WRRA Board of Directors in Washington
Board of Directors
The WRRA board of directors in Washington oversees the strategic direction of the Washington Refuse & Recycling Association. Comprising representatives from member companies, this board collaborates closely with our dedicated staff and consulting team to advance our mission of sustainable waste management.
The Washington Refuse & Recycling Association is overseen by a Board of Directors formed by representatives from member companies.
Brad Lovaas - Executive Director
Brad has served as WRRA’s executive director since WHEN. Before joining the WRRA, he served as WHAT.
Rod Whittaker – In-House Counsel & Policy Advisor
Rod has served as WRRA’s in-house counsel and policy advisor since WHEN. Before joining the WRRA, he served as WHAT.
India Brine - Legislative & Regulatory Policy Analyst
India has served as WRRA’s legislative and regulatory policy analyst since WHEN. Before joining the WRRA, she served as WHAT.
Alexis Abruscato – Administrative Assistant
Alexis has served as WRRA’s administrative assistant and event coordinator since 2024. Before joining the WRRA, she had a 17-year career in the hospitality industry, focused largely on events. She holds a BS in Hotel Management from UNLV.
Vicki Christophersen – Lobbyist
Vicki has served as WRRA’s contract lobbyist since WHEN.
Nick Streuli – Lobbyist
Nick has served on WRRA’s lobbying team since WHEN. Before joining the WRRA, he served as WHAT.
Aaron Pickus – Public Affairs Communications
Aaron supports WRRA’s public affairs communications and media relations. He lives in West Seattle with his wife, daughter, and son.
The WRRA Board of Directors meets regularly. Its subcommittees include: LIST. In addition to regular engagements with policymakers in Olympia and local jurisdictions, the WRRA hosts an annual conference for its members each year.
BOARD PRESIDENT, 2026-2027
Calvin Den Hartog, Nooksack Valley Disposal
Calvin serves as the Vice President at Nooksack Valley Disposal in Lynden.
BOARD VICE PRESIDENT, 2026-2027
Marc Torre, Sunshine Disposal & Recycling
Marc serves as the President & CEO at Sunshine Disposal & Recycling in Spokane Valley.
BOARD TREASURER, 2026-2027
Michael Dietrich, Consolidated Disposal Service, Inc.
Michael serves as the President at Consolidated Disposal
Service, Inc in Ephrata.
BOARD DIRECTOR, 2025-2028
Adam Balogh, Waste Connections
Adam serves as the Division Vice President at Waste Connections in Fife.
BOARD DIRECTOR, 2026-2029
Stephan Banchero III, Cedar Grove Composting
Stephan serves as the President at Cedar Grove
Composting in Seattle.
BOARD DIRECTOR, 2025-2028
Steve Brum, Recology
Steve serves as the VP, PNW Regional Manager at Recology in Seattle.
BOARD DIRECTOR, 2026-2029
Ted Carlson, Sanitary Service Company
Ted serves as the General Manager at Sanitary Service Company in Bellingham.
BOARD DIRECTOR, 2026-2029
Larrah Charlo, Naslund Disposal Service
Larrah serves as the General Manager at Naslund Disposal Service in Clarkston.
BOARD DIRECTOR, 2025-2028
Heather Church, Bainbridge Disposal
Heather is the Owner of Bainbridge Disposal in Bainbridge Island.
BOARD DIRECTOR, 2026-2029
Ryan Lawler, Republic Services
Ryan serves as the Area President at Republic Services in Redmond.
BOARD DIRECTOR, 2024-2027
Chris Reigelsperger, WM
Chris serves as Area Manager- Government Affairs at WM in Kirkland.
Active Engagement and Collaboration
The WRRA Board of Directors conducts regular meetings and engages consistently with policymakers in Olympia and local jurisdictions. Additional committees, such as the Government Affairs Committee, focus on specific areas of action.
The Association also hosts an annual Legislative Reception & Day on the Hill at the Capitol Campus each February, where members get the opportunity to talk directly with lawmakers on the topics that matter most to the communities they serve.
Each summer, the association hosts an Annual Meeting to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among its members, as well as attending legislative and state agency partners.
STAFF
The day to day operations of the Washington Refuse & Recycling Association are conducted by its staff and consultant team.
jason lewis
incoming Executive Director
Brad Lovaas
Executive Director
Rod Whittaker
In-House Counsel & Policy Advisor
India Brine
Legislative & Regulatory Policy Analyst
Alexis Abruscato
Admin Assistant/Event Coordinator
vicki christophersen
lobbyist
Christophersen, Inc.
nick streuli
lobbyist
sundial advocacy
aaron pickus
communications
pickus communications
WRRA VALUES
Priorities can change, but values are fundamental. WRRA and its members uphold safety as a core value in policies and practices. Safety bulletins and best practices are distributed regularly to members as the association’s member companies regularly evaluate safety practices for workers and the public they serve.
Solid waste, recycling and organics are closely woven into the values of environmental stewardship in communities across the Pacific Northwest. The WRRA further invests in those same communities by recognizing leaders in the solid waste industry with annual recognition awards.
MEMBERS
Our Member companies are organizations offering solid waste management, collection, recycling, materials processing, and composting services to the communities of Washington State, ranging from family owned companies to larger nationwide organizations.
Our Associate Member companies are organizations that offer supporting equipment and services to our members.
Member companies
Associates
WRRA mission statement
To promote and preserve the current regulatory system of solid waste management in Washington…and to promote environmentally and economically sustainable solid waste and recycling services within that system.
history of wrra
Originally established in 1947 as the King County Garbage Companies Association, the Washington Refuse & Recycling Association has evolved over the decades into the primary trade association representing solid waste and recycling companies operating in Washington State within the regulatory system. The nearly 80-year evolution of the organization includes several name changes that reflected the evolving purpose and goals of the organization as the solid waste and recycling industries moved forward towards what they are today.
Since its founding, WRRA has worked to inform policies for the safe handling of waste, environmental stewardship, and partnerships with consumers to divert materials from landfills. A major milestone was the launch of curbside service in major cities, such as Seattle.
Modest family-owned companies and publicly traded corporations all worked under the regulatory umbrella of state agencies and local jurisdictions to make recycling increasingly accessible to consumers under this major new approach to solid waste management. Additional major advocacy milestones since its founding include:
•1961 – Washington State enacted comprehensive legislation regulating the collection and transportation of solid waste, which created the “G-Certificate.”
• 1989 – Waste Not Washington Act
• 2004 – WSDOE Issues “Beyond Waste Plan”
• 2005 – Legislature re-regulates the “collection and transportation of commercial recyclables.”
• 2022 – Organics Management Law is passed, aiming to reduce organics disposal by 75% by 2030
• 2024 – Organics Management Law 2.0 is passed, focusing on residential services by 2030
• 2025 – Organics Management Law 3.0 is passed, addressing bin standardizations and multi-family collection plans
• 2025 – Recycling Reform Act passed, setting up an Extended Producer Responsibility program for consumer packaging by 2030