Speakers Bureau Presentation Request

Is your community group, business, HOA, school, faith community, or conference looking for an engaging speaker on environmental topics? Look no further! The Clean Fairfax Speakers Bureau offers presentations on numerous subjects. Read our speaker bios below and choose a topic that interests you most. Then fill out the request form at the bottom of the page. We will get back to you as soon as we are able. Please allow as much time as possible before your requested date to increase the chances of getting scheduled.

If there is a topic you don’t see below, email us at community@cleanfairfax.org and we will accommodate if we can or connect you with another colleague. And here are a few other speakers bureaus to check out in the Northern Virginia area.

If you are a subject matter expert on sustainability/environmental issues and would like to be added to our speakers list, please fill out the Speaker Interest Form and we will be in touch!

Speakers

Jennifer Cole, Executive Director, Clean Fairfax

Bio

Jen holds a BA in Creative Non-Fiction Writing from Vermont College, a Master’s in Public Administration with an emphasis on Urban Environmental Policy from Norwich University, a Certification in Advanced Sustainable Business Practices from University of Vermont, and is PADI Open Water certified.

She originally hails from Providence, RI, where she worked as the Director of Groundwork Providence, an agency whose programs include street tree plantings, community gardens, recycling education, neighborhood cleanups, brownfields remediation, and “Green Collar” job training. She spent 8 years as Director of the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program, responsible for replanting over 500 2-3” caliper street trees every year with the City’s Urban Forestry Department and volunteers, and 4 years as the Advocacy Coordinator for the Rhode Island office of Conservation Law Foundation. Jen also served a five-year term as the Mayor’s appointee to the Providence City Plan Commission between 2003-2008.

Jen has been the Executive Director of Clean Fairfax since 2009. She is the Past President of the Virginia Council on Litter Prevention and Recycling, led the Fairfax County’s Litter Task Force, and is an active member of several County committees and teams focusing on the environment as well as a member of The Virginia Conservation Network, The Plastic Pollution Prevention Network, and the Virginia Coastal Alliance. In 2021 she was appointed to Virginia’s Plastic Waste Prevention Advisory Council.

Jen lives in Prince William County with her husband, 2 dogs, 7 cats, and 2 hives of bees, where she writes and records podcasts about food and community, makes jam, gardens aggressively, plays rotisserie league fantasy baseball, and roasts coffee. She enjoys snorkeling, SCUBA diving and horseback riding. When she isn’t doing all that, she serves on Prince William County’s Animal Control Advisory Committee representing the Gainesville District.

Example Talk Titles

Getting to Greener (at your home or work)
Why Environment Matters
Environmental Advocacy 101
How Environmental Policy Works (Bag Tax/Ban)
The Economics of Good Environmental Policy 101
Greenwashing: How to spot it and why it is bad
Introduction to Sustainability
5 Things You Can Do To Save The Planet
Getting Beyond Photo-Ops: How your business can be an environmental leader in the community

Eleanor Kluegel (she/her), Clean Streams Coordinator, Clean Fairfax

Bio

Elli holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and a Master’s in Emerging Media (Digital Communications) from Loyola University Maryland. Moved by a love of science and our natural environment as well as a passion for creative design and storytelling, she draws on both of these academic disciplines to craft engaging and thoughtful science communication for diverse audiences & communities.

In her current role, Elli is the staff scientist who oversees the Clean Streams program: a stream health and litter monitoring program conducted in partnership with the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) Stormwater Planning Division (SWPD) for MS4 Permit compliance. In addition to floatable litter data, Elli also collects and analyzes data from parks and public spaces across the County through community cleanups and Operation Stream Shield; transforming the data into impactful visualizations and stories which can be used to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for strong (and much-needed) environmental policy in Fairfax and the Commonwealth.

Elli is a proud Oregonian–she credits her initial love for the outdoors and desire to protect it to a childhood spent exploring the wonders of the PNW–though she admits she’s also fallen in love with Virginia over the past decade residing in the state. She currently lives in Fairfax County, where she enjoys baking, DIY-ing, endlessly searching for the best cup of coffee, and hiking in the many nearby local, regional, and national parks sites.

Example Talk Titles

Social Media for Nonprofits 101
Where does litter come from? And how can we Turn Off the Tap?
Plastic Pollution and Policy: Results and Lessons from the Bag Fee

Vanessa Goold, Program Manager, Clean Fairfax

Bio

Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario and a Master of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University. She also has a Certificate in Ecological Gardening from Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, DE.

She has worked in numerous organizations across the nonprofit, local government, education, and small business sectors, and gained experience in local planning, volunteer management, and operations management. At Clean Fairfax, Vanessa manages the Community Cleanup program, takes care of administrative and financial duties, and supports organizational outreach efforts. As a volunteer, Vanessa has served on several boards. She is currently a member of the board of the Fairfax Master Naturalists.

