VIEW SPEAKER BIOS

Tuesday, 10/11

Time	Session/Activity
1:00pm-2:15pm	PRE-CONFERENCE WEBINAR: Using Co-Design to Develop Equitable Circular Economies

Wednesday, 10/26

Time	Session/Activity	Room	Sponsored By
7:00am-10:30am	Exhibit Hall Set-Up	Cascade EFGHI
11:00am-6:00pm	Exhibit Hall Open	Cascade EFGHI
11:00am	Silent Auction Opens	Cascade EFGHI
11:00pm-12:00pm	Networking in Exhibit Hall	Cascade EFGHI
12:00pm-1:00pm	Welcome and Keynote with Rhodes Perry: Imagine the Power of Belonging at Work	Cascade ABJ
1:00pm-2:15pm	AOR EDI Discussion with Start Consulting	Cascade ABJ
2:15pm-3:00pm	Break	Cascade EFGHI
3:00pm-4:30pm	EDI Workshop with Rhodes Perry: Build Belonging at Work: Everyday Actions You Can Take	Cascade ABJ
4:30pm-6:00pm	Meet the Board Candidates and Welcome Reception (Hosted Bar & Food)	Cascade EFGHI
6:00pm-8:00pm	Networking & Tours at GoodLife Brewing Join us at GoodLife Brewing for hosted beverages and tours of their brewing and distillery operations! Food will be available for purchase and shuttle service between the Riverhouse and GoodLife will run between 5:30pm and 8:30pm.

 

Thursday, 10/27

Time	Session/Activity	Room	Sponsored By
7:30am-10:00pm	Exhibit Hall Open	Cascade EFGHI
8:00am-9:15am	Networking Breakfast	Cascade EFGHI
9:15am-10:30am	Plenary: Understanding Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act	Cascade ABJ
10:30am-10:45am	Break	Cascade EFGHI
10:45am-12:00pm	Concurrent Sessions
	How to Incorporate Equity into Policy & Program Design	Cascade C
	Rebuilding for Justice: Equity in Reuse Operations	Cascade D
12:00pm-1:15pm	Networking Lunch	Cascade EFGHI
1:15pm-2:00pm	Sustainable Oregon Awards	Cascade ABJ
2:00pm-3:00pm	Break	Cascade EFGHI
3:00pm-4:30pm	Concurrent Sessions
	Prioritizing Reuse: Where Are We Now?	Cascade C
	Recycling Challenges: Mattress EPR, Wood, and Refrigerators	Cascade D
4:30pm-6:00pm	Cocktail Reception	Cascade EFGHI
6:00pm	Silent Auction Closes	Cascade EFGHI
6:30pm-8:00pm	Hosted Dinner On-Site (Election Results)	Downstairs
8:00pm-10:00pm	On-Site Games & Networking Join us for some BIG fun! We'll have a no-host bar and giant floor games like beer pong, corn hole, Connect Four, ladder ball, Jenga, and checkers.	Cascade EFGHI

 

Friday, 10/28

Time	Session/Activity	Room	Sponsored By
7:30am-9:30am	Exhibit Hall Open	Cascade EFGHI
8:00am-9:15am	Networking Breakfast	Cascade EFGHI
9:15am-10:15am	Concurrent Sessions
	Market Forces: Material Pricing and the Trajectory of Recycling	Cascade C
	Equity in Rate Setting	Cascade D
9:30am-11:00am	Exhibit Hall Breakdown	Cascade EFGHI
10:15am-10:30am	Break	Cascade EFGHI
10:30am-12:00pm	Concurrent Sessions
	Addressing the Bulky Item in the Room	Cascade C
	Oregon Food Systems: Building on Insights from DEQ Strategic Planning Listening Sessions	Cascade D
12:00pm-12:30pm	Closing Remarks, Raffle Draw, & Grab Bag Pickup	Cascade EFGHI

 

Keynote and Workshop Descriptions

Welcome and Keynote with Rhodes Perry: Imagine the Power of Belonging at Work Wednesday, 10/26, 12:00pm-1:00pm

Sponsored By

In this keynote, Rhodes Perry teaches how to imagine and then build an emotional outcome of belonging at work. He will show you how to lead inclusively by offering tips on how to build psychological safety and trust at work. These are the building blocks to creating a workplace culture of belonging that leads to innovation, business success, and even industry breakthroughs. The most important question you will explore in this keynote is: “Who are you intentionally including, and who might you be unintentionally excluding?”

Rhodes shares distinctive stories from his extensive career as an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) thought leader in this high impact keynote address. He provides the specific inclusive leadership competencies that every leader must embrace to stand out, move up, and inspire the next generation of high-potential talent. And, he will show you how to avoid the mistake of siloing your organization’s EDI commitments into one department, one role, or outsourcing this work altogether.

