Keith joined Cascadia as an on-call fieldworker at the beginning of 2022, and since then has provided outreach to over 200 businesses. Harnessing a deep passion for sustainability, Keith employs his patience and understanding to communicate environmental best practices to business representatives and members of the public. Now working with Cascadia full-time, Keith provides support for a variety of projects focused on waste and recycling and community-based social marketing. Keith graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Studies as well as a minor in Applied Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. In his free time, he enjoys playing instruments, caring for plants, and juggling.

Nicole joined Cascadia in 2022 to aid in strategic planning efforts related to natural resource management initiatives and provide facilitation expertise. Nicole is passionate about capacity building with organizations and communities by developing and strengthening the processes they need to be successful and achieve their goals. She brings experience managing diverse and complex water resource projects in which she engaged with stakeholders to come to solutions related to water quantity issues in Washington state. When she not in front of the computer drafting a well-crafted agenda, Nicole is hitting the trail with her beloved pup and taking on the next home improvement task on the list.

Emily provides project management and conducts research and analysis to characterize and reduce waste and GHG emissions. Prior to transitioning into the waste and sustainability world, Emily worked as an environmental engineer developing and implementing environmental cleanup and ecological restoration strategies. She is a full picture thinker with over 15 years of experience leading and collaborating across disciplines to deliver practical solutions to complex environmental challenges. Emily holds a BS in Environmental Resource Management from Penn State and MS in Environmental Engineering from Drexel University. Emily finds joy in reuse and is an expert thrifter, with the majority of her wardrobe and household items acquired second hand. She’s also an avid outdoors person and relishes her time spent in the mountains or on the water.

Celine joined Cascadia in the fall of 2022, with four years of experience in sustainability and racial equity to support Cascadia’s climate and equity projects. Celine provides strategies on incorporating or improving diversity, equity, and inclusion within climate, waste reduction, and sustainability strategic planning processes and leads equitable stakeholder and public engagement to further inform plans and programs. Prior to joining Cascadia, Celine was a Sustainability Analyst for the Seattle Housing Authority, where she facilitated the development of equitable, community-supported conservation and environmental stewardship projects. Celine holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a Minor in Environmental Health from the University of Washington. On her free time, she enjoys spending time with her sassy corgi pup and hunting for the best French fries in the Bay Area.

Cascadia Board Member Ben Packard is currently the Executive Director of EarthLab at the University of Washington, where he works to connect environmental policy decision-makers with the incredible resources—faculty, researchers and students—on UW campuses. The EarthLab initiative addresses large-scale environmental challenges by accelerating and focusing UW expertise on the most important environmental issues we face. In this role, Ben focuses on building relationships between UW and public, private, nonprofit and other sectors that deliver impact. Prior to becoming the inaugural Executive Director of EarthLab, Ben served as Global Managing Director of Corporate Engagement at The Nature Conservancy, and as Vice President of Global Responsibility and Director of Environmental Affairs at Starbucks.

Cascadia Board member Dominique Gómez is currently the Deputy Director of the Colorado Energy Office, a non-regulatory department within the office of Governor Jared Polis which leads climate programs and policy for the State of Colorado. Dominique has been passionate about environmental and social justice from an early age. In college she led a student group focused on pro environmental behavior, and has spent her entire career touching on different elements of the climate crisis. She recently served on the Denver Climate Action Task Force whose recommendations led to a voter approved sales tax which will generate $40 million a year to combat climate change and economic disparity. In addition to her work with Cascadia, she is a Commissioner for Denver Water and on the Board of Communities Unlimited, which focuses on sustainable economic development in areas with persistent poverty. Dominique lives in Denver with her husband and young daughters.

Rachel drafts, negotiates, and reviews Cascadia's contractual agreements and supports Cascadia’s project managers throughout contract lifecycles. Her work involves the facilitation of a wide variety of contracts covering a range of transactions. Rachel draws upon her over ten years of experience as a practicing attorney and her collaborative skills in order to provide diplomatic guidance on all things contracts at Cascadia. She holds a Juris Doctorate with Distinction from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma. Outside of work, you will find Rachel spending time with her family, usually exploring the outdoors or having household dance parties.

Khori joined Cascadia full time in 2021 to conduct in-field waste characterization research, after supporting this work for nearly a year in a temporary capacity. He is an experienced field team member who has supported waste characterization studies nationwide and aides in fieldwork preparation and quantitative analyses work. Khori has always been passionate about proper waste disposal and reduction, participating and leading studies on school campus and personal studies. Before joining Cascadia, Khori worked with a local environmental company supporting wetland delineation efforts in the Pacific Northwest. He earned a B.S. in Geography from Western Washington University. Khori spends his free time playing with his two dogs, participating in a multitude of outdoor activities, working on cars, and getting together with friends.

Sylvia joined Cascadia as an HR Manager in 2022 with 15 years of experience. For the last four years, she worked for Seattle Colleges, where she advised and provided leadership to executive leadership and middle management regarding conflict resolution and navigating collective bargaining agreements; developed Inclusion Advocate Training materials and facilitated training to support diversity efforts in recruitment processes; managed full-cycle recruitments for District Office, and led changes and updates to performance management systems as well as developed training materials for employees and supervisors. Prior to working with Seattle Colleges, Sylvia worked for the City of Covina as a Senior Human Resources Analyst, for Alameda County as a Human Resources Analyst II, and for the City of Colton in a variety of HR roles. Sylvia is a graduate from California State University, San Bernardino with a B.A. in Business Administration and Management/HR Specialty, and a graduate from California State University, East Bay with a Master’s in Public Administration with an emphasis on Public Policy.

