Lorrie Rossiter, Chair
Erth Products, Inc.

Lorrie Rossiter has over 21 years of experience with biosolids management programs and compost facilities in various capacities such as Compliance Director, Technical Services Director, and Public Relations Director. Lorrie is a Certified Compost Operations Manager (CCOM™) through the U.S. Composting Council. She has been a CREF Trustee since 2011.

Charles D. Duprey, Vice Chair
Naturcycle LLC

Charles Duprey is the founder and president of Naturcycle LLC, a firm focused on the sales and marketing of compost and engineered soils, providing material for landscapers, construction projects, and retail outlets. He also served as Vice Chair of the USCC Market Development Committee, and currently serves on the Seal of Testing Assurance Advisory Committee.

Jeff Ziegenbein, Treasurer
Waste Management

Jeff is the Senior Manager, Organics for Waste Management in California. He is President of the California Association of Compost Producers and has been recycling organics in the western U.S. for over 30 years. He has served as Project Manager for the Inland Empire Regional Composting Authority, operating the largest fully-enclosed composting facility in the country.

Monica Ozores-Hampton, Ph.D., Secretary
TerraNutri, LLC

Dr. Hampton obtained her B.S. in Horticulture from Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile; her M.S in Biological Science from Florida International University, Miami, FL; and her Ph.D. in Horticultural Sciences from the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Currently, she is the founder and CEO of TerraNutri, LLC., a consulting company that specializes in research on composting/compost and business development in agriculture.

Andrew Carpenter
Northern Tilth, LLC

Andrew is a certified soil scientist, certified crop advisor and certified nutrient management planning specialist and has extensive experience in research, planning and handling technical issues related to the reuse of organic residuals. He founded Northern Tilth, LLC an environmental consulting firm focusing on organic waste management and building soil health, in 2003.

Debra Darby
Tetra Tech

Debra Darby brings 18 years of expertise in organics to her role as a client manager at Tetra Tech. As the leader of the organics management initiative in Tetra Tech’s Solid Waste East region, Deb has become a Certified Composting Professional (CCP®) through the US Composting Council. Her extensive experience includes implementing organics management infrastructure such as composting and anaerobic digestion systems.

Kate Kurtz
City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities

Kate is a soil scientist with nearly 20 years of experience working with compost, biosolids, and other organics as tools to improve soil function, sequester carbon, and support a circular food economy. She serves as the organics program lead for Seattle Public Utilities in addition to managing the Utility’s natural yard care programming and supporting green stormwater infrastructure projects.

Tera Lewandowski, Ph.D.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

Tera Lewandowski is a Senior Scientist at Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, has over ten years of expertise in advancing growing media products through her background in mycology, ecology, and forestry. She specializes in optimizing compost use for efficient and sustainable plant growth and plays a pivotal role in the company’s dynamic innovation initiatives.

Tim O'Neill
Engineered Compost Systems

Tim is founder of ECS and has worked as an engineer, researcher, and innovator in the composting industry for 27 years. He also teaches Compost Operations Training classes on facility design and odor management.

John Paul, Ph.D., P.Ag.
Transform Compost Systems

John Paul has always been passionate about soil and the critical role of recycling organic matter and nutrients. Growing up on a dairy farm in British Columbia, Canada, he developed a deep appreciation for the land. After earning his Ph.D. in soil microbiology and biochemistry from the University of Guelph, he spent seven years as a waste management scientist for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. In 1998, he took the helm as president of Transform Compost Systems, where he designed composting systems of all sizes for various organic materials.

Rebecca Ryals, Ph.D.
University of California, Merced

Becca is an Associate Professor of Agroecology at the University of California, Merced. Her research program focuses on ecosystem-based climate solutions, particularly in agricultural and sanitation contexts. A major research theme is the capture, transformation, and beneficial reuse of organic wastes as compost and other organic amendments to increase soil carbon, improve soil health, and contribute to a more productive and just food system.