Circularity in Action: 2024 Copenhagen Delegation

Our first United States Sustainability Delegation to Europe led us to Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden to explore how organizations in these cities cultivate spaces for sustainable innovation, advance circularity, and co-create healthy, livable communities.

Our delegation of 19 professionals from ten states — representing various industries, including architecture, public policy, deconstruction, education, urban farming, and more — explored how Scandinavian cities are pushing green and social innovation. The seven-day program took place from April 14 to 21, 2024.

Day 1 - Copenhagen: Arrival

We kicked off the trip with a lunch at Gro Spiseri, a year-round communal eatery and urban farm in the Lyngbyvej Øst/Klimakvarteret district of Copenhagen. Gro Spiseri maintains their own rooftop garden, including a chicken coop, that directly supplies their seasonal menu with an emphasis on fresh produce and seafood.

Later, we enjoyed a 2-hour walking tour of the Nordhavn harbor district led by the Danish Architecture Center. Once a heavy industrial port area through the early 1990s, Nordhavn is now a dynamic, mixed-use neighborhood full of restaurants, apartments, design and architecture studios, and and of course, the waterfront. The master plan for Nordhavn prioritizes the retention and adaptation of existing industrial warehouses and heritage buildings, thoughtful and high-performing new construction, and people-centered transportation including diverse public spaces, promenades, bicycle infrastructure, and metro stations. At its core, Nordhavn is conceived as an “urban archipelago” or a series of dense neighborhoods on the water.

Despite the windy weather, we took advantage of the playground on top of the Lüders Parking House: a great example of how car-centric infrastructure can be rethought and intentionally designed to become a public amenity. We also stopped by one of Copenhagen’s many neighborhood recycling centers where residents can donate gently-used items to be re-loved by other neighbors.

Additional highlights of the tour included Frihavns Tower (Praksis, 2017), Nordøen (Tredje Natur, Vilhelm Lauritzen, 2024), The Silo (Cobe, 2017), and the headquarters of worldwide architecture firm BIG (BIG, 2023).

Day 2 - Copenhagen: Ecosystem Introduction and Bicycle City Tour

In the morning, we gathered at State of Green’s office in the heart of Copenhagen for presentations from State of Green, the City of Copenhagen, and Kalundborg Symbiosis. As the official green brand for Denmark, State of Green works to strengthen international awareness of the solutions and competences of Danish business and industry within energy, water, climate adaptation, and environment.

Monica Magnussen, the City of Copenhagen’s Head of International Affairs, presented on the history of Copenhagen’s transformation from a highly industrial port city to a global example of how a city can design for the health and wellbeing of its residents. A key takeaway from Monica’s presentation was the concept of communicating through infrastructure. Copenhagen officials frequently are asked by countries worldwide how they ‘make’ their residents ride bicycles as their (overwhelmingly) primary mode of transportation. Monica’s response: we make it an easy choice through them, through our infrastructure!

The City of Kalundborg is located on the western coast of Denmark, a little over an hour from Copenhagen. It’s home to Kalundborg Symbiosis: the world’s leading industrial symbosis, which creates profits through a circular approach to production. Several companies are co-located on a shared campus, sharing resources and spurring innovation to maximize resource use — including production byproducts that would typically be labeled as ‘waste’ in other regions.

In the afternoon, we took a four-hour guided bike tour of the city, exploring green spaces, innovative social infrastructure, and key urban redevelopments, including the Carlsberg District, the former headquarters of the worldwide famous brewery. Cycling through the city with a local was the perfect way for us to get a deeper understanding of several of the city’s neighborhoods - many which we would explore more in-depth in subsequent days.

Day 3 - Copenhagen: Full Day BLOXHUB Immersion

Our third day was all about circularity and sustainability at the city scale. We started at the heart of the waterfront at BLOXHUB, the Nordic hub for sustainable urbanization. BLOXHUB was founded on the belief that the challenges of global urbanization and climate change require new ways of collaboration. The BLOX building houses the organization itself, co-working spaces for several of their 350+ member organizations, residences, a gym, and the Danish Architecture Center. Here, we had several presentations from local experts making regional and worldwide impact in the built environment:

Ditte Lysgaard Vind, BLOXHUB - "Circularity and transformation in the built environment"
Lene Damsbo Brix, Circue - "How to compete with linear construction"
Enlai Hooi, SHL - Schmidt Hammer Lassen - "Future technologies for urban sustainability and livability"

After expert presentations on circularity and transformation in the built environment, future urban sustainability and livability technologies, urban design thinking and co-creation principles, our delegation participated in an immersive workshop led by Lotte Christina Breengaard. The primary challenges emerging were urban sprawl, affordable housing, and adaptive, inclusive infrastructure. Affordable housing remains a top priority, underscored as a fundamental human right. Drawing inspiration from innovative models like those in the Netherlands, our group highlighted strategies to enhance housing accessibility and comfort for all.

