Chris Fox has led global corporate social responsibility and sustainability programs at HanesBrands since 2005 and is responsible for developing and overseeing the company’s comprehensive sustainability strategy, including operational policies and internal and external programs. His areas of focus have included Hanes’ ethics, diversity and inclusion, factory compliance, product safety, environmental sustainability and philanthropy programs. With his many years in the sustainability space, Chris is now the brand’s first chief sustainability officer responsible for driving HanesBrands toward its 2030 sustainability goals outlined in detail at www.HBISustains.com. Chris joined the organization in 1999 and has also held several roles within the HanesBrands legal function, including representing the supply chain and Asia business development teams. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary and his J.D. and MBA degrees from Wake Forest University.
Bio coming soon!
Simon is a sustainability innovation and circular economy professional with over 10 years’ experience of sustainability within cosmetics and retail. In his current role, Simon plays a leading role in reinvigorating a culture of informed risk taking and adventure within packaging, design experiences and circular economy inspired thinking at The Body Shop and the Natura & Co group.
Bio coming soon!
Bio coming soon!
Marie-Anne Champoux-Guimond joined the Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) Canada team in June 2017 and acts as the company’s Sustainability Manager. In her current role, she leads Keurig Dr Pepper Canada’s sustainability initiatives and partnerships, from environmental stewardship to circular economy, responsible sourcing, and everything in between. Over the past 5 years she has been deeply involved in Keurig’s circularity journey and has contributed to the development of fruitful partnerships with industry leaders, governments and other stakeholders. She helped foster KDP Canada’s reputation as a sustainability leader and is confident that the company can play an active role in the development of a Canadian Circular Economy, namely through its role as the co-founder of the Circular Plastics Taskforce.
Prior to joining Keurig Canada, Marie-Anne worked for over 10 years in the philanthropic and international development sectors. She holds a master’s degree in International Studies from Laval University in Québec City.
Kim is a 1982 graduate of the School of Packaging with a Master’s of Science. She is coming up to 40 years of working in packaging at wonderful companies such as General Mills, Kraft Foods and Target. At General Mills she learned how to design packaging to protect and contain, at Kraft she learned how to design packaging for a great consumer experience and at Target she learned how to design packaging that is sustainable. Today all 3 of these skills are needed to be a successful packaging engineer. The keys to success have been driving for results, collaborating, building partnerships and having fun along the way. Kim is retiring from Target in March with plans to consult and help companies reduce the impact of their packaging on the planet. She lives in Minnesota and loves to be outdoors!
David Simnick is the Managing Partner of Impact Driven Brands, parent company of the mission-driven personal care brand, Soapbox, and the delicious condiment company, Bushwick Kitchen.
Soapbox’s mission is to empower consumers to change the world through everyday, quality purchases. Soapbox sells a full range of personal care products each with a mission to provide soap to those in need with every purchase. Soapbox is sold in Meijer, on Amazon, Rite Aid, Sally Beauty, Walgreens, Wegmans, Giant, Grove.co, Boxed.com, Winn-Dixie, Stop & Shops, H-E-B and many other stores across the United States and beyond.
Bushwick Kitchen handmakes delicious sauces, honeys, and srirachas in small-batches in Bushwick, New York. Their award-winning products can be found in retailers across the country, such as Walmart, Sur La Table, Food52, Niemen Marcus, and Amazon. During limited engagements, select Bushwick Kitchen items donate all of their proceeds to charitable causes proving that giving back can be delicious.
David has worked or consulted for USAID, the U.S. Army, Michelle Rhee, U.S. Senate, and also was a Teach for America (TFA) educator in Northern Philadelphia. As an Eagle Scout, David loves the outdoors, volunteering, and working with budding entrepreneurs. He received his undergraduate degree from American University in 3 years and then dropped out of a masters program at The University of Pennsylvania to start Soapbox.
Bio coming soon!