As a climate and sustainability analyst, Sebastian assists in conducting Greenhouse Gas Inventories, GIS analysis and researching climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Sebastian loves to utilize his passion for effective science communication and data visualization to help effectivity convey the importance of sustainability and climate change. Before Cascadia Sebastian was an ecological research assistant modeling the effects of climate and physical drivers on White bark pine populations at Mount Rainier National Park. Sebastian obtained his MS in Climate Science and Solutions at Northern Arizona University and his BS in Environmental Science at Seattle University. Outside working hours Sebastian enjoys playing frisbee golf, mountain biking, planning his next backpacking trip and eating Trader Joe’s snacks!

Shirley brings four years of professional experience to Cascadia's Communications and Engagement team, particularly to work with businesses and multifamily properties to implement sustainable practices and programs. She enjoys engaging with the public as she conducts outreach whether it is through recycling and composting trainings or in proposing food waste reduction programs. Prior to joining Cascadia, Shirley worked at several municipalities in the Bay Area managing waste reduction programs and efforts such as reusable takeout programs and increasing recycling and composting in public spaces. Additionally, she has experience developing outreach collateral in the form of pamphlets, fliers, newsletters, and social media content. Shirley has a Bachelor of Arts from UC Santa Barbara, having double majored in Environmental Studies and Geography with GIS emphasis. In her spare time Shirley enjoys playing volleyball, volunteering for the foster care system, and attending concerts.

Sarah joined Cascadia in 2021 to support community engagement with strategic communications planning, visual design, journalistic storytelling, and field photography. Her roll at Cascadia focuses on working across government and community systems to develop and implement sustainable, equitable food waste prevention and hunger relief solutions. Before joining Cascadia, Sarah worked as a Marketing and Development Director for Neighborhood Farmers Markets Alliance in Seattle. For nearly a decade, Sarah has also worked as founder and principal photographer for Schuter Photography, leading photography projects on five continents with clientele ranging from small businesses to the world's top architectural firms. Sarah is a graduate from Temple University, with a B.A. in Photojournalism from the Klein College of Media and Communications.

Megan joined Cascadia in 2021 to support projects in the firm’s Planning and Facilitation line of business. She primarily works on Climate Action Plans, providing writing, facilitation and engagement support while also supporting a variety of other projects. Deeply committed to equity, Megan additionally supports Cascadia's Racial Equity Task Force as a member of the BIPOC Relationships Subcommittee. Prior to Cascadia, Megan served as an Environmental Intern with the King County Solid Waste Division, where she worked closely with community-based organizations and pioneered an equity and social justice initative for a Green Building capital project. Megan graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and double minor in French and International Studies. During her time at UW, she studied ecofarming and agriculture in Kenya (and summited Mount Kenya) and French language and literature in France (and solo hiked around Montblanc - oh la la!). Outside of work you can catch Megan biking, hiking, running and skateboarding in and around Seattle.

May joined Cascadia in 2021 to support community engagement projects with event planning expertise. She splits her time between event logistical planning, translation coordinating, and doing outreach. Thanks to too much coffee and too little sleep, she graduated University of Washington with a degree in Environmental Studies and Entrepreneurship, utilizing her logistical planning skills, and general knowledge on environmental sustainability in her role at Cascadia. In her free time, you will find May picking up a new hobby or spoiling her dog.

Mary Ann is passionate working with communities to support their climate action and resilience planning goals. At Cascadia, she brings her qualitative research, planning and facilitation skills to advance stakeholder engagement and collaborative planning efforts. Prior to joining Cascadia, Mary Ann was the Actionable Science Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group and the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC). She led training efforts for three cohorts of scientists to help them learn how to conduct community-centered research through the NW CASC Research Fellows Program. She also worked collaboratively with scientists, managers, and community members from university, federal, state, tribal and other organizations to co-identify regional climate science and capacity needs to address emerging climate risks. Mary Ann received her doctorate in 2019 from Portland State University (PSU), where she was a Fellow through the National Science Foundation Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program (NSF-IGERT). Her doctoral research examined sea level rise adaptation planning in Miami-Dade County, Florida, focusing on knowledge systems and planning processes that determine how risks from climate change are understood, assessed, and managed by different stakeholders across the landscape. Through the NSF-IGERT she also researched social implications and policy barriers in other climate and sustainability contexts, including racial and equity impacts of carbon markets on forest communities in Nepal, identifying solutions to policy barriers to address environmental toxins in the U.S., and policy barriers to collaborative habitat restoration planning in Oregon. Mary Ann holds a PhD in Urban Studies from Portland State University, M.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington & a B.S. in Natural Resources Conservation from the University of British Columbia. When not working, she loves hiking and camping with her husband and daughter, finding big trees, soaking in hot springs, playing boardgames, and rooting for all the Seattle sports teams (and the Sacramento Kings).

Keiko brings four years of professional experience in communications and design, and enjoys portraying technical or complex content in a way that is visual, simple, and accessible to a diversity of audiences. At Cascadia, she creates visual communications deliverables including graphics, outreach collateral, reports, presentations, and other engagement tools to support a variety of projects in the Communications and Engagement line of business. Prior to joining Cascadia in 2021, Keiko was the Communications and Outreach Associate at Conservation Northwest, after receiving a Geography degree and GIS certificate from Western Washington University, where she was also Editor-in-Chief of The Planet magazine. In her spare time, Keiko likes to doodle, beachcomb along Puget Sound, or search for the best pickle plate in Seattle.