Later, we ventured into the unique self-governing community of Christiania, and finished the evening off with a lovely communal dinner at Hotel Kanalhuset.

Day 4 - Copenhagen: Tours of Special Projects & Infrastructure

We spent our fourth day touring special projects and infrastructure in different parts of Copenhagen. We started with a 3-hour walking tour of the Ørestad neighborhood, which features keystone projects like Resource Rows, Upcycled Studios, UN17 Village, and 8 House.

Next, we got a behind the scenes tour of the ongoing development of Fælledby, Copenhagen's first all-timber neighborhood. Actively under construction, our delegation got the special opportunity to visit the development’s showroom/office that doubles as a lab for nature-based materials they're testing for use onsite and in future projects.

Lastly, we visited the iconic CopenHill Waste-to-Energy Plant. This remarkable facility not only harnesses energy from waste but also serves as an recreation spot, most notably skiing without snow. We toured both the hill itself and the plant inside, watching the facility’s energy generation in real time. Fun fact: Copenhagen’s facility is so efficient and can handle such a high volume that several countries in the European Union import their waste to Copenhagen - which is a more overall sustainable option compared to landfilling materials in the host country, when considering the waste’s entire lifecycle and the detrimental impacts of prolonged methane gas released from open and closed landfills. This is another example of a commitment to collaboration amongst peers even outside of Denmark’s borders.

Day 5 - Copenhagen: Tours of Special Projects & Infrastructure

Our tours of special projects continued with a morning visit to VELUX’s Living Places campus. This project is challenging the industry to create responsible and regenerative solutions that benefit both people and the planet. Plus, we got an exclusive look at Living Places Copenhagen—a partner project for the UIA World Congress of Architects CPH 2023—where every detail is designed for sustainability and human health.

Joining us for a guest visit was the CEO of Stykka, Jarl Engelbrecht Vindnæs. He shared a deep dive into their circular furniture designs which are revolutionizing the role of furniture in both residential and commercial contexts, especially kitchens, which they’ve reduced from 350+ component parts to around 60. Their digital twin tech platform makes repair and maintenance a breeze for users and prevents substantial amounts of waste. Keep on eye on this startup - they’re actively exploring entering the United States market!

Next, we spent the afternoon on another exceptional walking tour led by the Danish Architecture Center. Building on what we learned on our bike tour on Day 2, toured the Carlsberg City District where the former industrial buildings are now given new life, and are mixed with modern construction and climate protection. Their flood prevention infrastructure using green spaces and innovative playgrounds doubling as temporary water reservoirs during heavy rain was a great example of multi-use, low impact spaces that maximizes land usage in dense areas — all while adapting to climate change.

We finished the day off by exploring the Frederiksbergmuseerne's Cisternerne. This underground well was originally constructed as a water reservoir for the city and has been transformed into a vibrant contemporary art space, showcasing art installations within its unique subterranean setting. This year they used the space for a sound exhibition by artist Taryn Simon.

Day 6 - Day Trip to Malmö, Sweden

We ventured across the Øresund Bridge to learn more about the circularity efforts of Sweden’s third-largest city. We kicked off the day with a presentation from E.ON about smart energy grids. Through advanced grid technologies, automation, and digital solutions, EON optimizes energy efficiency, empowers consumers, and paves the way for a sustainable energy future for Sweden.

Next, Varvsstaden welcomed us to explore their cutting-edge "Material Bank," a dynamic database showcasing the site's materials while highlighting the environmental benefits of recycling and reuse. With a commitment to circular construction, Varvsstaden identified materials within their existing campus that can be repurposed in other buildings, mitigating the need (and cost) for brand new materials. They shared insights into their process for inventorying, dismantling, and storing materials, ensuring every step is transparent, accessible, and measurable.

