Todd McCarthy is Ontario’s newly appointed Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the Member of Provincial Parliament for Durham. 

Minister McCarthy is a well-respected and established lawyer in Durham and across Ontario. McCarthy’s service in the legal community included serving part-time as a Deputy Judge presiding over Small Claims Court cases at the Durham Region Courthouse, and former President of the Durham Region Law Association. He has taught as an Adjunct Professor at both Queen’s University Faculty of Law and the Durham College Faculty of Justice and Emergency Services. He has also served as a Trustee and Vice Chair of the Durham Catholic District School Board and is a founding donor and supporter of the Durham Abilities Centre.  

Dr. Randall Huffman (Randy) is the Chief Food Safety and Sustainability Officer at Maple
Leaf Foods, where he leads enterprise-wide initiative across Food Safety and Quality,
Environmental Sustainability, Animal Care, and Government and Industry Relations.
Randy oversees a team dedicated to developing and implementing strategies aimed at
fulfilling Maple Leaf Foods’ commitments to producing safe, great tasting food in a safe
and healthy work environment, and with an aspirational company vision to become the
most sustainable protein company on earth. Maple Leaf Foods is firmly committed to
becoming a global leader in Safety and Animal Care, while proactively reducing its
environmental impact through science-based approaches.
Since joining Maple Leaf Foods in 2009 as Chief Food Safety Officer, Randy has played a
pivotal role in shaping the company’s operational and safety culture. In 2011 his role
expanded to include leadership of Six Sigma and Food Quality. By 2014, he was
appointed Senior Vice President, Operations, over the subsequent three years, Randy
assumed responsibility for 12 prepared meats manufacturing plants, Corporate
Engineering, Occupational Health and Safety, Security and Environment, and Operations
Excellence and Learning teams. Throughout this period, he maintained executive
oversight of Food Safety and Quality.
Prior to Maple Leaf Foods, Randy served as President of the American Meat Institute
(AMI) Foundation and Senior Vice President, Scientific Affairs at AMI for nearly a
decade. His early career included leadership roles in food safety, quality assurance, and
product development across the North American Food Industry, including Director of
Technical Services at Koch Industries within the Koch Agriculture division.
Randy holds a Ph.D. and Master of Science in Meat and Animal Science from the
University of Florida, and a Bachelor of Science from Auburn University. He is a longstanding leader in the food science community currently serving a five-year term as an
officer of the Meat Institute, where he has been a member of the Executive Board for 17
years. He is also a past president and active member of the American Meat Science
association and holds membership in the International Association for Food Protection
and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Jeff Bezzo heads plastic and packaging sustainability at SC Johnson and is Board Treasurer of Circular Action Alliance. Jeff is known for coaching and developing talent, strategic thinking and partnering cross-functionally in pursuit of business priorities. Jeff has a long track record of leadership roles at SC Johnson.  
Educated at McMaster University in Canada with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Jeff subsequently earned a CPA, CMA also in Canada. Jeff is a dual citizen having split his 31- year FMCG career between the United States and Canada with the last 27 years of his career at SC Johnson.  
Jeff is a daily runner and cyclist, has completed 3 ultra-distance running races to date and is an avid lover of the outdoors. Jeff spends his free time outside his home adjacent to the Kettle Moraine State Forest and Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin.

Wesley is the head of North America for the Consumer Goods Forum, the premier leadership organization of the global consumer goods industry focused on building better lives through better business. He brings more than 20 years of global experience in the positive impact of business, with a particular focus on retail, food, and health and wellness. Wesley is a member of the Management Committee of the Consumer Goods Forum. 
 
Before joining the Consumer Goods Forum, Wesley held leadership roles at Walmart, Mars, the World Economic Forum, the University of California, and the U.S. Government. At each, Wesley built strategies that combined business growth with social and environmental impact. Most recently, he built an early-stage fund to drive access to proactive health by investing in companies combining consumer goods and health technology innovations. Wesley has served as a board member for start-ups, academic institutes, and not-for-profits.  
 
Wesley holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin with a concentration in science, technology, and policy and a Bachelor of Science (Honors) from Missouri State University. 

Krystal is a Regulatory Program Manager on UL Solutions Supply Chain Product Compliance team, where she is responsible for activities relating to existing and emerging regulations impacting consumer products. She has an educational background in biology and chemistry and direct CPG manufacturing experience as a regulatory compliance professional.

