Alan Hendry

Sustainability Director, Mott Macdonald
Biography
Alan is highly experienced as a strategic sustainability leader. He has worked in the area since 1996 in both public and private sectors, including working for a number of local authorities, including Newcastle City and North Lanarkshire, and global businesses, Jacobs, Worley and now Mott MacDonald. He has a passion for sustainability and proven experience in working with a range of clients in Scotland and elsewhere including Scottish Cities Alliance, Zero Waste Scotland, Scottish Water and Transport Scotland and a range of Scottish Local Authorities and the Scottish Future Trust.

Alasdair Meldrum

Director, Albion Environmental 
Biography
Alasdair Meldrum BSc (Hons), CEnv, FellowCIWM, FellowCIWEM, CIOSHis an experienced waste manager with over 30 years experience working in the waste and resource sector within the UK, latterly developing, organising and delivering waste and resource management training and consultancy in the UK for a range of clients including local authorities, NHS, and private companies. Alasdair has extensive experience of a whole range of waste management operations including waste collection, material recycling facilities, in vessel and AD facilities, landfill and incineration facilities.Alasdair used the experience gained in previous roles to establish Albion Environmental Ltd in 2002 to provide training and support to the waste management industry. Albion Environmental Limited has developed into one of the UK’s leading specialists in waste and resource management, environmental, health and safety solutions.  We deliver strategic advice, support and training to the waste management and construction industries in both the public and private sectors.Alasdair is also, a trustee (treasurer) of SWITCH and a member of the SWITCH ETC Group (Education, training and competency group) – creating training, learning and development opportunities for the sector.

Angus Hamilton

Managing Director, Levenseat
Biography
Angus Hamilton is Managing Director of Levenseat Ltd, a leading independent company in the Scottish resource management sector, specialising in converting wastes into resources and leading the way to a more sustainable and low carbon Scotland.  Having entered the sector in 1999, he has led on the development of recycling and waste treatment opportunities with the aim of moving materials back up the value chain, especially in the areas of Materials recovery, Organics, Minerals, and residual waste treatment with energy recovery. He was a key player in Levenseat Renewable Energy (LREL) team who developed a fluidised bed gasification plant, with the associated fuel preparation and materials recycling facility.  Levenseat’s operations service both the Local Authority and Commercial sectors across Scotland, and work in close partnership with a number of other companies in the sector to deliver joined up solutions.  Angus is active in a number of industry organisations including Resource Management Association Scotland, Scottish Environmental Services Association, and the Renewable Energy Association.

Cat Hay

Head of Policy and Public Affairs, FDF Scotland
Biography

Cat’s role is to represent and promote the interests and concerns of FDF members though dialogue with governments, regulators and other external organisations. She leads on policy development for devolved issues and current focus includes net zero, packaging and health. Cat previously worked as a wine buyer for Whole Foods Market and Programme Manager for Zero Waste Scotland. 

Charles Holmes

Head of Extended Producer Responsibility, The Scottish Government
Biography

Charles is Head of Extended Producer Responsibility in the Scottish Government, a role he has held since spring 2021.  He and his team lead on introducing EPR across a range of products and materials, with a significant current focus on packaging.

Craig Fraser

Senior Policy Officer, SEPA National Waste Unit, SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) 
Biography
Craig is a Senior Policy Officer within SEPA’s National Waste Unit. SEPA is the principal environmental regulator in Scotland and the National Waste Unit provides support and guidance to local regulatory teams as well as providing the link between SEPA and national waste policy. Craig is currently focused on flytipping having been heavily involved in the development of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy for Scotland, published in July 2023. His other current areas of work include EPR for packaging, end-of-life vehicles and all things plastic. 

Dan Cooke

Head of Protected & Historic Landscapes, Cornwall Council/ CIWM President
Biography
An environmental (ESG), communications and landscapes professional with over 35 years’ experience in the recycling/waste management, water and landscapes sectors (working across private companies, public authorities and charities), Dan’s current role is within Cornwall Council’s Environmental Partnerships & Climate Change Service.