We learned about the City of Malmö’s impressive system to catalog reusable materials from buildings across their real estate portfolio and utilize an online marketplace and multiple warehouse to internally reuse and publicly sell materials. The results are sizable GHG reduction and cost savings versus purchasing virgin materials.

At Malmö Citadellsgymnasium, we glimpsed the future of sustainable education. This newly established school offers students the chance to shape a greener tomorrow while building traditions that stand the test of time. Bricks and other materials were reused in the construction.

Lastly, we visited Form/Design Center, the leading platform for architecture, design, and crafts in southern Sweden. Designated by the government as a national node for designing living environments, sustainability is built into the core of much of their existing work. We received a wonderful presentation from the Director, Dorte Bo Bojesen, and a great tour of some of the current exhibits, including "Planetary Boundaries" from the Royal Danish Academy.

Day 7 - Copenhagen: Final Day

Our final day brought us to the Danish Design Museum, located in a repurposed 18th century hospital. The Design Museum features exhibits on Danish design exports in furniture, art, fixtures, and more, plus exhibits that explore the human experience, our relationship with the environment, and how current design approaches are shifting to better prioritize the planet first. Our lunch spot was Oscar Cafe, a key LBGTQ+ restaurant located steps from the museum, which serves one of Copenhagen’s most recognizable dishes: smørrebrød, or open-faced sandwiches.

In the afternoon, delegation members paired off in groups for a casual day exploring additional places of interest, including thrift stores, several of Copenhagen’s major public parks and landmarks, and even a sauna on the waterfront. We convened for one last dinner together at Vækst, located in the old Latin Quarter. Vækst is part of a larger restaurant collaborative called Cofoco and celebrates local produce in a beautiful space designed to mimic a greenhouse.

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From Tamira Samuel, 2024 delegation member:

“For the past 1-2 weeks, I've reflected on the questions from The House of Green presentations, ‘What makes a good life? Who is responsible?’ While there are many answers, and some would argue money and success make a good life with responsibility starting at the individual level to the government.

When I think back over this journey - and my entire life - of what makes a good life...there is ONE answer...

PEOPLE.

I have talked about some of the values and beliefs of the Danish that make their lifestyle easy for many to adjust to. But that is only one aspect of community.

People determine what is of value, share beliefs, customs, traditions, and principles. People make the communities in which they dwell in and are a part of. People build cities. People make the moments that we exist in minute after minute, hour after hour. As the Danish Form/Design School stated, ‘People have been sustaining their lives for thousands of years through innovation - we are not inventing or doing anything new if we look back through history.’

David Suzuki, an environmental activist said, ‘The future doesn't exist. The only thing that exists is now and our memory of what happened in the past. But because we invented the idea of a future, we're the only animal that realized we can affect the future by what we do today,’ our choices as individual people and as a collective impact our ability to sustain the lives that will lead and for who comes after us.

I'm blessed that our delegation of 18 incredible professionals across the U.S. from 10+ states come from different backgrounds, ideologies, and perspectives. We had architects, elected officials, industry leaders in waste and recycle management, climate change, fossil fuels, sustainability development, construction development, and more all with ONE goal in mind to make our cities and communities BETTER for the PEOPLE who live and dwell in them.

This experience and our day to day lives are better because of the PEOPLE who are a part of them in every form - past, present, and future.”

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About Sustainability Delegations

Circular San Antonio’s Sustainability Delegations offer an opportunity for sustainability professionals to participate in immersive experiences in European cities that are focused on shaping greener, more sustainable urban environments. Open to professionals from all US states and territories, delegation trips cultivate transdisciplinary relationships with peers across the United States that represent geographic, cultural, and professional diversity. Our curated tours allow participants to engage with their counterparts in Europe, establishing transatlantic connections and relationships that can support collaborative efforts on both sides of the Atlantic.

We are now accepting applications for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 delegations! We will be traveling to Munich, Germany, October 13 - 20, 2024, and returning to Copenhagen in Spring 2025. Apply now to secure your spot.

Meet the 2024 U.S. Sustainability Delegation to Copenhagen

San Antonio, Texas, March 1, 2024 — Circular San Antonio is excited to announce the 19 delegation members for the 2024 Copenhagen Sustainability Delegation! These US-based professionals represent professional, geographic, and cultural diversity and will embark on a 1-week trip to Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden in April.