Chelsey leads sustainability as part of Etsy's Impact and Sustainability group, where she's helping the company achieve its Net Zero goal by decreasing Scope 3 emissions from packaging materials and engaging in environmental advocacy to enable systems change. She also supports product sustainability and climate risk and resilience. Chelsey previously led sustainability at Nordstrom, where she developed the company's goals and strategy for circularity in apparel and beauty, created and launched the award-winning BEAUTYCYCLE partnership with TerraCycle, and developed the company's first clothing take-back program. She holds a Master of International Business degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.
Kristen developed, manages and leads Sabra's integrated planet-positive sustainability strategy. She supports sustainable integration company wide focused on emission reduction, waste, packaging, product development, community impact and procurement. Previously she held the role as Director of Sustainability Programs for Tayst Coffee where she developed the first of its kind compostable take-back program for single-use coffee which launched in 2019. She holds a Masters in Environmental Sustainability from Long Island University.
Paul has huge experience in all aspects of packaging and has an exceptional understanding of packaging materials, and processes. Paul developed Tesco strategy for packaging sustainability including the creation of preferred materials and formats guidelines.
Currently working for Tesco with responsibility for the non food area for both Own Label and Branded products. Has previously been responsible for the Tesco Packaged Food areas as well as Household and Personal Care.
In his personal life Paul is Chairman of the Thriplow Daffodil Festival – an annual charity event which has raised over £1m to date.
Michelle co-founded Lorax Compliance in 2014 in order to help companies that are obligated under Extended Producer Responsibility and Product Stewardship legislation around the world. With 15 years of experience working in this sector, her focus is to ensure clients find the process of EPR and Stewardship reporting as simple as possible, despite the complexities placed on businesses by legislation. As COO, her role covers the management and delivery of several teams, including Accounts, Compliance, Sales, Marketing and Human Resources.
Jenny is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Trivium Packaging and a seasoned global leader with experience from big brands like Shell and Avery Dennison. As a Dutch national, sustainability is in her DNA and her true passion. She believes sustainability is no longer a choice, but an imperative for the success of any company. At Trivium she is committed to positively impacting the lives of millions of people through the company’s sustainable and circular product offerings.
Citeo is the company in charge of the Extended Producer Responsibility schemes for household packaging and for graphic & printed paper in France, working with 20 000 packers and fillers, 900 local municipalities and 300 recyclers. The annual turnover is around 850 M€ per year for both activity.
He joined the public policy affairs department of Citeo in 2018, after experiences in the high administration and advisory firm for the public sector. He works very closely with all the actors of the packaging value chain in particular on the Circular Economy Package, the european plastics strategy, the circular plastic alliance, the national pacts on plastic packaging, the new circular economy action plan within the European green deal and EPR projects around the world.
He’s also lecturer on circular economy and european affairs for the university of Paris and ESSEC - international business school.
He graduated from the University Paris Dauphine (Master in Law and Regulatory Markets) and from the College of Europe (LL.M in EU law).
From corporate to government and nonprofit sustainability initiatives, Sarah has spent her career collaborating for good. As the Vice President of Circular Ventures for The Recycling Partnership, Sarah specializes in building action-oriented collaborations to accelerate the circular economy which has included launching the Circular Economy Accelerator, U.S. Plastics Pact, Pathway to Circularity, and more with her stellar team and partners. Having spent time leading sustainable packaging initiatives at Coca-Cola as well as managing sustainability initiatives for Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources, Sarah understands the power of public-private collaboration and is passionate about maximizing partnerships for positive change.
An environmental scientist with over a decade of experience in sustainable manufacturing and design, Saskia develops strategies to minimize the impact that Rothy’s supply chain has on the environment, advancing Rothy’s sustainable innovations in materials, production, fulfillment and more. Prior to joining Rothy’s, Saskia worked as senior director of sustainability at method home. Saskia graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Environmental Science.
As President of Hoover CS, Arash is focused on empowering environmental responsibility through sustainable packaging solutions for the chemical, refining and general industrial-end markets. He has been with Hoover CS for more than 15 years, serving in a number of roles across the organization and is recognized as the driving force behind the company’s transformation towards the support of sustainability in industrial packaging.
