Executive Director

Rita Schenck is the Executive Director of IERE. She founded the institute after working for many years as an environmental manager in industry. Her doctorate is in oceanography, with a focus on ecotoxicology and biogeochemisty. She represented the U.S. in negotiating the ISO standards on LCA. She continues to work as an international expert in LCA, sitting on the scientific committee for the LCA of foods conference, for CILCA (the Latin American LCA conference), and as a speaker, reviewer and expert witness. Over the last few years, much of her energy has been devoted to building capacity for environmental product declarations in the United States.

Director of Development

Colleen Hall Barta is the Director of Development for IERE. She is responsible for coordinating the Institute's Life Cycle Communities Program and promotes the Earthsure EPD Label Program through outreach efforts to business. Colleen serves on the Advisory Committee for Tacoma's Environmental Business Alliance and is a member of the OMWBE Advisory Committee for Washington State. She has a background in economic development, business incubation and fundraising. 

Staff Scientist

Douglas Huizenga, Ph.D. is an environmental chemist with expertise in geochemistry and analytical chemistry. He is responsible for much of the environmental modeling (including LCA modeling and fate and transport modeling) done by IERE. He also manages much of the administration of the LCA conferences, including the annual international conference hosted by IERE through the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment.

Interns

 Seth Lalonde recently graduated with his masters degree Environmental Sciences and Management from UC Santa Barbara. Seth has a background in  IT technology and is working with IERE to support PCR and EPD development.  He will be also be engaged in outreach activities for EPD Pilot Programs in the Beer and Wine Industries.

 

 

Sterling Ingle-Mead is interning with IERE in order to assist and learn.  He is a current student at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma Washington  with a major in Politics and Government and a minor in Environmental Policy

 

 Chase Waddell recently graduated from Northern Arizona University with his MS in Climate Science and Solutions.  He received three BS degrees from the University of Arizona in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Microbiology/Chemistry, and Psychology/Pre-health.  Chase has over 3 years’ working experience in Air Quality regulation and analysis of diverse industrial processes.  IERE welcomes Chase to assist with the Institutes WEBS workplace training and the Life Cycle Communities Program.