He is responsible for the teams overseeing two National Landscapes (Cornwall and Tamar Valley Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site, and the Council’s Strategic Historic Environment and Heritage service.  These services encompass 445 square miles designated as National Landscapes, over 1300 scheduled Monuments, the UNESCO Mining World Heritage Site status, and a range of heritage-led regeneration projects.

Dan has held previous roles at: Pennon Group plc (Head of Sustainability); Viridor (Director of Communications, Director of Regulatory & External Affairs); Tidy Britain Group/Environmental Campaigns Ltd; and Coventry City Council.

He holds current non-Exec roles as: President & Trustee (recent Chair) of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management; Trustee – Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Previously he has served as: Chair of the Waste Management Industry Training & Advisory Board (WAMITAB); Director of Viridor Credits Environmental Ltd (an independent grant-giving charity distributing £5-8m p.a. via the Landfill Communities Fund); and Trustee of the Carymoor Environmental Trust.

In his spare time, Dan is passionate about punk rock, folk and jungle-techno music. He loves art and natural history, as well as being a keen surfer, walker, tennis player and off-the-beaten-track cyclist.

He is also an avid Aston Villa supporter, so knows the fine line between hope and despair…

Dr Dan Merckel

Chemicals Team Leader, The Scottish Government
Biography
Dr Dan Merckel, Chemicals Team Leader at Scottish Government, has worked in the area of chemicals safety for the environment for two decades. In previous roles he has represented the UK on technical working groups in the EU and internationally looking at the environmental safety of industrial chemicals. He currently leads a small team in the Environmental Quality and Resilience Division at Scottish Government, which advises Scottish Ministers on their role in UK chemicals legislation following EU exit and has the lead for contaminated land policy in Scotland.

Duncan Simpson

Owner & Director, Duncan Simpson Associates/ CIWM Trustee
Biography

Duncan Simpson is an Owner Director of his own consultancy business which he set up in May 2020. Prior to that, Duncan worked in the field of extended producer responsibility for 22 years with Valpak. He is a CIWM Fellow, Scottish Centre Councillor and has worked in both the public and private sector in the industry for nearly 30 years.

Emma Leask

Partner, Zero Waste Scotland
Biography
To follow soon …

Fleur Ruckley

Head of Implementation, Topolytics
Biography

Fleur is Head of Implementation at Topolytics (https://topolytics.com/) with a focus on generating actionable waste and resources analytics for customers and their supply chains through implementation of WasteMap®. Topolytics’ WasteMap® platform uses data analytics, mapping and machine learning to make waste and resource management more transparent, more efficient and more effective commercially and environmentally.

Fleur has a BA (Hons) in Natural Sciences and an MSc in Environmental Management. She has worked in the charity, public and private sector supporting businesses, universities, government agencies, communities and schools to develop and implement sustainable and circular policies and practices.  Fleur is a Chartered Waste Manager and a member of the Institute for Environmental Management Circular Economy Network Steering Group and international committees developing circular economy standards. 

Gary Walker 

Waste & Landfill Tax Manager, SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) 
Biography
An environmental regulator who has worked for SEPA for 25 years with experience in waste regulation, the development of waste policy and strategy and management of SEPA’s relationships with the waste sector. He is the senior manager responsible for SEPA’s National Waste Team, Producer Compliance and Waste Shipment Unit, The Scottish Landfill Tax Team and the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund Team. He was also one of the key contributors to the development of what has now become Digital Waste Tracking and has senior management responsibility for SEPA’s contribution to the UK Digital Waste Tracking Project.

Henry Smith 

Policy Researcher, Valpak 
Biography
Following studies in philosophy, Henry joined the Valpak policy team in 2021. Henry’s priority is keeping up to date with all aspects of producer responsibility legislation and ensuring that Valpak and it’s customer base are provided with manageable information and the details of how they will be impacted. 

