Category: Elections

Board of Directors 2021 Election – Candidate Statements

Five members – including 3 incumbents, have submitted ballot statements to serve on the 2022 NCRA Board of Directors. There are six two-year positions to fill. Voting opens Monday, November 29, 2021, and ends Monday, December 13, 2021, at 11:59 pm.

Custom voting links will be emailed to members on November 29. If you do not receive our email but believe you should (i.e. your membership is current as of November 28, 2021), please contact the office and we will email the link again.

NCRA BOARD OF DIRECTOR CANDIDATES, 2022-2023

Bailey Hall – Member since 2019 – After 2.5 years of being submerged in the world of solid waste, I’m confident this is my forever career path. I’ve been a NCRA member since 2019, and I’d be honored to serve on the board.

As a Zero Waste Coordinator with the City of Sunnyvale, I spearhead the City’s communications on waste reduction, recycling right, and our food scraps program. I aim to inspire behavior change through flyers, presentations, student lessons, and social media posts. As an example, I coordinated and starred in YouTube videos with tens of thousands of views about how residents can make our food scraps program convenient and mess-free. I took my love of food scraps a step further by writing and co-starring in my NCRA Players 2021 debut: “Foodhemian Scrapsody”. I also debunk recycling myths and encourage zero waste practices through a regular column in our City-wide newsletter called “Talkin’ Trash”. I’m responsible for the garbage/recycling needs for Sunnyvale multi-family complexes, and now lead their transition to recycling organics.

If elected, I will bring my effective outreach experience to the Communications and Activities committees. I welcome the opportunity to support NCRA communications and connect members with courses, tours, and crucial zero waste updates. I’d love to deepen my involvement with this pioneering organization.

Devin Joseph Guilford Jackson –member since 2020

My name is Devin Jackson. I am submitting my first-time candidacy to serve on the 2022 – 2023 NCRA Board. I am a STEM teacher, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, 2021 CCC Leadership in Sustainability Award Winner, Recycle SMART “green” educator, 2018 “Bronze” CA Green Ribbon School Award Winner, certified Climate Change educator with National Geographic Explorers, NASA GLOBE Educator, NOAA Ocean Guardian educator & Vice President of a K-8 environmental education non-profit called Outside the Box 925. I have a strong connection and passion for nature, environmental sustainability, eco-literacy, water conservation, alternative energy, resource conservation, recycling, composting and other waste/landfill diversion practices, which are linked to the UN Climate Principles. I have been a member of NCRA for one year. NCRA has played an integral role in my pathway as an environmental sustainability coordinator to guide and support future Zero Waste schools and districts. I am currently the sole teacher on the NCRA committee for CA Zero Waste Schools. I am looking forward to contributing to and supporting NCRA and the school committee in new ways as my career expands with new opportunities unfolding. If you feel I would bring value to the board, then please support me to be elected to the 2022 – 2023 NCRA Board.

INCUMBENTS

David Krueger – member since 2000 – I would be honored to continue to serve for two more years on the NCRA Board. I have been a NCRA member for 20+ years and I’ve served as Treasurer and President. I am currently the Solid Waste Programs Division Manager for the City of Sunnyvale, working towards our Zero Waste goal. I have previously served on the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board and the CRRA Board of Directors. You may have seen me “performing” with the infamous NCRA Players.

If allowed to continue to serve on the Board I will strive to increase NCRA’s membership and to expand our diversity in all of it’s forms: Race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, age, geography, occupation, and opinion. Upcoming challenges in the next few years include helping our members to implement SB 1383, reducing plastic pollution, and finding the most effective mix of virtual and in-person meetings, trainings, workshops, and events. The Plastics Free California Initiative will be on the ballot November 8, 2022 and should be a major focus of NCRA advocacy. I also believe that NCRA should take the lead in the effort to save the State’s buyback centers.

One of my goals for the NCRA Board is to enhance our training and professionalism and to have a long-term plan to recruit and develop future leaders. In order to ensure continuity and stability, I suggest that NCRA consider hiring a part-time Executive Director and asking former Board members to serve as advisors.

I am dedicated to NCRA’s continued role as a cutting edge leader in the Zero Waste movement, providing our members with opportunities for education, idea-sharing, benchmarking, debate, networking, and advocacy. I humbly ask for your vote.

Tim Dewey-Mattia – member since 2011 – I’m submitting my statement for reelection to the NCRA Board.  I was first elected to the NCRA Board 6 years ago, and I kindly ask the membership for a chance to serve another term. I’m the Recycling & Public Education Manager for Napa Recycling & Waste Services. Napa Recycling is the local franchise hauler in Napa, as well as the operator of Napa’s Recycling & Composting Facility (come visit…tours are back and we’ve got cool upgrades to show off!).

I got my start in Zero Waste 25 years ago – first with the Middlebury College recycling program, and then for non-profit recycling organizations in San Francisco. I’ve been at Napa Recycling for 16 years and work on all aspects of program development, implementation and outreach…plus I’ve talked about earthquakes, chickens & fires at Recycling Update.