Jay joined Cascadia in 2022 to provide research and analysis in support of materials management and recycling studies. For the last two months, Jay has interned for the South Street Advisors. There, he conducted company research into emerging markets and sustainable business, and wrote quarterly statements for clients. Prior to that role, Jay worked for Hamilton Sustainability Coordinators as the Co-Chair. There, he improved campus sustainability by implementing sustainable environmental practices, coordinated four different committees on sustainability including education, grounds, food and waste and communications, and managed meetings, hiring, and communication between different sustainability committees and college administration offices. Jay has also been a Committee Member for the Hamilton College Sustainability Working Group where he drafted a sustainability master plan for Hamilton College, plotting a path to net-zero emissions, and contributed to an open lands management plan for Hamilton College, rewriting best practices for mowing and fertilizer usage. Jay is a graduate from Hamilton College with a B.A., majoring in History.

Hailey joined Cascadia in 2021 at the end of a 9-month internship with the team. She provides research, analysis, and community engagement across a variety of Cascadia’s climate and sustainability projects for clients including the City of Renton, the City of Shoreline, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Hailey is a graduate from San Diego State University, with a B.S. in Environmental Science, and a graduate from Northern Arizona University, with a Masters in Science, Climate Science & Solutions. While at Northern Arizona University, Hailey served on student team to draft a proposal to implement the use of Social Cost of Carbon in the University's purchasing decision. She has also supported a variety of climate work including research and action advocacy projects across the United States including corporatate responsibility research for the US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development. Outside of the office, Hailey can be found hiking her way through the state highpoints, baking new flavors of focaccia to share with friends, or spending quality time with her cats, Whiskey and Eggnog.

Hannah joined Cascadia’s business development team in 2021 after receiving her Master’s in Communications from the University of Washington. Previously, Hannah worked on a variety of communications and marketing projects for mission-driven organizations including most recently for the Issaquah Alps Trails Club where she served as a Board Member, Communications and Engagement Manager, and Interim Executive Director. While there, she developed and coordinated the organization's media, government, marketing, communications, and PR programs, wrote a broad range of content including marketing and reporting pieces, and maintained relationships with key partners. Hannah received a B.A. in Biology from Boston University and continues to foster her love of the outdoors through hiking, plant identification, and going for long walks around Seattle.

Kennidy has been supporting communications and engagement at Cascadia since 2021. She helps to inform, connect, and inspire individuals and community organizations about local sustainability and transportation issues. Prior to joining Cascadia, she spent five years in various community building and leadership roles. From 2017 to 2020, she led school wellness programs and taught meditation to middle and high school students and educators in Los Angeles. She loves details and purpose-driven data and is passionate about the bigger-picture intersections among individual and community wellness and the natural and built environment. Kennidy holds a BA in Consciousness-Based Community Development from Maharishi International University and an MA in Sustainable Development from the School for International Training. She speaks English and Spanish. When she’s not working on community building, Kennidy enjoys gardening and permaculture design, spoon carving to the sound of her latest audiobook or podcast obsession, and hanging out with the beavers that reside in Seattle’s parks and waterways.

Cara joined Cascadia in 2021 after completing an internship with us as part of her Environmental Studies undergraduate coursework from the University of Washington, where she developed a social media proposal. Now, Cara is part of Cascadia’s Communication and Engagement team. Primarily focusing on business outreach, she works with businesses and organizations to develop and implement engagement strategies to promote sustainable behavior. Cara is passionate about assisting organizations with their path to becoming more sustainable Outside of work you can find her trying local restaurants, enjoying time on Lake Washington, or relaxing her two cats, family, and friends!

Drue joined Cascadia in 2021 with 10 years of experience leading and supporting community engagement initiatives. Primarily focused on our transportation and sustainable infrastructure sectors, Drue works with our clients to deliver capital project and behavior change projects through inclusive, intentional community engagement that seeks to bring new voices to the proverbial table and create space for collaborative conversations between with the community. Prior to joining Cascadia, Drue worked in the nonprofit space conducting outreach to commercial and affordable housing buildings about Washington's Clean Buildings Act, led outreach efforts for state and local transportation agencies, and supported capital project communications at a marketing and communications firm. Drue has a B.A. in public policy from UW and an M.P.A. from Seattle University.

Christy loves seeing others get excited about sustainability. She feels extremely fortunate to be able to experience this kind of environmental enthusiasm every single day at Cascadia. She currently works on multiple projects that deal with recycling and waste prevention, reuse systems, green business program management, and all things engagement. She is a graduate of Santa Clara University (BA/BS) and the University of Denver (MS). She is a proud member of Cascadia's Racial Equity Task Force and BIPOC Affinity Group. When Christy is not helping folx figure out into which bins their favorite almond milk cartons should go, speaking with owners of green businesses, or spending quality time in databases, you can find her hiking, backpacking, and doing her best to make her colleagues laugh.

Carolina joined Cascadia in 2021 to support materials management and zero waste research, analysis, and planning. Prior to joining Cascadia, Carolina worked for the Infrastructural Corrosion Research Laboratory at USF, where they led a multi-disciplinary research project on novel sustainable concrete construction materials to reduce energy consumption and gas emissions and enhance green building development. They are as passionate about diving into complex data analysis as they are about creating beautiful, accessible, and innovative sustainability infographics in both English and Español. They graduated from the University of South Florida and Universidad del Norte with a B.S. and a M.S. in Civil Engineering. Carolina enjoys living a slow, compassionate, and authentic lifestyle while playing tennis, creating art, defying social constructs (such as the concept of waste or gender), and finding the best arepa wherever she goes.

