2011 / 2012 Recycling Council of Alberta Directors

Jason London President	Jason is the Manager of Compliance for the Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB), the Delegated Administrative Organization responsible for the beverage container return system in Alberta. Jason has been with the BCMB since 1998, when he began his career after completing a Health, Safety and Environment Diploma from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, a program created and administered by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). As Manager of Compliance he is responsible for ensuring that industry stakeholders comply with the Regulation, bylaws and policies governing the system. Jason has gained experience in governance through working with the multi-stakeholder Board of the BCMB and hopes to continue to assist the RCA with governance and other matters as we move into the next decade.    Jason has been a member of RCA’s Board of Directors for the past several years. Jason has also served on both the Leadership & Advocacy and Communications committees since 2003.
Sharon Howland Vice President	Sharon Howland is the Waste and Recycling Manager for the Town of Cochrane. Sharon completed a Bachelors of Environmental Studies and Political Science at the University of Northern British Columbia. During her years at university, Sharon's passion for waste and recycling issues was ignited through her work with the Edson & District Recycling Society and the Recycling Council of Alberta as a summer student and Recycling Ambassador.    Since returning to Alberta on a full-time basis, Sharon has continued to work with various municipal governments operating waste management facilities including recycling depots, transfer station, landfills and special waste programs. Sharon continues to focus her efforts on the important role that municipalities can play in developing strategic waste management plans and programming based on the waste hierarchy.
Anne Auriat Treasurer	Anne Auriat is currently manager of waste minimization programs for the Towns of Edson and Hinton. She has been directly involved with the recycling programs in these communities for the past 18 years, first as a County Councillor supporting construction of the original Edson facility and later as coordinator and manager, building the program from its very beginnings in newspaper and cardboard to its present multiple-material intake ranging from papers, plastics, waste oils, hazardous materials, and an extremely popular take-it-or-leave-it facility.    Anne was born and raised in Carrot Creek, Alberta, east of Edson, and attended the University of Alberta where she received a BSC in Agricultural Economics. In the early years of raising 4 children with her husband Curtis Brinker, she found time to be Yellowhead County Councillor for six years. In addition to her managing duties, Anne keeps the books for the family environmental consulting/managing business, Silkstone Environmental Ltd, along with numerous local non-profit groups. During her tenure as manager, the regional program has received recognition through nomination for an Emerald Award.    Anne is known locally and regionally for her fund-raising abilities, her involvement in community soccer and wrestling programs, and her willingness to say “yes” to anything! In her ample spare time, Anne would like to hike, garden and bicycle, and look after grandchildren, of which she currently has none.
Maegan Lukian Secretary	Maegan has been working in the environmental industry for 5 years, specializing in sustainable waste management and diversion strategies. Working specifically in the industrial & manufacturing sector helping companies maintain LEED goals and internal mandates with respect to waste reduction and recycling. Prior to this, she received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alberta, focusing on courses in organic chemistry, biology, environmental conservation and wildlife ecology. She has been a member of the Recycling Council of Alberta for 4 years, with a position on the Board for over 2 years and will continue to support the RCA mission to facilitate waste reduction, recycling, and resource conservation on both a personal and professional level.
Dean Brawn Director	Dean Brawn is a third generation Calgarian who brings extensive experience in entrepreneurial ventures, marketing, crisis communications, media and government relations, and environmental leadership through his consulting business, Suderam Communications and his current role as VP Marketing & Communications at Perpetual Industries.    Until recently, Dean was the managing partner for Calibre Environmental who produces recycled paint. For the 20 years prior, Dean's career was in progressively senior roles in communications and marketing for WestJet, ENMAX Energy, Canadian Regional Airlines, United Farmers of Alberta, AGT (now TELUS), and working in radio as a writer/producer and on-air personality.    Besides his role on the Board of the RCA, Dean sits on the volunteer board of Make it Good and two privately held corporations.    Previously, Dean has served on the City of Calgary’s Municipal Development Plan/Calgary Transportation Plan Sustainment Committee, and the City of Calgary’s Environmental Advisory Committee. He has also served in executive and other roles on the Boards of the Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Green Building Council, University of Calgary Alumni Association, the Senate at the University of Calgary, Alberta Emerald Awards committee member, and a number of other community & social based organizations.
Ray Dumouchel Director	Ray Dumouchel is the Associate Director of Buildings and Grounds Services in the portfolio of Facilities and Operation at the University of Alberta. Ray has worked in the Building Service field in Edmonton and Ottawa for over 26 years. Diverting waste from landfill is his top priority.  In support of the University of Alberta's commitment to sustainable practices, for the past several years Ray has been responsible for increasing the waste diversion program and identifying new initiatives to provide a more sustainable facility for today and the future.    In 2007 he led the largest change in over 30 years to the recycling program on campus by constructing a “Recycle Transfer Station”. The Station was the first of its kind in an educational facility in Alberta. He has also recently initiated a full circuit recovery program by diverting food waste which is sent for composting and returned back to the campus as composted material for our flower beds.    In Ontario, Ray was a member of the Ontario University and Colleges Association of waste managers. He has been a member of the RCA for the past 6 years.
