New slate of officers for the Northeast Recycling Council

With the beginning of the fiscal year NERC has a new slate of Executive Officers. Kaley Laleker, Maryland Department of the Environment steps up to the President of the Board position, having previously served as the Vice President. Kaley is the Deputy Director of the Land and Materials Administration. The Land and Materials Administration includes the Solid Waste, Resource Management, Oil Control, Lead Poisoning Prevention, Mining, and Land Restoration Programs. Kaley formerly worked in the Resource Management Program, primarily on composting and other recycling issues, and in the Director’s Office on regulations, legislation, and other issues affecting the Land Management Administration's work. She has a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law and has been with the Department for 5 years.

New to the Executive Officers is Megan Pryor, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, who will serve as the Vice President. Megan is an Environmental Specialist with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, where she oversees and administers the paint, mercury thermostat, and mercury lamp product stewardship programs. Megan provides outreach, education, and technical assistance, working with municipalities and businesses to meet specific situational needs in waste reduction and recycling efforts.

Megan is currently pursuing a Certificate of Graduate Study in Sustainable Development at the Muskie School of Public Service. Megan graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern Maine with a BA in Environmental Planning and Policy.

Richard Watson, Delaware Solid Waste Authority will continue as the Treasurer. Rick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA). He leads the organization which is responsible for managing all municipal solid waste, recycling, household hazardous waste, electronic waste and other special waste programs for the entire State of Delaware. He joined DSWA in 1981 as a project engineer for Delaware’s first double lined sanitary landfill. Through the next 35 years he has overseen design, construction, and operation of solid waste projects, including landfills, transfer stations, landfill gas control systems, and various recycling projects.

He holds a BS Degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Clarkson University and a MS Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware. He has been a Professional Engineer in Delaware since 1983 and received his BCEE certification in 1996 from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists. He has been a member of several professional organizations including SWANA, ISWA, AAEES, ASCE, NSPE, WEF and NERC. He has served as Treasurer, Vice President and President of NERC in the recent past.

NERC is a non-profit organization that conducts research, projects, training, and outreach on issues associated with source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and environmentally preferable purchasing.