Brandy supports the Research & Analysis team in recycling, organics, and waste reduction programs by performing waste characterization studies throughout North America. She plays a role in project preparation tasks, quantitative analyses, and waste characterization fieldwork. With endless energy and a knack for getting dirty, Brandy has a passion for jumping into the action and discovering the truth behind society’s consumption habits. In her after hours, Brandy will indulge in video games, hone her classical guitar skills, or practice Hung gar kung fu.

Bethany works as an associate at Cascadia, leading research and analysis projects focused largely on sustainable materials management. With her creative thinking and strong organizational skills, Bethany manages challenging and diverse projects with considerable aplomb. She is strategic, goal-oriented, and fueled by copious amounts of coffee to support meaningful projects and deliver high-quality work products. When Bethany isn’t managing projects, she can be found reading, exploring, or spending time with her two pets, Moshi and Stella.

Angela joined Cascadia in 2020 to manage large-scale community programs in Oakland, Alameda County, and San Francisco. Angela currently oversees StopWaste's business and multifamily recycling outreach program, delivering personalized outreach and technical assistance to thousands of businesses per year across 17 member jurisdictions. Angela also managed community engagement for San Francisco's most recent Climate Action Planning effort, coordinating digital and remote engagement services to ensure that community members could be meaningfully involved in the City's climate planning despite pandemic protocols and shelter-in-place requirements. Prior to her time at Cascadia, Angela prepared complex environmental compliance documents at Impact Sciences, Inc. She excels at coordinating effectively with a diverse team of project stakeholders to maximize efficiency while balancing a variety of needs. Angela currently manages the Oakland office’s largest revenue project—Zero Waste Technical Assistance & Outreach for StopWaste—while seamlessly assisting with projects throughout the firm’s different practice areas. Her curiosity for innovative solutions and attention to detail helps drive projects forward and above the curve.

Amy assists with community engagement, green business outreach, and a variety of waste-related projects. As a Green Business Support Specialist, Amy actively works with small businesses to connect them with free resources and green solutions that help cut costs and reduce waste. Before joining Cascadia, she worked with Seattle Public Utilities to examine the best practices of textile waste prevention and conduct interviews with industry experts. Prior to that, Amy worked for Barn2Door, where she conducted detailed market research on farmers across the United States and ran multiple A/B testing campaigns. Amy attended the University of Washington and graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a minor in Entrepreneurship. She is fluent in English, Chinese, and Taiwanese. When not working, Amy loves to dog-watch, spend time with friends and family, and soak up the sunshine wherever possible.

Alyssa develops and coordinates community engagement, outreach, and communication projects. She brings valuable, cross-cutting skills in community organizing, outreach, communications, marketing, graphic design, and stakeholder engagement. During her time at Cascadia, Alyssa has worked on a wide variety of projects from transportation capital improvements to labor standards. A common thread across all of Alyssa’s projects is her dedication to community, and to bringing an intersectionality lens to all of her work. Before joining Cascadia, Alyssa worked with non-profits and environmental consultants in Bellingham, WA where she promoted local food systems and provided recycling contamination education and outreach. Alyssa attended Western Washington University and graduated with a B.A. in Business and Sustainability and a minor in Economics. When not at work, you can find Alyssa enjoying a meal in the sun, volunteering, hanging out with friends or perusing the aisles of her favorite grocery stores.

Alicia joined Cascadia in the fall of 2021 to support climate projects through facilitation, writing, research, and technical analysis. She works with jurisdictions throughout Washington and California to support various aspects of the climate action planning process, from facilitating community and stakeholder workshops to conducting greenhouse gas inventories and analyses. Before joining Cascadia, Alicia spent five years in the environmental education field, leading and facilitating programs for children and young adults in the outdoors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in environmental science and management from the Bren School at UC Santa Barbara, where she focused on climate change and strategic communication. When she’s not at Cascadia, you can find Alicia baking cookies, playing board games, hiking, and seeking out the sun.

Alexandra joined Cascadia in 2021 to support equitable and creative community engagement for a diverse array of Cascadia’s clients, including the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and the Puget Sound Partnership. Whether it’s for a climate action plan or a transportation capital improvement project, Alexandra spends her time researching, planning, and implementing inclusive public outreach. She is particularly passionate about compelling and accessible communications. Prior to Cascadia, Alexandra worked for Carleton College’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement on environmental and climate justice programs and developed her love for the ocean by researching marine renewable energy and ocean acidification’s impact on coral reefs in internships with the Consensus Building Institute and Mote Marine Laboratory. Alexandra holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Carleton College. Outside of work, Alexandra loves reading fiction, taking meandering walks, dancing to highly specific playlists, sending handwritten letters to friends, and doing yoga.

Alejandro brings his passion for marketing, communications, sustainability, and communities to everything he does. As Cascadia's co-Director of Communications and Engagement services, he provides strategy and oversight to projects with an added equity and inclusion lens. Building from his strengths, background, and over 10 years of experience he juggles managing projects, providing strategic input, and supporting business development efforts. He is fluent in Spanish, English, and sometimes Spanglish. Alejandro’s three pillars are his thoughtful demeanor, listening skills, and hard work ethic. When he isn’t juggling multiple projects, he loves to explore the world, watch all the TV he can, sometimes read books, and enjoy his family to the fullest. But most importantly he would never miss a Roger Federer match.