With Hoover CS’s fleet of reusable IBCs, Catalyst Bins, and ISO tanks, paired with integrity management and fleet management services, Hoover CS is paving the way for businesses of all sizes to create circularity within their supply chains.
As a strong supporter of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, Arash leads a team of Sales, Marketing and Operations experts, guiding them to create packaging strategies that are good for your supply chain - and the environment.
Since 2015, Ned Tomasevic has been CEO of Reusability, a leading provider of sustainable supply chain solutions, shepherding the company from a service largely focused on the live goods industry to a partner for companies across the manufacturing spectrum. For nearly two decades, Ned's career has spanned the worlds of banking, consulting, and private equity, including a number of entrepreneurial ventures.
An avid outdoorsman, Ned witnessed firsthand the ecological impact human-generated waste has on the natural landscape — something that deeply impacted him and sparked his interest in sustainability. Waiting on the sideline was not an option, so he sought to combine the skills he gained in his corporate life with his desire to help the environment, which led him to his work with Reusability.
He reshaped the company with a new mission of eliminating disposable packaging waste and bringing cost savings to companies in the process. Together, he believes, we can create a meaningful impact that lasts for generations.
Carlos graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. He worked in industry before moving to the United Kingdom, to do his Ph.D at the University of Cambridge. During his doctoral research and subsequently as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate, he developed the basis of the Enval process to recycle plastic aluminium laminate pouches, sachets, tubes, etc.
As a result, Carlos founded Enval where he is CEO. The Company now has a commercial plant recycling laminates in the UK and is in the process of installing further units in other locations. Enval has also started to develop recycling processes for other materials, creating a link between the packaging world and the waste handling sector.
Bio coming soon!
Bio coming soon!
Liz Logue became EFI’s VP of Inkjet Customer/Brand Engagement and Strategy in 2019, a new role focused on helping EFI’s digital corrugated customers engage with brands. Logue’s work helps drive market awareness about digital printing and value it brings to the consumers. She also researches and develops strategies to extend EFI’s inkjet technology portfolio into additional new markets that can benefit from the and continuing analog to digital transformation in print manufacturing.
Prior to taking her current role, Logue was Vice president of Corporate Business Development, and Ink Jet strategy at EFI. In that position, she was responsible for planning, market evaluation and execution behind strategic M&A and new market development activity. Her work has included directing or assisting in EFI’s strategic moves into ceramics, textiles and corrugated packaging, working with engineering, ink and software teams to implement the correct solutions for target markets.
Prior to joining EFI in 2008, Logue worked for 10 years in various roles at IT Strategies, a specialized strategic consultancy company focused on the digital print industry. In her roles she advised hardware, ink and software vendors on corporate, product and M&A strategy. She also managed research initiatives, maintained industry relationships and kept abreast of the latest technology developments.
Andrea began her career working in labs, first as a research assistant with the Institute for Genomic Research and then with Children’s National Medical Center in Washington DC. Her undergraduate degree is in Biology from University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia. After attending law school at George Washington University, she was an attorney for many years with Emord & Associates PC in the Washington, D.C. area, representing clients regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (and related agencies). After leaving private practice, Andrea was Legal Counsel with Celltex Therapeutics, a ground-breaking stem cell company in Houston, TX. Next, Andrea was Regulatory Director, Associate General Counsel with Innophos, Inc, a manufacturing company supplying ingredients to the food, dietary supplement, pharmaceutical and technical industries around the globe. Currently Andrea is Food Law Counsel with Campbell Soup Company working primarily with its Quality, Regulatory, R&D, and Marketing teams on some of the most iconic brands in the United States.
Shannon Pinc is the Circular Economy Specialist for NatureWorks, a global biopolymer supplier. Her interest in managing natural resources led her to complete a bachelor’s degree in Biology from St. Catherine’s University and a master’s degree in Bioproducts & Biosystems Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Her primary role is to partner with stakeholders across the entire value chain to move to a more circular system of managing products made with NatureWorks biopolymers.