As NCRA board member and co-chair of the Outreach & Activities Committee, I’ve helped coordinate events, organize facility tours, & fundraise for Recycling Update. I believe NCRA can and should be a leader in the hot topics of the day, including increasing organics diversion with the SB 1383 rollout, advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in the industry, and supporting critical Zero Waste legislation and policy.

NCRA and our members are Zero Waste pioneers, and I am honored to help carry that forward. We are a collaborative, passionate, and down-to-earth bunch, and I’d be pleased to continue to serve on the Board.

Susan Blachman – member since 2011 – I am running for re-election to the NCRA board in order to help NCRA continue to support our members, further promote zero food waste, the end of plastic and generally serve this great organization.

I have been co-chairing the Zero Food Waste Committee:

  • 2014 helped establish NCRA’s Zero Food Waste Committee

  • Contributed to Commercial Food Waste Reduction in Alameda County report

  • 2018 helped organize the second Zero Food Waste Forum.

  • 2019-present helped organize Zero Food Waste Webinars focused on SB1383

Recordings found on NCRA website; each attended by about 100 people

  • Coordinate with CRRA Edible Food Recovery Technical Council (EFR TC)

If re-elected, I will continue to support NCRA’s zero food waste educational programming and will continue to coordinate our educational and outreach efforts with CRRA’s EFR TC, including compiling local jurisdiction SB1383 resources for anyone (not just CRRA members).

Other NCRA activities:

  • Rep NCRA in multi-stakeholder effort to get Berkeley Unified School District to eliminate single use food ware

  • Participate in NCRA DEI committee, ZWAC’s Clean Seas Coalition and NCRA social media committee

  • Co-Secretary

Thank you for allowing me to serve on the NCRA board; I would be honored if you would vote for me.

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Election Results for 2021 – 2022 Term

The NCRA Board of Directors had 5 seats open and 5 candidates. 

Congratulations to Incumbents Douglas Brooms, Alina Bekkerman, and Jessica Jane Robinson, and welcome to Julia Au and David Hott!

There were 349 eligible voters and 121 members voted, for a turnout of 34%.  The results were certified by SimplyVoting.

Directors will be introduced at the April members’ meeting and in the NCRA newsletter. The two-year term officially begins in January 2021.

Thank you Directors, for stepping up to lead NCRA in 2021!

Board of Directors 2020 Elections – Candidate Statements

Five members have submitted ballot statements to serve on the 2021 NCRA Board of Directors. There are five two-year positions to fill. Voting opens Tuesday, November 23, 2020, and ends Monday, December 6, 2020, at 11:59 pm.

Custom voting links will be emailed to members on November 23. If you do not receive our email but believe you should (i.e. your membership is current as of November 23, 2020), please contact the office and we will email the link again.

NCRA BOARD OF DIRECTOR CANDIDATES, 2020:

Julia Au, Member since 2018

I would be honored to serve on the NCRA Board to help our shared goals of reducing waste and making an impact in our region and beyond.

I’ve been a NCRA member since 2018, but have been involved in the waste world for over ten years from working at Californians Against Waste, to coordinating HHW programs and outreach at SF Environment and San Mateo County, where I also helped pass and enforce the County’s Bag Ban. I’m currently the Outreach and Communications Manager at RethinkWaste and a member of the NCRA DEI Committee.

If elected to the Board, I want to grow NCRA to make it more inclusive beyond the East Bay core, while also ensuring it’s a welcoming place to the diversity that the waste world in Northern California brings. This includes backgrounds, experiences, and opinions. I plan to help lead NCRA in creating additional and welcoming avenues for members to be engaged, active, and involved, while continuing to be innovative in how we do it.

We have plenty of issues to tackle for years to come, ranging from SB 1383 to social justice and climate change. I’d welcome getting to celebrate our differences while tackling the environmental issues that affect us all. I humbly ask for your vote.

Alina Bekkerman, Incumbent, Member since 2017

It has been an exceptional opportunity and an honor to serve on the NCRA board of directors for the last two years. During this time, I have taken the opportunity to collaborate on critical issues, help organize and manage events, and create programming that is both engaging and educational to our zero waste community.

During my term, I continued to serve as the liaison to the Zero Waste Youth USA, while also serving on the Members Engagement and Activities Committee and co-chairing the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee. I loved collaborating and spearheading numerous events, including the production for Virtual RU and am currently supporting the NRC in the production of the Zero Waste Conference, and a NCRA + ZWY Career Connection Forum.

I humbly request your support in my candidacy for another term on the board of directors of this incredible organization. Hope to continue to provide direction for the DEI committee, as we establish new priorities for our board and member organizations to focus on diversity and inclusion in the industry. I also hope to bring new and interesting opportunities for networking and connections, through more events and activities, be it virtual, or in-person once it is safe.