A collaborative effort between Circular San Antonio and BLOXHUB, this 1-week trip offers participants a unique opportunity to explore Copenhagen and Malmö's world-renowned circular economy and sustainable urban development efforts, including projects like Copenhill Energy Plant, Danish Architecture Center, Resource Rows, Upcycled Studios, Faelledby, Cisternerne, and many more.

GREG BENCIVENGO, Associate Principal, Slade Architecture — Originally from New Jersey, Greg moved to Brooklyn, NY after earning his Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University in 2013. Sustainability-focused initiatives have been key to Greg’s work ever since he designed a single-family Passive House renovation in Brooklyn. Thereafter, he led a materials research group while at Dattner Architects, served on the Steering Committee for the Design for Freedom (DFF) initiative through Grace Farms in Connecticut, co-developed parts of the DFF Toolkit, and most recently and currently co-chairing the AIA NY Committee on the Environment’s Materials and Circularity subcommittee with former colleague and friend Wei Wang.

Greg is an architect and Associate Principal at Slade Architecture. Greg thinks a lot about how our buildings have been defined by ongoing societal practices, how they have the ability to shape cultural shifts, and how two aspects contribute to a sense of place. He believes that a circular, integrated design model can reinforce this potential by redirecting efforts from the global toward the local and regional environment, economy and community surrounding building design and construction practices.

In his spare time, Greg enjoys biking around the city and upstate NY, skiing, reading short stories, learning the Italian language, cooking and trying new foods. In an effort to understand how architectural thinking can learn from other practices driven by a holistic outlook, Greg has volunteered with a biodynamic farm winery in Vermont for the last 3 fall harvests. As a side project, Greg and his husband are experimenting with making naturally fermented ciders this year.

TAMARRA CALLAHAN, Management Analyst, City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability — After studying abroad in Italy and earning a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Foreign Languages from the University of Texas at San Antonio, Tamarra began her career in the non-profit sector. She worked locally promoting Women’s Empowerment and Girl Leadership programs and traveled to Peru, Kenya, and Tanzania to conduct workshops on Rainwater Harvesting, Sustainable Feminine Hygiene, and Bicycle Safety & Maintenance.

In 2020, she earned an opportunity to work with the San Antonio business community on waste reduction, energy efficiency, water conservation, transportation, and recycling best practices which inspired her to enroll in a Professional Science Master program in Ecology & Environmental Sustainability at Texas Tech University. She is currently taking classes remotely and working full-time as a Management Analyst at the City of San Antonio’s Office of Sustainability.

Her current projects in her City government role include managing the EVSA, Veganuary, and Mayor's Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives programs. Tamarra enjoys singing, practicing yoga, and spending time with her two favorite souls: Cali and Weezer.

AMANDA CASTRO, CEO, Community Preschools — Amanda Castro is a Co-Owner and Chief Executive Officer at Community Preschools. While most schools were closing during the pandemic, Amanda launched Community Preschools to reach the families that often go underserved, especially the families hit hardest.

Prior to co-founding Community Preschools, Amanda was a certified professional midwife. She has a Master of Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Amanda's research experience spans from novel small molecule synthesis and design in treating different forms of cancer, to stem cell research, and viral synthesis and research.

While studying for her Master's degree, Amanda was selected to represent the United States at the conference of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany. During this trip, she was able to meet some of the most famous scientists of today as well as other young researchers from all over the world. Amanda received her Bachelor of Science at Stephen F. Austin State University and minored in biology.

As a child, Amanda grew up on a working Longhorn ranch. It was from this experience that Amanda gained appreciation for the importance of exploration to discover the world. Later, this exploratory spirit would lead her to spend her summers in Mexico, learning to speak Spanish and gaining insight into Mexican culture. Now, as a scientist, mother, and early childhood educator, Amanda strongly believes in the importance of early childhood education and the huge benefit of investing in children early. Passionate about her work, Amanda credits her success to dedication, drive and perseverance. She looks forward to networking with likeminded professionals.

JACIEL CASTRO, COO, Community Preschools — Jaciel Castro leads operational and administrative work at Community Preschools. He holds a bachelor's degree in Structural Engineering and is passionate about enhancing the operations infrastructure in the early childhood sector in a systematic way. He holds a second bachelors in organizational development from Texas A&M Commerce and a masters in finance from The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Jaciel managed operations for a charter in Texas for 6 years before realizing that the best time to make an impact in the community is in early education. He left public education to work alongside some of the brightest minds in Texas to close gaps in early education infrastructure particularly around finance, scalability of programs operating in low-income communities and alignment between the early childhood sector and public education.