Don Hughes Director	Don has been involved in the waste industry for 36 years. He managed Western Canadian business units for Canada’s largest waste management companies including hauling, landfill and transfer station operations. Don founded Hughes Environmental Services Ltd. in 2003.
Kevin Kernaghan Director	Kevin is a native Albertan, born and raised in the city of Calgary. Since 2009, he's been employed with Merlin Plastics, as a commercial and business development manager, responsible for procurement of recyclable feedstock, marketing reprocessed resin, and program development for recyclable plastics.    After completing a 2-year commerce program at Mount Royal College, he spent 7 years in various management positions with several plastic manufacturing companies. This included the following plastic manufacturing applications: extrusion laminating, blown film manufacturing, compounding, extrusion blow molding and injection molding.    Kevin owned and operated Plastic Resources International, a plastics processing company in Calgary, for nearly 10 years. Plastic Resources International was acquired by NexCycle Plastics Inc. in 2005, where he became the General Manager of the Red Deer plant, which was later acquired by Merlin Plastics in 2009.    Kevin is proud to be a Board member for APRA and AB CARE, as well as the RCA.
Sarah MacDonald Director	Sarah is the program manager for the Commercial Environmental Services program at Green Calgary. During her time, the program has expanded to help companies and the ICI sector throughout Calgary to change their behaviour and perception of waste and divert waste from landfill. The program has been the recipient of an Emerald Award, a Calgary Award and an RCA Rs of Excellence Award.    Sarah is active in pushing the environmental agenda through by involving herself with other organization including sitting on the board of the Recycling Council of Alberta Board, and committee work with BOMA Calgary EH&S committee, University of Calgary solid waste committee, Mount Royal University Environmental Science Advisory Committee.
David Maplethorpe Director	David is the president and general manager of MCL Waste Systems and has 35 years of waste industry related experiences. Employing 55 associates, MCL works with 6 waste authorities, commissions and their member municipalities advising, developing, operating and managing waste material handling and diversion programs. MCL, and David, have a commitment and focus to work with municipal partners as well as commercial / industrial clientele to handle waste with a focus on environmental and sustainable out comings. Under David’s leadership, MCL has evolved into an integrated organization that provides collection of waste / recyclables, facility management, diversion programs and client services to its authorities, commissions and their member municipalities.    David is active with not-for-profit organizations and industry associations in the Wetaskiwin and Edmonton areas. These include the Wetaskiwin Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development, Huntington’s Society of Canada, and industry related associations ESAA, SWANA, EAA, and the Recycling Council of Alberta.    David has been a member of the Citizens to Citizens Ambassador Program since 1984 and co-chaired a delegation team with Senator Day to China to oversee the Three Gorge Hydro Project for the displaced villagers.    David holds his Alberta Landfill Operators Certification, CEI, CES and composting designations and was recognized by Cambridge International Centre for his work in Environmental Services in 2005.
Ryan O'Grady Director	Ryan O'Grady joined EBA, A Tetra Tech Company in November 2010 as the Team Leader for Waste Management and Planning in the Prairie Region. Prior to joining EBA, Ryan worked for Waste and Recycling Services at the City of Calgary, and the Environmental Services Branch at the City of Saskatoon. During this time Ryan gained experience in planning and implementation for a wide variety of initiatives including GHG reduction strategy, organics diversion technology evaluation, and alternative energy business case development.    Ryan grew up on a grain farm near Saskatoon, and received his Agricultural and Bio-resource Engineering Degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to shifting his career focus to supporting waste and sustainability initiatives, he spent 7 years working internationally in the agricultural industry.
Shawn Searle Director	Shawn Searle is a home-grown product of Alberta and has always had a passion for the outdoors, learning, and the environment. His enthusiasm provided him direction for his formal education at the University of Alberta to receive diplomas in Environmental Conservation Science and Education.    Shawn discovered the RCA in 2005 and applied as a summer Ambassador and enjoyed the experience so much, he worked as the Ambassador Coordinator position the following summer. That opened the door to his current service with eCycle Solutions, where he started off as the Edmonton Account Manager and over the last 3 years has seen his role expand to encompass the whole province as the Business Development Manager of Alberta.    During that time, Shawn has also worked with various RCA committees, including Communications, Leadership & Advocacy and Small & Rural Communities. With a little help from his friends, he also designed the Recycling 102 presentation to help administration in smaller municipalities gain an understanding to start up and evolve successful municipal recycling programs for the public.
