Product Sustainability USA 2024

Nidia Mariana Calvo Mendez joined Enhesa Product Intelligence's Expert Services team as Managing Analyst almost 3 years ago. She oversees regulatory content and service relating to products in the Americas, and coordinates the global analyst team from her base in Guadalajara, Mexico. Prior to joining Enhesa Product Intelligence, Nidia spent her career in industries conducting regulatory analysis and risk management mainly for Latin America. She also has experience in TSCA, GHS, performing audits, and obtaining ISO 140001 certification

In 2007, Rui assumed the role of director of commercial development – chemistry and materials –  at Queen’s University’s (Kingston, Canada) Technology Transfer Office, PARTEQ Innovations where he led the creation of GreenCentre Canada – the world’s first Green Chemistry commercialization centre.  Following his tenure as GreenCentre’s Executive Director, Rui rejoined the chemical industry serving as Chief Operating Officer at Fielding Chemical Technologies where he oversaw solvent recycling operations only to be drawn back into the world of technology commercialization as the CEO of FireRein Inc. where he led the development and market introduction of PFAS free firefighting foams.  Prior to assuming his current role as Director of Partnerships and Business Development at Change Chemistry, Rui spent 3 years in the biotech space with GlycoNet where he led partnership and business development activities in support of carbohydrate-based therapeutics development and commercialization.

Nhat Nguyen is a US licensed attorney with over 9 years of global regulatory compliance. He currently serves as the Chief Analyst for Enhesa Product Intelligence and leads a new department which provides further insights and solutions to Enhesa Product Intelligence's customers on regulatory compliance, technology and scientific data regarding chemical and chemical products. 

Mechelle Engemann oversees the execution of Syensqo’s Sustainable Portfolio Management Tool (SPM) designed to provide broad-based support to the businesses for strategic decision making towards sustainable solutions in order to seize value growth opportunities.  SPM is an enabler to build better business because it is safer and more sustainable. Mechelle brings over 30 years of industry experience, and is a seasoned sustainability professional with a progressive track record for fostering change. Since 2015, Mechelle has been managing Sustainable Portfolio Management across several Global Business Units and joined the corporate function in 2021.  

Joel A. Tickner, ScD, Professor of Environmental Health, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell and Director of the Sustainable Chemistry Catalyst, Lowell Center for Sustainable Production; Executive Director Change Chemistry. Joel Tickner is a Professor of Environmental Health where he also leads the Sustainable Chemistry Catalyst at the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, UMass Lowell which undertakes research, analysis, convening, and strategy to make chemistry safer for people and the planet. He is a leading expert on chemicals policy, substitution, and sustainable chemistry and has served as a trusted advisor to governments, industry, and non-profits for over 20 years.

Jennifer is a sustainable chemistry consultant with 10+ years of experience supporting clients in finding effective solutions for their global regulatory and sustainability needs. She has expertise in assisting clients with developing and implementing innovative sustainable chemistry policies and strategies, working at the intersection of chemical and overall product sustainability impact. She brings expertise to clients in the product development process by helping to embed sustainability metrics into R&D, developing criteria for safer alternatives and chemical management programs, and evaluating chemical risk assessments. Jennifer also brings a broad understanding of the global regulatory landscape and assists clients in conforming to a variety of chemical regulations, as well as understanding how new and existing chemical regulation can impact business.

Ruxandra defends industry interests towards legal and regulatory challenges to EU market access. Her practice is focused on EU regulatory law and litigation with a strong emphasis on product, environmental and sustainability regulations, across a large number of sectors ranging from raw materials (chemicals, minerals) to products such as electronics, consumer apparel, medical devices, cosmetics, food and food contact materials. Ruxandra also advises on supply-chain related matters, in particular environmental and regulatory. Although rules and regulations apply per jurisdiction, companies operate globally – her expertise and advice assist companies address global challenges and risks. Ruxandra’s litigation experience is extensive (she defended close to 100 actions before the European Court of Justice and before the Board of Appeal of ECHA), and she has formed and continues to act as a trusted advisor to more than 30 industry groups.

