Five NCRA members have submitted ballot statements to serve on the 2018 NCRA Board of Directors. There are six positions to fill. Voting opens November 15, 2018, and ends November 29, 2018, at 11:59 pm.
Custom voting links will be emailed to members on November 15th. If you do not receive our email but believe you should (i.e. your membership is current as of November 15, 2018), please email the office and we will email the link again.
CANDIDATES 2018: Nik Balachandran, Alina Bekkerman, Hilary Near, Doug Brooms, and Jessica Jane Robinson.
Nik Balachandran – Once again, I would like to humbly submit my candidacy for this important position on the NCRA Board. 2018 has been the most challenging yet equally enlightening year of my life. I had to juggle between being a business owner, NCRA board member, and a new dad.
I was honored to fill a vacant board position this year. It was exciting and I was armed with the passion to advance zero waste goals. I called senate and assembly members on the legislative bills that NCRA supported. I actively promoted and volunteered at NCRA events such as Recycling Update, Zero Food Waste Forum and the Summer Picnic which were successfully attended. I enjoyed collaborating with other members to organize tours, write articles and post the latest available jobs for the NCRA Newsletter.
If I get re-elected, my goals are to:
- broaden NCRA’s membership reach to more industries, municipalities, and communities in Northern California
- write support letters to advance zero waste
- reduce illegal dumping and littering that are plaguing our streets, highways, and waterways
Since our daughter’s birth, I have had a renewed sense of purpose to take on difficult tasks and show her that hard work can result in making a positive change.
Alina Bekkerman – As a Zero Waste advocate, I believe the next two years are critical and require a significant paradigm shift from a consumer mindset to a low-energy lifestyle. I humbly submit my candidacy to join the NCRA 2019 board, in service to our broader community and NCRA members.
In 2014 I first had an epiphany about the importance of waste stream management and recycling education while abroad in Ecuador, where I started a small program call Proyecto Puerto López Limpio. Upon my return home, I was first introduced to Bay Area initiatives as a volunteer for RU in 2015. In 2016, I joined the Zero Waste Youth Convergence planning committee, helping with fundraising, communications, and logistics. I co-directed the 2017 ZWYC, and continue to serve on the planning team for the 2018 event in a supporting role.
I would like to join the NCRA board to help collaborate on event production and education initiatives for RU and throughout the year. I believe that together we are a stronger movement, and would like to help connect individuals, organizations, and communities, promoting programs that inspire and educate the Bay Area and beyond.
Doug Brooms – I’ve served on the Board for five years and would be honored to serve another term. I look forward to Board meeting deliberations, and helping with and participating in NCRA events. I’ve represented NCRA at each “Oakland Green Expo” and other similar events.
I’m a co-chair of the Zero Waste Advocacy Committee. I’ll continue with the evaluation and selection of new CA legislature Bills, and drafting of support letters. I’ll promote greater Bills support collaboration among environmental organizations in areas of common interests. I’ll continue with timely updates to the ZWAC Webpage, and work towards increasing its appeal and usefulness. I’ll continue promoting awareness about the annual America Recycles Day, and other means to encourage greater recycling participation. I’m still the volunteer recycling coordinator at my apartment building. I enjoy work doing sorting (Resource Recovery) at First Fridays and other Bay Area venues.
I have sustaining commitments to climate protection, and to social and other environmental justice causes. However, Zero Waste, recycling, composting and food recovery advocacy are my stronger passions, making NCRA my favorite place. I would appreciate your vote.
Hilary Near – I am submitting my candidacy to remain on the NCRA board. My two-year tenure on the board has flown by. I particularly contributed to the Membership Engagement & Activities Committee, organizing the Recycle Bicycle Tour 2017 and volunteer opportunities at City Team Oakland. I plan to continue to support NCRA’s annual events now that I’ve learned some of the behind-the-scenes details and develop partnerships with related organizations to deepen and expand our membership.
I have worked in the Zero Waste field for a decade, primarily in program management and outreach related to municipal residential and commercial Zero Waste programs. I currently serve the City and County of San Francisco Department of the Environment as a zero waste assistant.
I would appreciate the chance to continue on the NCRA board as an experienced, passionate, creative and open servant to our NCRA membership and our aspirational goals.
Jessica Jane Robinson – My name is Jessica Robinson and it has been an honor to serve on the NCRA board since 2013. NCRA has been a part of my career supporting me when I was Miss Alameda and Recycle Woman, to my evolution as Resilience, as superhero addressing climate change through zero waste, sustainability, and cultural and social change. I have been a Board of Director since 2013. 2013, I served as treasurer for the first time in my life, and under the line of fire, I helped NCRA’s finances become organized and supported the process of getting the taxes in order. After, that growth spurt I have helped with social media and finding new ways of reaching out to other demographics, like encouraging NCRA to support what is now Girls Inc of the Island City’s Ethical Fashion Show and other projects that are innovative and reach a broader audience. I am dedicated to the cause to help heal the planet, and if you feel I bring value to the board, then please support me for another term. For more information and my bio visit www.rbrorg.com much love and thank you for being a warrior for the planet.