Keynote: Meredith Niles

Dr. Meredith Niles is an assistant professor in the Food Systems program and the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences at the University of Vermont. Meredith’s work examines the nexus of food, environment and health with a focus on people, behaviors and policy. Meredith’s current research examines 1) food waste behaviors and policy perceptions; 2) farmer’s adoption of sustainable practices including those related to water, nutrient management, cover crops and climate change; and 3) climate change impacts on food security. Her research spans from the Northeast US to California, New Zealand and many low-income countries in Africa and Asia. Meredith holds a B.A in political science with honors in environmental studies from The Catholic University of America. She holds a PhD in ecology with a focus on human ecology and environmental policy from the University of California- Davis. She was a Sustainability Science post-doctorate fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government where she worked with the Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) group of the CGIAR to explore smallholder farmer experiences with climate change and food security.

Prior to her academic career Meredith worked for the United States Department of State on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and several non-profits. She has also worked in various consulting projects for farmer organizations, food industry, and non-profit groups. Meredith is passionate about making academic research more publicly available through advocating for open access and research policies and is currently serving on the board of directors for the Public Library of Science (PLOS), one of the world’s largest non-profit scientific publishers. Meredith also currently serves on the board of Rural Vermont. Meredith’s work has also been featured prominently in the popular press and media including in the New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, and USA Today. Monday August 3rd

Opening Remarks:

Peter Walke was named DEC Commissioner in February 2020 after serving as the Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources since 2017. Raised in Vermont, Peter attended Williams College in Massachusetts and the University of Colorado. After college, Peter joined the Navy, serving nine years as an intelligence officer stationed in Florida, Virginia, England, and Colorado, and was deployed twice to support counterterrorism operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. After resigning his commission, WalkePeterwas selected for a leadership development fellowship serving the governor of New York. He quickly became one of the governor’s primary environmental advisors and was named chief of staff of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Peter lives in Montpelier with his two children. Monday August 3rd

State of the State:

Josh Kelly is the Materials Management Section Chief, ANR, Solid Waste Program. Josh joined ANR in 2013 and works with a team to implement Vermont’s recycling, composting, product stewardship, and waste reduction initiatives. Previously, he worked for the Institute for Sustainable Communities, the Highfields Center for Composting, and the Trust for Public Land. Josh has a BS in Environmental Studies and Biology from St. Lawrence University. Monday August 3rd

Session Presenters:

Ned Beecher was the Executive Director of NEBRA from 1998 to 2019, tracking research, legislation, and regulations, and providing information to members and the public. He is now Special Projects Manager and has focused much of his work since January, 2017, on PFAS. Other projects include compilation and review of biosolids management and quality data. NEBRA advances best practices and sustainability in biosolids recycling. Ned has led projects and authored articles, papers, and book chapters on biosolids management in the Northeast, eastern Canada, and around North America. He received the New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) Biosolids Management Award in 2015 and the Elizabeth Cutone Executive Leadership Award in 2020. He has an MS in Resource Management from Antioch University and a BA in Geology from Amherst College. He has two adult children and lives and gardens (using biosolids) with his wife, Chris Clyne, MS, APRN (ret.), in Tamworth, NH. Tuesday August 4th

Kevin Burke has been an Environmental Analyst with the VT DEC, Stormwater Program for over 10 years. Kevin has an Environmental Science background, and works within the stormwater permitting section of the Program. His work in the Program involves both construction stormwater discharge permitting specific to erosion prevention and sediment control, and post-construction stormwater permitting for treatment and control of runoff from impervious surfaces, designs which are subject to the requirements of the Vermont Stormwater Management Manual. Thursday August 6th

Andrew Carpenter is a certified soil scientist, certified crop advisor and certified nutrient management planning specialist. Andrew has been recycling organic residuals and developing recycling programs for materials that have not historically been reused since 1992. He has extensive experience in research, planning and handling technical issues related to the reuse of organic residuals. Andrew received an M.S. in Plant, Soil and Environmental Science at the University of Maine. Currently, he is the Treasurer of the Northeast Biosolids and Residuals Association. Andrew founded Northern Tilth, an environmental consulting firm focusing on organic waste management and building soil health, in 2003. Tuesday August 4th

Marc Companion coordinates Green Infrastructure outreach through a joint position shared between the Lake Champlain Sea Grant Institute and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. He is also a lecturer in Environmental Sciences at UVM’s Rubenstein School. Marc has over 25 years of experience in water resources, ecological design, environmental education and community development in the U.S. and overseas. He was a Program Manager at the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Project Manager at Tetra Tech (formerly ARD), and Education Coordinator at Ocean Arks International. Marc also worked in Kenya and South Sudan for 6-1/2 years managing water infrastructure and natural resource conservation programs. He has a M.S. in Natural Resources Planning from the University of Vermont and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University. Thursday August 6th

John Culpepper has been the Director of Facilities and Sustainability at North Country School/Camp Treetops from 2006-present, and has overseen approximately 25 million dollars in basic maintenance, renovation, and new construction on this 220-acre campus. Wednesday August 5th