Dan Felton is Executive Director of AMERIPEN – the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment. He is a well-known policy and trade association leader who has worked within the bottled water, credit card, healthcare and information management industries. He is particularly passionate about environmental, sustainability and packaging issues and has engaged extensively in those areas at the state and federal levels. He has chaired committees and led task forces for several national trade associations and has served on the board of the State Government Affairs Council (SGAC) where he is a graduate of the their nationally recognized professional certificate programs. A former professional actor and musician, he has run the finances and served on the board of a nationally recognized theatre education non-profit. He has also been involved with the Commission on Presidential Debates since 2000 in support of their quad-annual presidential and vice presidential debates. A graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, Dan lives in the Washington DC area.
Bio coming soon!
James leads insight and innovation for Cambridge Design Partnership across major CPG food and drink clients, with responsibility for ‘joining up the dots’ between consumer needs and breakthrough packaging innovation. James helps clients tackle their biggest challenges, with a resolute passion for improving brands and businesses, by overcoming the barriers and unlocking opportunities to move toward a sustainable circular economy.
James has over 25 years of experience in the innovation and design industry, working for leaders in brand consulting and pack design, such as Landor Associates and Design Bridge prior to CDP.
Annika Greve heads up the North American Business Development team for Loop, TerraCycle’s circular reuse platform that launched in 2019. TerraCycle is known for Eliminating the Idea of Waste and Loop enables consumers to purchase products in reusable packaging.
Kris Kaar is a senior consultant at Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) with 30 years of experience in research, planning, communication, and program management in solid waste and recycling programs. For the past 10 years, Kaar has worked with the Carton Council and developed an expertise in adding cartons to existing recycling programs and expanding access to recycling for cartons. to RRS, her career included public and private sector consulting, municipal client support at an independent material recovery facility, and direct municipal experience implementing a composting program, managing the city’s waste and recycling collection contact, and developing the first permanent household hazardous waste collection drop-off site in Illinois.
Hanko Kiessner is executive chairman and founder of Packsize International LLC, a privately held On Demand Packaging® manufacturing and technology company he founded in the United States in 2002. Kiessner and his global leadership team have grown Packsize into an award-winning supply chain and sustainable packaging industry leader with operations in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. With longstanding ties to the corrugated industry, Kiessner identified the importance of achieving sustainable operations early on and established a goal of creating Smarter Packaging for a Healthy Planet®. Also a co-founder of LeadersforCleanAir.org, Kiessner is a strong advocate for the reduction, re-use, and recycling of packaging materials and places great importance on building sustainability into every aspect of his company’s operations.
Bio coming soon!
Eric Vignola is the market management leader for NOVA Chemicals’ polyethylene business. In his role, he oversees the market focus strategy for all rigid and flexible packaging segments. Most recently he was the food packaging market manager, leading a cross functional market focus team that was responsible for new product launches in the areas of sealants, barrier and oriented film resins. Eric joined NOVA Chemicals in 2003; prior to joining the marketing team he led the Product R&D team, where his team developed fast cycle time resins for water closures and a family of new sealant products for the food packaging and heavy duty sack markets among other innovations.
Eric holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Montreal, an MBA from the University of Florida, and a PhD in Energy and Materials Science from the University of Quebec. He is an author or co-author of five patents, with several more pending, and is an executive member of the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Division of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry. Eric lives and works in the Calgary, Alberta area.
Sara Axelrod currently leads sustainability initiatives in North and Central America for Ball Packaging, where she is focused on creating and promoting a commercial and regulatory environment in which the company can support its customers’ sustainability goals, drive efforts around real recycling and the circular economy at scale, and ultimately utilize its market position to create systemic change. She previously led marketing and innovation for the sustainability team at Land O’Lakes Inc. and was a founding member of the Food & Agriculture team at the Glover Park Group, a leading public affairs firm in Washington, D.C. She holds an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts from The George Washington University.