Alan White has held key executive roles in technology companies developing renewable energy, transportation, industrial, and supply-chain solutions, successfully raising venture capital and establishing equity value. Currently, as the Global Head of Emerging Transportation Platforms for Siemens, he continues to drive eMobility, micro-grids, and sustainable energy innovations for commercial fleets. 

A recognized innovator, Alan holds patents in AI that have revolutionized smart grid technology. His strategic investments and advisory expertise have propelled advancements in these core sectors, marking him as a key contributor to technological progress across fleet, utility, automotive, and commercial sectors worldwide. 

Alan’s career trajectory includes pivotal roles at ENEL-X’s eMobility division and eMotorWerks, where he led business development and drove the sale of the company. His foundational work at Silicon Graphics was followed by impactful tenures as Co-founder of SupplyBase, Immersion Corp, Autodesk, and Daintree Networks, each culminating in successful exits or acquisitions. 

Holding a BS in Applied Mathematics & Economics from Union College, and an MS in Operations from the MIT Sloan School of Management, Alan serves as an Advisor for the UC-Berkeley SkyDeck Fund and Chemix Battery. He is on the Board of Directors for Buildee Energy, Angel-Aero and Candorful—a non-profit aiding military personnel transitions. 

Alan resides in California with his family. 

David leads EV Managed Charging at Siemens Canada, spearheading strategies that accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation. An Engineering graduate from McGill University, he brings decades of experience across the trucking and automotive sectors, with leadership roles at Cummins, Navistar, Fiat Chrysler, and Aperia Technologies. David’s expertise spans fleet electrification, advanced vehicle technologies, and operational transformation.  

At Siemens, he leverages this deep industry knowledge to shape innovative charging solutions and guide organizations through the challenges and opportunities of electrification—driving progress toward a cleaner, more connected future of mobility. 

Alanna McPhee is the Executive Director of EPR Oversight at Divert NS. A member of the leadership team, she oversees the new oversight division responsible for administering the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging, Paper Products and Packaging-Like Products (EPR for PPP) Regulations. Alanna graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours). She has spent her entire 28-year career working in Nova Scotia’s innovative waste management industry. Outside of work, Alanna enjoys many outdoor and sport-related hobbies with her husband and two teenagers. 

Paul Yang is the Head of Global Sustainability at Restaurant Brands International (RBI), one of the world’s largest quick service restaurant companies, with nearly $45 billion in annual system-wide sales and over 32,000 restaurants across more than 120 countries and territories. RBI owns four of the world’s most prominent and iconic quick service restaurant brands: Tim Hortons®, Burger King®, Popeyes®, and Firehouse Subs®.

Paul joined RBI in 2017 and currently leads Restaurant Brands for Good, RBI’s sustainability framework. He is responsible for the strategy and execution of integrating sustainability plans across all business units. Prior to this role, he held a variety of functional leadership positions in innovation, procurement, and sustainability for the Tim Hortons brand. Paul also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for PAC Global.

RPRA’s Director of Programs and Stakeholder Relations, Cameron Parrack, is responsible for the development and implementation of RPRA’s stakeholder engagement strategies and tactics. Cameron has been supporting the development of Canadian EPR programs for over 10 years, working in various roles including as an industry advocate, producer, and now with Ontario’s circular economy regulator. 

Jess leads stakeholder engagement for Natural Resources Canada’s Greening Freight Programs — a series of trainings and resources aimed at supporting Canadian fleets in reducing their fuel use, operating costs, and vehicle emissions.  Jess has built extensive experience in transportation decarbonization and broader sustainability initiatives, having worked for large institutions, non-profit organizations, as well as local and federal governments. Jess holds a Master’s in Environmental Studies from York University. 

Kevin Kushman serves as Electrada’s CEO. Kevin’s 20+ years in the energy, technology and utility space includes CEO and CFO roles with energy tech software firms, such as Integral Analytics, Blue Pillar and Current Group, founding leadership of Cinergy Ventures corporate venture fund, and co- founder of CleanBridge Energy Partners. Energy technology firms led by Kevin have secured over $150 million in venture and private equity investment and have played instrumental roles in the transition of the energy markets and incumbents to embracing distributed, renewable, resilient, and optimized resources. Kevin is a frequent panelist and speaker on topics ranging from fleet electrification to distributed energy and microgrids. Kevin received a B.A. in economics from Miami University and an MBA from Xavier University.