Rhodes’ powerful insights on current inclusive leadership trends are nationally recognized as cutting edge and impactful. His heartfelt storytelling ability means your attendees will remain engaged throughout his speech – and implement the leadership strategies offered. Your outcome will be an audience prepared to lead inclusively and build cultures of belonging no matter their role – for themselves and for their colleagues.

Key Takeaways

• Improved business outcomes from learning the belonging foundations of safety and trust.
• Recognizing the core elements of a belonging culture, the costs of failing to build it.
• Appreciation of the personal actions any employee can take to enhance workplace culture.
• Expanded professional skills and thinking on the important issue of inclusive leadership.
• Enhanced clarity about what it will take to build workplace cultures of belonging.
• Knowledge of communication approaches that transcend differences.
• Discovery of the specific steps required to build belonging at work.

SPEAKER

• Rhodes Perry | Founding CEO, Rhodes Perry Consulting

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	Sponsored By
AOR EDI Discussion with Start Consulting Wednesday, 10/26, 1:00pm-2:15pm

The Association of Oregon Recyclers (AOR) is working to create an equitable and inclusive organization. Over the last decade, AOR has laid the groundwork for this work by providing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) workshops, training, and conference sessions to its memberships. AOR is now looking inward to ensure that the organization has equity and inclusion interwoven into its work as a state recycling organization by including members and others in the recycling industry in the conversation. Elizabeth Chin Start will guide conference attendees in an interactive workshop that will include internal reflection, small group conversations, and broader conversations about what it means for AOR to be equitable and inclusive.Do you want to build a healthier workplace culture where each person on your team feels a greater sense of psychological safety, trust, and belonging? Do you feel overwhelmed by all that you could do to improve your workplace culture, or are you generally confused about where to start? If so, join fellow colleagues in gaining a better understanding of the powerful role you can play in taking simple, everyday actions that can help build a more inclusive organization. During this introductory workshop, you’ll discover what it truly takes to put your organization’s equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments into action.

SPEAKER

• Elizabeth Chin Start | Founder, Start Consulting Group

 

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EDI Workshop with Rhodes Perry: Build Belonging at Work: Everyday Actions You Can Take Wednesday, 10/26, 3:00pm-4:30pm

Sponsored By

Do you want to build a healthier workplace culture where each person on your team feels a greater sense of psychological safety, trust, and belonging? Do you feel overwhelmed by all that you could do to improve your workplace culture, or are you generally confused about where to start? If so, join fellow colleagues in gaining a better understanding of the powerful role you can play in taking simple, everyday actions that can help build a more inclusive organization. During this introductory workshop, you’ll discover what it truly takes to put your organization’s equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments into action.

Goal
Clarify why belonging at work matters and learn how any professional in the workplace can take personal actions to cultivate it.

Objectives
The following objectives will be met during this introductory session:

• Learn what psychologically safety, trust, and belonging at work means.
• Recognize why belonging at work is essential for the future of your organization.
• Gain & practice simple, everyday action strategies you can adapt and implement on the job.
• Commit to one personal action you can take after this learning opportunity.

Key Ideas Presented

• Recognition of the four ingredients of belonging and the four pitfalls of social exclusion.
• Improved results from learning the belonging foundations of psychological safety and trust.
• Appreciation of the personal actions any person can take to enhance workplace culture.
• Expanded inclusion skills and thinking on the important issue of building belonging.
• Enhanced clarity about the personal responsibility required to build belonging.
• Knowledge of communication approaches that transcend power dynamics & differences.
• Discovery of the specific actions required to build belonging at work.

Pre-Session Materials

• Read the article, What if we could change the culture of work?
• Take the Implicit Association Test (IAT)
• Review foundational equity, diversity, and inclusion terms

SPEAKER

• Rhodes Perry | Founding CEO, Rhodes Perry Consulting

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Session Descriptions

Addressing the Bulky Item in the Room Friday, 10/28, 10:30am-12:00pm

Sponsored By

For too long multifamily communities have been left in a gray area with no clear pathway of how to handle certain wastes coming out of their communities. It's impossible to acknowledge this gap in service and not also acknowledge the inequities that it so loudly tells. Yet as we collectively start to realize the inequities within our industry, the time has finally come to see and deal with the rather large, and quite bulky "elephant" in the room. In this session we will learn about the response to this service gap, which is a new empowering pathway being forged by local governments and community organizations to create new solutions for these communities. These solutions include meeting and accepting multifamily residents where they are at (both physically and in life), enabling them to declutter their lives, and keep their communities clean and clutter free, all while properly handling bulky waste through proper disposal and reuse.