The mission of Community Preschool’s is to become the nation's data-driven disruptor and validator of Early Childhood's best practices. He is a father of 5 young children, 3 of whom are learning Arabic full time. He is passionate about seeing the world, including through overseas mission ministry to refugee communities.

KATIE FITZHUGH, Director of Deconstruction, Re:Purpose Savannah — Katie Fitzhugh leads the Re:Purpose Savannah deconstruction team in the field. Her passion for architectural history drew her to a career in material preservation through deconstruction with Re:Purpose Savannah. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Architectural History from the Savannah College of Art and Design, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology and a Bachelor of Arts in History (emphasis in colonial American studies) from the University of Montana, where she also minored in African American studies.

Prior to joining Re:Purpose Savannah, she worked as an interpretive ranger at the Wormsloe State Historic Site for two years. She is chairwoman of the Friends of Wormsloe Volunteer Group and a member of the Leadership Council of the National Small Business Administration (NSBA), a small-business advocacy organization working to support small business interests nationwide.

FLOYD GODSEY II, Consultant and Project Manager, Godsey Contractors — Floyd Godsey II is a General Contractor specializing in Urban Agriculture. He has worked in Urban and rural farming projects throughout the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) Region. For the last nine years, Floyd has been active in addressing the lack of access to healthy foods in urban communities throughout the Baltimore area. He wants to help develop solutions that will increase the availability of healthy food options to local urban communities.

Floyd also partners with Nonprofit Organizational management institutions to help assess transforming blight into community green spaces, assisting local businesses, and coordinating community participation in significant projects. He's highly motivated and passionate about urban development. He is focused on strategies that would help increase the quality of life at an equitable level for the population in his region, with Baltimore being the first.

DUSTIN INGRAM, Director of Operations, Stardust Building Supplies — Dustin Ingram has been with Stardust Building Supplies, located in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area, for 8 years. He started off in 2016 as Pickup Assistant loading and unloading donations. He became Lead Pickup Driver a year later, and in 2018, was promoted to Deconstruction Field Supervisor were he oversaw deconstruction teams on job sites. From there, he was brought into the retail side as store manager in 2019. He started off 2023 as the Director of Operations.

During his time with Stardust, he has been able to work in every aspect of the organization’s operations. He is constantly trying to increase material diversion and reduce waste streams.

MARIE LOGSDEN, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Driven Plastics — Marie Logsden is a Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Driven Plastics. Driven transforms plastic waste into an additive that improves asphalt roadways. The resulting pavement has less cracking, rutting and lasts 3-5 years longer. The process can digest up to ten tons of plastic per lane mile of road without microplastic risk and less offgassing than traditional additives. She recently closed a 2.8m pre-seed round and entered the Creative Destruction Labs Climate Stream. Driven has installed 22 projects around the country. They operate a manufacturing facility in Pueblo, CO and just landed a spot in the R&D World Top 100, an Colorado Public Works Award and an Edison Gold Award.

Marie also owns a high volume consulting firm offering government affairs, growth strategy, values/brand alignment and communications support to startups, politicians, executives, celebrities, and activists. During the 2020 democratic presidential primary season Marie led strategic partnerships for Michael Bloomberg. Marie continues to advise a number of candidates, editorial boards, and transition teams throughout the country.

Additionally, she is building out a 2.5 acre organic farm and permaculture food forest at her primary residence, is co-owner of a music venue and bar called the Skylark Lounge in Denver, the Gravity Haus adventure hotel brand and an investor/advisor at Cloverleaf AI.

Previously, Marie served as the Chief of Strategy and Communications for Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, during which the administration built the fastest growing economy in the country and won progressive victories on issues such as climate, guns, equality, and health care in a bipartisan fashion.

Her current nonprofit board leadership includes Take Note Colorado, Colorado Outward Bound School, Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, Stand for Courage, Something Independent, and the Wright Awards. She serves as a mentor for Techstars.

BRITTNEY LU-JONES, Research & Organizing Manager, Redeemer Community Partnership — Brittney Lu-Jones is a Research & Organizing Manager at the South LA based nonprofit, Redeemer Community Partnership, focusing on building frontline community capacity and agency over land use processes. Brittney has spent her whole life in California - growing up in Bakersfield, pursuing undergraduate studies in San Diego, and eventually moving to South LA to work at a public education nonprofit, obtain a masters in public health and urban planning, and organize with Redeemer Community Partnership.