Sam has been with Recycle BC and Multi-Material Stewardship Western (MMSW) for eight years where he oversees the operations team responsible for collecting, receiving, reporting, and responsibly recycling all material within the respective extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs for packaging and paper products. In his role, Sam is responsible for identifying new and innovative approaches to responsible recycling and ensuring chain of custody of obligated materials through standards, audits, and due diligence. Sam holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University and an MBA in International Business from Marquette University. 

Elena Mantagaris has over 25 years of experience establishing partnerships with governments and communities to advance large-scale projects subject to regulatory review and public scrutiny in the plastics, energy, iron, transportation, and technology sectors. In particular, enabling greater resource recovery for domestic resiliency has been a focus of her efforts in several of these sectors.

Elena led the Plastics Division for the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada representing members across the full plastics value-chain and she currently works with the Association of Plastic Recyclers and individual companies looking to scale up industrial capacity to achieve zero plastic waste in a low-carbon circular economy.

With over 15 years of experience in the packaging industry with companies like Tetra Pak and Lactalis, Jawad Khan has established a reputation for driving sustainable recycling solutions and EPR schemes. 

Jawad has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing recyclability of packaging materials. His expertise spans across various aspects of the packaging lifecycle, including design, production, and end-of-life management. Jawad has successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop recycling programs. 

With Lactalis Canada, Jawad joins in efforts to integrate circular economy, ensuring that materials are recycled, and repurposed to minimize environmental impact. This involves regular contact with provincial/federal governments and with all Canadian PROs and regulators. 

Jawad holds a Master’s in Environmental Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute Massachusetts and is working actively with Food Health Consumer Products, Dairy Processors Association of Canada, Polystyrene Recycling Alliance, and Canada Plastics Pact. 

Martin is the founder of EFS-plastics Inc. He is a plastic engineer technologist who built his first mechanical recycling line for his father’s company 30 years ago in Germany. With over 15 years of experience in post-consumer recycling in Germany and over 18 years of experience in Canada, Martin is an industry pioneer, passionate leader, and true innovator. 

He built all 3 EFS recycling plants in Canada and the US from scratch with the newest available technologies, now employing over 170 workers recycling plastic film and mixed rigids, with a strong commitment support for local industries and communities. 

Kristina oversees a team dedicated to the development and implementation of Giant Tigers Social compliance, product safety and food safety programs.  She brings more than 18 years of global experience in positive impact of compliance in business working in various roles.

Giant Tiger, Founded in 1961 in Ottawa’s Byward Market, we are a proudly Canadian, privately held company with over 260 stores across Canada, providing jobs for approximately 10,000 dedicated members of Team Tiger. What sets us apart is that each of our Giant Tiger stores is locally owned and operated by a franchise partner who not only understands but is deeply connected to the needs of their respective communities.

Our customers and our store operators expect that we are being good global citizens which is why Responsible Sourcing and product safety is important to us.

Leslie Griffith is the Senior Business Development Director at RLGA. In this role, he oversees the expansion of EPR compliance, data management, battery safety, and circular take-back across the Americas. Les has spent his career working with organizations to develop progressively more sustainable solutions to the management of end-of-life materials.  Prior to joining RLG, Les spent eleven years at Covanta most recently serving as the Business Development Director for the Healthcare Solutions division, providing a suite of services to healthcare PROs, take-back services to retail pharmacy and law enforcement, and environmental services to the healthcare sector and reverse distributors.

Rachael brings over 8 years of remarkable experience within the Extended Producer Responsibility space across North America. Rachael specializes in sales operations and mobilizing programs for post-consumer materials, ensuring that materials make it to secondary markets, closing the loop, and making strides toward enabling the circular economy. She has designed and implemented cradle-to-cradle/grave solutions and reverse supply chain infrastructure for hard-to-manage materials.  At RLG, Rachael leads producer compliance, ensuring clients are compliant within various programs and the downstream network meets the requirements of clients.  Rachael completed her undergraduate studies at McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business, is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (2019), and is a certified Project Management Professional (2023). In 2021, Rachael was one of the 40 recipients of the Waste360 40 Under 40 Award.

