Change and Growth with USCC Staff

By Eric Hudiburg

The US Composting Council has grown rapidly over the past years, in large part due to the growth in the industry and our members. In 2020, when I started at the USCC as our Membership and Marketing Manager, the USCC was beginning to pivot from a staff of four into what it has become today. Through five conferences, including one virtual show, I have been honored to be a part of such a dedicated and passionate group of individuals. It is not often that USCC staff get a byline in the Compost Communicator, and we chose to make an exception to the rule this time as this will be my last newsletter as a staff member. I will be departing from my role at the USCC at the end of May. Working for the USCC has been an incredible privilege, and I cherish the time I have had with all of my coworkers and the larger compost community. I will be shifting my focus and will be taking up an operations position at a local organics hauler in Raleigh. Though there is never an easy time to leave, I do so knowing full well that the staff and leadership team at the USCC has a steady hand on the wheel. In addition to my departure, there are a number of staffing changes and promotions that deserve recognition. 

Teri Sorg-McManamon, Director of Professional Development and Certification, Conference Program Director, has been named the USCC’s Deputy Director effective July 1. Linda Norris-Waldt, Incoming Executive Director of the US Composting Council, said: "As the industry and USCC's staff have grown, so has the need for a role to contribute to overseeing daily operations, championing programs and policies, managing staff, and representing USCC. With Teri's decades of work in the compost industry and her time here, she is a great choice for this position." 

Erin Carpenter joined the USCC in the fall of 2023 and quickly became a key player in our daily operations. Since her first conference COMPOST2024, she has taken on the nominations committee, office administration, conference administration and many other important but not seen responsibilities. Effective July 1, Erin Carpenter will now have the title of Business Operations and Conference Director.

Ksenia Dobbs joined the USCC less than a year ago and quickly dove into STA program support and membership projects. Ksenia’s efforts to assist members and the compost community as a part time Customer Services Coordinator has quickly outpaced her title. The USCC welcomes Ms. Dobbs as our new full time Member Services Coordinator. 

For the past year and a half, Daniel Ibarra has been the editor of the Compost Communicator and served as our Marketing Coordinator. During Mr Ibarra’s tenure at the USCC, the quantity and quality of the USCC’s marketing efforts increased notably. Mr Ibarra’s calm attention to detail made him a valuable asset to the team. Mr. Ibarra is returning to school in his home state of Georgia and will be studying law at Georgia State University. We wish Mr Ibarra well in his future endeavors and thank him for his time at the USCC. 

The USCC welcomes Chris Snow as our Director of Public Policy. Chris has experience as a public sector land use planner, and more than 35 years of public- and private-sector experience as a solid waste manager and organics recycling facility manager, as well as the chapter founder and leader of the Florida Composting Council. He has supported the operation of organics recycling facilities in Hillsborough County (public) and as Vice President of Corporate Operations for CRR and Veransa in Florida. 

In his roles, he has worked on legislation and regulation development in Florida, and for decades was one of the leads of Recycle Florida Today's (the State’s Recycling Organization) Organics Recycling committee, which focused on advocacy, policy, and regulation for the expansion of organics recycling in the State of Florida.  Chris has expressed a wish to use this experience as a template for state chapters and states across the country, which is especially important in this era, where state action will be paramount. Chris will work from his office in Bradenton (not far from Tampa), FL.