Living and learning in these cities instilled an appreciation for California’s varied landscapes, and cemented values in centering racial justice to advance health equity, environmental justice, and spatial equity. Her work now aims to organize with frontline community members and collaborate with the Stand Together Against Neighborhood Drilling LA Coalition to advance the phaseout of oil extraction in the City of Los Angeles, and reimagine brownfield sites into healthy spaces for community-identified needs and dreams.

She is excited to learn from and alongside this delegation about how to create sustainable and thriving environments. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time in parks and libraries, cooking and eating foods across LA neighborhoods, and spending time with her partner and their cat.

NANCY METAYER BOWEN, City Commissioner, City of Coral Springs, FL — Nancy Metayer Bowen is a distinguished Environmental Scientist and former member of the Broward County Soil and Water Conservation District. With a rich background spanning multiple government agencies and nonprofit organizations, she has consistently demonstrated strategic expertise in enhancing environmental conditions, water, sanitation, and public health programs. A dedicated advocate for those affected by water crises nationwide, Metayer Bowen has played pivotal roles in responding to catastrophic natural disasters such as Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Michael, and Hurricane Dorian.

Committed to making her hometown, Coral Springs, a pioneer in sustainability and resilience, Metayer Bowen spearheads innovative initiatives to address the escalating consequences of climate change. She envisions a future where small businesses thrive, advocating for the expansion of community industries like solar manufacturing and the establishment of tech hubs. Grounded in values instilled from a young age – community service, philanthropy, and stewardship – Bowen seeks to embody these principles as Coral Springs Commissioner. Her goal is to provide a balanced perspective while amplifying the voices of all community members, working towards a better city for future generations.

Presently, Metayer Bowen is championing equitable processes and outcomes related to clean energy technologies. A graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University with a Bachelor of Science and Johns Hopkins University with a Master of Health Science, she holds executive board positions with Avanse Ansanm and Friends of the Earth (FoE). Bowen also serves as a Commission Liaison to various committees and boards, including the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Charter School Advisory Board, Environmental Sustainability Committee, Multicultural Advisory Committee, Broward League of Cities, and Broward County Climate Change Task Force.

Metayer Bowen's contributions have earned her accolades, including the Top 20 under 40 by the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce, United Nations Clean Water Advocacy Award, and induction into the CLEO Institute Leadership Circle. Her unwavering commitment and leadership continue to leave an indelible mark on the fields of environmental science and community service.

KELLY MORRIS, Recycling Manager, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority — Kelly Morris is currently the Recycling Manager for Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority in Pennsylvania. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Management and has a diverse background that includes organic farming, yoga teaching, and project management.

DAN PEDERSON, Mesa Reuse Center Manager, Stardust Building Supplies — Dan Pederson has worked in retail management throughout most his of his life in numerous states and in different roles. His current role as the Mesa Reuse Center Manager at Stardust Building Supplies has continuously reshaped how he thinks about reuse and reconsiders what he is throwing away everyday.

In addition, Dan is an artist using mixed media to explore textures and techniques and use many recycled items to achieve different effects. He has shown throughout the western United States, both solo shows and group shows. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Chapman College in Orange, California.

STEPHANIE PHILLIPS, Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program Manager, City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation — Stephanie Phillips is an urban planner and policymaker working at the intersection of heritage conservation and the circular economy. She is the City of San Antonio’s first Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program Manager, where she administers the largest deconstruction ordinance in the United States, scales reuse workforce development, and advances local building material recovery and reuse through the City's Material Innovation Center at Port San Antonio. San Antonio's program prioritizes building material reuse as a tool for affordable housing repair, traditional trades revival, economic innovation, equitable access to high-quality resources, and cultural and community resilience.

Her work contributes to nonprofits and coalitions that focus on embodied carbon and circular economy policy and advocacy, including the Climate Heritage Network and Build Reuse. She is the co-founder of Circular San Antonio and is a 2023 J.M. Kaplan Fund Innovation Prize awardee.