SPEAKERS

• Alondra Flores Aviña | Environmental Promoter Program Manager, Trash for Peace
• Nick Isbister | Sustainability Advisor, City of Gresham
• Sun Mor | Co-Owner, Frog & Toad Hauling
• Ricardo Palazuelos | Bilingual Community Educator, Washington County
• Revel Rapp | Co-Owner, Frog & Toad Hauling
• Laura Totarski | Executive Director, Trash for Peace

MODERATOR

• Gretchen Sandau | Regional Specialist - NWR, Oregon DEQ

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Equity in Rate Setting Friday, 10/28, 9:15am-10:15am

Sponsored By

Washington County set out to modernize the pay as you throw model by building equitable access to garbage and recycling collections services as a core component of the collection rates offered to community members.  Development of a residential reduced rate program that’s meaningful, impactful, and sustainable required a depth of foundational work. This session will highlight collaborator experiences in researching an effective rate model and the outcomes that will lead to the program's long-term success. Allowing all community members to have access to and maintain essential collections services by ensuring the rate system provides equity and balance is exemplified in this bold, long-term systematic approach to advance equity.

SPEAKERS

• Jordan Henderson | Partner, Merina+Co
• Courtney Seto | Senior Consultant, Merina+Co
• Erin Stein | Operations Supervisor, Washington County Solid Waste & Recycling

​MODERATOR

• Jill Hrycyk | Program Manager, Metro​

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How to Incorporate Equity into Policy & Program Design Thursday, 10/27, 10:45am-12:00pm

Sponsored By

Rolling out operational policy changes and programs is always a challenge. Centering equity in those changes can feel even more fraught. Join this session to learn from the experiences of Portland-area jurisdictions that have centered equity in recent program and policy developments to better include underserved communities in solid waste services and procurement practices.

Topics will cover "Integrating Equity into Cleanup Programs During a Public Trash Emergency" and highlights from the pre-conference webinar: "Using Co-Design to Develop Equitable Circular Economies."

SPEAKERS

• Quintin Bauer | Waste Operations Manager, City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
• Bryce Hesterman | Senior Consultant, RRS
• Monica Kelly | Public Trash and Special Events Coordinator, City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
• Stephanie Rawson | Community Stewardship Manager, Metro
• Elizabeth Chin Start | Founder, Start Consulting Group

MODERATOR

• Genevieve Joplin | City of Portland

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Market Forces: Material Pricing and the Trajectory of Recycling Friday, 10/28, 9:15am-10:15am

Sponsored By

Today, significant forces are reshaping markets and prices for recycled materials at a scale not seen for decades. Most of those forces have touchpoints in the wider packaging sector. From pandemic disruptions (and opportunities!) to recent legislation (like Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act), state markets are experiencing major changes, and will undoubtedly see more in the coming years. During this session, Resource Recycling managing editor Dan Leif will provide insight into the swirl of economic and political factors shaping recycling markets and explore how these forces might impact efforts to enhance community materials recovery.

SPEAKER

• Dan Leif | Managing Editor, Resource Recycling

MODERATOR

• Joel Schoening | Oregon Environmental Council

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Oregon Food Systems: Building on Insights from DEQ Strategic Planning Listening Sessions Friday, 10/28, 10:30am-12:00pm

Sponsored By

Food. Perhaps no other material is so central to human well-being – access to safe and healthy food is critical for human existence – but food also plays a central role in our culture and community, and growing it is an important part of Oregon’s economy. Food is, however, a highly impactful material, generating environmental burdens in production, processing, consumption, and disposal. Join us for an interactive and collaborative working session exploring solutions to mitigate food waste and food impacts in Oregon. Following brief presentations to jump start thinking, we’ll break into subgroups structured by the key findings uncovered in DEQ’s statewide stakeholder food system listening sessions.

SPEAKERS

• Elaine Blatt | Senior Policy Analyst, Oregon DEQ
• Maya Buelow | Waste Reduction Specialist, Lane County
• Gabrielle Hobbs | Research Analyst 2, Oregon DEQ
• Ivan Oritz Mata | Food Program Manager, Centro Cultural
• Christa McDermott | Director, Community Environmental Services, Portland State University

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Prioritizing Reuse: Where Are We Now? Thursday, 10/27, 3:00pm-4:30pm

Sponsored By

The more we know about our field, the more we know how important it is to prioritize reuse and repair. The pandemic threw a wrench in a lot of our plans. Hear from a few groups about their upcoming projects, and how they built resiliency during and beyond the pandemic. Anna Kurnizki with Community Warehouse will talk about their current and future efforts for the furniture bank, Deveron Musgrave will share the City of Eugene's efforts to increase reuse at events, and Jocelyn Quarrell with Bold Reuse (previously GoBox) will share their recent and upcoming projects.