Dan represents clients in complex civil environmental litigation and counsels a diverse group of product manufacturers on compliance issues. His litigation experience includes all aspects of electronic discovery, expert work, and trial preparation for a series of products liability and toxic tort cases related to alleged groundwater contamination involving a gasoline additive. His product-focused practice is principally focused on two industries – information technology and pesticides. Dan advises information technology clients on state, federal and international legislation related to energy efficiency, product take-back, and green procurement. He assists manufacturers on a variety of compliance and market access issues.

Scott Cassel is a leader in the product stewardship movement, with over 40 years of experience tackling waste management issues in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. As CEO and Founder of the Product Stewardship Institute, Scott oversees research, design, and stakeholder engagement to develop and advocate for EPR policies. In 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) appointed Scott to its Marine Debris Foundation board of directors, where he works on policy, infrastructure development, and innovative technologies to clean up and prevent pollution of our waterways and ocean.

A well-known leader in the government affairs arena for more than 20 years, Dan has worked within the bottled water, credit card, healthcare, and information management industries. He is particularly passionate about environmental, sustainability and packaging  issues and has lobbied extensively in those areas at the state and federal levels. He leads the efforts of AMERIPEN – the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment – to develop and advocate positions for the U.S. packaging industry on issues related to packaging and the environment, using sound science and a philosophy of material inclusiveness.

Susan Bernard joined Battery Council International (BCI) in August 2022, where she advocates for industry on federal and state-level legislation and regulatory matters affecting industry and oversees BCI’s technical program. Prior to joining BCI, Susan built her career as an analyst at Wiley Rein LLP, where she provided expertise on regulatory and legislative matters to BCI and other clients regarding the manufacturing, disposal, and transportation of lead and lithium batteries and other electronic wastes. Susan also serves as the Director of the Women in the Global Battery Industry (WGBI), a multi-chemistry group open to professionals in the battery industry with a mission to bring women in similar industries together to derive benefit for themselves and their companies through relationship building, education, and shared knowledge.

Molly Blessing leads sustainability initiatives for the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA), a trade association consisting of approximately 240 member companies across the supply chain who make and sell over $180 billion of trusted and familiar products that help consumers and workers clean, protect, maintain, and disinfect homes and commercial environments. Molly has previously worked at Henkel Adhesive Technologies and Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.  She is also a former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Green Chemistry Program intern.  Molly has a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut, a Master of International Affairs with a concentration in Energy and Environment from Columbia University, and an M.S. in Product Stewardship from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Charlie works in the sales team at Enhesa Product. He's got 9 years experience selling Marketing Intelligence across several sectors, and has been in his current role for over 2 years. Charlie helps businesses stay compliant across the globe, and finds the variety the most rewarding part about working for Enhesa.

Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. is Director of Chemistry with Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. and The Acta Group.  Dr. Engler is a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is one of the most widely recognized experts in the field of green chemistry, having served as senior staff scientist in EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) and leader of EPA's Green Chemistry Programme. 

Doug Gatlin is CEO of Green Seal, a global non-profit organization with a mission to accelerate the adoption of safer, more sustainable products. For most of his career, Doug has developed and led programs that leverage the power of markets to solve human health and environmental challenges.  Doug has been part of the environmental labeling movement almost since its inception.  Working at US EPA in the late-90s and early 2000s, Doug was one of the founding members of the ENERGY STAR team.  From 2006-2018 Doug worked at the US Green Building Council (USGBC), where he led standards development for LEED and then later ran the Green Building Certification and the Professional Credentialing departments.  Doug holds a B.S. in Political Science from Duke University and an M.S. in Energy and Environmental Policy from Georgetown University.

