Conference Speakers
Our dynamic speakers and presenters bring years of varied experience and insights into the world of recycling and solid waste diversion.
Learn more about this year's conference speakers below!
Details about additional keynote speakers and workshop presenters coming soon - please check back for updates!
Keynote Speakers:
Alec Cooley, Senior Advisor, Busch Systems
Alec Cooley has worked in the recycling field for over three decades, most recently as a senior advisor with the recycling and waste bin manufacturer, Busch Systems. Alec began his career managing recycling and waste reduction programs for Humboldt State University in Northern California for close to a decade. Following that he worked as a program manager for the National Recycling Coalition. More recently, he served as a director of recycling programs for the national office of Keep America Beautiful for nine years. In this position, he oversaw behavior-related research projects, grant programs and the development of resources to support recycling engagement efforts at the community-level. In his current role with Busch Systems, Alec produces a webinar series and other best practices content for recycling and waste reduction professionals.
Alec is a certified TRUE Advisor, and has previously served on the board of directors for organizations including the National Recycling Coalition, California Resource Recovery Association and the Carolina Recycling Association. He lives near Charleston, South Carolina.
Reagan Bissonnette, Executive Director, NRRA
Reagan Bissonnette is the Executive Director of the Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA), a nonprofit organization that partners with over 450 municipalities, businesses, and individuals throughout New England to make recycling strong through economic and environmentally sound solutions. NRRA is one of only a handful of nonprofits in the country that connects municipalities with purchasers and processors of recyclable commodities, enabling communities to manage their own recycling programs. Reagan writes and speaks extensively about recycling and waste reduction, including in regional and national forums. She is a member of the New Hampshire Solid Waste Working Group, which is responsible for assisting the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services with solid waste planning and policy initiatives.
Andrea Folsom, Education & Grants Manager, NRRA
Andrea Folsom is the Education & Grants Manager of the Northeast Resource Recovery Association and is certified as a Principal Operator through the NHDES SWOT and Certification Program. She oversees all NRRA communications, including newsletters, social media, and the website. She also works on current and future grant reports and proposals, including but not limited to recent USDA and EPA grants awarded to NRRA related to food waste diversion, full cost accounting, facility signage, and C&D diversion. Andrea focuses on creating engaging educational content that is accessible by a wide variety of individuals. She received a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Iowa and a degree in Psychology from Macalester College.
Workshop Presenters:
Jaime Colby, Solid Waste Engineering and Permitting Section Supervisor, NH Department of Environmental Services
Jaime Colby joined NHDES in 2016. Prior to joining NHDES, she worked in private consulting where she specialized in geotechnical and environmental issues relating to site redevelopment. She is currently supervisor of the Engineering & Permitting Section in the Solid Waste Management Bureau. Jaime has a BS in Civil Engineering from Norwich University, a MS in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech, and a Masters in Environmental Law & Policy from Vermont Law School. She is a registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Public Supervisor.
John Fay, Project Manager, NEWMOA
John Fay is a Project Manager for NEWMOA. Prior that, he was with the Windham Solid Waste Management District where he managed special waste programs, education and outreach, and technical assistance to member towns. Over the past 25 years, John has consulted on solid waste issues, run commercial-scale compost facilities, operated household hazardous waste facilities, and served as an environmental analyst for the Vermont DEC. John enjoys learning and sharing knowledge and resources, and in that capacity has taught at both the graduate and middle school levels. John holds an M.S. in Resource Management and Administration from Antioch University New England.
Andy Gould, Used Oil Program Manager for NHDES
Andy Gould has been with the NH Department of Environmental Services’ Hazardous Waste Management Bureau since May of 2022. Andy fills the roles of Used Oil Program Manager, hazardous waste inspector, coordinator of the AFFF PFAS Take Back Program and manages the Used Oil Grant Program. Prior to coming to NHDES, Andy oversaw the hazardous waste program for seven years at a US Air Force Base in Massachusetts and has been working in the hazardous waste industry for 11 years. He holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science/ Conservation from the University of New Hampshire.
Cindy Heath, Convener for the NH Network Plastics Working Group
Cindy Heath practices individual and collective action to reduce plastic waste and pollution through NH Network Plastics Working Group and Sustainable Lebanon initiatives. She serves on the Cornish Conservation Commission, the Cornish Community Initiative Board, and co-coordinates the Foam Recycling Action Group to divert polystyrene, aka Styrofoam from landfills and incinerators in NH & VT. She is the founder of Wild Azalea Designs, an ecological landscaping company, and is retired from a career in public parks and recreation management and planning at the local, state, and national levels.
Conor Miller, CEO for Black Earth Compost
Conor Miller founded Black Earth Compost in 2011. Starting in Gloucester MA with an old dump truck and no plan, Conor and company kept stumbling into opportunities to grow organics collection and compost sites across eastern MA, RI, CT and NH. 14 years later, in spite of still not having a master plan, Black Earth has grown to be the largest full service organics company in New England with four compost sites and over 40 trucks collecting from 40k customers in New England. Our mission is to make organics collection cheaper than trash, and to turn that food scrap into healthy soil, thus healthy food and healthy people.
Brian Patnoe, Member Services Director, NRRA
Brian Patnoe is the Member Services Director for the Northeast Resource Recovery Association. Brian has worked in the recycling field for over 20 years and has extensive expertise in cooperative marketing, education, and technical assistance in recycling and waste reduction. Brian has worked as an operator and facility manager of both the Littleton and Lancaster Transfer Stations. Brian brings the skills and expertise not only to NRRA, but to all of New Hampshire's Coös County, as he remains based out of Lancaster, NH and is able to travel to neighboring communities in New Hampshire and Vermont to provide on-site technical assistance. Brian received his associate's degree in computer information systems from New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI). In his spare time, Brian likes spending time with his family and animals on their farm, RPC Stables.
Steve Poggi, Area Director of Disposal Operations for Waste Management, Inc.
Steve is the Area Director of Disposal Operations for WM (formally Waste Management, Inc.) overseeing waste management disposal in the New England – Upper NY Market Area. He is responsible for the WM’s $300M disposal operation in New York and the New England states. Responsibilities include planning, permitting, construction, and operations at the Company's 8 disposal sites and 14 solid waste transfer stations. Operations in NH include the state-of-the-art Turnkey Recycling and Environmental Enterprise facility in Rochester where he has been involved for over 30 years. This site is the largest solid waste facility in the State serving the disposal needs for approximately 1/3 of NH. The Turnkey site includes a project that provides landfill gas to the University of NH for processing and transmission through a dedicated 12.7-mile pipeline. That gas project provides approximately 75% of the power for the UNH Durham Campus. Prior to joining WM, he worked for environmental engineering consulting firms in Boston and Portsmouth, NH working on various projects for municipal and private clients throughout the Country. He is a graduate of the UNH and is a registered Professional Engineer. He was raised in NH and now lives in Hampstead.