SPEAKERS

• Anna Kurnizki | Executive Director, Community Warehouse
• Deveron Musgrave | Waste Prevention Manager, AIC, City of Eugene
• Jocelyn Quarrell | CEO, Bold Reuse
• Alex Reyna | Waste Prevention Program Coordinator, City of Eugene

MODERATOR

• Kathryn Gerber | Metro

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Rebuilding for Justice: Equity in Reuse Operations Thursday, 10/27, 10:45am-12:00pm

Sponsored By

Reuse and repair are so much more than climate-friendly acts - they are also tools to build racial equity and economic resilience in your community. Join us to learn how ReBuilding Center, a building materials reuse nonprofit in Portland, Oregon, has transformed its operations, programming, hiring, communications, and fundraising to better serve people who are most at risk of displacement and housing insecurity in a rapidly gentrifying city, and how you can adopt some of these tactics to build resilience through reuse in your community.

SPEAKER

• Jackie Kirouac-Fram | Executive Director, ReBuilding Center

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Recycling Challenges: Mattress EPR, Wood, and Refrigerators Thursday, 10/27, 3:00pm-4:30pm

Sponsored By

This session provides an opportunity to learn about three different initiatives being implemented for "difficult to manage" materials. In March 2022 the legislature passed SB 1576, which requires the mattress industry to establish a product stewardship program similar to successful statewide programs in California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Mike O'Donnell, Managing Director of the Mattress Recycling Council, will provide a roadmap for launching Oregon’s program.

The hog fuel market has been a primary, though often undependable, end use for reclaimed urban wood. Using a Metro Innovation Grant, Sankofa Lumber (a BIPOC-owned small business) developed a system for reusing salvaged lumber from current/new construction activities. Valerie Carey, the founder of Sankofa Lumber, will share insights and practices for better managing a high volume of this valuable resource.

Throughout the state, refrigerators (as well as freezers and air conditioners) are frequently abandoned or illegally dumped items, presumably because of the costs associated with properly managing the refrigerants. These gases, if not properly managed and recycled, are a significant contributor to greenhouse gases that impact our climate. David Skakel, former Manager of the Tri-County Hazardous Waste and Recycling Program, will detail results and data yielded from a one-year pilot effort to subsidize disposal costs to overcoming the (hypothesized) cost barrier.

SPEAKERS

• Valerie Carey | Founder, Sankofa Lumber
• ​Mike O'Donnell | Managing Director, Mattress Recycling Council
• David Skakel | Climate Solutions Consultant, Condor Consulting

MODERATOR

• Denise Barnes | Recycling & Community Outreach Coordinator, Rogue Disposal & Recycling 

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Understanding Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act Thursday, 10/27, 9:15am-10:30am

Sponsored By

Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) is, once again, putting Oregon at the forefront of the national Extended Producer Responsibility movement. But even for those who've been closely involved, it can be hard to understand and follow it all. This session, presented by DEQ, will provide a complete overview of each part of the RMA, how the different parts work together, what their status is, what the schedule is, who is working on them, and what will come next. You'll leave with a better understanding of what RMA means for your industry, jurisdiction, or organization, and when, where, and how you'll want to get plugged in.

SPEAKERS​

• David Allaway | Senior Policy Analyst, Oregon DEQ
• Cheryl Grabham | Program Manager, Oregon DEQ

MODERATOR

• Danielle Womble | Western Region Recruiter, Waste Connections

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PRE-CONFERENCE WEBINAR: Using Co-Design to Develop Equitable Circular Economies Tuesday, 10/11, 1pm-2:15pm

PLEASE NOTE: Conference attendees are automatically registered for the pre-conference webinar at no additional charge. Others that wish to attend the webinar will be able to register for a fee. NON-CONFERENCE ATTENDEES: REGISTER HERE!

Co-design is about creation, inclusion, and collaboration. It is a methodology that brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to provide input and make decisions in creating solutions that will meet the needs of those stakeholders. By involving stakeholders from various sectors, geographies, backgrounds, and economic levels, the end solution is designed with the people, not at or for the people. Recently, co-design was used as a tool to build a program that will impact recycling resiliency through market development in Washington State - NextCycle Washington. Traversal Design led the participatory process alongside other project partners to customize the program to meet the needs and context in Washington. The co-design team included representatives from communities, businesses, and organizations across the state. This session will explore the co-design process and how it can be used as a tool to improve recycling market resilience and advance the reuse and repair economy.

SPEAKERS​

• Kami Bruner | Waste Reduction Program Manager, Zero Waste Washington
• Bryce Hesterman | Senior Consultant, RRS
• Moji Igun | Founder, Blue Daisi Consulting
• Kamal Patel | Civic Designer, Traversal Design
• Tina Schaefer | Lead Planner, Washington Dept of Ecology
• Adrian Tan | Policy & Market Development Manager, King County
• Ashley Worobec | Transition Designer, Traversal Design

MODERATOR

• Elizabeth Chin Start | Start Consulting Group