Daniel Shoemaker

Associate Professor and Racheff Faculty Fellow

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Professor Daniel P. Shoemaker received his BS with Honors in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois in 2006 and his PhD in Materials from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2010.

His doctoral work focused on using neutron scattering and real-space modeling to understand the structure-property relationships oxide materials.

In 2011 he began a postdoctoral appointment in the Materials Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory where he investigated the synthesis of superconductors and semiconductors with a focus on in situ spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction.

Daniel joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in August 2013 and is currently an Associate Professor and .

His research focuses on the synthesis of novel materials, and he teaches the department’s senior-level course on Materials Selection for Sustainability.

Rodney Jamison 

Director of Solid Waste Services

City Of Charlotte

Rodney Jamison leads the City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services Department as its director, in its mission of partnering with the community to deliver competitive and quality solid waste services that promote an attractive and healthy environment. In this capacity, he manages more than 320 employees; oversees a budget of approximately $86.4 million; and is responsible for the City’s solid waste collection program, which serves more than 850,000 city residents.

Jamison joined the City of Charlotte in 2011. His career in the solid waste industry is filled with accomplishments including, assisting with waste management and removal during a pandemic, creating route efficiencies through the elimination of plastic bags in yard waste collection, and developing employee relations programs that increase morale and productivity.

Jamison is a member of the Solid Waste Association of North America, the National Association for Black Public Administrators, and the American Public Works Association.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and is a graduate of the Municipal and County Administration Program at the University of North Carolina School of Government.

Jeff Smithberger

Director, Solid Waste and Recycling

Mecklenburg County

Jeff Smithberger is the director of Solid Waste and Recycling, a division of the Mecklenburg County Land Use and Environmental Services Agency.

He is responsible for managing the short and long-term priorities associated with solid waste processing, overseeing solid waste programs and four full-service recycling centers, capital project planning, and conducting residential and business community outreach efforts focusing on sustainability and waste reduction.

Jeff joined the County in 2014 as director. Previously, he served as director of Solid Waste for Fairfax County, VA.

Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering and has completed coursework toward a Master of Business Administration at Virginia Tech University.

Matthew Everhart

Stadler America LLC

Leading Stadler, my focus is on steering our organization towards sustainable success, ensuring commercial relevance in the communities we serve.

Our mission is deeply rooted in advancing waste-to-recovery markets, a commitment reflected in our strategic direction and policy development guided by the Board.

Tobias Eder

Sesotec

Tobias Eder is an accomplished professional with an impressive career that began after active service in the army as a long-range scout and military mountain guide. 

He began his professional career at Sesotec in 2013, where he completed an in-depth apprenticeship as a mechatronics engineer. His desire for continuous education led him to pursue degrees in mechatronics and electrical engineering, with a focus on automation technology. At Sesotec, he carried out numerous worldwide projects and took responsibility for technical projects.

Currently, Tobias Eder holds the position of manager in application engineering, where he conducts market analyses, drives the further development of the product portfolio, identifies new technologies and is actively involved in association work. His combination of practical experience and technical knowledge makes him a sought-after expert in the industry. With his passion for innovative technologies and a deep understanding of market needs, Tobias Eder will provide valuable insights and perspectives.

Dana Darley 

President, Darley Extrusion Solutions LLC.

Having founded his own consulting and sales company in 2025, Dana has a multi-decade career involved in operations, engineering, manufacturing, service, development, marketing and sales for processing machinery for the plastics industry. He is considered an industry expert in many areas of plastics processing equipment, including size reduction, gravimetric blending/control, drying/crystallizing systems, pelletizing, melt filtration and pumps, and plastic recycling technology.

During his career, Dana has worked for several leading equipment manufacturer, such as…PSI-Polymer Systems, Erema NA, Vecoplan LLC, Process Control Corporation, Kreyenborg Industries and MAAG Group.

Holder of two US patents, Dana has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University.  

Andy Johnson

KW Plastics

Andy Johnson has served in different capacities at KW Plastics for over 15 years, including Raw Materials Procurement and Resin Sales. When asked what his experience has been like, he replies that “We are family at KW Plastics!”

Andy played college football and baseball while he earned his undergraduate degree in Education from Troy University, where he also completed his Master’s. Out in the community, he stays involved in recreational sports. Andy is inspired daily by his wife and their two children, Lofton and Drew.

