• About
• Speakers
• Registration
• Program
• Tours
• Sponsors/Exhibitors
• Young Professionals
• Accommodations
• Socials and Entertainment
• Symposium Committee Contacts

38th Annual SWANA Northwest Regional Symposium

April 18-20, 2023
Tulalip Resort Hotel

Each spring the Evergreen (WA and MT), Beaver (OR and ID), and Pacific (BC and Yukon) chapters hold a joint Northwest Symposium. Join solid waste industry professionals from a wide variety of specialized fields, where members come to exchange information and learn from technical experts.

The SWANA Evergreen Chapter is among the more active and diversely represented chapters in the nation. We have a positive reputation among members, neighboring chapters and the national organization for promoting innovation, supporting education, and taking on challenging technical and policy initiatives.

Our Board of Directors reflects who you are through its representation of public officials, engineering professionals, and commercial operators and haulers. Our members, sponsors and surrounding communities benefit from the energy we commit toward taking on tomorrow’s resource challenges.

Speakers

Keynote Breakfast Speaker

Wednesday, April 19th

Kelley Johannsen, Vice President – Republic Services

Read Kelley’s Bio

Kelley’s career has been challenging and rewarding. Its focus has been in B2B sales and service across diverse market segments. For the past ten years, he has managed multi-location sales and service organizations across the Western and Southern United States.

His career includes:

• Seamless integration of resources and assets during the Shred-It/Cintas merger
• Deployment of sales training that repositioned Western Region from 9th to 2nd in sales
• Turnaround of branch operations with a 244% increase in sales revenue
• Introduction of process improvements and cost reductions that repositioned underperforming branch to achieve No. 3 in the nation
• Empowered sales team to generate a 253% increase in sales in one year
• A successful launch of a commercial operation in Houston, TX

Keynote Lunch Speaker

Wednesday, April 19th

Kate O’Neill, Professor and Associate Dean – UC Berkley

Read Kate’s Bio

Kate O’Neill Is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California at Berkeley and holds a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University. She is known for her work on global environmental politics and governance and the global political economy of waste. She has been featured on NPR shows such as Fresh Air, Here and Now and Marketplace, and quoted in the Economist and other venues on waste and recycling. Her most recent book, Waste, was published by Polity Press in 2019. It looks at how waste has become a globalized resource. It also highlights associated risks – and the governance challenges this new global waste economy poses to authorities from city governments all the way up to the UN. The book includes cases on China and the plastic scrap trade, waste work and labor, the global political economy of electronic waste and food waste, and the circular economy. Professor O’Neill has also written a book on global environmental politics (The Environment and International Relations, from Cambridge University Press) as well as numerous articles. At UC Berkeley, she is the Associate Dean of Instruction and Student Affairs at the Rausser College of Natural Resources.

Keynote Breakfast Speaker

Thursday, April 20th

Alli Kingfisher, Organics and Food Center Supervisor – Washington Department of Ecology

Read Alli’s Bio

Alli Kingfisher is Washington State Department of Ecology’s Organics and Food Center Unit Supervisor. She has 20 years of experience working on a wide range of sustainable materials management policies, projects, and initiatives including post-consumer recycled content requirements, plastic packaging, and extended producer responsibility. Alli has a passion for working across sectors to find common ground and practicable solutions. Alli holds an MSc in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability from the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden. Alli is always game for a discussion on policy, the circular economy, or the plans for your next adventure. Please reach out to her.

Keynote Lunch Speaker

Thursday, April 20th

David McCary, Assistant City Manager – City of San Antonio. 

Read David’s Bio

David McCary is a past board member of Texas SWANA and the National Forum of Black Public Administrators. He was also a 2021 recipient of the SWANA professional achievement award. With 30-plus years of professional experience in the field of solid waste management, he is a liberator and mentor of sanitation workers and leaders around the country. He has directed collection operations for four major cities across the United States with great success. Cities like Houston, Texas; Durham, North Carolina; Tampa, Florida and San Antonio, Texas have all saved millions of tax and rate payers’ dollars through the advancement of automated collection technologies and innovation from planning and research development initiatives. McCary’s greatest accomplishment that he is most proud of is that he was able to achieve these savings from each of these cities without one employee being laid off. Because of his passion as a leader and mentor, he has advanced the careers of eight mentees who today are municipal directors across the country and overseas. He believes that employees are the greatest asset and that all employees should be empowered to master their craft.

Registration

Registration open in January.

Speakers and Sponsors will receive a code to use for complimentary registration per their benefit level.