Charles David is TC Transcontinental’s Manager of Public Affairs and Stakeholders Relations. As part of his role, he interacts with different players in the value chain, participates in numerous industry initiatives and committees (such as the Circular Plastics Taskforce and the Canadian Plastics Pact) and, as a leader in the printing and packaging industries, ensures increased commitment and engagement from TC Transcontinental towards building a more sustainable and circular economy. Charles David has been working in sustainability at TC Transcontinental since 2012 and was named one of the “Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leaders” in Canada by Corporate Knights in 2016.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences from McGill University, a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from École de technologie supérieure, and recently completed a diploma in public administration at École nationale d’administration publique.
Speaker bio coming soon.
Jane Tsilas is Global Packaging Sustainability Manager at Starbucks Coffee Company.
Sam leads innovation at Jadex Inc, a material science focused company producing nylon resins and converting various plastics into consumer, medical and industrial articles. Under Sam’s leadership, Jadex has launched a number of earth friendly products: 20% lighter solid dose pharmaceutical bottle with improved barrier and mechanical performance; home compostable straws; specialty nylon used for producing lighter structural thermoplastic parts in automobiles; and biobased, biodegradable EPS foam replacement.
Sam holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Delaware and B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University. He has been awarded over 10 patents. Sam’s technical background has helped him define materials, processes and products leading to products having superior beginning, use and end of life.
A serial entrepreneur with business acumen in corporate development across several industries, Doug has proved to be a visionary and a real inspiration to many. During his time elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly for the Canadian Province of British Columbia he contributed to many roles including Deputy Speaker, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier and Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S. Council of State Governments West. He has also served on the Provincial Treasury Board and the Legislative Review Committee and was Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, and Deputy Chair of the Select Standing Committee for Public Accounts. As a politician, he drove projects that promote sustainability most notably completing the Evergreen rapid transit line to the community he served after years of delay.
A dynamic leader, Doug’s professional pursuits extend beyond politics. He has built and financed numerous companies, including a world-renowned design firm that developed and led the master planning of the Sochi 2014 Olympics, as well as several other large projects around the world. After decades of running successful companies across diverse industries, Doug founded Evanesce with a mission to challenge the global popularity of plastics and polystyrene. He is a passionate advocate of sustainability and the circular economy; and is purposefully focussed in providing responsible solutions to the industry and consumers.
For over two decades, Michelle has channeled her passion for wildlife and the planet into working to conserve the environment. A self-professed tree hugger and connector of people, at Canopy Michelle thrives on collaborating with businesses to find tailor-made solutions that transform supply chains, help companies reach their sustainability goals, while taking the pressure off of forests. Forward-thinking business leaders collaborate with Canopy on solutions – from emissions reductions, to circular sourcing, to forest conservation. Together, we are building a movement to protect the world’s ancient forests for people, animals, climate stability, and all life that depends on them.
Martin has an EMBA and an MSc in Technology and Entrepreneurship. Before joining Tembo, he co-founded two companies in Argentina in the food and beverage industry.
Martin’s love of business development drew him to his role at ITM, where he has been Area Sales Manager for Latin America. And he took the same passion to his role at Tembo Paper.
Tembo Paper is part of Tembo Group, a global, family-owned group of companies that use technology and innovation to create sustainable manufacturing solutions in the fast-moving consumer goods market.
At Tembo Paper, Martin works with a talented team who help global brands be the first to launch next generation products by combining world-class product and machine development. This unique approach means clients and partners can make a smooth transition from plastic straws to high-quality, food-safety-compliant, and environmentally-friendly paper straws.
Tembo Paper’s unique paper straw technology enables high-volume paper straw production. By working only with the best suppliers and materials, and by minimising waste, Tembo Paper ensures optimal quality while keeping the environmental footprint low.