Broadly, her work aims to foster collaborative, transdisciplinary, silo-busting partnerships that get us closer to creating a truly regenerative built environment. She holds a master's degree in Historic Preservation from the the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

BRIDGETTE POLLASKI, Analyst, RRS — Bridgette Pollaski is an Analyst at RRS (recycle.com), a consulting group specializing in sustainable materials management solutions. She formerly worked in county government where she created a comprehensive guide for residents on circular economy resources. Currently, Bridgette’s role at RRS centers on bridging the gap between the industry and the public through her knowledge in communications, videography, photography, data analysis, and logistics planning.

One of Bridgette’s key passions is connecting excess resources to those who want it. In a previous position at her university’s food pantry, she helped manage community donations and surplus goods from local grocers to provide to her peers. This experience ignited her interest in exploring opportunities in the space of reuse, seeking to better understand the network of surplus materials and gaps in access to goods.

As a first generation professional, Bridgette feels a strong connection to the principles of circularity. Some of her projects at RRS include working with two large public housing agencies, helping three states to maintain their circular accelerator programs called “NextCycle,” getting her hands dirty at waste sorts, assisting universities on their zero waste goals, and more. She consistently engages in a variety of projects and is always eager to advance her knowledge in the industry. Outside of work, she loves riding around on her e-bike, making oat milk lattes, and playing video games.

GRANT RODRIGUEZ AMLANI, Environmental Justice & Recruitment Coordinator, U.S. Plastics Pact — Grant Rodriguez Amlani is currently the Environmental Justice & Recruitment Coordinator at the U.S. Plastics Pact, where he works to broaden engagement with the U.S. Pact and embed environmental justice as part of a just transition to a circular economy - involving over 130 organizations from private, government, and nonprofit sectors. Efforts within this role include leading a workstream focused on environmental justice and an on-the-ground Solidarity Tour through Cancer Alley with a local organization to educate packaging professionals firsthand on environmental justice realities.

Grant earned a Master’s in Sustainability and Development from Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor’s in Geography at the University of North Texas. During his graduate studies, he completed a fellowship with Clinton Global Initiative University on environment and climate change, applying research on recycling policies at the regional level in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and promoted sustainability efforts such as ecosystem restoration and pollinator friendly spaces on campus. Growing up in a bicultural household and bilingual (English and Spanish) has led to a great appreciation for diverse perspectives and the ability to bring those perspectives into discussions. Grant was recognized as an Emerging Leader at GreenBiz’s Circularity23 conference last year.

TAMIRA SAMUEL, Co-Executive Director, The Urban Leaders Fellowship — Tamira Samuel is a dedicated servant leader. Currently, she's the Co-Executive Director for The Urban Leaders Fellowship and was a Director of Policy & Advocacy with TNTP. She has a reputation for renowned expertise in leading strategy, school intervention, design, talent development, and policy implementation. She focuses impact through human design concentration; has co-founded schools targeted in intervention; developed leaders, teachers, and coaches; and refocused strategy for organizations, teams, and groups. Tamira has extensive work in policy and education in more than 20 states ranging from school accountability and choice, teacher compensation, reconstitution, racial equity, regulation, collegiate housing, domestic violence response with school boards, city councils, state representatives, senators, organizations, and unions.

She has served on the What's Next Washington Employment Advisory Council and was appointed by Houston Mayor Annise Parker to the Commission of People with Disabilities in Houston. Her notable experience includes being the City of Houston Commission of People With Disabilities K-12 Issues in Public Education Committee Chair; Founding Campus Leader at YES Prep; BES Founding School Board Vice Chair; Houston ISD New Teacher Support and School Support Manager; Houston ISD DAC Parent Rep; HFT Policy Fellow; an Associate for Nashville Metro Government Mayor Karl Dean and the Beacon Center of Tennessee; Congressional Visit Lobbyist; and a Peace Child International World Youth Congress Delegate with General Governor of Canada, Michaelle Jean.

Tamira was a National Major League Baseball, PEOPLE Magazine, and Target Teacher All-Star Finalist and the 2009 Miss Black Kentucky USA. She has been featured and recognized by SHAPE Magazine, Glamour Magazine, Fortune Review Magazine, World Leaders Magazine, USA Today, Tennessee Titans, Chi Omega Fraternity; Houston Business Journal 40 Under 40, Bizwomen Mentor, and Women Who Mean Business Outstanding Leader in Education Honoree; Women We Admire Top 50 Women Leaders of Houston for her leadership and impact. Tamira earned her B.S. in English and MAT from Austin Peay State University; MPPA from Northwestern University; and was a Rice University Educational Entrepreneurship Business MBA Fellow for School Leaders.