Iain McDonald

Regional Development Manager (Scotland), FCC Environment 
Biography
Iain is a Chartered Waste Manager and a Chartered Engineer with over 30 years’ experience in the waste industry. He has an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in Wastes Management.

He has worked in both Consultancy and Waste Contracting on a wide range of waste management projects.  His experience includes Landfill design and operations, waste treatment development and operations including transfer facilities, mechanical treatment plant, composting facilities, anaerobic digestion plant and energy from waste facilities.

Currently Iain is Regional Development Manager in Scotland for FCC Environment where he is responsible for delivery of projects, review of new technologies, determining options for managing waste and preparation of regional strategies for the company.

Iain is a co-opted member of the CIWM Scottish Centre Council.

Dr Isla Kapasi 

Research & Analysis Manager, Zero Waste Scotland
Biography
Dr. Isla Kapasi is the Research & Analysis Manager at Zero Waste Scotland. Zero Waste Scotland works in resource efficiency and the circular economy to create a society where resources are valued, and nothing is wasted. Dr Kapasi earned her social science PhD examining why individuals pursue entrepreneurship and the influence of motivations on subsequent individual and business behaviour. She has a expertise in behaviour change and associated interventions and in researching hard-to-reach, disadvantaged, and marginalised communities and groups. She has taught the principles of understanding behaviour and behaviour change across the UK and Europe. Dr Kapasi is an expert in researching, monitoring, and evaluating social change impacts. 

Jack McQuibban

Head of Local Zero Waste Implementation, Zero Waste Europe
Biography
Jack heads up the work ZWE does to accelerate more zero waste solutions and strategies to be implemented at the local level. This includes coordinating the near 500 municipalities we work with within the Zero Waste Cities programme, as well as delivering technical support and capacity development services to a wide range of stakeholders. Jack has been an expert peer for cities and regions via EU programmes such as Interreg Europe, and has authored several leading reports & papers on what zero waste means when implemented at the local level. He was behind the creation of the world’s first ever Zero Waste Cities Certification, now being used in cities such as Munich and Barcelona. He also represents Europe on the Zero Waste International Alliance Board and volunteers for the UK Green Party in his spare time. 

James Martin

Principal Consultant, WSP
Biography
James Martin is a Principal Consultant in the WSP Circular Economy team. He supports public and private sector clients to identify and adopt circular practices, EPR systems, policies, services and infrastructure that decouple economic growth from resource use. He has supported the development of circular economy strategy and policy to steer national industries (e.g., Scotland’s Oil & gas industry, Renewables industry and Transmission and Distribution networks), and worked with the World Bank and national governments to identify policy solutions to improve circularity across nations. James has also supported SMEs and multi-national businesses to develop circular products and processes. He has supported ZWS to develop Scotland’s DRS and is working with Local Authorities to prepare for the packaging EPR.

Dr Jane Beasley 

Head of Business Engagement, Zero Waste Scotland
Biography
Dr Jane Beasley is Head of Business Engagement at Zero Waste Scotland, focusing on circular economy solutions and driving change for our cities, regions and business ecosystems,  and is also responsible for leading on the Route Map, As an experienced resource, waste and environmental professional, Jane has worked in various roles across the sector for the past 25 years and is a Fellow of CIWM and also the RSA, and with an environmental PhD.

Jane has worked in academia and the public and private sector in a strategic capacity, focusing on developing and delivering improvements in the way we use and manage our material resources. Jane has specific interests in optimising collaborative and partnership arrangements to drive change, and ensuring policy and strategy is fit for purpose in terms of delivering more circular solutions. 

Janet McVea 

Head of Zero Waste Unit, Circular Economy Division, The Scottish Government
Biography
Janet took up post as Head of the Zero Waste Unit at Scottish Government in September 2018 and is responsible for policy to deliver Scotland’s waste and recycling targets (including policy on food waste prevention, single use plastics, recycling, landfill & incineration) and tackle litter and flytipping.  She has undertaken a range of other roles at Scottish Government, including in health and social care policy.

