Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is excited to welcome the newest members to the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC)! SWAC is a dynamic and essential group dedicated to shaping the future of waste management in our city.
SWAC plays a vital role in guiding SPU’s work on solid waste management, offering informed recommendations and advice on projects, programs, and policies. The 14-member advisory body is made up of passionate individuals who bring diverse perspectives and expertise from across Seattle. Whether they’re professionals in the field or community members with personal experience, each member contributes to ensuring that our city continues to lead in waste prevention, recycling, composting, and responsible disposal.
Through their collaboration with SPU’s Solid Waste team, SWAC members provide feedback on the city’s recycling, compost, and waste programs. They review policies, programs, and ordinances to ensure they align with Seattle’s long-term goals, all while advocating for environmental justice and sustainability.
We are grateful for the time and expertise all SWAC members bring. Learn more about each of our members on our Solid Waste Advisory Committee website.
Join us in welcoming our newly appointed SWAC members as they help shape the future of waste management in Seattle!
Alissa Campbell currently serves as the Government Affairs Manager for Recology. She is excited about the opportunity to connect with and learn from SWAC and share insights from the broad and diverse range of SPU customers she has served while conducting solid waste outreach in Seattle over the past three years. Alissa is a member of Seattle’s Duwamish Valley Resilience District Advisory Group, the Washington Organic Recycling Council (WORC), and the Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA).
Melanie Coerver brings over two decades of experience in the environmental sector, including leading climate and sustainability efforts at SDOT, teaching environmental policy at a Beijing university, and currently as a manager at Boeing, where she works to reduce the company’s Scope 1 GHG emissions. Melanie is excited about the opportunity to partner with SPU and SWAC in support of equitable, data-driven solutions. Melanie is a founding member and President of the Beacon Food Forest and a member of the Cheasty Greenbelt Project Advisory team.
Shelly Crocker is a long-time Seattle resident and recent commercial mixed-use property owner. She brings extensive expertise from her legal background and a consumer’s viewpoint to SWAC’s work on behalf of her neighbors, fellow small businesses, and landlords. Shelly’s nonprofit board experience, with a focus on housing and homelessness, is an asset to SWAC. She is currently a director at Bellwether Housing, an affordable housing provider, where she chairs the Real Estate Committee. In addition, Shelly sits informally on a public safety task force in the Greenwood neighborhood convened by Councilmember Dan Strauss.
Tareq Fayyad is an environmental educator and consultant at Trillium Sustainability, where he supports clients in achieving their sustainability goals. As a graduate of the Master Composter/Sustainability Steward program and a member of the BIPOC community, Tareq is eager to help bridge gaps between community needs and SPU’s solid waste programs and services. Tareq currently volunteers at Kubota Garden Foundation, Friends of the Waterfront Park, Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetland, Tilth Alliance, Green Seattle Partnership, and the Rainier Beach Community Club.
Paige Madden is a project coordinator for a local architecture practice. She helps navigate the permitting process and consults with engineers and designers on code requirements across jurisdictions, all while learning to draft architectural drawings. Paige also brings experience from a variety of industries including construction, transportation and community organizing. She has organized and participated in multiple recycling and waste mitigation efforts throughout the years. Outside of her work and volunteering, she is passionate about cycling and public art. Her dream is to one day design and implement community-focused public restrooms.
Lisa Watkins holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering with a focus on plastic pollution and currently serves as the Communications Science Lead at Washington SeaGrant. As a trained facilitator, Lisa is passionate about supporting SPU’s efforts to keep community voices at the forefront of policy development. Lisa volunteers with the Seattle Aquarium and Ballard-Fremont Greenways and serves on NOAA’s Marine Debris Action Plan steering committee.
Karia Wong serves as the Family Resource Director at the Chinese Information & Service Center (CISC). Karia is eager to support SPU’s community-centered, zero-waste vision by working with SWAC to advocate for more cultural and linguistic resources for Seattle’s non-English and limited English-speaking communities. With deep ties to the communities she serves, Karia’s enthusiasm for proactive, solution-oriented community outreach will be an asset as SWAC tackles topics ranging from waste prevention to extended producer responsibility.