Conference Tracks
Select a conference track from the list below to see session, speaker, and handout/presentation information for that track.
Workshop Session Six
Friday, April 10, 2015 • 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
EI-6: Preparing your HHW Program for Natural Disasters
Studio IV
Is your program prepared for the next big earthquake? The city of Napa will speak about their disaster clean-up experiences after the August 2014 earthquake, and the lessons that they learned on the logistics of handling debris management, coordinating with other agencies, and receiving financial support from disaster agencies such as FEMA. This session will also discuss how to create a disaster management plan and focus on challenges specific to HHW programs.
Speakers
Kevin Miller,
Materials Diversion Administrator, City of Napa Public Works Department
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Kevin Miller has worked for over twenty-four years as a recycling/solid waste management professional. Below is a brief summary of Mr. Miller’s work history and educational background:
2005-Present: Materials Diversion Administrator for the City of Napa
In this position, his duties and responsibilities include:
• Management of a $26M annual enterprise fund annual operating budget.
• Management of $11M reserve and Capital Improvement Project funds.
• Administration of $180M ten-year solid waste/recycling services contract.
• Responsibility for City solid waste/recycling rate setting process ($16.6M)
• Administration of City-owned Napa Materials Diversion Facility.
• Oversight of City’s AB 939 source reduction and recycling element (SRRE).
• Management of City Materials Diversion Division (4 full time and 5 part time employees).
• Recipient of “Associate of the Year” in 2011 from California Product Stewardship Council
1997-2005: Waste Reduction/Recycling Coordinator for the City of Napa
In this position, his duties and responsibilities include:
• Overall source reduction, reuse and recycling program development for the City.
• Household Hazardous Waste issues, policies, and program development.
• Annual contract evaluation and negotiation with franchised waste hauler.
• Annual reporting on City’s AB 939 progress and updates.
• Public education and local media coordination on waste reduction and recycling issues.
• Technical assistance for commercial and residential recycling programs within the City.
• Grant preparation, administration, implementation and reporting.
• Budget preparation, administration, and purchasing for City of Napa’s recycling division.
• Coordination with various other government and non-government agencies and organizations for local or regional program development.
1996-1997: Operations Manager for Weyerhaeuser Paper Company Sacramento, CA
In this position, his duties and responsibilities included:
• Hiring, training, and performance evaluation of all plant and trucking staff (40+ employees)
• Plant safety, environmental compliance, security and emergency procedures
• Budget management and purchasing authority.
• Facility inventory assessment and shipment schedules.
• Management of all inbound and outbound Weyerhaeuser trucking and contracted shipments.
1992-1996: Recycling Coordinator for City of Folsom Folsom, CA
In this position, his duties and responsibilities included:
• Municipal recycling systems design and implementation, commercial and residential.
• Multi-material marketing for City recyclable’s from mixed waste “dirty” MRF.
• Train and educate correctional facility workers on sorting and processing of recyclables.
• Compliance with California’s recycling and hazard
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Todd Thalhamer is a registered civil engineer and a waste management engineer for CalRecycle. He is also a Lieutenant for the El Dorado Hills Fire Department. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Resource Engineering from Humboldt State University in 1992. During his 21 years in the waste industry, he has managed many environmental responses, debris, and hazardous waste removal projects. Todd has been responsible for a number of large scale suppression responses at major waste facilities throughout the United States and internationally. One of Todd’s duties during natural disasters is acting as CalRecycle’s Operations Section Chief for debris recovery projects.
Moderator: Laura Wright,
Administrative Officer, City of Pittsburg
Presentations/Handouts
HHW-6: Illegal Disposal: Funding Opportunities and Program Evaluations
Studio III
Description - Learn about grant funding opportunities available from CalRecycle for illegal disposal of waste tires, solid waste, and other materials. We will also will share easy tips on designing an effective campaign with clear evaluation metrics that can be collaboratively identified, collected and analyzed to accurately measure impact and incorporate into future programming. The workshop will use Palmdale’s campaigns to curb Illegal Dumping as an example of how this was applied successfully to great results.
Speakers
Ben Lucha,
Senior Administrative Analyst, City of Palmdale
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Mr. Lucha has been with Palmdale since May of 2007. His responsibilities as the Senior Analyst for the Public Works Department include overseeing most of the City’s environmental programs (such as solid waste, recycling, HHW, air quality, energy, and power plant), overseeing the department’s budget, and department outreach. In addition to his Public Works related duties, he also works on projects with other departments, such as working extensively with the Communications Department, serving on the City’s Public Arts Committee, and as chair for the City’s Hispanic Outreach Committee. As a member of Antelope Valley’s Illegal Dumping Task Force, Mr. Lucha speaks frequently on a local Spanish-language radio show to raise awareness on public works issues within the Hispanic community and is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops. Prior to arriving to the City, he worked with another jurisdiction working primarily on solid waste related issues. Mr. Lucha has almost 17 years of experience in the environmental field, with 15 working in the public sector.
