Staff

Teresa is the Founder & CEO of Race to Zero Waste and co-Vice President of the Board. She is the strategic vision of the organization. She has worked with the organization’s staff, board, volunteers, and contractors to develop new concepts and make zero waste more accessible in public spaces. At the height of the pandemic, she worked on discovering new zero waste project opportunities and sponsorship funds. Her past project experience with RFPs and grants have led municipalities, non-profits, and institutions to significantly minimize waste streams, greatly increase composting of organic waste, save money through avoided landfill tip fees, and create green-collar jobs. In addition, she has over 15 years of experience developing zero waste systems by implementing reuse, waste avoidance, composting and recycling techniques for municipalities, special events, commercial businesses, and schools. Teresa holds a Master of Science in Environmental Management from the University of San Francisco and is TRUE Zero Waste certified.  

Jeff is the  Director of Operations  for Race to Zero Waste since January 2019. Jeff has over 15 years’ experience managing zero waste projects. He has provided operational expertise at door-to-door outreach projects, public space recycling, special events, and waste characterization studies. Jeff oversees all aspects of field operations and crew support for R20W. He manages field staff, project safety procedures, and training programs. He aids in partner support, is the liaison between project collaborators, and is effective in making zero waste systems more efficient. 

Hayden is a sustainability expert who has experience working in the US, China, Costa Rica, and Spain. She is the Strategic Director of Communications for Race to Zero Waste, streamlining goals and messaging for outreach, reports, fundraising, and special events. She has been involved in the zero waste movement since 2013, spearheading campaigns to advance zero waste and circular economy principles internationally. Hayden has experience in program development, environmental education and campaigning, project management, and conservation. She has an MA in International Sustainable Development from American University and an MA in Natural Resources Management from La Universidad para la Paz, and is also TRUE Zero Waste certified. She is a PADI Divemaster who is passionate about ocean conservation and marine citizen science.

Sherry originally started volunteering with Race to Zero Waste in the summer of 2023 and is now a Zero Waste Coordinator. She primarily manages zero waste education at Dolores Park and community events, supports Reusable Alameda (County), and reports zero waste data. She was previously a Senior Manager in tax at a CPA firm and still maintains her CPA license. Sherry is a certified Zero Waste Associate and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. She currently volunteers with The Change Climate Project on their Climate Neutral Certification and loves to eat delicious food and boba in reusable containers.

Mary is the Director of Marketing and Events for Race to Zero Waste. She is a small business owner and marketing professional. Her company, Tpui, helps artisans and producers from Latin America break into the US market through online marketplaces. At Race to Zero Waste, she helps to improve our social media presence, and works on events such as the Wild & Scenic Film Festival and Zero Waste Fest. She has also provided her expertise for campaigns such as Zero Waste Month. 

Allison has been keeping Race to Zero Waste’s financial records up to date since April 2020. Her primary area of expertise is with non-profit clients throughout the state of California, while also working with various businesses and personal clients. She brings 14 years of bookkeeping experience to Race To Zero Waste, with 7 of those years as a ProAdvisor.
Allison has always loved numbers. She finds financial troubleshooting, data entry, and monthly account reconciling quite enjoyable, and even relaxes at night working Sudoku puzzles.