Billy Rice leads ALPLA Inc.’s sustainability efforts across 16 plants in North America. With focus on reducing scope 1-3 emissions, his efforts align with the company’s global pledge to increase sustainable practices and influence customer decisions for the more conscious buyer. His implementation of strategy includes innovative operational processes, cultivating company culture while increasing value for stakeholders and advocating for honest change within the packaging industry. He previously led the strategy and implementation of sustainability programs in collaboration with key stakeholders for Pembina Pipeline Corporation and serves as an advisory board member for generating awareness and promoting equity and inclusion for indigenous communities.
Billy is a GRI Certified Sustainability Professional and holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Georgia along with Master’s degrees in Public Administration from the University of Georgia and Development Practice from Emory University.
• Nina Leatherday has more than 15 years’ experience developing packaging for CPG products in the U.S. and Australia. Her diverse experience working with packaging for a variety of companies and products provides her with expertise on sustainable solutions with a focus on the entire lifecycle of the packaging.
Matt Storey is the FMCG Segment Market Manager with Eastman, a Fortune 500 specialty chemical company. Matt’s current role is in the Specialty Plastics Business where he focuses on activating Circular Economy solutions with customers. Prior to his current role, Matt led strategy development for several markets served by Eastman’s Specialty Plastics and Chemical Intermediates businesses. Originally joining Eastman as a Mechanical Engineer, Matt has previous experience in Research and Development, and managing international Engineering, Procurement and Construction projects. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Second Harvest Food Bank of NE Tennessee. Matt is originally from Greenville, SC and earned his undergraduate degrees from Furman University and Georgia Tech; and Master of Business Administration from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
Speaker bio coming soon.
Thom Almeida is a Platform Curator at the World Economic Forum, based in New York. He is part of the Platform for Shaping the Future of Consumption, which advances responsible models of consumption for the benefit of society and business. Thom is the Head of the Consumers Beyond Waste initiative, which brings together a vibrant community of changemakers from leading consumer companies, innovators, policy-makers, and NGOs to accelerate innovative reuse solutions at scale.
Previously, he worked as a Consultant at Foresight Factory, a consumer trends and innovation strategy firm headquartered in London. Originally from the Netherlands, Thom started his career in government at a public policy think tank and at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He holds a Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Relations and Philosophy from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. Thom is also representing the European Union as a youth delegate for the Sustainable and Livable Planet track in a series of youth engagements and during the Y20 Summit in Jakarta in the lead-up to the 2022 G20 Summit.
Bio coming soon!
Bio coming soon!
Joe Dages helps clients successfully navigate the complex US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory requirements that apply to food, food additives, and food contact materials. He advises companies on all aspects of the premarket review requirements and pathways to market for these materials, as well as post-market compliance, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), labeling, marketing, risk, and litigation avoidance issues. In addition, he provides advice to clients seeking to establish the compliance of their products in other jurisdictions, including Canada, the European Union, and South America.
Joe's practice is increasingly focused on the regulation of biopolymers and other sustainable packaging materials used in contact with food. He also helps companies that manufacture materials used in the production of animal food and feed in bringing their products to market.
Prior to and during law school, Joe worked in government relations and international affairs for a leading trade association representing the food, beverage, and consumer product industry. He leverages this background to assist trade association clients address challenging policy and legal issues. He has authored numerous amicus briefs on behalf of trade association clients.
Darrel Collier came to NAPCOR in February 2019 with 40 years’ experience in the synthetic fibers and PET packaging industries, most recently covering global PET markets for London-based consulting firm Tecnon Orbichem. Collier is also a partner and Managing Director for International Market Solutions. Prior to his consulting career, Collier worked 25 years for DuPont serving in various positions including Global Product Director and Regional Sales Director. Collier brings a global perspective to the organization with an understanding of all major PET markets.
Bio coming soon!
Benjamin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and an M.B.A from the University of Akron. Benjamin has spent the last seven years in market research and strategic consulting across a wide range of industries. In this time, Benjamin has participated in all functions of these roles including conducting primary and secondary research, analyzing trends, developing market size estimates, evaluating competitive landscapes, authoring reports, developing strategic recommendations, and conducting presentations.