Andy earned his Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After working at Northwestern University as a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow, Andy joined DuPont as a Research & Development chemist and served nearly 20 years developing new products, processes, and applications, as well as supporting sales, marketing, and manufacturing. In January of 2009, he assumed responsibilities for developing and executing global strategies for gaining regulatory notification and registration approvals for new substance commercialization. He is currently the Global Product Sustainability Strategy Leader at Chemours, responsible for the company’s Sustainable Offerings Corporate Responsibility Commitment Goal, which aspires to maximize the Chemours product portfolio’s contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Taylor joined the Enhesa team in 2019 and is currently working as an Expert Services Manager. She helps companies implement EHS regulatory content into their facilities and problem-solve issues that come up when trying to comply with all the EHS regulations that they have to deal with around the globe.

Lauren Johnson is the Global Sustainability, Product Stewardship, and Regulatory Leader at CovationBio. She works closely with internal teams and external partners to build CovationBio’s sustainability strategy and goals, supporting customers along their sustainability trajectories. She has 13 years of experience in sustainability, innovation, and strategy in the chemicals industry and holds a B.S. in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Sonia has been involved in overseeing compliance in the chemical industry for over 25 years. She started out as an QA/QC chemist in a pharmaceutical lab and transitioned to Product Stewardship/ Regulatory Affairs in the early 2000s and has never looked back. Her long tenure spans roles at The Dow Chemical Company, Nexeo Solutions (now Univar), Huntsman and Celanese. As of July 2021, she is the VP of Regulatory Compliance and Product Stewardship at Michelman Inc. - a privately-owned global specialty chemicals manufacturer specializing in water-based coatings.

Recognized in Best Lawyers® for Environmental Law, Lianne’s practice includes all aspects of environmental law with particular emphasis in counseling clients on regulatory compliance, risk management, permitting, and enforcement defense. Lianne routinely helps clients develop and implement strategies to improve compliance and avert enforcement risks before they arise. Where such problems already exist, Lianne has extensive expertise helping clients resolve enforcement matters in creative ways that rebuild relationships with regulators while creating strategic business advantages. In addition to her juris doctor degree, she holds a master’s degree in environmental studies.

Holly Evans is the Responsible Business Alliance’s Senior Vice President of Environmental Policy and Legal Affairs.  Holly comes to the RBA after serving as Microsoft’s Senior Corporate Counsel for Devices where she provided strategic advice and counsel on legal and market requirements covering environmental compliance, sustainability, design for the environment, circular economy, right to repair, responsible sourcing, human rights supply chain due diligence and ESG reporting. Prior to joining Microsoft, Holly founded and ran an environmental law and policy consulting firm for high-tech clients.  Holly also led the environmental programs of both the Electronic Industries Alliance and the IPC – two leading DC-based industry trade associations, representing the electronics industry value chain.  Holly served in both the US Congress as a congressional staffer and in the US Environmental Protection Agency as a policy intern. 

Rajesh completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from UDCT, Mumbai (Currently referred as ICT) a globally acclaimed premier institute for Chemical Engineering and Technology. During his 18 year career he has good experience in Basic research in search new chromophores for Dyes & Pigments and development  activity involving  different variety of Surfactants, catering to diverse industries  like  Coating, Plastics, Ink &  textile industries  to name a few. During his stint in Clariant, Rajesh has worked in Global Research Projects, where he developed a new Red Pigment C.I.Pigment Red 285 which was patented by Clariant.

Mike Schade is the Seinor Director of Programs and Strategy at Toxic-Free Future. Since 2013, Mike led Toxic-Free Future’s Mind the Store program challenging retailers to shift the marketplace away from hazardous chemicals and develop comprehensive safer chemicals policies. Prior to joining TFF Mike was Markets Campaign Coordinator with the Center for Health Environment & Justice (CHEJ) where he led campaigns to phase out PVC plastic, phthalates, and bisphenol A in consumer products and packaging, and led the Buffalo office of a statewide environmental health organization. He has a BS in Environmental Studies from the University at Buffalo.