Patrick Wiedemann has been leading the RLG Group and its global subsidiaries as CEO since January 2012. An industrial engineering graduate, Patrick initially joined RLG as Chief Financial Officer in June 2010. Following RLG’s integration into the Reconomy Group, he also assumed the role of CEO for the Reconomy Comply Division, overseeing Reconomy Group companies Valpak and Noventiz, in addition to RLG. At RLG, Patrick has transformed the Group into a pioneering solution provider for reverse processes across the entire product lifecycle. He has expanded RLG’s core businesses in Europe and significantly increased the Group’s presence in the US, while also opening new markets in Latin America, China, India, Asia Pacific, and recently, Canada. Under his leadership, RLG has become a leading global player in its markets, positioning itself as a key enabler of Circular Economy Solutions for major organizations and governments. Before joining RLG, Patrick served as CFO at Data Modul AG, where he was also responsible for international business for over 10 years. Earlier in his career, he held various finance and controlling positions within the Hilti Group in Germany and China. Patrick holds a diploma in Industrial Engineering and Business Administration from the München University of Applied Sciences.

Curtis Leishman is the Manager of the Grid Edge Solutions group at Alectra Utilities, based out of the Green Energy & Technology Centre (GRE&T). With more than 14 years of experience in the energy sector, Curtis has led transformative work across energy conservation, eMobility, and grid-edge innovation. He currently oversees strategic initiatives in multi-residential charging, fleet electrification, and transit electrification, helping shape the future of sustainable urban infrastructure.

As Chief Executive Officer of Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), Ed Gugenheimer draws on his nearly thirty years of experience in executive leadership, fiscal governance, and operational expertise to shape Alberta’s waste management future. 

In his role, Ed has been instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission and long-term impact. Under his leadership, ARMA adopted its forward-looking vision, Inspiring a Future Without Waste. Thanks to his expertise in financial management, risk oversight, and building strong organizational cultures, ARMA continues to advance government and industry policy and approaches in sustainability and recycling. 

ARMA’s work, guided by Ed’s leadership, demonstrates his ingenuity and commitment to delivering results for Alberta. Most notably, Ed oversaw the successful launch of Alberta’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system—an innovative program that shifts the responsibility for recycling from municipalities to producers. Ed has also led the expansion of electronics recycling to more than 500 devices and was recently selected by the Government of Alberta to steward North America’s first renewables recycling program, including EV batteries and wind turbine electrical components. 

Looking ahead, Ed is keen to build on ARMA’s 33-year legacy through innovation and a shared perseverance to secure Alberta’s position as a global leader in the circular economy. 

Ed is a Chartered Professional Accountant with strong financial acumen and a history of supporting organizations across diverse sectors. Outside work, Ed enjoys time at the lake and is actively involved in leadership, stewardship, and community development through volunteer work. He lives in Edmonton with his wife, Leanne, and their son, Addison. 

In 2016, the Government of Ontario created the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), the regulator mandated to enforce the province’s circular economy laws. 

RPRA has a unique mandate and enforcement powers, and as Ontario’s resource recovery programs mature. 

RPRA’s Registrar, Mary Cummins, leads RPRA’s compliance and enforcement function, including overseeing inspections, prosecutions, compliance orders, administrative penalties, and offence provisions under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act and associated regulations, including the Blue Box Regulation. She is also accountable for the Registry IT system which is used to receive and store information related to resource recovery and waste reduction activities, which includes verification of recovery data and public reporting. Her team also is responsible for supporting regulated entities with their reporting requirements for the Hazardous Waste Program and Excess Soil Program. 

Dave Jerman is an Account Executive at PowerON Energy Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, specializing in commercial fleet electrification and EV charging infrastructure. With expertise from the transportation and heavy-duty trucking industries, Dave brings valuable perspective to the EV sector.