Benjamin has experience working in a number of commercial, industrial, and consumer research segments, including packaging, consumer goods, oil & gas, transportation, plumbing fixtures & fittings, HVAC-R, and printing, among others. Prior to joining Smithers, Benjamin ran the Private Equity Diligence division of a Public Equity research firm. Benjamin was responsible for all aspects of this division outside of sales.
Nathan Pajka, Sustainability Specialist, Metsӓ Board, Americas, works in tandem with the Product Safety and Sustainability team in Finland to provide a range of sustainability services to the Americas and serves as Metsä Board’s sustainability expert in the region. Based in the Norwalk, CT, office, he is responsible for providing sustainability data, information and education to help clients reduce the environmental impact of their packaging. Before joining Metsӓ, he worked for one of the largest healthcare companies in Massachusetts as well as serving as a sustainability ambassador for one of the largest utilities in New England. Nathan holds an MBA in Sustainability and Social Change and an MS in Environmental Science and Policy from Clark University, Worcester, MA.
Tamsin Ettefagh has 33 years of experience in the areas of recycling and plastics recycling; from implementing a recycling collection program, to running the recycling operations for a MRF, to purchasing raw materials for plastic recycling companies, to selling recycled resins for plastic recycling companies. 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. Ms. Ettefagh is currently working as Strategy and Sustainability Officer for Purecycle Technologies
Bio coming soon!
Rachel Langhill is Marketing Coordinator at Lorax Compliance.
Rebecca Marciniak is a Principal at Roland Berger, based in Detroit. Her work focuses on strategic, transformation and transaction topics for clients within the consumer and health care packaging industry and value chain.
She has over 15 years experience in consulting for global companies. Her work is dedicated to helping clients define portfolio strategies, execute M&A and integration successfully and create value with business model and organizational transformation. Recent topics include strategies around sustainability, e-commerce, supply chain resilience, and operating model transformation to adapt to consumer and digital trends.
Rebecca holds an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and Bachelor's degrees in both International Relations and History from Michigan State University.
Bio coming soon!
Tania's experience in packaging manufacturing, marketing and innovation spans nearly 20 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in Communications from Hautes Études Commercials (HEC) in Montreal, with focus in marketing management. Ambitious and determined, Tania is successful at discovering new customer insights, and developing sustainable solutions that fulfill unmet market needs. She's passionate about the circular economy and thrives on identifying innovative & sustainable ways to redesign e-commerce packaging.
Dilhani De Silva is a Principal at Roland Berger, based out of Chicago. She specializes in Plastics, Materials and Sustainability topics across the Packaging industry.
Dilhani has a background in Chemical Engineering and over 12 years of consulting experience in Europe and the US. She is an advisor to companies along the Packaging value chain, from plastic resin producers and additive suppliers and converters. Her work is dedicated to helping clients define portfolio strategies and business model transformation in light of emerging industry trends. She drives thought leadership at Roland Berger with a focus on Sustainability topics such as the adoption of biomaterials, recycled content and reusable packaging solutions.
Speaker bio coming soon.
For the past 6 years, Dustin Schadt has worked with Stora Enso as the Director of Business Development and Key Account Manager for Specialty Papers and Packaging Materials in North America. His key objective is to build partnerships with Retailers, Brand Owners, and Converters who have specific Objectives to increase the effectiveness of their Paper and Packaging. Though Quality, Service, and Logistics are all key objectives for these companies, Dustin focuses on clients whose primary goal is to find Sustainable Packaging Solutions. Bringing 18 years of experience from the Folding Carton Industry, he ties in many different components of the supply chain in order to find innovative solutions and bring value to the changing market. When he’s not talking about micro fibers, blank paper, or empty boxes, Dustin likes to travel with his family, creating many adventures along the way. Between his love for family and love for paper, there’s never a moment to rest.