Jennifer Shearer

Head of Enforcement, SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) 
Biography
Jennifer is Head of  SEPA’s (Scottish Environment Protection Agency)  Enforcement Function which was set up in October 2019 to target and disrupt high risk environmental crime, unlicensed operators and activities impacting on Scotlands environment.She has as worked in SEPA for 14 years, primarily specialising in waste regulation and enforcement , from regulating complex waste activities, and launching SEPAs Scottish Landfill Tax duties  through to leading significant waste crime cases involving Serious & Organised Crime Groups.

Jennifer has strong/keen focus on partnership opportunities for sustainable disruption and interventions to effectively tackle waste crime having been a Board member of the Joint Unit for Waste Crime since it’s 2020 inception and stakeholder in the Scottish Governments Serious & Organised Crime Taskforce. 

Jenny Grant

Head of Organics and Natural Capital, REA (the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology)
Biography
Jenny Grant has been involved with the organics recycling industry for over 20 years. She is Head of Organics and Natural Capital for the REA (the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology). REA Organics promotes the benefits of composting, aerobic and anaerobic digestion and other biological treatment and the use of biologically treated materials. Jenny works with Government and Regulators on behalf of members. She provides technical advice to compost producers and AD operators, delivers training, assists operators with achieving end of waste certification and advises on recycling of organics to land. She is a Chartered Wastes manager. 

John Ferguson 

Director/ Head of Strategy, EcoideaM Ltd/ Binn Eco Park/ RMAS 
Biography

To follow soon …

Kate Gallacher

Sustainability Officer, Scottish Leather Group 
Biography
Kate is the Sustainability Officer at Scottish Leather Group and alongside her core work to support the company’s Journey to Zero,  also leads the Green Champions Committee. She has a BA in International Development, an MSc Environmental Management and is a Chartered Wastes Manger. With circa 20 years’ experience working within the waste and resource management industries in both Canada and the UK, she brings a variety of skills to the role including environmental monitoring and reporting, stakeholder engagement and regulatory compliance.

Kerryn Sievewright

Waste Specialist Technical Lead, Dounreay
Biography
Kerryn Sievewright is the Waste Specialist Technical Lead for controlled and radioactive waste at Dounreay in Caithness, the UK’s foremost nuclear decommissioning facility.  He holds the site’s technical competence for its Waste Management Licence and is concerned in optimising site decommissioning, reducing the burden of radioactive waste sent to the site’s Radioactive Waste Vaults, whilst ensuring protection of human health and the environment.With around 15 years experience in the waste industry, he began his involvement by undergoing the Scottish Environment Protection Agencies graduate programme, he then worked as an Environment Protection Officer with SEPA before moving to the nuclear industry, where he complements his controlled waste experience to their radioactive waste operations.An alumni of the Climate 2050 Group, he brings this sustainability focused ethos to his current role, reflected in the formation of the Dounreay Green Network, a staff led network, assisting site to go beyond compliance and make positive differences to site operations through improved culture and engagement.

Kerryn holds a Bachelors in Environmental Protection, he is also a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and is active in supporting his local community, holding previous board positions with the Thurso Development Trust, and currently volunteers his spare time as a Coastguard Rescue Officer with HMCG.

Laura Tainsh

 Partner and Head of Environment/ Chair, Davidson Chalmers Stewart/ CIWM Scotland Centre Council
Biography
Laura Tainsh is a Partner and Head of Environment & Waste at Davidson Chalmers LLP.Laura is a Chartered Waste and Resource Manager with CIWM and current chair of the Scottish Centre Council. In addition, Laura is a Law Society of Scotland Accredited Specialist in Environmental Law and an active member of Law Society of Scotland Environmental Law Committee.. She is also on the management committee of RMAS and the Scottish Committee of the UK Environmental Law Association. She was also recently appointed as an External Examiner for the University of Edinburgh.  On the more academic side of things, Laura is a member of the editorial board of the highly regarded Scottish Planning & Environmental Law (SPEL) Journal as well as being a regular contributor to the journal and also to Materials Recycling World Magazine as a columnist. She also regularly presents at and hosts seminars and conference events on all aspects of environmental law but particularly on issues to do with waste and resource management and policy.