Addie works in Cascadia’s Planning and Facilitation line of business, primarily supporting local government clients on climate action and climate resiliency projects. Addie holds an MPA from Indiana University, with a concentration in policy analysis and sustainable development. Before joining Cascadia, Addie became an unabashed energy efficiency enthusiast through her work as an energy consultant for east coast utility companies and municipal governments. As a former marketing manager, she’s equally enthusiastic about a well-designed slide deck, and relishes the challenge of a complex Excel spreadsheet. When she isn’t working, you’ll likely find Addie either on a long walk or baking some sort of dessert to satisfy her sugar craving.

Claire provides administrative and executive support to Cascadia’s team. Claire holds a B.A. in Communications with a minor in Business Administration from Seattle Pacific University. When Claire is not in the office you can find her with her husband and sons, watching the Mariners, and trying to find the best iced oat milk latte in Seattle.

Mike provides expertise in climate vulnerability assessments, climate adaptation and action planning, community engagement, and facilitation for a variety of local, state, and tribal governments. Mike also leads Cascadia’s racial equity, supporting other Cascadians and clients to lead with equity to create more inclusive and equitable outcomes. He has authored multiple climate reports, including the 4th National Climate Assessment, and is currently a co-chair of the Equity & Justice Workgroup for the National Adaptation Forum and the Rising Voices program for Indigenous and Earth Sciences. Mike is currently the lead author for the Northwest chapter of the 5th National Climate Assessment. Prior to Cascadia, Mike worked as the climate adaptation specialist for the Makah Tribe. Mike holds a M.M.A. from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Yale University. When not working, he loves spending time with his dogs, swimming laps at the local pool, making homemade cider and limoncello, and learning how to sail.

Since joining Cascadia in 2018, Terry has been providing zero waste outreach and education expertise to businesses and multifamily properties throughout the Bay Area. With Cantonese and Mandarin language capabilities, Terry enjoys working with local Chinese communities on waste diversion and sustainability efforts. If not conducting outreach, you may find Terry supporting field work efforts such as waste characterizations. His interest in the environmental field began in middle school and was refined as a student at UC Santa Barbara, where he graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies. Prior to working with Cascadia, Terry developed strong customer service skills while working in a variety of retail and outreach roles throughout California. Outside of the office, Terry enjoys maintaining his fish tanks and weight lifting.

Susan provides accounting support for Cascadia Consulting Group on a part-time basis. Her career has included a variety of accounting and finance roles, including work in the accounting groups for two Fortune 500 companies and most recently as the controller for a local architecture firm in Seattle. Susan spends her time away from work at a fitness club, where she swims, dances, weight-trains, and takes step and spinning classes. Her other free time is spent reading, traveling, and socializing with friends and family.

Stephanie is a Cascadia Principal and Vice President. She brings nearly 15 years of experience with all aspects of sustainability outreach, engagement, and behavior change programs—from research, planning, and design to implementation, marketing, management, and evaluation. Stephanie has assembled, trained, and managed teams that have engaged thousands of businesses in communities all over the west coast to co-design strategies and take environmental action to save water and energy, reduce waste, prevent pollution, enhance mobility, and mitigate climate change impacts. Stephanie holds a B.A. (with honors) in Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, and Resource Management from the University of Washington. Stephanie is a member of the Pacific Northwest Social Marketing Association Board of Directors. When she isn’t passionately delivering on Cascadia’s mission, you’ll likely find her biking around the beautiful Pacific Northwest or traveling the world in search of a good brewery.

Shannon Donegan Saam leads Cascadia’s corporate recycling and materials management services, working to build sustainable policies, programs, and operations in the private sector. She is equally comfortable diving into dumpsters to discover their contents, analyzing spreadsheets to create compelling data visualizations, and presenting effective sustainability strategies and zero waste plans to corporate management teams. Since joining Cascadia in 2008, her clients have included multinational corporations in the apparel, retail, manufacturing, and information technology sectors with facilities ranging from offices and corporate campuses to distribution centers and retail stores. The sustainable materials management plans that she has developed with her clients are currently in use across the United States and around the world. Shannon graduated from Middlebury College summa cum laude with a B.A. in Economics. When she’s not analyzing waste streams, you can find Shannon exploring the Pacific Northwest by foot, e-bike, sailboat, surfboard, or skis with her two young children.

Ruth is a Cascadia Principal, bringing 34 years of experience designing and implementing resource conservation programs that deliver measurable sustainability outcomes for clients and communities. An expert in centering racial equity in strategic planning and program design, Ruth’s recent project experience includes stakeholder engagement for the Seattle Waterfront Clean Energy Plan, supporting the development of Seattle City Light’s Transportation Electrification Strategic Investment Plan, facilitating Puget Sound Partnership’s South Central Action Agenda Local Integrating Organization and the WRIA 9 Water Resource Enhancement Committee, and strategic planning with the Town of Manchester Connecticut’s Sustainability Commission. Ruth holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Biology from Macalester College.

P.J.’s love of science, people, and planet drives everything they do. Give them a leading edge policy or technology to research, a project to apply it to, and a team to collaborate with, and they will be enthusiastic to say the least. As a core member of Cascadia’s Planning & Facilitation team, P.J. supports local governments, corporations, and international organizations with sustainability strategies and action plans that drive progress to net zero and beyond. With a knack for visioning and collaborative strategic planning, a keen eye for detail and synergy, and policy expertise ranging from energy decarbonization to implementation effectiveness, P.J. has the ability to meet clients and communities where they are and co-design a technically sound, contextually relevant, and immediately actionable pathway to reach emissions reduction and resilience goals. P.J. is also an experienced project manager with diverse past experiences in natural resource management strategic planning, climate adaptation, and multi-channel inclusive public engagement. They hold a M.P.P.A. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, a B.S. in Chemistry from Western Washington University, and has authored several technical publications. When not working, P.J. finds joy playing rugby, love spending time with family, and peace in a cool breeze amid the trees.