Vanessa grew up in rural Vermont, where she played in the woods making a lot of tree forts. As a result, she loves trees and nature. Coming from a long line of gardeners and birdwatchers, she also came to be a plant nut, so when you put the two together, you get a native plant garden geek. Vanessa has planted thousands of trees, shrubs, and plants, both on her own property and on public lands. She has also pulled thousands of weeds and invasive plants, so she might be even on that score. Vanessa is an active Master Naturalist and Fairfax County Tree Rescuer. In her spare time, she is an Ecological Gardening Coach and avid pickleball player.

Example Talk Titles

Right Tree, Right Place: How to choose the best tree to plant and where to plant it
Old-growth forests: Where to find them (even in Northern Virginia!) and why they are important
Getting Started With Native Plants
Beyond Honeybees and Monarch Butterflies: Why We Need to Garden for Many Insects
Environmental Stewardship for Personal Health and Well-Being
Small Nonprofit Nuts and Bolts: How to mature your organization

Zach Huntington, Executive Director, Clean Virginia Waterways

Bio

Zach Huntington is the Marine Debris Strategy Director at Clean Virginia Waterways. He is an experienced environmental researcher and analyst with a background in communicating the impact of plastic pollution on people and the planet. His work focuses on using data and graphical analysis to identify environmentally and economically sustainable strategies to address waste-related challenges. Zach has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sustainability and Environmental Compliance and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Natural Resources and Conservation. Zach is available to speak virtually with an in-person option to groups local to Southwest Virginia.

Zach’s work is centered around the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan. He is the primary author of several Clean Virginia Waterways reports including Opportunities to Reduce Plastic Pollution: Policy Recommendations & Best Practices for the Virginia Litter Fund.

He was born and raised in Virginia and spent two decades living in and traveling across the Southeast and Northern Rockies before returning to the Commonwealth. His passion for and knowledge of environmental issues stem from a lifetime spent outdoors and years as a fishing guide.

Prior to becoming CVW’s Marine Debris Strategy Director, Zach served as CVW’s Associate Director. Previously, Zach was the lead organizer at Litter Free Virginia, the Clean Streams Program Manager at Clean Fairfax, the Campaign Coordinator for Greenpeace DC, and a river rat fishing guide.

When he’s not working, you can find Zach paddling or hiking with his wife, daughter, and trail dog, Johnny Utah.

Example Talk Titles

What is Marine Debris
Implementing the Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan
Where Does Ocean Plastic Pollution Come From?
Using Voter Surveys to influence public outreach campaigns
Public Perception of Legislative Policies to Reduce Plastic Pollution
Why Collecting Data During Cleanups is Important
How to Use Cleanup data from Ocean Conservancy TIDES database
Addressing False Solutions to Plastic Pollution: Advanced Recycling and Waste to Energy
Opportunities to Improve Virginia’s Litter Control and Recycling Fund

Ed Ehlers, Founder, Resource Recovery Project

Bio

Ed is the founder of the unique and innovative Resource Recovery Project, a true, single-stream, curbside recycling plus program. The only program of its kind, it has operated since April 2021 and has processed over 32 tons of resources with a 96% recovery rate. As an executive leader, Ed has directed operations, facilities management, and logistics functions for global corporate and US military organizations. In addition, Ed is an accomplished public speaker, award winning children’s book author and artisan. Ed graduated from Fordham University, New York, with a B.A. in political science and a minor in international studies.

Whether he is out collecting resources to be recovered or appearing at community events, you’ll often find Ed accompanied by his faithful canine friend, Max.

Ed’s knowledge base covers many topics, including solid waste, litter, plastic pollution, recycling, zero waste, composting, sustainable business practices, and sustainable living practices. He is available to speak in person or virtually to groups within the DC-MD-VA area, to adult and school or youth programs. An honorarium to cover travel expenses may be requested.

Example Talk Titles

Stop Recycling, Start Recovering
Stop Talking Trash
Special Programs For Hard to Recover Items
Recycling Sorting Game

Rob Nowell, Founder, Pollinative

Bio

Rob is the founder of Pollinative, a company dedicated to sustainable land management, native garden design and install, and educational outreach. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research from Columbia University and has a diverse background across industries such as retail, finance, consulting, and cloud computing.

Originally from New Jersey, Rob moved to Virginia in 2010. While he and his family love life in the DMV, it won’t stop him from telling you how Jersey has the best bagels, pizzas, and subs.

His earliest memory of falling in love with nature was exploring the woods behind his local church and building a worm farm for a grade school science project. It wasn’t until his mother-in-law helped him install his very first pollinator garden that his love for nature was reignited. Inspired by Doug Tallamy’s teachings, Rob is committed to helping others live in better balance with nature through sustainable practices.