PPRC Staff

Dear Supporters,

Chris Wiley, PPRC's Executive Director, is leaving the organization to take a new position at the City of Seattle.  As you know, Chris was an important part of the community of pollution prevention practitioners, so his vision and on-the-ground implementation of  P2 strategies will be missed.  

Chris will be in the office until May 30th.

After 18 years providing P2 strategies and services to the Northwest, PPRC is a highly respected organization with solid funding and a highly knowledgeable and dedicated staff. Our Interim Executive Director, Debra Taevs, will be taking over day-to-day operations and is the point of contact should any of you have questions about projects or new funding opportunities after May 30, 2008. 

In addition, the Board of Directors has retained Madeline Sten, PPRC's original Executive Director, to help develop recommendations for a smooth transition to a new Executive Director.  We look forward to announcing the results of this process soon.

Thank you for your continued support for PPRC.

Debra Taevs, Interim Executive Director

Debra

Debra is PPRC's Oregon staff person at large, as well as working on various projects that serve all of Region 10. Major focus areas include:

  • Identifying opportunities for environmental improvements that can be developed as part of lean manufacturing practice in manufacturing as well as non-traditional "lean" applications, such as hospitals.
  • Design and implementation of the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing "Rapid Research" Service.
  • Manages the "By-Product Synergy Northwest" project that creates opportunties to turn industrial wastes into profit.

Debra has a Masters in Public Administration/Environmental Policy from the University of Washington and a Bachelors in Business from San Diego State University. She has had extensive experience working with organizations to implement new technologies as well as facilitating shifts related to efficiency and environmental improvement.

As a recent mid-career Peace Corps volunteer in Romania, Debra developed a full-scale environmental education program and also worked to protect cave ecosystems. After hours, Debra hikes, bikes, dances and may again, one day, pick up her fiddle.

Chloe Birnel, Communications Director

Chloe

PPRC’s newest recruit, Chloe has been has been spreading the word about PPRC’s great work since October 2007. Some of her many projects include:

  • Tracking News for What’s New in P2
  • Organizing the 2008 Regional P2 Roundtable
  • Participating in the Household Pharmaceutical Waste Return Pilot Project
  • Attempting to keep the website up to date

Chloe has a B.A. in Environmental Policy from Western Washington University. She brings with her experience working on communications and outreach projects for non-profits both big and small; including The Wilderness Society and People For Puget Sound. Prior to working with PPRC, Chloe was working as a nature guide in Homer, AK.

In her spare time you can find Chloe spending time with her friends and family, volunteering at her local farmer’s market teaching her neighbors about composting and worm bins, hiking/snowshoeing, cooking, knitting, and learning about tidepool critters.  

Cathy Buller, Networking Coordinator

Cathy

Cathy's role as PPRC's Networking Lead allows her to wear many hats. Informally, she refers to her job as, "World Change through Party Planning." In recent years her work has focused on:

  • Health Care/Hospital Pollution Prevention
  • Household Pharmaceutical Waste Return Pilot Project
  • Seminar Planning, Facilitation and Follow-up
  • Project Management/Meeting Facilitation for Ongoing Work Groups

Before joining PPRC in 1997, Cathy worked in consulting and for major industries on environmental impact statements, hazardous waste facility permit acquisition, and regulatory training seminars. At Univ. of California, Santa Cruz she majored in environmental planning/community studies, with several "real-world" internships in city and neighborhood planning departments.

Cathy's enduring interests are sustainability, community-building, and transforming positive ideas into tangible reality. She volunteers with organizations like Whidbey Institute and the Center for Ethical Leadership, and serves on the board of Sound Circle Center: a regional resource for Waldorf School teacher training/adult education. Cathy enjoys time with friends and family, and diversions like travel, biking, swimming, reading, knitting and gardening. She continues to pursue the elusive state of Complete Basement Cleanout.

Michelle Gaither, Technical Research Coordinator

Michelle

Michelle is PPRC's resident super sleuth, who helps find answers to ANY type of question relating to pollution prevention and the environment. Her current projects include:

  • Integrating lean manufacturing and environmental methods for synergistic results
  • Developing assessment protocols for reducing toxins in schools and homes
  • General search on a variety environmental inquiries

Michelle has an M.S. in Environmental Science and a B.S. in industrial engineering, and career experience in both areas. The two disciplines complement each other in addressing environmental issues and solutions. Prior to PPRC, Michelle's work experience included: management of research projects for the Clean Washington Center to develop applications for using recycled materials; Support of the labwide "Environmental Sustainability Project" for Battelle / Pacific Northwest National Labs at the Hanford site; and, manufacturing engineering at a successful electronics company.

Beyond PPRC time, Michelle enjoys raising four children, organic gardening, playing and coaching basketball and softball, home improvement, and hosting dinner parties with her husband at their West Seattle home.

Ken Grimm, Industry Outreach Manager

Ken

Ken joined PPRC after working extensively in the manufacturing sector. He draws on this expertise while working with various industry sectors, and the challenges they face while simultaneously becoming more competitive and "green." Contact Ken for information on:

  • Technical and Regulatory Analysis
  • Business Drivers and Incentives
  • P2 Barriers and Opportunities in Manufacturing
  • P2 Results Measurement
  • Technology Diffusion
  • Environmental Management Systems

After leaving college, where his major emphasis was psychology (P2 is all about behavior change, right?!), Ken spent some time in the autobody trade before embarking on a seventeen-year journey in the metal fabrication industry. After stints as a lead painter and supervisor, Ken spent the last six years acquiring a hat collection which included ETC (Employee Transportation Coordinator), ISO 9000 Internal Auditor, Safety Director, Human Resources Manager, and Environmental Coordinator. He received an award of recognition from the mayor for his work as an ETC and has many years of no violation inspections from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to his credit, including one which called the facility a model company in the four-county area they regulate.

Outside of work Ken enjoys a variety of activities with friends and family, including fishing, camping, hiking, backpacking, cooking and motorcycle riding. He builds computers as a hobby, and currently has 20+ systems in the homes of friends and relatives.

Ana Simon, Business Manager

Ana

Ana is PPRC’s finance wizard. Other finance issues that she can help you with are:

  • General Accounting Issues
  • Grant/Project Management
  • Project Billings

Ana has a B.A. in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of the East, Manila, Philippines. She was a practicing CPA and was working on her MBA degree prior to her move to the US. Ana has more than 10 years local experience in working for not-for-profit organizations. Currently, Ana is reviewing for her Enrolled Agent License to pursue a career in tax practice.

Life after PPRC’s number crunching routine is: salsa dancing, karaoke and landscape design.