Omkar, or “Om”, provides project management, research, statistical, analytical, and field support to Cascadia’s waste characterization, resource recovery, program evaluation, and contamination reduction studies. Omkar has conducted such studies across MSW, recycling, organics, and C&D streams for public, private, corporate, and institutional clients nationwide. Omkar offers a specialized skillset including data modeling and analysis, multivariate statistical analysis, GIS, and waste and resource flow analysis. Omkar has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on municipal solid waste management, groundwater simulation modeling, and alternative energy policy research. Raised in India, Omkar relocated to Seattle to join Cascadia after receiving his doctorate from Stony Brook University, New York in 2015.

Michael Acode specializes in managing and conducting waste reduction and diversion implementation for corporate, institutional, and public sector clients. Additionally, Michael brings nearly seven years and 10,000 hours of experience in environmental fieldwork, ranging from waste, recycling, and organics categorization to qualitative analysis, facilitation support, and public engagement. His past and present clients include several Fortune 100 and 500 companies, higher-ed institutions such as Indiana University, University of Florida, Georgia Tech University, Georgia State University, and Morehouse College, and cities across the US. In his free time, Michael enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends, doing anything active, playing board games, and exploring what the culinary world has to offer.

Since joining Cascadia in 2015, the number of hats Marie has worn is only surpassed by the number of shoes she owns (74 pairs at last count). She has worked across all of Cascadia's lines of business on projects spanning a range of sustainability areas, from green stormwater infrastructure and Puget Sound recovery to transportation electrification and climate planning and adaptation. Currently, she provides zero waste policy and implementation expertise and project management to Cascadia’s corporate, institutional, and public sector clients. Marie is also a member of Cascadia’s graphic design team and serves as the Consulting Operations Manager, providing internal planning and project management support and training across the company.

Maddie engages communities and creates strategic plans for climate and waste management projects at Cascadia. She thoughtfully brings diverse communities to the table and facilitates conversations on issues ranging from building decarbonization to used motor oil recycling. Maddie is also a thorough researcher and problem-solver on a variety of projects across lines of business. She never misses a chance to analyze and propose solutions for food waste reduction and recovery systems for clients including state agencies, local governments, and individual organizations. Maddie has a B.A. in international affairs and a B.S. in environmental science from Northeastern University, and a Master of Global Affairs and Public Policy from Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. Outside of work, Maddie is usually out cycling in the hills or planning her next road trip to a new corner of the USA.

Lynn joined Cascadia in 2015 to assist with education and outreach programs and event coordination. She currently manages business sustainability and behavior change projects for clients such as Seattle Public Utilities and event coordination for Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Green Seattle Partnership program and Stewardship Partners. Through her business sustainability outreach, so has assisted hundreds of businesses to take action regarding recycling and composting, water conservation, pollution prevention, and saving energy. Before coming to Cascadia, Lynn worked in administrative and event planning roles, as well as interning with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration executing fish genetics and behavior research. She has a BS in Environmental Science and minor in Sociology from Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University. In in her spare time, Lynn enjoys snowboarding, surfing, upcycling from her favorite thrift stores, and hanging out with her cat Phyllis and dog George.

Kristina leads and supports project work across a broad range of focus areas including climate planning and adaptation, stormwater management, and waste management and policy. She brings expertise in project management, research and writing, stakeholder and community engagement, and an ever-deepening passion for environmental justice to her diverse project work. A recent transplant from Oakland, CA to the greater Seattle area, Kristina supports Cascadia's project work in both California and Washington. Kristina holds an M.S. degree in Environmental Studies from San Jose State University and B.A. in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz. Having spent most of her life exploring the backcountry of the Sierras and California's majestic redwood forests, she is looking forward to new outdoor adventures in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Since 2013, Kirstin has been getting down and dirty with waste data collection and analyses to measure real world conditions and upcycles yesterday’s datasets into models and tools to forecast generation and diversion impacts. She excels at developing intuitive accessible tools and calculators for our clients. (Because playing with numbers should be fun!) Kirstin is also proud of her work over the years to move Cascadia’s waste studies and outreach efforts to online formats. (No one actually liked keeping track of all those papers.) When not planning her next study or building out a spreadsheet, Kirstin is reducing food waste cooking with her family and savoring the natural beauty of the Puget Sound Region.

Julie is Cascadia’s Director of Creative Services, overseeing the development and delivery of graphic design, creative, and multimedia support for projects spanning outreach and communications, research and analysis, and strategic planning. Julie specializes in working with project teams to communicate complex ideas accurately and clearly with “plain” language and engaging visuals. Julie’s prior work experience include technical writing, instructional design, and web development for Seattle University and Michigan State University. When not working hard on a deadline, Julie can be found reading a book, climbing a wall, or wandering through a local bouldering area.

Julia brings more than 12 years of experience designing and implementing waste reduction, pollution prevention, and resource conservation programs for public agencies and corporate clients. Before joining Cascadia, Julia worked at the San Francisco Department of the Environment Zero Waste program where she oversaw the recycling, composting, reuse programs and green purchasing policies for City and County municipal operations, comprised of over 1,000 locations including the parks, public hospitals, and county jails, employing community-based social marketing principles, facilitating stakeholder meetings, and developing tools to more accurately report waste generation. Julia studied Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning at UC Davis and obtained a Master's in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania.

