Meet Our Speakers!
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Crystal Bayliss, Director, Strategy & Engagement – U.S. Plastics Pact: With fifteen years of supply chain experience in the consumer-packaged goods industry, Crystal developed a passion for the circular economy as the rigid plastics procurement manager. In that role, she enjoyed educating and engaging both internal and external business partners to understand how their individual actions were critical to collective sustainability initiatives. Today, Crystal oversees the USPP’s progress toward Roadmap 2.0 Targets and Deliverables and leads several workstreams. She focuses on helping companies make progress on their circular design and PCR commitments as well as creating systems-level changes to increase the collection and recycling of plastic packaging. Crystal’s experience leading cross-functional teams and multistakeholder partnerships is helping the U.S. Plastics Pact bring together the entire value chain to advance the circular economy and solve the plastics waste crisis. |
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Autumn Buford, Community Reuse Program Manager – Perpetual: Autumn leads the co-design and implementation of a scalable reuse system in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Rooted in systems thinking and a commitment to equitable circular economies, her work bridges cultural insight, community collaboration, and industry expertise to create lasting, community-driven impact. Autumn brings experience managing the Living Landscape of Reusable Solutions and consulting on B2B reuse initiatives with Moss & Mollusk Consulting. She holds an MA in Global Sustainability from the University of South Florida and dual degrees in Marine Biology and International Studies from UNC Wilmington, and previously served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. |
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Megan Byers, Program Manager – Circular Design, U.S. Plastics Pact: Megan leads the U.S. Plastics Pact’s initiatives on design for circularity and elimination of problematic and unnecessary materials, and she helps our Activators prioritize packaging strategies for material reduction, reuse, recyclability, and compostability. She brings a strategic approach to the Pact, blending a lifelong passion for resource conservation with her love of data and design. Megan shares her time as a team member of both USPP and the Association of Plastic Recyclers. |
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Dave Ford, Founder – Ocean Plastics Leadership Network (OPLN) and Circle: Circle is OPLN’s flagship U.S. EPR and circular policy network. OPLN creates trusted, neutral spaces for the full packaging and plastics system to learn together and build shared understanding. Since its first expedition in the North Atlantic Gyre in 2019, OPLN has engaged more than 1,000 stakeholders across global dialogues on the Plastics Treaty, reuse, responsible recycling, and circular policy. In 2023, Dave launched Circle to give state legislators real-world exposure to circular systems through Study Expeditions and multi-stakeholder summits, with more than 100 legislators and staff participating to date. |
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Annika Furr, Program Manager – Reuse and Reduction, U.S. Plastics Pact: Annika graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Communication, concentrating in Design for Sustainable Packaging and also minoring in Packaging. Throughout college, she was actively involved in campus sustainability organizations and held several leadership roles. In 2025, she completed a Master of Science in Global Sustainable Business Management — an international program jointly offered by Northumbria University of Newcastle and the Amsterdam School of International Business. Her thesis examined the challenges of implementing in-store reusable packaging schemes for food and household products in European grocery retailers, uncovering key insights for long-term, scalable deployment. |
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Joseph A. Grzyb, Director of Sustainability – EFP LLC: Joe Grzyb (pronounced “Grib”) has over 30 years of experience in leading and growing early-stage, high-tech companies in the materials, semiconductor, and nanotechnology sectors. In 2019, Joe co-founded NatureKool Inc, a company developing hemp-based insulation for temperature-controlled shipping (eg. pharmaceuticals, meal kits, etc.). He successfully sold the company in 2022 and now serves as Director of Sustainability for the acquiring company, EFP LLC. Joe works with customers, regulators and other stakeholders to reduce the environmental impact of both EPS and natural fiber-based packaging. Prior to founding NatureKool, Joe was CEO of three venture capital-backed startups. Joe received his BS and Masters in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University. |
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Amy Lestition Burke, FASAE, CAE, CEO – Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA): SWANA is an association of professionals from across the waste and resource management industry. Amy is a seasoned association executive with a proven track record of building associations that bring together the interests of members, grow member value, enhance partnership collaboration, and increase revenue development. Amy previously served as the VP of industry solutions of the Consumer Brands Association, overseeing partnerships and collaborations with companies that support the consumer-packaged goods industry, which included the key areas of supply chain and sustainability. Amy lives in Centreville, VA with her family and enjoys traveling to show her children the world. |
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Cher Mereweather, Managing Director – Canada Plastics Pact (CPP): The Canada Plastics Pact is focused on convening stakeholders from across Canada’s plastics value chain who are committed to eliminating plastic waste and pollution, while advancing a circular economy for plastics. Prior to CPP, Cher was the Founder and CEO of Provision Coalition Inc., a food system sustainability consultancy, which was acquired by Anthesis Group. Cher’s career also included time with the Guelph Food Technology Centre (now NSF International) where she established and directed the Sustainability Consulting Business Unit, and she has held several executive positions in environmental economics and policy at the research think tank, George Morris Centre. |