Having worked on emission control systems for HD engines since 2010, he now guides clients through electrification implementation. Dave’s industry knowledge has led to recognition as an expert in several trucking publications and invitations as a guest speaker on numerous podcasts. His dedication, expertise, and collaborative approach help commercial customers implement optimized decarbonization solutions

Timothy B. Fuchs is a seasoned Public Affairs professional working with IKEA Canada for the last 7 years.  As Head of Public Affairs, Tim’s role focuses on building meaningful relationships across public, private, and community sectors, with a focus on bringing clear solutions to the table. Prior to having an active family and home life, Tim was a (very!) amateur stand-up comedian, performing on stage and leading his “Humour in the Workplace” corporate workshops. Currently, Tim is passionate about mentoring emerging leaders, helping to empower the next generate of public affairs and government relations professionals. 

Andy is the manager for Product Stewardship Compliance at Canadian Tire, where he is responsible for product safety and regulatory compliance.  He has over 35 years of retail experience in supply chain, IT, and product quality.  In his spare time, Andy is vice-chair of the CSA’s Strategic Steering Committee on Organizational Management & Sustainability; chairs the Canadian Mirror Committee to ISO TC 323 on the Circular Economy and the Data & Reporting Working Group of the Canada Plastics Pact.  Andy also serves on SCC’s COPOLCO Mirror Committee and lends his expertise to various product safety industry and standards committees.

Sheri began her career with Costco 31 years ago as Corporate Counsel, where she was responsible for Costco’s legal issues related to merchandising, its vendor code of conduct, intellectual property, pharmacy, export, e-commerce and privacy policies.  In 2007, Sheri transitioned from legal into the buying side of the business in order to learn how to integrate sustainability practices into everyday buying decisions and her teams supported the development of numerous Costco private label Kirkland Signature products. From there she joined the Global Sourcing Department in 2013, where she was involved with various sustainability projects, both domestically and internationally.  Her focus was on value-chain analysis to source to help ensure quality and supply, while also exploring multi-stakeholder market-based solutions to address poverty, malnutrition, illegal trafficking and environmental concerns. In 2016, she began and now leads the Global Sustainability and Compliance department and her responsibilities are focused on Costco’s sustainability practices worldwide, that include human rights, trade and customs compliance, responsible sourcing, packaging, product safety, animal welfare, environmental compliance and climate related policies. 

Sheri is a frequent guest lecturer at various universities discussing topics related to business, ethics and sustainability and has shared the results of her work with the World Wildlife’s Fuller Symposium, The World Justice Forum at The Hague, The World Bank, The World Food Programme, USDA/FAS, and US Department of State.   She is a 2016 recipient of the Women of Influence for the Puget Sound Business Journal and a 2011 recipient of the James Beard Foundation Leadership Award.  Sheri is currently a Board Member of the College Success Foundation, a member of the Advisory Board for the Center for Business Ethics at the Albers School of Business of Seattle University and a former Trustee of Pinchot University/The Bainbridge Graduate Institute.  Sheri also manages Costco’s participation in a private/public collaboration to provide an affordable and high quality early learning center for children and families. Prior to joining Costco, Sheri was a partner in a Seattle law firm. She and her husband John live in Seattle and together are the grateful parents of three beautiful adult children and their families.

Jim Andrew is Executive Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer for PepsiCo. PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly $92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.    

Mr. Andrew joined PepsiCo in 2016 and currently leads pep+, PepsiCo’s holistic transformation agenda with sustainability at the center, including the strategic framework, governance, and integrated plans and goals for all of PepsiCo. He also ensures that sustainability is woven into the operating plans of all Business Units. Prior to this role, he held a variety of operating and functional leadership roles in the company including global head of Strategy and leader of our Beyond the Bottle businesses. 

At Procter and Gamble, Ashley Fill leads sustainability for global home care brands including Cascade, Swiffer, Fairy, Dawn and Febreze. She is executing the brands’ circularity strategy  and driving consumer habit change to reduce water and energy use at home. She is a 2022 Trellis Group 30 Under 30 honoree, 2x keynote speaker at Sustainable Brands, and earned her master’s in sustainability leadership at Cambridge University.

Joshua Goodman is the Head of Corporate Sustainability at Sobeys. A leading national grocer, Sobeys sees sustainability as a critical element of its ambition to be the best retailer in Canada. In his role, Joshua is responsible for developing, implementing and overseeing sustainable business strategies and initiatives across the company’s approximately 1,600 stores in all 10 provinces. With nearly 20 years of experience, Joshua has held sustainability roles with several leading Canadian companies across multiple sectors, including retail, financial services, consumer product goods and real estate. Prior to that, he worked in the US and Europe focusing on national security policy. Joshua holds an LL.M. specializing in international economic regulatory systems from the University of Kent.

