RCA 2023 Conference – Speaker Session Announcement – May All Waste be Banished to Mordor: Vision for the Future

Join us for the highly anticipated 2023 RCA Circular Economy Conference, at the picturesque Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise from October 18 to 20. Immerse yourself in the theme, “There and Back Again: The Journey to Circularity,” inspired by the epic Lord of the Rings saga. Brace yourself for a transformative experience as we embark on a three-day journey filled with captivating insights and thought-provoking dialogues on the circular economy.

Our speaker sessions are designed to provide unique perspectives on the circular economy, with this session specifically aimed at empowering you to reflect on the knowledge you’ve gained throughout the conference. The main goal of this session is to spark inspiration that you can use to build more circular systems.

Session Sponsored by Tetra Tech Canada Inc.

Moderator: Brent Boss (Skyline Bio-En) 

Panelists:

  • Alexandra Mills – Town of Canmore: CRD Best Practices
  • Tracey Spack – Environment and Climate Change Canada 
  • Adrian Vannahme – Reclay StewardEdge: EU Green Deal
  • Sarah Edwards – Eunomia: 2040 vision for a sustainable future

Find detailed speaker bios for this session below, and stay tuned for updates on speakers for our other sessions!

Secure your registration now and explore sponsorship options or host a tradeshow exhibit during the event. Visit www.conference.recycle.ab.ca for the program and more details. For any further inquiries, please contact the RCA at 403.843.6563 or email us at info@recycle.ab.ca.

Alexandra Mills – Town of Canmore

Alexandra is a recent graduate of the University of Alberta’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

Concentrating her studies in Supply Chain Sustainability, she is knowledgeable in leading climate commitments, targets, and measurement frameworks and leading models to tackle their goals. Prior to pursuing her MBA, Alexandra worked as a Senior Consultant for MNP LLP where she worked extensively with environmental policymakers, regulators, private sector clients, and industry associations to develop strategies and solutions to achieve climate goals.

Through the Sustainability Scholars Program at the University of Alberta, Alexandra recently partnered with the Town of Canmore to research best practices in Construction, Demolition, and Construction waste reduction, diversion, and circularity.

In her free time, Alexandra combines her passion for climate action and love of the outdoors volunteering with Protect Our Winters Canada, a global climate advocacy organization.

Tracey Spack – Environment and Climate Change Canada 

Dr. Tracey Spack has worked in the field of environment and health for the last 18 years, currently as the Director of the Plastics Regulatory Affairs Division where she is responsible for developing and implementing regulations to control and manage plastic waste and pollution, including the Single Use Plastic Prohibition Regulations published on June 22, 2022. She holds a doctorate in Medical Anthropology from the University of Alberta and has a Master’s Certificate in Public Management from the Sprott School of Business, Ottawa and in the Strategic Management of Regulatory and Enforcement Agencies from the Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge.

Adrian Vannahme – Reclay StewardEdge

Adrian Vannahme is an accomplished policy expert and consultant with fifteen years of international experience in environmental policy.

He is the Vice-President Business Development for the North American operations of Reclay Group, a German-based consultancy and recycling company specializing in circular economy solutions. He has extensive experience analyzing policy and market developments pertaining to recycling regulations and legislation, particularly regarding Extended Producer Responsibility and circular economy frameworks in Europe (2013-2017) and Canada (since 2020). He is also a board member of LEKO, a packaging PRO in France and a member of the advisory council of the Canada Plastics Pact.

He has spent time as Chief of Staff to Ministers and Adviser to the Premier of Manitoba, and as Director of Stakeholder Relations for the Government of Manitoba’s Climate Office. He was also part of Reclay’s Global Solutions team of international circular economy experts between 2013 and 2017 and has worked for Germany’s Foreign Office between 2011 and 2013 and in 2005.

Having lived in numerous countries across Europe and North America, Adrian has access to networks, information and communications in a number of languages.

Sarah Edwards – Eunomia Research & Consulting Inc.

Sarah Edwards is the North America CEO of Eunomia Research & Consulting an international sustainability consultancy that provide clients with solutions that support a circular economy, protect the natural environment and reduce climate change and pollution. Sarah has over 25 years supporting the public, private and NGO sectors design and implement circular economy policy, strategies and systems. Her experience includes designing, implementing, and managing recycling collections services for municipalities, project managing the development of recycling and organics treatment infrastructure, and most recently supporting the public and private sector make informed, data driven decisions on circular economy policy including Extended Producer Responsibility, advanced recycling, labelling, recycled content and environmental taxes.

Sarah has worked in Europe, the US and Africa so has a truly global understanding of circular economy, programs, systems, and policy. Since setting up Eunomia’s North America business in 2018 her team have carried out a range of projects for the public and private sector including cost benefit analysis for packaging Extended Producer Responsibility, beverage deposit return system modernization cost benefit assessments, feedstock assessments, policy design and analysis and packaging road maps.