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Mike Newman, CEO – Returnity: Mike designs and implements transformational circular logistics platforms for global brands and retailers, reducing the mountains of plastics and corrugated cardboard entering our waste stream while saving millions in packaging expenses. Over the last 20+ years he worked at the intersection of supply chain and sustainability, including directing the Sierra Club’s political operations in 20 states and building e-waste programs for companies such as Verizon, Walmart and Best Buy as the Sales and Marketing Vice President for ReCellular. Mike has an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and lives in Brooklyn, NY. |
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Megan O’Brien, Program Manager – Reporting & Strategic Projects, U.S. Plastics Pact: Megan brings a background in sustainability data, regulatory reporting, and corporate responsibility across sectors. She’s passionate about aligning data systems with environmental goals and helping organizations meet evolving requirements with clarity and purpose. At the U.S. Plastics Pact, Megan manages reporting and supports special projects that drive systemic change toward a circular economy. |
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Sarah Paleg, Director of Sustainability, AFNA – Amcor: As Director of Sustainability for the Flexibles business group in North America, Sarah collaborates with customers on their packaging sustainability strategy and leads internal sustainable manufacturing efforts. With a background in chemical engineering and deep expertise in sustainability strategy, she helps drive innovation and progress toward circularity in the flexible packaging industry. Before joining Amcor, Sarah was a strategy consultant, where she partnered with Fortune 500 clients to develop and implement decarbonization and sustainability strategies. Her experience spans a range of industries, giving her a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities in sustainable action. |
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Clint Pugh, Director of Resin Sales – KW Plastics: Clint has been with KW Plastics Recycling for 16 years. He began his career with the company on the Procurement Side, focusing on growing the sourcing of PP feedstocks. Eight years ago, he joined the sales team and is currently the Director of Resin Sales, managing HDPE and PP resin sales. Over the past six years, he has helped introduce three new Post-Consumer Resins to the market. Clint is actively involved in the Association of Plastics Recyclers. He graduated with a business degree from Troy University and played on the baseball team. Clint and Cortnee have two daughters who love dancing, gymnastics, and softball. When not coaching his girls’ sports teams, you’ll find Clint on the golf course |
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Jonathan Quinn, President & CEO – U.S. Plastics Pact: Jonathan brings over 15 years of industry knowledge and experience to the U.S. Plastics Pact. His lifelong passion for and leadership in plastic packaging, paired with his strong belief in a plastics circular economy, fuels his work toward the USPP’s crucial mission. Jonathan is recognized as an expert in many areas of plastic packaging, in particular flexible packaging sustainability, which is a key focus both of the USPP’s current Roadmap to 2025 and the upcoming Roadmap 2.0
Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science in Packaging Science and Business Management from Clemson University. Currently, he is the founder and Past Co-Chair of the Flexible Packaging Association’s (FPA) Emerging Leadership Council, serves on the FPA’s Chairperson’s Advisory Council, and is on the Global Board of Directors of the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA). In June of 2021, Jonathan was appointed to the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Advisory Board for Diversity and Inclusion. Most recently Jonathan was appointed in July 2022 to the Advisory Board for the Schools of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences at Clemson University. |
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Elizabeth Sheaffer, Director of Global Marketing Communications, Sustainability & Policy Compliance – Hi-Cone: Elizabeth leads Hi-Cone’s communications and sustainable strategy. With over 30 years of experience, she integrates sustainability, regulatory compliance, and the customer perspective to help shape Hi-Cone’s product innovations within evolving ESG and regulatory frameworks. She is passionate about the need to expand the recycling infrastructure through collaboration and work across the supply chain with key stakeholders. Hi-Cone, a division of ITW, is a global leader in sustainable multipackaging solutions for the Alcohol and Non-Alcoholic Ready to Drink (NARTD) beverage markets, partnering with major Consumer Packaged Goods companies to deliver innovative, environmentally responsible secondary packaging solutions. Outside of work, Elizabeth fosters golden retrievers for a local rescue, enjoys hiking, and loves to travel. |
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Margaret Spring, Chief Conservation and Science Officer – Monterey Bay Aquarium: Margaret joined the Aquarium in 2013 to oversee its US and global conservation and science programs, including all ocean research and policy work as well as the Seafood Watch sustainable seafood initiative. From 2009 to 2013, she held leadership roles at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, first as chief of staff and then as principal deputy undersecretary for oceans and atmosphere.
Prior to her tenure in the Obama Administration, Margaret led The Nature Conservancy’s California coastal and marine program. From 1999 to 2007, she served on Capitol Hill as senior counsel, then general counsel, to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where she advised members of Congress on ocean and climate issues and helped develop legislation on major science and policy topics. |