Matt is the program manager of Partners in Project Green’s energy performance programs. He brings over 9 years of experience in energy efficiency, climate change impact assessments, and energy education. He’s leads PPG’s Energy Leaders Consortium and site assessment programs in Brampton

Sarahjayne Benedict is an Operations Facilities Management Specialist at IKEA Canada, where she leads initiatives in sustainability, energy conservation, and water management. Passionate about decarbonizing the retail sector, Sarahjayne integrates sustainable facility strategies into everyday operations, aligning with global People & Planet goals at IKEA. 

She holds ISO 50001 certification – a testament to her expertise in systematic energy improvement. Further strengthening her credentials, Sarahjayne earned the Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) designation from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), a qualification that empowers professionals to embed sustainable practices into building operations. 

At IKEA Canada, a company recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 17 consecutive years, Sarahjayne plays a key role in advancing decarbonization efforts, including optimizing renewable energy use and water conservation. Her work supports the company’s broader ambition: halving greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050. 

Jon McQuaid is the VP of Marketing & Communications at Call2Recycle, operating Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!, the country’s leading battery collection and recycling program that has diverted over 50 million kilograms of batteries from Canadian landfills. Jon leads the organization’s brand, marketing and communications strategies. He champions innovation and public education initiatives that prioritize battery recycling awareness and safety across expansive battery categories, including household, electric mobility, and EVs. Jon drives stakeholder engagement and comprehensive solutions across the entire end-of-life battery value chain, collaborating with manufacturers, retailers, municipalities, and consumers to promote safe and responsible battery recycling practices. Jon holds an MBA from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Toronto.

Sam is the Head of Supply Chain at McDonald’s Canada, overseeing Strategic Sourcing, Distribution, New Food, and Quality Standards. With a history in franchise operations and business development, Sam excels in growing revenue, motivating teams, and implementing growth plans in retail and restaurant sectors across Canada and the US. Previously, Sam led Walmart Canada’s Licensee business, managing strategy and operations for 1200 licensees and third-party businesses. He has a degree in Economics and Business from Carleton University and extensive experience in developing strategies for large brands while prioritizing partnership and feedback. 

Kristina Friedman serves as the Head of Sustainability for North America at Unilever. Where she works across the business in the US and Canada to help enable progress on the company’s sustainability priorities: Climate, Nature, Plastics, and Livelihoods. 

She has 20 years of experience working in the corporate, financial, and government sectors providing guidance and solutions on impact-related topics, including a decade of environmental expertise. Most recently, she led the global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy at PayPal, collaborating across the organization to establish and implement its ESG program. Prior to PayPal, Ms. Friedman worked at Calvert Research and Management as a lead ESG research analyst, and before that she held various roles at the US Environmental Protection Agency, US House of Representatives, and Citigroup. 

Adrian is an accomplished policy expert with twelve years of international experience in environmental policy. From his time in government, he is particularly familiar with the economic and structural impacts of environment policy, as well as with policy development and implementation.

He has held various positions, such as, Chief of Staff for Ministers; adviser to the Premier of Manitoba; policy officer with the Foreign Office of Germany; and as Director of Stakeholder Relations for the Government of Manitoba’s Climate Office. He has lived in numerous countries across Europe and North America, and has access to a wide network, information and communications in a number of languages.

Curt Cozart is Chief Operating Officer for the Association of Plastic Recyclers, and president of Common Sense Solutions, Inc. a consulting company specializing in plastics recycling plant design and optimization.  At APR he oversees the Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability, PCR Certification, Design Training  and Design Recognition programs.  While at Common Sense Solutions he played key roles in the design and improvement of most of the North American plastic recycling infrastructure. He has worked in the plastics recycling industry since 1991 where, as a project manager for Mobil Chemical Company he built the first North American film recycling plant dedicated to LLDPE stretch film.  He holds a BS in applied engineering mechanics from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served domestically and overseas in the US Army as an engineer officer. 