WEI WANG, Senior Associate, Dattner Architects — Wei Wang is a licensed architect in New York and senior associate at Dattner Architects, serves as the co-chair of Dattner’s Sustainable Practice Group. Her focus lies in holistic building materials research, actively seeking ways to integrate findings into project practices. Additionally, Wei holds positions as the New York State Representative for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Young Architects Forum (YAF), serving as the liaison between the YAF and the AIA National Committee on the Environment (COTE), and co-chairing the AIA NY COTE Materials Health and Circularity Subcommittee. Wei is set to be a visiting critic at GASPP this year, contributing to a course on materials health, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA).

Wei believes in collaboration across all sectors to establish a circular infrastructure that fosters a regenerative future.

ALYSSA WILBUR, Program Officer, ICLEI USA — Alyssa is passionate about leveraging civic engagement and social innovation to strengthen communities and improve the quality of life for everyone. Through her role as a Program Officer with ICLEI USA, she provides direction and support to local governments, regions, and tribal nations seeking to achieve ambitious climate and sustainability goals. Alyssa leads ICLEI USA's Circular Pathway, developing technical assistance offerings and best practices guidance for local governments looking to advance more circular economies in their regions.

Alyssa received her BS in Environmental Science and Mathematics and Northern Arizona University and holds a Master's in Environmental Management from Western Colorado University. Before joining ICLEI, Alyssa worked for local governments in Colorado advancing sustainability work and leading climate communications and engagement.

Alyssa lives in Kalispell, MT with her husband Ryan, their dog Moose, and cat Nala. Alyssa participates in several local and regional groups seeking to strengthen community resilience and advance climate action in Northwest Montana. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her family, snowboarding, paddleboarding on the Flathead River, and exploring Glacier National Park.

HANNAH WILSON, Adaptation and Resilience Consultant, Arup — Hannah Wilson is an Adaptation and Resilience Consultant within Arup’s New York Sustainability team. At Arup, she utilizes her interdisciplinary expertise to help clients make design, programming, and funding decisions that work towards both social and environmental goals. She focuses on climate adaptation planning and design, multi-hazard risk and vulnerability assessments, climate justice and social equity integration, participatory and community-based planning, and disaster mitigation and recovery.

Prior to joining Arup, Hannah served as a Princeton in Asia Fellow in China where she worked with various non-profits, environmental organizations, and social enterprises. Following her time in Beijing, she designed, implemented, and managed digital literacy programs across twenty-three countries with the Kenya-based organization Lensational. In this role, she led multiple new programs including a Gender and Climate initiative seeking to elevate women's voices in climate action. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Washington and Lee University and a Master of Regional Planning degree from Cornell University.

CHRISTOPHER MOKEN, Co-Founder, Circular San Antonio and Founder, ReMat Enterprises — For nearly ten years, Chris has worked in the recycling & solid waste industry with a focus on circular economy solutions. He first became passionate about solving waste-related issues when he worked at the Lowcountry Food Bank in Charleston, SC. Being confronted by mountains of food waste while witnessing widespread generational food insecurity angered him greatly. Since that experience, Chris has been passionate about finding solutions that can both eliminate waste while creating a more sustainable and equitable economy.

Chris’s professional experience in the field spans government, global companies, and founding his own startups. He led the the development of a 20 Year Solid Waste Management plan at the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG); designed the world's first circular economy pet bed; launched a nonprofit to recycle mattresses; and assisted in the creation of post consumer recycled (PCR) content plastic supply chains. He also provides consultations for consumer facing brands seeking to implement sustainable business practices and circular business models.

Chris was inspired to organize this sustainability delegation visit by a group called POCACITO. For several years, POCACITO led delegation visits to Germany for sustainability professionals. Chris had the privilege to be part of the 2020 delegation and has since then wanted to recreate the amazing experience for others. Thank you Max Gruenig from POCACITO for the inspiration to organize immersive sustainability delegation visits!

Sustainable City Discovery Tours (Sustainability Delegations) offer an opportunity for US-based sustainability professionals to participate in immersive experiences across Europe that are focused on shaping greener, more sustainable urban environments. We are now accepting applications for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 delegations! We will be traveling to Munich, Germany, October 13 - 20, 2024, and returning to Copenhagen in Spring 2025. Apply now to secure your spot.