Laura Young

Award winning climate activist, environmental scientist, and ethical influencer
Biography
Laura’s social media platforms continue to grow, creating a community of activists. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube all under @LessWasteLaura. She was recently awarded the Scottish Influencer of the Year – Inspiration for her work. In October 2022 Laura began her PhD between the University of Abertay and the University of Dundee as a Hydro Nations Scholar in climate resilience work. To see her full project please visit this webpage.She has a First Class honours degree in Geography and Environmental Science from the University of Dundee, and a Masters with Distinction in Environmental Protection and Management from the University of Edinburgh.Laura regularly speaks in the media, bringing her expertise into conversations about climate, waste, sustainable fashion, and environmental justice issues. You can hear her regularly on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio 5Live, and on television on the BBC, STV, and Sky News, as well as other media outlets and platforms.​Seeking to bring younger voices into influential spaces, she also sits on a variety of boards and advisory committees; the Public Theology Group for the Baptist Union of Scotland, Diamonds Scotland, and Environmental Protection Scotland board of trustees, and is a recent graduate of the Evangelical Alliance Scottish Public Leaders, and took part in the Christians in Media pilot mentorship programme. To find out more about the work Laura does, please head the ‘work‘ website page, or her LinkedIn.

Louise McGregor

Head of Propositions, Zero Waste Scotland 
Biography
Louise has recently been appointed to Head of Research & Propositions in Zero Waste Scotland’s Evidence and Insight Directorate. Louise moved into the new role at the start of September to help develop and shape impactful circular economy initiatives which build on Zero Waste Scotland’s existing research, knowledge, business insight and data. Louise has wide experience in influencing and supporting businesses to embrace and implement circular solutions, having spent over 12 years leading the Customer Service & Support team and working in partnership with businesses to deliver high-impact interventions.

With an engineering background, she has over 22 years’ experience in Resource Management, with a particular focus on the practical application of the circular economy.

Lorna Slater MSP 

Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, The Sottish Government 
Biography
Lorna Slater was reappointed as Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity in March 2023.

She was born, raised and educated in Canada. She moved to Scotland in 2000 after earning a master’s degree in engineering from the University of British Columbia. 

Prior to being elected in 2021, Lorna worked as an engineer, and then a project manager in the renewables sector. During this time, she worked on the Orbital O2 project, the world’s biggest floating tidal turbine. 

Ms Slater has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothian since May 2021. She was elected as a co-leader of the Scottish Green Party in August 2019.  

Mark Findlay

Pollution Control and Public Health Manager, North Lanarkshire Council 
Biography
Mark has been in his current role as Pollution Control and Public Health Manager, North Lanarkshire Council for the last 10 years and has worked in local government Environmental Health in various capacities for close to 30 years. He has extensive experience of environmental crime, including fly tipping investigations and good experience of working closely with partners including SEPA and Police Scotland to tackle fly tipping within the local context.  Mark has a desire to ensure that waste crime and fly tipping enforcement is robust and delivers desired outcomes in terms of prosecutions to ensure that the wider environment is afforded the protection it deserves and to reduce local blight for residents and businesses.

Dr Matt Holl 

Assistant Analyst, Zero Waste Scotland
Biography
Matt Holl is an Assistant Analyst at Zero Waste Scotland. Zero Waste Scotland works in resource efficiency and the circular economy to create a society where resources are valued, and nothing is wasted. Matt has had a varied research career in academia, industry, and the public sector. His work has involved field-based research in developing countries to prevent the spread of disease, product testing alongside large corporate clients, and managing the R&D programme at startup using insects to recycle food waste. Matt is particularly interested in applied research to better understand how theory translates into the real-world. 