Eric Donato is a sustainability and compliance specialist with over seven years of experience supporting Fortune 1000 companies across sectors including Consumer Brands, Electronics, Aerospace, and Retail. In his current role at Source Intelligence, Eric partners with leading retailers to develop practical, risk-conscious compliance programs that meet evolving global regulations while protecting brand and revenue. 

Eric helps businesses turn complex regulatory requirements into strategic advantages. His work focuses on making sustainability and compliance programs actionable and impactful—helping retailers not just keep up, but stay ahead. 

Cliff Hacking is the founding president and CEO of the Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA), the most comprehensive end-of-life electronic stewardship program in North America. EPRA, under Cliff’s leadership, has recycled over 1.3 Million tonnes of e-waste since the organization’s inception. Through EPRA’s Recycle My Electronics programs, EPRA has helped Canadians divert e-waste from landfills and illegal export with over 3,150 collection sites across Canada.  

In prior roles, Cliff increased revenue and profitability at such industry-leading companies as Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, and Canadian Tire. He holds an MBA from Western University and has an ICD designation from the Rotman School of Business.  

Cliff is an expert in driving lower costs and increased economies of scale on a national level.  Under his tenure, EPRA has introduced new programs in Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, while expanding efforts in British Columbia and evolving within new legislative requirements in Ontario. Cliff also brought efficiency and consistency to EPRA’s 8,200 stewards.  

Cliff is the host of A Welcome Diversion, EPRA’s podcast that covers sustainability and recycling. Cliff has elevated public awareness of EPRA as a leader in the environmental and technology sectors reaching today’s on-demand audience. The podcast series is available on Apple, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Dr. Zahra Bhojani is a dynamic leader in sustainability, spearheading impactful initiatives that drive innovation and advance environmental responsibility across the industry. She serves as the Sustainability and Enterprise Plastics Lead at Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada’s food and pharmacy leader. In her role, she drives strategies to transition to better plastic packaging, reduce overall plastic use, and eliminate harmful plastics—clearing a path toward a more sustainable future. 

A trailblazer in her field, Dr. Zahra plays a crucial role in championing an industry-first collaboration with another major retailer and several consumer goods brands. This groundbreaking initiative designs a reuse system pilot for select products in Canada and marks a significant stride toward circular economy practices. She also advocates and supports the broad adoption of the Consumer Goods Forum’s Golden Design Rules for Plastic Packaging, supporting supplier partners to enhance sustainability. 

Renowned for her courageous, empathetic, and pragmatic leadership style, Dr. Zahra understands the intricate links between business, environmental stewardship, and societal well-being. Her tireless dedication to solving complex challenges drives transformative, system-wide change, inspiring positive impact across the entire industry. 

Wil Bell is a Building Solutions & Decarbonization Lead for Modern Niagara’s Energy Solutions team. As a Professional Engineer and Certified Energy Manager, with a focus on creating a more inclusive & sustainable future, Wil uses his experience designing & developing district energy plants, heat pump replacement initiatives, and large energy efficiency improvement and GHG reduction projects, to help commercial, industrial and public sector organizations reduce their carbon footprint and total energy expenditure. 

Lauren Adey is a seasoned communications and marketing expert, with nearly 15 years experience in the retail industry, most notably at Nordstrom, Joe Fresh and Tanya Taylor. As the Vice President, Marketing and Retail at Cool Climate Club (CCC), Lauren leads programs that connect the world of retail with measurable climate action. CCC partners with forward-thinking brands and their customers to plant and preserve Canadian forests. They pair this process with proprietary technology and turnkey marketing that helps retailers monitor and share their impact. 

Ashley brings over five years of experience in the energy sector, assisting both public and private organizations in achieving their sustainability objectives. She spent more than a decade with a top Energy Service Company (ESCO) and has taken on a leadership role in Business Development at SOFIAC. As a LEED-accredited Green Associate, Ashley is eager to help organizations navigate the challenges of the Canadian climate crisis.  