Douglas Brooms, Incumbent, Member since 2013

I’ve served on the Board for 7 years, and I would appreciate the privilege to serve again. I look forward to Board meeting deliberations and helping with and participating in events. In pre-COVID years, I represented NCRA at each “Oakland Green Expo” and other similar events.

I’ve served as Co-chair and Chair of the Zero Waste Advocacy Committee and would like to continue doing so. I’ll continue evaluating legislative Bills, drafting support and opposition letters and collaborating with the Clean Seas Lobbing Coalition and other environmental organizations.

I will strive to further engage with these groups on the unfinished business of the 2019-2020 Legislature. Many Bills were preemptively furloughed due to COVID-19 priorities. Certain other high profile Bills appeared to have succumbed more so due to nefarious lobbying. Next year, it is my hope to persuade and engage with other organizations, to use strategies to effectuate greater accountability among legislators.

I will continue with updates to the ZWAC Webpage, and work to increase 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 have sustaining commitments to climate protection and social and other environmental justice. However, Zero Waste, recycling, plastics mitigation, composting and food recovery advocacy are my stronger passions, still making NCRA my favorite place. I would appreciate your vote.

David Hott, Member since 2019

As a newly certified Practitioner in Zero Waste Principles and Practices, I offer an energetic viewpoint that can enhance collaboration efforts towards Zero Waste. I began my journey into reducing GHG by being part of the beginnings of the A La Carte Program of Loaves & Fishes, which was created by my close friend Doctor Nancy Fishman the founder of Forgotten Harvest. Since the inception of the A LA Carte program, we have achieved the following results:

In FY2020, A La Carte provided 336,147 meals and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 420 metric tons. With our partners’ continued support and the Hot Meals provided by our cooking staff since March 2020, A La Carte has distributed 301,827 meals and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 374 metric tons to date.

My entry into the efforts towards Zero Waste began with a new chapter in my professional development. After many experiences and exciting opportunities within the private sector, I decided to go back to school and pursue an education focused on Human Services. It is there where I recognized my real passion; to be of service to others.

The responsibility I have in becoming a larger part of the solutions for climate change influences my decision to become an active member of NCRA. I would be humbled and extremely honored to become a member of the Board of Directors of this wonderful organization.

Jessica Jane Robinson, Incumbent, Member since 2013

I have served as Vice President for two years and Treasurer for four years. As Vice President, I have exposed NCRA to other demographics and markets. I spoke at the United Nations and represented NCRA as Vice President, along with my other titles. NCRA was a sponsor for Earth Day SF 2019 when my superhero alias, Resilience, was the event’s face and emcee. NCRA’s logo was on my superhero Earth Day SF poster that was on Muni buses, and recycle guides distributed throughout SFUSD and to the public for the promotion of the event. ABC Channel 7 interviewed me as NCRA Vice President about recycling and waste diversion in the Bay Area. As Treasurer, I helped organize NCRA’s finances and got caught up with past filing taxes. I have helped NCRA’s exposure to other demographics through various forms of media. I advised NCRA to become the first sponsor of Girls Inc of the Island City’s Ethical Fashion Show, an annual event produced by youth.

I am on a brand new NCRA committee for CA schools. I look forward to contributing to NCRA and the school committee in new ways as my career expands with new opportunities unfolding. I hope to be selected to serve another term for the NCRA board.

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Board of Directors Election 2020 – NOMINATE YOURSELF TO SERVE ON THE NCRA BOARD! 

Board of Directors Election 2020

NOMINATE YOURSELF TO SERVE ON THE NCRA BOARD! 

NCRA has been a Recycling and Zero Waste trailblazer since it’s inception in 1978 and we are still out front. You can help develop the cutting edge by applying to serve on the 11-person Board of Directors!

Five board positions will be open this January. We don’t know yet how many incumbents will be running. It’s a two-year working post. Attendance at nearly all ten meetings a year is required, as is between-meetings work on at least one standing committee as well as one Recycling Update committee. Currently we meet via Zoom on the third Thursday of the month. (Previous to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings moved around the greater Bay Area – sometimes in conjunction with tours. Phone participation was possible at many locations.)

Directors discuss issues, hold debates and influence regional and national recycling strategy, such as:

    • Track and comment on legislation
    • Listen to regional industry leaders
    • Work on behalf of colleagues who need a boost
    • Tackle issues that can’t be ignored
    • Tour facilities and talk business with operators
    • Hold events and webinars on important topics

Benefits include helping NCRA protect and rejuvenate the environment and promote a waste free economy, as well as free entrance to all NCRA events. Looks good on your resume too!

To nominate yourself, submit a campaign statement of 210 words or less via our Contact page, on or before Monday, November 16 at 11:59pm. Introduce yourself, note how long you have been a NCRA member, what committees you are on and tell members why they should consider voting for you. Be sure to read the previous statements beforehand.

The Election begins Tuesday, November 23 and ends Monday, December 6 at 11:59pm.