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Carla Repucci graduated from California State University Sacramento with a B.S. in Environmental Science. Carla has worked for the California Integrated Waste Management Board/CalRecycle for 24 years and currently manages the Farm and Ranch and Waste Tire Amnesty Grant Programs.
Namju Cho,
Project Manager, S. Groner Associates
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Namju Cho is a Project Manager at S. Groner Associates, an award-winning, triple bottom line consulting firm based in Long Beach that specializes in data-driven, community-based social marketing campaigns for environmental, health and housing issues. Some of her clients have included the US EPA, LA Housing and Community Investment Department and Paintcare. Ms. Cho has more than 20 years of communications experience both as a journalist at the Wall Street Journal as well as a PR and marketing professional in the nonprofit sector including the California Community Foundation and the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking.
Larissa Nickel,
Visual and Performing Arts Instructor, Art Galley Co-Director, Antelope Valley College
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Larissa Nickel is an artist, designer, educator, and curator whose work investigates collective identity, memory and the archive. She is currently the Gallery Director and a Visual Arts Instructor at Antelope Valley College, and co-founded Hinterculture, an arts collaboration that explores cultural mapping stories through research, physical and digital intervention, interpretation and presentation. She writes for KCET's Southern California Cultural Journalism series Artbound, and has published in the ARID Journal of Desert Art, Design and Ecology. Ms. Nickel studied Studio Art at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and received a Masters in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
Moderator:
Elizabeth Rouan,
Household Hazardous Waste Program Coordinator, San Mateo County HHW Program
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Elizabeth Rouan graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Environmental Studies. Ms. Rouan began her career as an environmental consultant, conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments. She then managed soil and groundwater clean-ups at contaminated properties for San Mateo County, Environmental Health Services. She transferred to the Household Hazardous Waste Program and was promoted to Program Coordinator in 2006. Her primary responsibilities include managing the overall program services, budget, reporting and contracts, ensuring regulatory compliance and tracking new legislation, as well as acting as community liaison. Ms. Rouan also volunteers with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO) in the Radio-Telemetry and Hawkwatch Programs. She has written several program summaries and is published in the GGRO Pacific Raptor Report (1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2015). Her 1999 summary was reprinted in Whole Earth (Spring 2001), a national quarterly magazine. Ms. Rouan is also an avid bicyclist, was a member of several local racing teams (2002-2006) and volunteered with AIDS/LifeCycle as a Training Ride Leader (2007-2011, 2013-2014).
Presentations/Handouts
UO-6: Panel Discussion with Collection Center Big Kahunas
Studio II
California’s Used Oil Collection programs rely heavily on the participation of automotive businesses that agree to accept used oil from the public, especially a handful of big chains. This session gives a rare opportunity to learn from the perspective of these key players. What’s working and not working for them? How can we make it even better? What’s happening in other states where they operate? We’re anticipating a fascinating discussion!
Speakers
Cindy Brown,
Owner, Connie & Dick’s Service Center Inc., Claremont CA
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Connie & Dick’s has been a Certified Collection Center since 1997. Cindy will share her perspective on the program as an independent business owner.
John Denholm,
Environmental Compliance Officer, Oil Changer, Inc
Speaker-submitted biosketch
John Denholm serves as the Environmental Compliance and Purchasing Officer for Oil Changer, Inc. It is his responsibility to ensure all 34 locations and 250 employees operate within state and federal law.
An eighteen year veteran of the fast lube industry, John began working as an entry-level technician. He has also served as the Chairman of the Automotive Oil Change Association's Government Affairs Committee since 2005. The AOCA is the largest trade group representing independent quick lubes.
Ken Swisher,
Facilities Maintenance Manager, Oil Stop Inc.
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Chris Carrieri is a partner in C2: Alternative Services (pronounced C Squared), a consulting firm assisting local governments and businesses with environmental programs, especially public education regarding waste reduction and recycling.
Chris has worked with used oil recycling programs for over 15 years, for clients including cities, counties, regional programs, and non-profit grant recipients as well as CalRecycle.
Presentations/Handouts
No presentations or handouts have been submitted for this session.
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