As CEO, Allen is responsible for leading Circular Materials through the development of Ontario’s new blue box recycling system while expanding the organization’s operations into other provinces, starting with New Brunswick. His mission is to support producers with a robust not-for-profit service offering that advances the circular economy, delivers national harmonization of extended producer responsibility (EPR) services and harnesses competitive procurement to provide the best value for producers.
Prior to joining Circular Materials, Allen served as the President and CEO of Return-It, British Columbia’s very successful used beverage container management program in Canada. In this role, Allen oversaw the modernization of Return-It’s collection network, which consists of more than 170 collection sites, including Return-It depots, Express Plus and Express & GO stations. Return-It has routinely exceeded a 75% recovery rate for used beverage containers in British Columbia, and its network has supported the collection of new materials, including waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Allen also served as the Managing Director for Recycle BC, the first 100% EPR program for paper and packaging in North America where industry assumed full financial and managerial responsibility for the residential recycling system.
Allen currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Washington State Recycling Development Centre.

Michael Graydon is Chief Executive Officer of Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP) the national association voice of Canada’s food, health and consumer products sector. A seasoned business executive, Michael has more than 20 years of visionary CEO leadership across multiple industries, driving proactive and collaborative stakeholder engagement and consistent corporate results. Since joining FCPC in 2016, his leadership has dramatically repositioned the organization into a driving force on industry issues as diverse as Canada’s Healthy Eating Strategy, free trade and tariff issues, environmental sustainability, product labelling and the changing dynamics of the supplier/retailer relationship. Michael’s unique perspectives on the economic and political factors influencing the sector are regularly featured in media throughout North America. He is a strong supporter of industry/government partnership advocating industry voice and inclusion in consultations at all levels and he is a sought-after speaker at high level industry events and roundtables.

Before joining FHCP, Michael was the President of Parq Holdings (PHLP). He joined PHLP in 2014 after six years at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation where he led the company to become a recognized leader in the worldwide gambling and entertainment industry. Previously, Michael held several senior roles in large corporations including CEO of Mega Group, Canada’s largest retail buying company, food manufacturer J.D. Sweid, food retailer Sobeys, The Keg Restaurants and Carling O’Keefe Breweries.

Michael is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Global Self Care Federation and the Canadian Center for Food Integrity as well as a member of the Ontario Food Panel Advisory Committee.

Krista is a senior communications and public affairs executive with extensive expertise in pharmaceuticals, consumer packaged goods and financial services with more than 12 years of operating committee experience in progressively senior roles at leading Fortune 500 companies. With over 8 years with government and not-for-profit organizations and international experience in leadership roles in Canada, USA and Latin America, Krista’s industry expertise upholds CBA’s mission and vision.
In 2020 Krista was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Women of Influence by the Women’s Executive Network. She is also on the board of the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation and Trent University.

Kim Furlong is President & CEO of the Retail Council of Canada (RCC), bringing over two decades of experience at the intersection of public policy, business, and advocacy. Known for her strategic mindset and collaborative approach, Kim leads RCC at a pivotal time for the retail industry—championing members’ interests, shaping national policy, and building strong partnerships across sectors. 

Before rejoining RCC in 2025, Kim spent six years as CEO of the Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA). There, she played a key role in elevating the voice of Canada’s private capital sector, influencing public policy, and strengthening the country’s investment ecosystem. 

Prior to CVCA, Kim spent a decade at Amgen Canada leading External Affairs, and also served as a senior political aide in two federal ministerial offices. 

Throughout her career, Kim has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor and effective advocate, with a deep network spanning business, government, and media. She is passionate about building consensus, delivering results, and helping industries thrive in an evolving economic landscape. 

Kim is an avid cyclist, enthusiastic foodie, and lifelong book lover. Originally from the picturesque town of Percé, Quebec, she is a proud French Quebecer. She now lives in Toronto with her husband and their twin boys—affectionately known as “the Peanuts.” 

Michael is a leading sustainable business expert, with over 20 years’ experience across North America, Europe and Asia. His work has most recently been focused on public and private sector ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), climate action and circular economy projects, cross-sectoral initiatives and government relations advocacy as Vice President of Sustainability at Retail Council of Canada, Director of Sustainability at GFL, Director of Climate Change & Sustainability Services at Ernst & Young and as Vice President of Business Development & Strategy at Bee’ah, a leading UAE based integrated waste and recycling management company. 

In Michael’s current role at Retail Council of Canada, he leads the sustainability practice, supporting retailers and quick service restaurants nationally with government relations, the development of knowledge sharing platforms and pre-competitive initiatives on key issues such as ESG and climate action, extended producer responsibility (EPR) and plastic waste reduction.