Program

The symposium program will include sessions on:

• Organics Management Planning
• Aging Transfer Facilities Planning
• Waste Systems’ Financial Impacts (zero waste and funding opportunities)
• Emerging Landfill Industry Trends (PFAS, liner, leachate, and landfill gas)
• Sustainability and Recycling (life cycle assessment and EPR)

Download the Symposium Program PDF (subject to changes).

Tours (space is limited)

Our tours on April 18, 2023 include stops at: 

• T-Mobile Park 
• Lumen Field
• Georgetown Brewery
• Everett Landfill Redevelopment Project 

Download the Tour Information Flier.

Sponsors/Exhibitors

Your company or organization has the opportunity to showcase itself to hundreds of solid waste management professionals by sponsoring or exhibiting at the upcoming 2023 SWANA Northwest Regional Symposium in Tulalip, Washington. The symposium attracts delegates representing public and private sector organizations in the Pacific Northwest solid waste industry. Only sponsors will have the opportunity to exhibit.

Check out the Sponsor Guide for all the details on sponsor opportunities and benefits!
View the Exhibitor Booth Floor Plan.

Thank you early sponsors!

Platinum Level

Gold Level

Silver Level

Bronze Level

Meal Sponsors

Technical Session Sponsors

Friends of SWANA

Sponsor a Student

Young Professionals

Young Professionals Mentor Match Event

Have you ever been caught in a situation where you have a question that seems too dumb to ask your Project Manager or Client? Do you ever want to pick the brains of industry experts but have no idea where to start? Do you work in a setting where you’re the only employee with less than 10 or 20 years of experience? Are you curious who the most fun people are to drink with this evening?? All of these questions and more will be answered Tuesday night at 7:30 pm at the 2023 SWANA Northwest Regional Symposium’s Young Professional Mentor Match Event! Grab some drinks (must be 21 to attend) and swing on over after Tuesday night’s Social for our high energy speed-dating style mentor match event. You will get the opportunity to speak with several industry experts, meet other regional YPs, and open doors for future relationships and opportunities. Our goal is to provide YPs a stress-free opportunity to meet industry experts to develop mentorship opportunities, develop friendships with other regional YPs, and have an awesome after-party!

Accommodations

Tulalip Resort Hotel

The 2023 SWANA Northwest Regional Symposium will be held at the beautiful Tulalip Resort Hotel.

$139 plus tax for Deluxe Queen or King (Mon-Thurs)
$179 plus tax for Resort King (Mon-Thurs)
$199 plus tax for Queen or King (Fri-Sat)
(For guests who want to extend their stay for the weekend)

You may make reservations by phone (mention SWANA for group rates)
Hotel reservations number: 1-866-716-7162
(Online reservations at group code rates are not functioning at this time)

Socials and Entertainment

In addition to learning and networking, we love to have a great time. Don’t miss these opportunities for an evening of amazing food, drinks and fun.

Tuesday, April 18
Sponsor Social and Young Professionals Mentor Match Event

Everyone’s invited to the Sponsor Social from 4:30 – 7:30 in the Ballroom where you’ll enjoy complimentary drinks and food while networking with Sponsor Exhibitors and other attendees. Following the Sponsor Social, keep the party going by joining the Young Professionals Mixer.

Wednesday, April 19
Banquet and Entertainment

Our banquets are known for incredible food and amazing entertainment! You’ll enjoy close-up magic from Nate Jester during our no-host cocktail hour from 5:00-6:00 pm and again for a full show during the banquet from 6:00-8:00 pm.

Nate Jester is an award-winning Seattle-based Magician specializing in magic, mind reading, and comedy. Nate has devoted countless hours to mastering sleight-of-hand magic and stage illusions. His love for the art began with a single deck of cards more than 28 years ago. His professional abilities and personable character emanate throughout each performance. His impeccable talent has established him as one of the nation’s leading magical entertainers. With a list of clients including Microsoft, Pepsi, McDonald’s, Intel, Google, Facebook, and Nintendo, Nate’s reputation as the Ace of Illusions clearly speaks for itself.

Symposium Committee Contacts

Your Symposium Committee is dedicated to planning an exceptional event. If you have any questions or comments, please contact them.

• Symposium Chair
  Karam Singh | 321-370-3173
• Speakers
  Matthew Hobson | 210-439-8702
• Sponsorships
  Lewis Griffith | 253-573-2420
• Symposium Coordinator
  Jeannie Balducci Wolf | 425-348-1440

Contact the Committee

Past Northwest Regional Symposia