CRRA2021

Teresa Montgomery has been talking trash for over 20 years.  She works to improve the waste reduction and recycling habits of those who live and work in the communities served by South San Francisco Scavenger.  Her efforts are focused on meeting/exceeding local, regional, and State waste diversion goals (such as those set by AB 939, AB 341, AB 1826 and now SB 1383). Teresa is a SWANA Certified Practitioner of Zero Waste Practices & Principles. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from Cal State Long Beach and a bachelor's degree from UC Santa Barbara.

Education Manager

Emily Nelson has educated 40,000+ San Diego County residents annually for over 6 years at I Love A Clean San Diego. As the Education Manger, she leads curriculum development and behavior change strategies to promote zero waste living and inspire K-12 students and adults to protect the environment. Emily believes deeply in the power of small, simple, sustained actions towards a greater good. Ms. Nelson has a diverse background teaching youth of all ages through outdoor and informal education at organizations including Girl Scouts San Diego, the YMCA, and the National Archives and Records Administration of Washington D.C.

Virtual Programming: Staying Relevant in a Rapidly Changing Environment

The COVID-19 pandemic created a shift in how we provide outreach and education in order to stay connected with the public. I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) provides over 900 educational programs in a normal year, including presentations and interactive workshops for youth and adult audiences on a variety of sustainability topics. In order to continue these zero waste and environmental education programs in 2020 and 2021, ILACSD needed to adapt and rethink our approach to fit COVID-19’s restrictions on in-person gatherings. ILACSD did so successfully, averaging a 4.9 out of 5 rating on all virtual programs during the 2020-2021 school year. In this session, ILACSD will review our best practices and lessons learned in pivoting programming for both the immediate short-term as well as the future. ILACSD will share its approach for program analysis and redesign, from maintaining the core goals of the program to incorporating virtual elements while balancing contractual requirements with audience needs.

Recycling Specialist III

Andrea Deleon has been a Recycling Specialist with the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department (ESD) since 2019. She oversees and provides project management on ESD’s education and outreach, City Recycling Ordinance, and residential recycling and composting programs. Andrea specializes in zero waste technical assistance, community engagement, and community based social marketing. Prior to working in San Diego, she worked for several years at the San Francisco Department of the Environment, Cascadia Consulting Group, and HandsOn Bay Area. Andrea has a B.A. in Environmental Studies, Urban Environment and minor in Asian American Studies from San Francisco State University.

Green Facilities and Operations Analyst

Naomi Stern works as the Green Facilities and Operations Analyst to support the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative (ELSI) at the San Mateo County Office of Education. In this role she provides school districts with technical assistance on zero waste projects. Currently, she is a Leader in Sustainability Fellow with the Center for Green Schools. Previously, Naomi was the programs manager at the HEAL Project, which provides students with hands-on outdoor learning experiences that cultivate environmental awareness. Naomi has a degree in environmental studies, focused on environmental interpretation, from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Zero Waste Education Alliance Facilitation

Naomi is the lead conveyor of the Zero Waste Education Alliance as well as works directly within the formal education system through the San Mateo County Office of Education. Naomi will speak about the successes, challenges, and opportunities of leading this network group of haulers, waste educators, and county agencies. The second part of her presentation will be focused on the outcomes of the ZWEA group for school administrators looking to lead waste diversion programs in their district.

Waste Zero Specialist

Reyna Oceguera is a Waste Zero Specialist at Recology San Bruno. As a Waste Zero Specialist she oversees the outreach, engagement and education of San Bruno residents and businesses to properly compost and recycle. She conducts waste audits and enforces legislative requirements throughout San Bruno. In addition, she provides on site maintenance training and educational assemblies throughout the San Mateo County public schools. Reyna graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelors of Science in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration. She previously worked for the City of Fremont as a Park Ranger and Program Coordinator.

Hauler Outcomes for the ZWEA Network

Reyna represents one of the waste hauling companies that provides hauling and outreach services for public schools throughout San Mateo County. Reyna has directly worked with facilities and operations personnel along with teachers and students throughout the school districts to promote waste education, rate structures and legislative mandate compliance. Reyna will speak about her ongoing partnership with school districts, resources that her fellow members of ZWEA have provided to assist in their shared efforts and success stories of ZWEA’s impact on many San Mateo County schools.