Matthew Steventon

Business Development Manager, Greyparrot 
Biography

To follow soon …

Michael Cook

CEO, Circular Communities Scotland
Biography

Michael is CEO at Circular Communities Scotland, a network membership organisation, dedicated to supporting the establishment of a thriving circular economy in Scotland. Circular Communities Scotland supports and represents over 250 repair, reuse and recycling charities and social enterprises across the country, who help promote and create social and environmental justice in their communities.

Michael started his career in consulting and finance with PricewaterhouseCoopers before moving to Prudential in IT Audit and then Head of Change Management. Over the last 15 years Michael has worked in hand-on leadership positions in the charitable sector, joining Circular Communities Scotland (then CRNS) as CEO in 2018. 

Michael is passionate about seeing others develop to achieve their potential and is highly motivated to deliver positive change in purpose driven organisations. In his spare time, Michael is keen hillwalker and birdwatcher. 

Mike Robinson  

Chief Executive/ Chair, RSGS/ Perth City Leadership Forum 
Biography

Mike has been Chief Executive since 2008, overseeing the RSGS move to Perth and rejuvenating the charity’s purpose, positioning and profile – and that of geography and geographers in Scottish civic society too. Through this role – and over the course of the last 25 years – Mike has been instrumental in informing policy through joined-up, collaborative action, particularly in sustainability and climate change.

For example, in 2006 he established Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), the largest coalition ever formed in Scotland, which was so instrumental in delivering the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, the Scottish Climate Justice Fund, and the 2019 Emissions Reduction Targets Act. He is an advisor to Government and trustee on several boards, mostly in the spheres of education, agriculture and transport, and is hosting a series of Climate Emergency Summits with more than 40 organisations to identify suitable responses to the emergency, and to inform government thinking. He is also leading development of a new qualification, Climate Solutions, for business leaders with the University of Stirling and University of Edinburgh Management Schools, and the Institute of Directors. Amongst others, Mike is Chair of Perth City Development Board (PCLF) aiming to make Perth the most sustainable small city in Europe. 

Nicole Paterson

Chief Executive, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
Biography
Nicole is an award-winning local government Chief Officer, with nearly 3 decades of experience across five local authorities, consultancy and environmental non-executive roles.With more than 25 years of experience in local government specifically, Nicole joined SEPA in October 2022 from North Lanarkshire Council, Scotland’s fourth largest local authority, where her role as Head of Environmental Assets saw her drive a strategic vision of community focused, inclusive growth and prosperity. Nicole led systemic change on climate change adaption, biodiversity, flood risk management, transport policy, planning and green spaces.Nicole spent over a decade at Stirling Council leading strategic environmental and infrastructure programmes.

Paul Vanston

Chief Executive, INCPEN
Biography
Paul became Chief Executive of the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN) in May 2017.  This followed 26 years in central government and local government, and 16 years of that within the resources sector.A particular current focus for INCPEN is working with all four governments to design and implement a set of packaging reforms that are cost-efficient and deliver environmental benefits. This includes Extended Producer Responsibility, Deposit Return Systems and ‘consistency’ of the range of packaging materials collected from all 27 million UK households. 

Paul is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. He is also a member of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management; a member of the UK Government’s Resources and Waste Advisory Group; a founding member of the UK Plastics Pact; and a member of the Green Alliance.

Paul Wallace

Campaigns and Social Innovation Manager, Keep Scotland Beautiful
Biography

Paul joined Keep Scotland Beautiful in 2013 and is responsible for leading the development and delivery of a broad portfolio of national and regional campaigns that focus on litter, waste, consumption, and environmental quality, including Clean Up Scotland, Upstream Battle on the Clyde and Tay, Cup Movement, and roadside litter.

A key part of this role is managing and maintaining Keep Scotland Beautiful’s relationships with the Scottish Government, public agencies, local authorities and corporate partners.