Ian Traquair Director	Ian brings 20 years of extensive retail and sales experience to his current position as Sales and Marketing Manager of ECCO CHIPS, a division of ECCO Waste Systems Group.    During Ian’s six years with ECCO Waste Systems, he has assisted with diverting Construction and Demolition waste from the landfill to recycling initiatives including; developing and expanding the market for recycled landscape material from the local market in Calgary to numerous locations in Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan, expanding ECCOs’ wood chipping operation to provide materials for new customers, such as animal bedding and boiler fuel, recycling electronics and diverting waste drywall to recycling facilities.    Ian has been meeting with various stakeholders and gathering information towards the desired 80/20 recycling versus landfill by 2020 objective within the City of Calgary. Ian has been working within the recycling community to develop markets and divert the various materials currently being landfilled in the C&D landfill operations at ECCO Waste to recycling initiatives.    Ian has continually sought out opportunities to further educate himself on recycling initiatives, issues and opportunities by attending and participating in conferences and courses. He has been an active and committed member of the RCA for five years, serving on both the Leadership & Advocacy Committee and the ICI Committee. He is currently a member of the RCA, UDI and Green Calgary. Ian is excited about the new developments and emerging opportunities in the recycling sector and committed to advancing the objectives of the RCA.
Jennifer Koole City of Calgary Liaison	Jennifer Koole is the Senior Business Strategist for The City of Calgary’s Waste & Recycling Services business unit. Here she leads a team of strategists in planning and preparing for programs related to achieving Calgary’s 80 percent diversion goal by 2020.    Jennifer has more than 10 years experience in the solid waste industry and has been involved with projects at local, regional, provincial, and international levels. As a consultant, Jennifer worked with her clients to develop solid waste management and diversion strategies, master plans, and zero waste action plans. For two years she worked in the Middle East on the Masdar Project – planning, designing and building the world’s first sustainable city. The premise of the $21 billion dollar development is to be powered 100% by renewable energy, use no-fossil fuel vehicles, and to be a zero waste community.    Prior to her time overseas, Jennifer worked in Calgary consulting for regional clients including Town of Okotoks, The City of Calgary, Calgary Regional Partnership, Calgary Board of Education as well as clients from British Columbia. Before consulting Jennifer held various municipal waste related positions including solid waste manager for Rocky View County, Alberta, and waste reduction program assistant for the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority in Ontario.
Trent Tompkins City of Edmonton Liaison	Trent completed a BSc. Environmental Science from the University of Alberta and started in the solid waste industry in 1998 as the Solid Waste Coordinator for Parkland County. In 2007, he joined the City of Edmonton Waste Management Services and is currently the Director of the Collection Services Section. During this time, waste management in Alberta has changed considerably and Trent has had the privilege of opening over 100,000 paint cans by hand and opening facilities such as the Ambleside Eco Station.
Dave Schaaf City of Lethbridge Liaison	David Schaaf currently manages Waste & Recycling Services for the City of Lethbridge. He recieved his engineering degree from the University of Saskatchewan before moving to Alberta to work in the agricultural manufacturing sector. His employment started with the City of Lethbridge in 1990. During that time, he worked in the areas of Fleet Management, Facility Management and Information Technology before taking the lead role in Waste & Recycling Services in 2003.
Mary Grace Curtis City of Red Deer Liaison
Linda McDonald Alberta CARE Liaison	Linda McDonald is the Executive Director of Alberta CARE (Coordinated Action for Recycling Enterprises). Alberta CARE is a non-profit organization established to advance recycling and waste management in Alberta. Her current duties include coordinating and developing partnerships, bringing together diverse interests for the purpose of generating sustainable economic development opportunities for recycling in Alberta.    Linda holds a Diploma in Business Administration from Manitoba, and has a strong marketing background.  Linda has practical experience in the private sector, charities, and government in a wide range of waste and recycling initiatives in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.  Linda is looking forward to promoting the importance of recycling and waste minimization in a cost effective manner.
Alberta Government Liaison	Members of Alberta Environment's Pollution Prevention and Conservation sections' Waste Reduction Team attend RCA's board meetings and provide input at the committee level as well.
Christina Seidel Executive Director	Christina holds a Masters degree in Environmental Design (Environmental Science), as well as a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering.  She operates sonnevera international corp., a waste reduction consulting firm, and is the current Executive Director of the Recycling Council of Alberta. Christina loves rural life, choosing to live on a farm near Bluffton, Alberta, where her and her family raise Warmblood horses, and enjoy many other outdoor activities.