every year of my term. I am also an active member of the board finance committee and the board liaison to the Nonprofit Recyclers Council, now known as the Community Recyclers Council.
During my term on the NRC board, I:
1. Mediated NRC and Michigan Recycling Coalition debt resolution
2. Served on State Affiliate Listening committee to improve NRC-Affiliate relations
3. Provided a mission-based operations perspective to all discussions.

If you currently serve in a volunteer leadership position with another organization, please explain your role and accomplishments.


What special abilities would you bring to NRC’s leadership?

As the CEO of Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA), as well as a voting member of RAA’s board of directors, I have direct nonprofit board experience. I have participated in 3 strategic planning sessions since first joining the organization, and as CEO, am responsible for crafting action plans guided by the strategic priorities established. I strive to serve the best interests of the organization by forging consensus among board members and managers, and work regularly with board members on policy issues. Finally, I am committed to continued professional development in the nonprofit management field, having completed workshops on board assessment and management, including “How to be a high-performing board.”

What do you think are the most important recycling issues facing the NRC or recycling on the national level?

• Putting recycling back onto the national agenda;
• Identifying recycling as the first and easiest step in reducing climate change;
• Implementing the NRC’s rebranding strategy;
• Building membership through affiliate recruitment.

What steps should the NRC take to strengthen its role and relationships with our affiliated state organizations?

I am honored to have been asked to serve on a board committee whose purpose is to engage affiliate organization leadership in conversation on just these issues, and the committee will shortly release a list of recommendations for the board’s consideration. Better communication, an open-door relationship and more content from the NRC that can be distributed by the affiliates to members are a few key steps.

What individual or group in the field of recycling has had the most influence on you?

I believe that the staff here at Recycle Ann Arbor has been the most influential on me. Prior to joining RAA, my experience in the industry was mostly from a consulting perspective. RAA, by contrast, is in the operations end of the industry. It has been illuminating to see recycling and recovery from the front lines, and to look at the industry and its issues through that lens. It is always encouraging watching a commitment to the environment blossom in a new employee, and seeing it renews my own commitment.

How would you “sell” the importance of an NRC membership to a person who is unfamiliar with the NRC?

In discussions with members throughout the years, it’s common to hear that they truly value the opportunity to network with peers at the national conference. The relationships developed there allow for best practices to be shared throughout the country. The peer-to-peer networking that NRC facilitates is very valuable.

I believe that the US needs leadership in the field of recycling, needs a national voice. As a coalition of recycling professionals, I believe the NRC is the best organization for this role.

Finally, I would talk about the content that NRC provides to its members, including the communication tools like the Mobius and the planned deliverables from the rebranding project.

How is the work you do as a professional compatible with NRC’s mission?

I lead a nonprofit recycling organization, whose mission is to develop innovative recycling programs that limit the abundance of reusable materials in landfills each year while supporting initiatives to improve the environmental quality of our community through recovery, reuse, recycling, and effective energy use. Our programs include the City of Ann Arbor curbside recycling program, identified by the US EPA as a “Community Record-Setter”; a regional full-time drop-off station open 6 days per week, a 20,000 SF retail reuse center for the resale of donated items otherwise destined for disposal; a green building and energy efficiency advocacy program; and a construction and demolition debris recycling operation, offering LEED and ISO 14001 compliance assistance.

The NRC Board of Directors is comprised of individuals with a concern for the common good of the Coalition. Discuss how you would help the Board reach consensus among a group of peers with varied interests and/or positions on a specific issue.

It is important that each board member is given an opportunity to present their position on an issue, so that her peers can integrate those key lessons into discussion. Ideally, a consensus is reached that truly considers those viewpoints, and that can only be done when each is understood.

What would be your personal goals as a member of the NRC Board of Directors?

1. Continue to strengthen the organization through good board-staff-member relations.
2. Facilitate membership growth and increase value to the members.
3. Use the experience from my first term, as well as my professional and personal growth in the past three years, to provide more leadership to the board and organization.