Circular Arizona announces 2026 board of directors
Phoenix, Arizona — Circular Arizona is proud to announce the results of its 2026 board election. Nine members were elected to the board this year, including one reelected member, joining five continuing members to form a 14-member board dedicated to advancing Arizona’s circular economy. The 2026 board represents municipal, nonprofit, academic, and private-sector leaders committed to waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and circular systems innovation across Arizona.
Newly Elected Board Members
Brynn Katz – Sustainability Operations Supervisor at Nackard Pepsi, leading recycling and zero-waste initiatives across northern Arizona. She manages diversion programs that have kept more than 565,000 pounds of material out of landfills across 35+ communities and supports sustainability through grant writing and program development.
Deanna Gogol – Phoenix Branch Manager at Bold Reuse, where she builds scalable reuse systems, manages logistics, and leads teams to reduce single-use waste at events and venues. She brings operational expertise and systems thinking to scaling circular programs.
John Fedyski– Founder and COO of We ReUse and founder of InteliTrans. John manufactures durable stainless-steel foodware in the United States, advancing practical circular economy solutions while strengthening domestic production.
Kenzie Jackson – Sustainability Outreach Coordinator at the University of Arizona Office of Sustainability, leading education, communications, and community composting initiatives that promote zero-waste practices.
Kiley Westergaard – Environmental Outreach Specialist II for the Town of Gilbert, leading public education and engagement initiatives focused on solid waste, recycling, and sustainability.
Matt Huang – Principal of Aevium Advisory LLC and former Director of Owned Brand Innovation at Target. Matt specializes in circular business models and sustainability innovation, using Human-Centered Design and Lean Startup methodologies to address systemic challenges.
Michael Lipton – Owner of Arizona Pacific Plastics, Arizona’s largest plastic recycler. Since 2010, he has worked across plastics, paper, and metals recycling, bringing deep industry expertise in material recovery and reuse systems.
Tim Torres – Director of Programs at Stardust Building Supply, leading environmental and community outreach initiatives and bringing experience in nonprofit operations, logistics, and finance.
Traci Conaway (Reelected) – Recycling Programs Analyst for the City of Chandler, with nearly two decades of experience in solid waste management, data-driven sustainability, education, and public engagement.
Continuing Board Members
Karen Jayne, Stardust
Alexandra Craig, Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona
Alyssa Tarpley, City of Tucson
Alyssa Knowles, City of Phoenix
Roberto Shapiro-Heredia, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
2026 Board Officers
Following the 2026 Annual Meeting and board election, the newly elected directors held their first board meeting to appoint board officers and make committee and task force assignments. The following four board officers make up Circular Arizona’s Executive Committee:
Chair — Traci Conaway
Vice Chair — Kiley Westergaard
Treasurer — Karen Jayne
Secretary — Alexandra Craig
2026 Committee & Task Force Assignments
Membership Committee
Focus: Build membership, connect and empower members, and enhance the awards program.
Tim Torres
Matt Huang
Alyssa Tarpley
Alyssa Knowles
Education Committee
Focus: Provide educational resources and engage with relevant policy.
Deanna Gogol
Brynn Katz
John M. Fedyski
Kenzie Jackson
Roberto Shapiro-Heredia
Marketing Task Force
Alyssa Tarpley
Kenzie Jackson
Kiley Westergaard
Grant Task Force
Karen Jayne
Roberto Shapiro-Heredia
Alyssa Knowles
Kyleigh Brown (member volunteer)
What’s Next
The 2026 Board of Directors will guide Circular Arizona’s strategic priorities, oversee programming and partnerships, and continue advancing initiatives that foster an equitable circular economy across Arizona.
Circular Arizona envisions an equitable circular economy for a sustainable Arizona. Learn more about our mission and programs at CircularArizona.org.
Media Contact:
Ryan Gurr
Circular Arizona
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