He has also been involved in developing the new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, is a member of the Strategy Delivery Group, and is responsible for the work that KSB is progressing on a number of litter actions in the Year 1 Action Plan.

Prior to joining Keep Scotland Beautiful he was a senior manager in local government for fifteen years and has extensive experience in strategic planning, policy, partnership working, and corporate communications.

Phil Davies

Head of the Multi-Agency Joint Unit for Waste Crime, Environment Agency
Biography
Head of the Multi-Agency Joint Unit for Waste Crime launched in January 2020 to target serious and organised crime in the waste sector. Phil has over 30 years experience in law enforcement, within both operational and strategic roles. This included the development of collaborative and partnership approaches utilising the skills and capabilities of both the public and private sector.

Robbie Humphrey

Sustainability Coordinator, Whyte & Mackay
Biography

Sustainability Coordinator at Whyte and Mackay working in packaging compliance and sustainability for our range of whiskies.

Ruth Innes

Sustainability Manger, NHS Scotland Assure
Biography

Ruth Innes joined NHS Scotland Assure in November 2022 as a Sustainability Manager, her main focus is on Waste and Resource Efficiency within the role supporting NHS Scotland Boards, and working alongside the team in National Procurement and Scottish Government on various initiatives and projects.  Prior to this role Ruth worked for NHS Highland for 22 years in various posts and for the last 10 years in the Environment and Sustainability Team, as Support Manager and then Deputy Head of Environment and Sustainability for the Board.  Ruth gained her chartered status in December of 2020. 

Ryan McColgan

Head of Scottish Landfill Tax, Revenue Scotland
Biography

Ryan joined Revenue Scotland as the Head of SLfT in July of last year, having spent the last fourteen years in HMRC working as an indirect tax professional in various roles, including positions in Large Business and the Fraud Investigation Service. He now heads up a multi-disciplinary team for Revenue Scotland, made up of tax professionals and SEPA Designated Officers. The team are responsible for implementing and administering the SLfT legislation and policy set by Scottish Government, engaging with operators to help them meet their SLfT obligations and pursuing non-compliance where appropriate.  

Sheila Best

Waste Services Manager, Perth & Kinross Council
Biography
Sheila is a strategic leader within the public sector and is currently the Waste Services Manager for Perth & Kinross Council. With 20 years resource sector & environmental management experience she has successfully delivered on key projects for the Local Authority.

Recent projects include:

  • awarding a 10-year contract to Paprec Binn to treat residual waste including the construction of a new energy from waste facility at Binn Farm,
  • an asset management review and developing a 30-year investment plan for all Operational Council Assets and
  • implementation of a new kerbside recycling service funded through the Recycling Improvement Fund (RIF)

Sheila is also a member of the Perth & Kinross Climate Change Board and chairs the Waste & Circular Economy Working Group. She holds a law degree from Edinburgh University, an MSc in Environmental Management and is a Chartered Waste Manager.

Other key areas of work include the transformation of procurement & commissioning through embedding sustainable & circular procurement methods and championing systemic change in the food supply chain through supporting the formation of the Perth & Kinross Good Food Partnership and development of a local Good Food Plan.

Dr. Stephen Wise

Chief Strategic Development Officer, Advetec
Biography
Dr Stephen Wise is the Chief Strategic Development Officer for biotechnology business Advetec. Stephen has more than 20 years’ experience in the waste, renewables and environment sector and his expertise spans operations, technical and engineering services across all waste treatments technologies, policies and regulations.Stephen is a board member of the Industrial Biotechnology and Innovation Centre (IBioIC), the Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland (Cre), and industrial advisor to Cranfield University, an active member of Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and the Irish Waste Management Association and a member of various expert panels for the sector. He has run multi-million pound activities for many market leading companies including Suez, Renewi, Cementir, Ricardo, Wood Group and Energia.