As a long-time packaging nerd, Paul leverages his end-to-end Packaging background as an
integrated marketing and sustainability thought-leader helping clients to identify and execute large-scale
solutions that reduce complexity and increase effectiveness. Paul’s passion for sustainability founded
Quad’s annual Sustainability Symposium in 2016, led to his election to the executive committee of the
Sustainable Packaging Coalition in 2018, and fostered the launch of Quad’s first Sustainability Report in
2019. Paul’s most recent achievement has been building Quad’s first LGBTQIA+ Business Resource
Group – PRIDE. In his free time, Paul loves to spend time with rescue dogs, and
finding new opportunities to be more involved in his community.
Speaker bio coming soon.
Bio coming soon!
Rebecca Casey is the Senior Vice President, Marketing and Strategy at TC Transcontinental Packaging. She leads the team responsible for setting and driving branding, ideation, product management and strategy for the packaging sector. Over her twenty-year career, Rebecca worked with consumer product companies, including P&G, Kellogg, ConAgra, Smithfield, Heinz, and others, designing packages to protect product, support brand messaging, and meet consumer’s needs. Her expertise lies in translating consumer trends and market insights into product innovation, marketing, and strategic business developments. Rebecca is passionate about identifying how a package communicates the product and brand to its consumer- and how creating the perfect packaging experience can transform the way people engage, shop, and buy. Rebecca was born and raised in central Illinois. Rebecca has a BS in Chemistry from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Northern Illinois University in Marketing.
Suzanne is the voice and the vision of Shelton Group. Drawing on her extensive experience in energy and the environment – and 25+ years in the marketing and advertising industry – Suzanne provides high-level strategic insights for our clients and guidance for our research and creative departments. She regularly speaks at conferences around the country, including Sustainable Brands, Fortune Brainstorm E and the International Builders’ Show, and serves as a guest columnist for publications like Fast Company, Green Builder and GreenBiz.com.
For more than a decade, Tiana created and managed recycling programs and environmental outreach campaigns for academic, medical, and government organizations. Throughout her career, she has propelled cross-functional teams to reach their goals and balance the triple bottom line. Tiana brings her boundless passion for sustainability and a multifaceted approach to communication to the U.S. Plastics Pact’s team. Tiana holds a B.A. & M.A. from Southern Methodist University and has credentials as a LEED AP: BD+C & O+M and Certified Practitioner of Zero Waste Practices and Principles.
Scott Byrne serves as the Assistant Director of Global Sustainability at Sonoco, a global packaging solutions leader, committed to improving the lives of customers, teammates and communities. With his extensive background in all aspects of environmental management and sustainability, Byrne helps ensure Sonoco is on the cutting edge of sustainability initiatives.
As the Vice President of the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment (AMERIPEN) Board of Directors, Byrne works to further the organization’s goal of leading the packaging industry through advocacy based on science. Prior to joining Sonoco, Byrne was the Market Sustainability Manager for the US and Canada at Tetra Pak, where he was responsible for the implementation of sustainability programs and driving positive stakeholder engagement as the Director of Government Affairs at the Carton Council of North America, a recycling-focused industry group.
Byrne holds a master’s degree in environmental management and sustainability from the Stuart School of Business, Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, as well as a Juris Doctor from the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology. He is a member of the Florida Bar. Byrne received his bachelor’s degree in business economics and public policy from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, in Bloomington, Indiana. When not working, Scott enjoys exploring the outdoors with his wife and son and their two miniature schnauzers.
Tim advances the common business interests of member companies in the global trade association for the reusable transport packaging industry. He advocates for systems of packaging reuse to achieve superior distribution of goods, supply chain innovation and efficiencies, and circular economy objectives for product value creation, waste elimination, and natural resource conservation.
Tim’s previous professional experience includes roles in bringing to market new reusable plastic containers for packaging perishable commodities, leading the international trade association for the banana industry, and managing regulatory compliance activities for crop protection products derived from biotechnology processes.
Tim provides thought leadership about the opportunities with reusable packaging systems through written articles and conference presentations. He was a recipient of the Top 100 CEOs in Innovation Award 2021 by World Biz Magazine. Tim has a master’s degree in political management from the George Washington University and an undergraduate degree in political science from Indiana University.