Since joining Cascadia in 2006, Jessica has worked on a broad range of projects from quantitative data analysis and qualitative research to zero waste planning and program evaluation. Jessica develops data-driven plans to reduce waste that are informed by all the research reports she has squirreled away in her personal zero waste library. She takes pride in having modeled Oregon’s recycling collection system from curb to market to analyze the potential effects of major statewide changes. Jessica also spends a statistically significant portion of her time on surveys and evaluations to inform and measure behavior change programs. When not crunching numbers or writing clear and approachable reports, she creates data visualization solutions, reviews documents as part of our in-house Editorial Board, and obsesses over her worms and mason bees.

Jasmine joined Cascadia in 2019 to lead transportation and sustainable infrastructure projects on the Communications and Engagement team. She brings a strong background of comprehensive public engagement and inclusive outreach experience, gathering community perspectives to build an understanding of - and excitement for - projects in their areas. Jasmine brings energy and passion to implementing thoughtful communication strategies and offers extensive experience in using creative approaches to engage with diverse audiences. Prior to joining Cascadia, Jasmine supported communications as a consultant for the Washington State Department of Transportation, where she led community and stakeholder engagement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement program. When she's not in the virtual office, Jasmine can be found taking her cat Stevie (yes, cat) for a neighborhood walk, exploring the latest and greatest coffee shops, and cheering on Seattle's soccer teams--rain or shine!

Heather is Cascadia’s Director of Consulting Operations, working across the company to staff new projects, balance employee workloads, support staff development goals, and maintain project management standards. Heather manages large strategic planning projects in climate action, sustainability, and waste for clients in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. In particular, she has worked across the food recovery hierarchy on research and stakeholder engagement projects related to food loss and waste measurement, food rescue process and technology innovations, compostable foodservice packaging as feedstocks, and compost contamination reduction initiatives. Before joining Cascadia, Heather worked as a management and technology consultant helping clients execute on strategic initiatives. With a passion for creating calm and order from chaos, Heather never met a white board, dashboard, or process flow diagram she didn’t like. Heather lives in Seattle with her husband, two daughters, two large shedding dogs, and is an avid skier and traveler.

Gretchen has 17 years of experience managing a broad range of stakeholder-driven sustainability projects. She has been involved at all stages of the process, from designing and facilitating strategic planning processes and creating public involvement and communications plans to implementing engagement programs and evaluating and reporting results. She is particularly adept at managing large, multi-stakeholder facilitation efforts that bring representatives of competing interests—such as conservation groups, developers, industry groups, and tribes—to the table to build common ground and reach compromises. Gretchen is deeply involved in participatory planning and co-design efforts focused on change management and action planning related to climate, sustainability, and natural resource protection. She loves working with clients to identify what success looks like at project outset and then co-design a roadmap and associated action steps to get the project there in a fun, productive, and impactful way. When she isn’t knee deep with clients working to advance sustainability, she can be found traversing the playground scene with her almost kindergartener, hanging out at home with her 16 lb. orange tabby named Thomas, or walking on the sunny side of the street in an attempt to tap into her desert roots.

Eric draws on more than a dozen years' of experience to lead the financial operations of Cascadia. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of Washington, and was formerly a CPA. When he’s not crunching numbers or reviewing debits and credits, he loves spending time outdoors with his family (+dog) mountain biking, skiing, and trail running.

Eric leads business development at Cascadia, working with teams across the company to develop and deliver strategies that build our core business and support expansion into new markets. Drawing on seemingly limitless stores of energy and an uncanny calm under pressure, Eric tracks the company’s pipeline of new work and juggles deadlines to manage the creation of pitches, proposals, and targeted marketing materials. He is part field marshal, part counselor, and part cheerleader, translating high-level goals and abstract ideas into clear and cohesive proposals. When Eric isn’t coordinating with partners or writing cover letters, you’ll find him sailing, kayaking, or in pursuit of pizza.

From leading statewide waste characterization studies and developing best management practices for resource conservation to creating and driving community-based outreach campaigns, Emily supports multiple teams across Cascadia and effortlessly balances a diverse client portfolio. She brings expertise to just about every step of a project – from proposals, study design, and client and stakeholder engagement to data collection, analysis, and report writing. Emily is also bilingual in Spanish and a member of Cascadia’s Editorial Board. Emily has nearly a decade of experience in sustainable material management and water conservation up and down the West Coast. In her free time, you’ll find Emily enjoying the views from the top of a mountain, traveling in her camper, testing a new fermentation project, and reading by the fire.

Dieter ensures the Research and Analysis team has the tools, training, and experience to deliver on-time and on-budget projects for a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients across the US from New York City to Honolulu. Part data analyst, part problem solver, and part ringmaster, Dieter has been managing waste related projects at Cascadia since 2004 and now works closely with the other experts on the Research and Analysis team to promote Cascadia mission, values, and vision. Dieter led the development of Cascadia’s proprietary cloud-based waste analysis tool: OSCAR. Contrary to Cascadia’s flexible workplace reputation, Dieter is unable to touch his toes.

Clark provides office management for Cascadia’s Oakland office as well as administrative support to the entire Cascadia staff. In his free time Clark enjoys reading, practicing Qigong meditation, playing guitar, and taking walks in the Berkeley Hills. On sunny weekends Clark enjoys spending time working in the garden he shares with his girlfriend Jaime; they’ve both “gone native” and are planting lots California native plants, wildflowers, and milkweeds to create a habitat for pollinators and monarch butterflies around their home in Albany. If the weather is particularly beautiful you may find Clark relaxing on a beach at his favorite spot in Northern California, Point Reyes National Seashore.