Terry McDonald 

Executive Director, St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County, Inc.
Biography
Terrence R. (Terry) McDonald is the hands-on visionary leader of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, Inc. (SVdP). With degrees in Political Science and History and a Masters of Education from the University of Oregon, Terry’s energies are focused on social services, homeless services, affordable housing and economic development projects that create jobs while improving the environment and the community.

SVdP is the largest non-profit humanitarian agency in Lane County, Ore., with nearly 600 employees, 1500 units of affordable housing, five emergency service programs, ten retail thrift stores, online book and jewelry shops, a vocational services department, an appliance shop, a mattress recycling operation and a used car lot.

Established in 1954, SVdP’s objective is to implement social service programs that provide opportunities for more than 55,000 homeless, destitute, and at-risk people to become self-sufficient. These programs include emergency services/provisions (food, clothing, shelter, basic needs), affordable housing, vocational training/job placement and economic development projects through recycling.

Terry started at St. Vincent de Paul in 1971, working under the direction of his father, H.C. “Mac” McDonald, who served as the first director of the Society.  Terry took over in 1984 after his father’s death.

Terry’s passion is creating avenues out of poverty through a unique kind of reclamation: finding new uses for consumers’ “useless” discards, creating new strategies and community coalitions to deal with old problems, and giving low-income and homeless people a chance to reclaim their dignity through employment and self-sufficiency.  His personal mission statement is: “Do good, avoid evil, leave the world a better place.”

St. Vincent de Paul is an internationally recognized expert in the area of waste-based business development.  These economic development programs divert roughly 41 millions of pounds of materials from the waste stream each year and provided revenue to assist the needy, supply job-training opportunities, and create permanent jobs for community members. These programs have included:

  • DR3 Recycling, where reusable mattresses are diverted from landfills and rebuilt for sale or donation. SVDP has four mattress recycling businesses, three in California and one in Eugene, and is the largest mattress recycler in North America.
  • The Woodshop, where quality furniture is crafted from recycled or reused melamine and wood for sale or donation.
  • The Appliance Shop, where discarded appliances are diverted from the waste-stream, and repaired for sale or donation. Ozone depleting refrigerants and oils are responsibly recycled. The appliance shop also recycles propane and propane tanks.
  • The Aurora Glass Foundry, where recycled glass is melted and fashioned into beautiful ornaments and items for home decor.

Terry also oversees the Cascade Alliance – a national network of nonprofits developing socially responsible diversion of useable materials from the waste stream, a project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that to date has created 75 sustainable jobs, diverted 17 million pounds of materials and generated $20 million in revenue among its 14 alliance members.

These endeavors provide training, employment and a financial base for St. Vincent’s housing and social service programs. Resources – both material and human – are reclaimed and given a second life.

St. Vincent de Paul’s website:  www.svdp.us 

Veronica Formosa-Hamilton 

Principal Waste Management Officer (Contracts), The Highland Council
Biography
Chartered with CIWM and has been actively involved in volunteering with CIWM for the past 6 years. Has 15 years of local government waste services delivery experience, across: waste strategy and policy; public engagement; data collation and analysis; public procurement, tendering and contracts management; infrastructure development, workforce management and compliance. Lives in Perthshire and is keen to engage within the sector on all things professional development, networking and sharing of best practice. 

Wendy  Rayner 

Head of Circular Economy for NHS Scotland, The Scottish Government/ Fellow, Chartered Institute of Waste Management 
Biography

Wendy is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Waste Management, a Chartered Environmentalist and a member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) Circular Economy Steering Group.  She works for the Scottish Government as Head of Circular Economy for NHS Scotland.  She has worked and lived in Scotland for almost 30 years.  She has a broad range of experience including consultancy and working in industry in the UK and internationally. 

2023 Association Partner

2023 Sponsors

Event App Sponsor

2023 Exhibitors

Contact us

Book Tickets and Dinner Places: Email events@ciwm.co.uk or call 01604 620426
Exhibition & Sponsorship Opportunities: Email ginny.thacker@ciwm.co.uk or call 01604 823346