Tamsin Ettefagh

Chief Sustainability/Commercial Officer

PureCycle Technologies

Tamsin Ettefagh is the Chief Sustainability Officer at PureCycle Technologies. She has over 37 years of experience in the areas of recycling and plastics recycling, including implementing a recycling collection program, running the recycling operations for a manufacturing recycling facility, purchasing raw materials, and selling recycled resins for plastic recycling companies.

Previous to PureCycle, she worked as a Senior Consultant both in an independent capacity and for major consulting firms in the plastics recycling space, focusing on strategy and implementation to advancements in process, primarily in polyolefins. She has consulted for agencies, banks, potential plastic manufacturers on market conditions, types of supply, and how to evolve and diversify markets for recycled resins.

Alexandra Vasquez

Helen of the Sea, Founder

Alexandra earned a Master of Environmental Science and Management from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2016, specializing in marine resource economics.

She is passionate about merging scientific research and entrepreneurship to drive meaningful environmental impact. Her 13+ years of experience working in marine conservation in the Galapagos Islands reflects an unwavering dedication to protecting the region’s fragile ecosystems. With a background in research, expedition leadership and sustainable product development, Alexandra’s work spans environmental communication, strategic partnership building and regenerative design.

Ron Rubinovitz

ThermoFisher Scientific

Ron Rubinovitz earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Brandeis University and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania where he focused on optical spectroscopic techniques.

He then went onto a postdoctoral position at the Naval Research Laboratory utilizing infrared spectroscopic methods to analyze thin films.

Ron is now in the role of Senior Application Scientist for the Nicolet FTIR Product line at ThermoFisher Scientific.

He works in the fields of FTIR, FTIR-microscopy, chemometrics and FT-Raman spectroscopy.

• Her experience as a Naturalist Guide and Undersea Specialist with the Galapagos National Park Service and Lindblad National Geographic Expeditions has deepened her connection to marine ecosystems, allowing her to educate and inspire others through immersive experiences and environmental storytelling.

• In 2024, Alexandra founded an eco surf brand in Galapagos to combat the marine plastics crisis. Helen of the Sea helps protect the ocean by removing harmful plastic from the Galapagos Marine Reserve and transforming it into regenerative surfing gear. Through an innovative business model, Helen of the Sea bridges the gap between sustainability and performance for surfers who want to be part of the solution.

Roger Tipton 

Research Associate Professor 

UNC Charlotte

Dr. Roger Tipton is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, driving innovation in sustainable materials and clean water technologies. With 20 years of industrial experience informing his perspective, Dr. Tipton's research is focused on developing practical and scalable solutions in these critical areas. 

His research encompasses the development and application of advanced materials for a cleaner future, including novel sustainable material creation and innovative material designs for clean water technology. Demonstrating his commitment to understanding water quality firsthand, Dr. Tipton is conducting field research in both the Arctic and the Caribbean. Recognized for his impactful work, Dr. Tipton is a member of the Explorers Club and serves as a director at the nonprofit, The Sustainable Seas Institute. 

His accolades include an Innovator on Fire Award, a Cade Museum Prize, a NASA Fellowship, a Nortech Innovation Award in Advanced Materials, and a Manny Award for Excellence in Manufacturing. He holds a Bachelor’s in Materials Science and Engineering from The Ohio State University, and both a Master’s in Materials Science and a PhD in Chemical, Biological & Materials Engineering from the University of South Florida.

Olya Keen, Ph.D., P.E.

Associate Professor, Graduate Program Director

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Education

Ph.D., University of Colorado – Boulder, Environmental Engineering, 2012 

M.S., University of South Florida, Environmental Engineering, 2008 and B.S., University of South Florida, Civil Engineering, 2008

Research

Emerging contaminants: detection and analytical chemistry; environmental effects; fate and transport; treatment processes; transformation products in the natural and engineered systems

Wastewater treatment and water reuse: advanced treatment technologies; resource recovery; applications for municipal effluent reuse, graywater reuse and in-house treatment and reuse for buildings and industries

Ultraviolet-based processes and advanced oxidation processes: direct and indirect photolysis in natural and engineered systems, UV and ozone based advanced oxidation processes, photocatalysis

Justin Somers

Regional Director

Senator Ted Budd

Effective leader with over 20 years of experience in organizational leadership, relationship building, nonprofit organization/business management and poultry/livestock husbandry.

History of maintaining high-quality relationships, and working together with various stakeholders to accomplish goals.

Interested in public policy, sharing experiences and mentorship. Driven by a strong desire to better serve my community. Proud dad and husband.