Brooke Nash

Brooke Nash has spent her entire career in the solid waste and recycling field. Since 1997, she has been the Branch Chief for Municipal Waste Reduction at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), where she manages technical assistance programs, grants, and training to increase the effectiveness of local and regional waste reduction programs. Prior to MassDEP, Brooke co-founded and served as the first executive director of Solana Recyclers, a community-based non-profit that pioneered curbside recycling in San Diego County in the 1980s. Brooke serves on the Board of Directors of the Northeast Recycling Council. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego. 

Khrysti Smyth Barry (Moderator for Session 1)

Khrysti Smyth Barry is a Customer Relationship Lead for the Center for EcoTechnology (CET), which administers a number of waste and energy programs including the RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts program under contract for MassDEP. CET provides outreach, training and technical assistance to businesses, institutions and municipalities across Massachusetts and the U.S. to improve environmental performance. Prior to joining CET in 2018, Khrysti helped support sustainable food systems in the Boston area through work in sustainable food service and event operations, and with her own urban agriculture consulting business. Khrysti has a B.S. and M.S. in Wildlife Ecology from Texas A&M University and Saint Louis University respectively, and brings her experience with systems operations to her work with CET.

Stephen A. Boksanski

As Executive Director of the Massachusetts Beverage Association, Steve and his team work with member companies to collaborate on public policy with legislators, regulators, industry stakeholders and thought leaders. MassBev provides an opportunity for fierce competitors in the marketplace to come together and speak with a unified voice on a variety of policy proposals. Steve is an owner of a state government-focused lobbying firm (BCB Government Relations, Inc.) and has been working the halls of the statehouse as a lobbyist since 1999. Prior to this, he worked in a variety of staff roles in the Massachusetts House and Senate.

Susan DeCourcey

Susan was hired in June of 2022 to serve as the executive director of Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART) and to support leadership in expanding the association’s impact globally.  Since June, SMART’s membership has expanded in parts of the world where the textile recycling market has grown, including the UAE, India, and Pakistan. SMART recently held its 2023 Annual Convention in Dubai, which had record attendance from member companies representing 14 countries. 

Rachel Perlman, PhD

Rachel is a circular economy and sustainability professional with a background in environmental science, sustainable waste management, policy, and systems thinking and analysis.  She works as a Consultant at Resource Recycling Systems (RRS).  She holds a PhD in Engineering Systems from MIT’s Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. For her PhD research, Rachel conducted a material flow analysis of a university campus and analyzed the environmental impact of its material consumption. She also has an M.S. in Technology and Policy from MIT, where she focused her research on the environmental, economic, and social implications of waste management systems in India.

Debra Darby (Moderator for Session 2)

Debra Darby is a client manager with 15 years of organics experience within the solid waste industry, and leads Tetra Tech’s organics practice within Tetra Tech’s Solid Waste East (SWE) region. She has garnered a reputation as a leader in her field through her extensive background working with organics and compostable materials, assisting clients through the design and implementation of organics diversion programs and operations including composting and anaerobic digestion systems. In addition to her technical expertise, Ms. Darby is a U.S. Composting Council Certified Composting Professional (CCP), has 20 years of experience in environmental marketing, and has served as a strategic advisor in the public and private sectors.

Linda Cernik

Linda Cernik has been the Program Coordinator for Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management since 2017 and a Consultant Administrator for Hilltown Resource Management Cooperative. Linda oversees waste facilities for 23 Municipalities: is responsible for waste reduction goals, implementing new recycling opportunities, state compliance, SMRP grant administration, data collection and reporting to MassDEP, facilitating special recycling collections, and so much more.  Linda has a true passion for her job and the communities she serves!

Sarah Healey

Sarah oversees the zero waste program for BU Sustainability. With a goal to be zero waste by 2030, Sarah’s main role is to implement and refine the strategy outlined in the BU Zero Waste Plan. Prior to joining BU, they worked for Casella Waste Systems where they supported higher education and healthcare facilities with their waste reduction goals. Sarah has an MBA in Sustainability from the University of Vermont. Sarah is a TRUE Zero Waste Advisor and has served on the leadership team of the US Composting Council’s Young Professionals.

Amy Donovan

Amy Donovan is the Program Director at Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, in Greenfield, MA. The Solid Waste District manages programs for 21 member towns, including 17 transfer stations and 25 public schools. Fourteen transfer stations in Franklin County offer free drop-off organics programs for residents, and the majority of schools within the solid waste district divert food waste from the trash. Amy has served on the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) Advisory Board for 16 years. 

Waneta Trabert (MassPSC Update and Moderator for Session 3)

MassRecycle Vice President and MassPSC Chair, Waneta Trabert, is the Director of Sustainable Materials Management for the City of Newton.  Her experience in electronics, EPR, and managing packaging waste for both the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI), made Waneta a perfect fit as an officer of the MassRecycle Product Stewardship Council.  She also managed hazardous waste at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during the 2014-2015 austral summer season.

Geoff Beckwith

Geoff has been the Executive Director & CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association for the past 31 years. He was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1985-1991. He is author of the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act, the first law of its kind in the nation, and was named Environmental and Energy Legislator of the Year while serving in the Legislature.

Marie Clarke

Marie is the Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs for the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA), overseeing policy and government relations work for the mattress industry, including the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) programs in California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Oregon. She also tracks legislation and provides support for states seeking to implement new mattress recycling laws. Before joining ISPA and MRC, Marie held a similar role with the trade association for the paint industry, which operates paint recycling programs. 

Rosanna Delrosario 

Rosanna is the Recycling Coordinator for the City of Lawrence.  Since moving to the United States 16 years ago, she has worked in Management and Operations in diverse fields including healthcare and air travel.  She joined the world of recycling with her position at the City Of Lawrence. She is passionate about her work, and enjoys learning how much we can do to help our environment.  In her free, time she loves to travel with her husband and 3 kids. 

Rodney Clara 

With twenty plus years’ experience in the waste diversion and product stewardship industry, Rodney’s journey began with Goodwill Industries, helping them to reach cost-saving and waste-diversion practices. He worked with leaders in the electronic waste/recycling industry, coordinating and managing at that time new EPR collection programs that included municipalities, solid waste facilities and the business community. with over 10 years experience in the mattress recycling industry he recently launched Tough Stuff Recycling an approved FAC90 Mattress Recycler for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, developing a unique spectrum of services targeting the needs of municipalities, waste generators and residents alike helping divert over 6000 mattresses a month from landfills across the state!