Liz joined the Illinois Environmental Council as its first Zero Waste Policy Manager in May 2023. She oversees IEC’s advocacy, coalition-building, relationships, and organizing efforts related to zero waste issues throughout the state and helps IEC advance equitable legislation that reduces the use of natural resources and wasted material. Liz promotes innovation and action on source reduction, recycling, and composting and develops position and strategy analyses on how other states’ and cities’ policies could be implemented in Illinois and the city of Chicago.
Liz works to increase the diversion and composting of all organics in the state through the Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition, where she is the Co-Chair of the Policy Committee and a Board Member. Liz also works to decrease the production, sale, and use of single-use plastics in the state through the Coalition for Plastic Reduction, where she is the Chair of the Policy Committee and a Steering Committee Member. In December 2023, Liz was appointed to the Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment Advisory Council, which will help lay the foundation for sound packaging and paper product stewardship legislation in the state. In February 2024, Liz kicked off IEC’s new Landfill Methane Emissions Coalition, which works to reduce methane emissions from landfills through upstream and downstream policy solutions.
Prior to joining IEC, Liz worked increasingly on sustainability and zero waste initiatives personally and professionally. While practicing trademark law for 20 + years, she established Green Teams at local schools, founded Go Green Winnetka, a non-profit citizens’ environmental group, and was appointed to her community’s Environmental and Forestry Commission. Since stepping away from the practice of law in 2019, Liz worked for Collective Resource Compost, a woman-owned food scrap hauling company, and has become an active member of the U.S. Composting Council.
When she’s not working, you’ll find Liz with her husband, three kids, and two dogs. She loves being outside, especially but not only in the summer, whether it’s walking, biking, boating, hiking, or reading. Her roots are in Illinois, and she is very excited to be part of IEC.