Debra Darby is the Manager of Organics Sustainability Solutions with Tetra Tech, involved with developing, planning, permitting, and the operations of organics materials management systems. Debra has 14 years of organics experience in the solid waste industry. She is a certified composting professional and has garnered a reputation as a leader in her field through her extensive background working with organics and compostable materials and driving product stewardship. In addition to her technical expertise, Debra also has 20 years of experience in marketing and has served as a strategic advisor in the public and private sector. Wednesday August 5th

Chuck Duprey is President on Naturcycle a firm focused on the sales and marketing of compost and engineered soils throughout the Northeast. Working with a variety of private and public composters, they provide material for projects and retail use throughout our region. He serves as the Vice Chair of the Market Development Committee of the US Composting Council. Mr. Duprey consults on beneficial reuse of organics, engineered soil and stormwater projects around the country. Along with working to develop and supply some of the largest green roof and engineered soil projects in the Northeast. Mr. Duprey has a BS and BA from Syracuse University and resides in Upstate New York. Thursday August 6th

Tess Faller is the Garden Manager for North Country School and Camp Treetops, responsible for all aspects of horticultural production, compost, and maple syrup production on our campus. Wednesday August 5th

Dan Goossen started at Intervale Compost in 2003 and has been managing the compost operation (now called the CSWD Organics Diversion Facility) starting in 2008. Dan spends a lot of time with people and working with numbers, but is most happy at work on those occasions when he gets to climb a mountain of compost, or spend a day screening a finished pile. When not at work, Dan enjoys beekeeping, growing food, and spending time with his family. Thursday August 6th

Jen Murphy is a Wilder resident of almost 4 years, a mom of two little ones, a wife, an early childhood and outdoor educator, a community gardener and a compost enthusiast. Growing up in a composting family, she proudly took on the role of the household "Compost Queen," although not truly appreciating the value of compost until working on farms after college. During that time, Jen quickly fell in love with the process of taking materials that are often considered waste, mixing them together and watching them transform into a nutrient rich soil amendment! While working at an after school program in 2006, she was able to get middle schoolers excited about compost by partnering with local restaurants, picking up their food scraps and turning them into compost for gardens. After a few moves, a few different jobs and starting a family, the time was right to take her love of compost to the next level! Now, settled into the Upper Valley, Jen can't wait to get started working towards a more sustainable community through Willow Tree Community Compost. Wednesday August 5th

Deb Neher is a soil ecologist in the Department of Plant and Soil Science at UVM. During her MS, she gained a foundation in theoretical ecology. Deb focused on ecology and epidemiology of root pathogens during her PhD, and thereafter initiated research on nematode community indicators. She spent six years at North Carolina State University where she initiated her research on biological indicators for environmental monitoring of soil using nematode community indicators. Thereafter, she held faculty positions in biology and environmental science at University of Toledo in Ohio. In 2004, she joined the University of Vermont as Department Chair of Plant and Soil Science. She resigned from administration in 2018 to focus on applications of her research to farming and/or inform policy. During the past 10 years, her research has included pilot studies on the biological communities in compost and their role in disease suppression. Currently, she has on-going farm trails testing compost-based products for management of bottom rot disease of lettuce, caused by a globally distributed soilborne fungal pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani. She views nature as a model and is a question-driven researcher using population and community ecology approaches. Tuesday August 4th

Bob Spencer has over 20 years of experience in the development and operation of composting facilities. He is a consultant to communities and companies throughout the country, provides technical assistance to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and he assisted the City of Beijing, China in evaluating composting for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Bob is a Contributing Editor for BioCycle Magazine, a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners, and is the Director of the Windham Solid Waste Management District and President of the CAV Board of Directors. He has a B.S. in Biology, and a M.S.in Resource Management and Policy. Wednesday August 5th

Declan Stefanski was born in Evanston, Illinois and moved to Johnson, Vermont with his family in 1999. He graduated from Lamoille Union High School and has studied at Northern Vermont University, Florida International University, Odyssey Yoga and Karme Choling. In 2019, Declan founded ReGreenVT, a food scrap collection business, with Lucas Queiroz and Greg Stefanski. For Declan this business is about encouraging positive change in his community and the greater struggling world around him. A big fan of not only the practice, but the philosophy behind the art of composting, Declan hopes to help the world become more familiar with this and other mindful agricultural practices. Wednesday August 5th

Emma Stuhl works with a team in the Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation’s (ANR/DEC) Waste Management and Prevention Division to help all of Vermont recycle better, compost more, and reduce and manage waste. Before joining DEC, Emma worked as an ecologist, a program coordinator, and an environmental and sustainability educator throughout the northeast. Wednesday August 5th

Heather Voisin is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) and has been working as an engineer with a focus on stormwater for over 18 years. She has been with the Vermont Agency of Transportation for the last four years as a Construction Environmental Engineer and recently changed positions to become the Agency's new Green Infrastructure Engineer. Thursday August 6th