Christy draws on more than a dozen years’ experience to manage projects that help public agencies reduce waste, safeguard human health and the environment, and manage resources efficiently. Her work helps clients foster behavior change and produce measurable improvements in resource conservation, waste prevention, recycling, and sustainability. She has managed a diverse range of projects, including strategic planning, survey research, market analysis, indicator development, and evaluation. Christy is experienced in both quantitative and qualitative analysis, and has written dozens of reports and articles that accurately present complex issues in clear language for both policymakers and the public. Before joining Cascadia, Christy managed environmental, land use, and transportation projects at ECONorthwest in Seattle, and also performed research at Sightline Institute (then Northwest Environment Watch). During the Clinton Administration, Christy served as an environmental policy analyst in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, covering such issues as sustainable development, water quality, pollution prevention, climate change, hazardous waste, and environmental education. She holds a B.A. (with Honors) from Stanford University and an M.S. from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment. She previously served on the board of Sustainable Seattle.

Carole, Cascadia's Accounting Associate, provides support services in the accounting area, including creating invoices and entering payables. She holds a B.S. degree in Finance from the University of Arizona. Prior experience includes 25 years in commercial bank lending and 15 years in bookkeeping positions with small firms. She is an avid reader and a passionate cook.

Brian is part of Cascadia's small but mighty business development team where he finds and helps assess project opportunities for the firm to pursue, evaluating the competitive landscape and helping frame how Cascadia can provide value to clients. He shepherds proposals to completion primarily in the R&A and C&E lines of business, where he uses his wrangling skills to keep his colleagues on-track and motivated and his writing skills to craft compelling content. Brian enjoys providing a morale boost and radiating a calming presence in his deadline-driven role and relishes the opportunity to send the perfect GIF to his coworkers to celebrate proposal submittals. Outside of work, Brian enjoys running through the Washington Park Arboretum, looking up aspirational travel itineraries on Google Flights, and cooking Italian classics.

Brent works as the IT Administrator in Cascadia’s corporate team. Joining Cascadia in 2015, he brings 20+ years of experience working with local Seattle Boys and Girls Clubs as a Tech Director and Education Director. Brent has a BA in Sociology from Seattle Pacific University. Having grown up in Ecuador, he was once fluent in Spanish, but now pretends that the word is on the tip of his tongue.

With over a decade of project management experience, Angela leads and supports climate action planning and natural resource management projects at Cascadia. A number-cruncher at heart, Angela uses her accounting background to inventory/analyze greenhouse gas emissions, build quantiative forecasts/models, and advise on high-impact mitigation strategies. She has served as lead writer on a number of complex, high-profile, multi-stakeholder strategic planning efforts including the State of Washington’s Orca Task Force and Walla Walla Water 2050 Strategic Plan. Angela also sits on Cascadia’s Editorial and Quality Control Boards. Prior to joining Cascadia, Angela worked as a project manager, accountant/auditor, and consultant. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus on Environmental Policy & Management from the University of Washington (Evans School of Public Policy & Governance) and a B.S. in Accounting from Penn State University.

Amity celebrated her 20th anniversary with Cascadia in 2020 and serves as the company’s co-president, leading strategic business development and project teams to deliver their best for the planet and community. Amity draws energy from making meaningful connections and facilitating collaboration among diverse groups to advance shared goals. She brings nearly 25 years of technical experience in solid waste management. Amity has worked alongside a variety of clients in the public, private, and NGO sectors to better understand waste and material quantities, flows, behaviors, and infrastructure. She has helped design, implement, and evaluate waste reduction and recycling programs and policies for cities, corporations, institutions, and waste service providers across North America. When she’s not strategizing in team meetings, reading industry news, or thinking of innovative solutions and partnerships to eliminate waste, she is gardening, jogging, biking, swimming, or sledding in the beautiful PacNW with her husband and son.

As a scientist-turned-practitioner, Andrea’s passion is to help translate and simplify complex environmental concepts into action-oriented plans and strategies. Since joining Cascadia in 2011, Andrea has led sustainability, climate mitigation, and climate resiliency analysis and planning projects for a range of local government clients. She is currently managing the development of Columbia, Missouri’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan—a multi-stakeholder, public-facing planning process that includes conducting a greenhouse gas analysis, climate vulnerability assessment, and multi-criteria strategy assessment. She also co-manages regional transit agency Sound Transit’s On-Call Sustainability Services contract—which has included development and implementation of the agency’s Climate Adaptation Strategy, Sustainability Plan, and greenhouse gas inventory. Andrea’s recent planning projects include crafting an Internal Operations Sustainability Strategy for Teton County (WY); Climate and Energy Plan for the City of Ashland (OR); and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan for Flagstaff (AZ). Other recent activities include conducting a land carbon sequestration potential analysis for the City of Fort Collins (CO); defining carbon neutrality for King County (WA); and developing tools to assess past and future greenhouse gas emissions for the City of Bellevue (WA). Prior to joining Cascadia, Andrea worked in a biogeochemistry laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, where she examined the adaptability of coastal wetlands to future climate conditions. Andrea holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Management with a focus in Environmental Economics and Policy from Duke University and a B.S. in Biology with Honors from the University of North Carolina. On the weekends, you can find Andrea walking along the beach with her daughter, Juniper, near her home in Charleston, South Carolina.