The e-Stewards Leadership Council represents all e-Stewards stakeholders and provides recommendations to the e-Stewards program administrator in the areas of:
- Technical issues
- Business issues
- Policy issues
- Marketing and promotions (via the Promotions Committee)
- Membership of the Leadership Council (via Membership Committee)
Established in 2010, with a total of fifteen seats, the council is comprised of e-Stewards Recycler representatives, e-Stewards Enterprise representatives, and ‘Other’ representatives portioned equally.
Candidates for the Leadership Council can be self-nominated or nominated by the Leadership Council’s Membership Committee.
Leadership Council Members
Bob Akers
Bob Akers has been a community activist in the Kansas City area for twenty years. He has taken on a number of causes; environmental, education, arts, urban sprawl and youth sports. His first assignment at The Surplus Exchange was to launch their eWaste Program. The program based its operations on responsible and sustainable e-recycling, even before the industry began to shift to that direction.
Aaron Blum
Aaron Blum is the Co-Founder of Electronic Recyclers International, Inc., which was founded in 2005. Aaron has helped direct ERI from one facility in 2005 to seven facilities nationwide doing over one hundred million pounds of e-Waste recycling per year. He has over ten-years experience in the e-Waste recycling industry.
Cindy Coutts
Cindy Coutts oversees the growth and success of the Sims Recycling Solutions leading electronics recycling business in Canada. The business operates three sites that are equipped with the most advanced end-of-life electronics processing technology and service in Canada and the United States. Cindy also participates in Sims’ North American strategy development as part of the NA Executive team
Corey Harnish
Corey Harnish is the Vice President of Operations at LifeSpan and is responsible for managing the company’s global ITAD Operation, Compliance, and Logistics. In this role Corey focuses heavily on supporting internal and external customer needs and driving operational production, quality, and compliance. Corey has comprehensive knowledge of e-Stewards, R2/RIOS, ISO 14001, and a passion for developing high performing, lean organizations, leaders, and teams.
Todd Zegers
Todd Zegers leads all of CloudBlue‘s direct and channel sales, partnerships and marketing efforts. Todd has been in the IT industry for over fifteen years, with ten-years experience specifically focused on asset recovery and disposal. His collective experience in the multiple facets of the IT industry give him a well-rounded perspective of the asset refresh and decommission needs of enterprise companies.
Johnson Choo
Johnson Choo works at LG Electronics as a manager with the Standards and Environmental Affairs team. He oversees the electronics take-back program in the US, including ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements; managing LG’s product stewardship program to implement certification policy; serving as the primary interface with e-waste recyclers, including conducting on-site audits; and, managing consumer awareness and corporate reporting efforts. Johnson has worked for LG Electronics for ten years, originally in Korea and now in the US.
Reed Kaiser
Reed Kaiser leads the asset management team at the Apollo Group(parent company of University of Phoenix, Institute of Professional Development, among other private education providers), which is now among the top one hundred greenest of the largest United States companies, according to Newsweek magazine. Reed is a Certified IT Asset Manager, Certified Software Asset Manager, and a Certified Hardware Asset Manager Professional.
Stephanie Rico
Stephanie Rico focuses on external engagement for Wells Fargo’s Environmental Affairs, and she oversees Wells Fargo’s greenhouse gas emissions accounting. She’s been driving positive change, including supporting issues such as resource management, healthcare, education and the environment, for over fifteen years.
Sandy Freeman
Sandy Freeman is a senior product manager for Iron Mountain Information Management Iron Mountain. In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing the strategy for Iron Mountain’s Data Backup & Recovery business line. Her general focus is creating new offerings that will allow customers to effectively manage and protect their information throughout its lifecycle, whether active or decommissioned. Information security is fundamental to Sandy’s work.
Sego Jackson
Sego Jackson is a Principal Planner with Snohomish County in Washington State. Sego has an extensive background in product stewardship and electronic product management. He represented local governments as one of fifteen government negotiators in the National Electronic Product Stewardship Initiative. Sego has been instrumental in developing local, state and national policies, pilots and programs related to electronics.
Lisa Sepanski
Lisa Sepanski has been with the King County, WA Solid Waste Division since 1989 and has worked on electronics recycling and product stewardship issues since 1996. In 2000, she started the Take it Back Network, a network of businesses and non-profit organizations that collect unwanted electronic products from the public for reuse or recycling. Lisa was involved in the development the WA electronic product recycling legislation that passed in 2006.
Martin Tull
Martin Tull is the Executive Director of the Green Sports Alliance. He oversees all environmental impact reduction strategies, strategic alliances and membership programs. Martin led the formation and growth of the Alliance from the founding six pro sports teams to nearly one hundred fifty teams and venues today.