Joe La Mariana
Hilary Gans
John Mangini
Julia Au
Emi Hashizume
Reagan Chung
Karina Hammoud
Cyndi Urman
Joanne Nghiem
Dolores Molina-Bucio
Reyna Oceguera
Oliver Crawford-Shelmadine
Clara Coady
Emily Rose Mielke
Executive Director
Joe La Mariana
Joe La Mariana joined the RethinkWaste staff in August 2016 after serving in local government for ten years as San Mateo County’s Solid Waste and Environmental Services Manager. During this time, Joe was a section manager in the County Manager’s Office of Sustainability and the Department of Public Works. Before working at the County, Joe worked for over 13 years in the local solid waste industry’s private sector, including assignments as the Recycling Director for Republic Services (formerly known as BFI/Allied Waste) at the San Carlos Shoreway Environmental Center, and in regional management positions with Recology (SF) and Waste Management Inc. (East Bay). Joe’s responsibilities have always emphasized top-tier customer service in residential and commercial garbage and recycling services, while working closely with local elected officials and business leaders. Prior to the solid waste industry, Joe worked for 13 years in corporate communications and marketing.
Joe serves as current Board Director and past President of the Solid Waste Association of Northern America’s (SWANA) Northern California Gold Rush Chapter, and is extremely active in the California Resource & Recovery Association (CRRA), the Northern California Recycling Association (NCRA), California’s Against Waste (CAW), the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), as well as numerous business organizations. Joe serves on SWANA’s California Legislative Task Force and is a passionate advocate for strong environmental legislation in our state.
With a robust commitment to community, Joe has extensively volunteered with the Rotary Club of Burlingame, the Burlingame and Brisbane Chambers of Commerce, the City of Burlingame’s Park and Rec Commission, several mid-peninsula youth sports leagues and Our Lady of Angels parish.
Joe earned a technical certificate in Solid Waste Management from UC Berkeley; an MBA from Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont; and a BA in Public Relations from California State University, Chico. Joe completed the San Mateo/Burlingame/Foster City/Hillsborough Leadership program in 2004.
Principal Engineer and Operations Manager
Hilary Gans
Hilary Gans joined the RethinkWaste staff in 2007 and brings over 20 years of industry experience to his role as the Principal Engineer and Operations Manager at RethinkWaste. His main responsibilities include ongoing oversight of the Shoreway Environmental Center and its operator, currently operated by South Bay Recycling, and all construction projects at the facility. Before starting at RethinkWaste, Hilary worked as a manager for Allied Waste’s Newby Island recycling and composting facility in San Jose. While there he pioneered the construction on the composting operations and conversion of the MRF to single stream. Hilary graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Connecticut College and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
Senior Finance Manager
John Mangini
John Mangini joined the RethinkWaste team in May 2018. As the Senior Finance Manager, he is responsible for the fiscal management of the Agency, including budget development, financial projections, expense management, and capital funding. Most recently, John was the Controller for Republic Services of San Mateo County, where he was responsible for hauling divisions in Daly City and Half Moon Bay and post collection at Ox Mountain Landfill. Prior to Republic Services, John worked for DHL Global Forwarding holding various finance and accounting positions over his almost 20 years with the company. John graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from California State University, East Bay.
Senior Outreach, Education and Compliance Manager
Julia Au
Julia Au joined the RethinkWaste team in November 2017. As the Senior Outreach, Education and Compliance Manager, she is responsible for a variety of engaging waste reduction and outreach programs for residents and businesses, Agency media and communications, policy and legislation with the Agency’s legislative and regulatory lobbyist, and compliance with Member Agency’s franchise agreements and state and local laws and regulations. Previously, Julia spent over five years at San Mateo County where she coordinated outreach for the Household Hazardous Waste Program, implemented and enforced the County’s Safe Medicine Disposal and Reusable Bag Ordinances, and was the County’s Coastal Cleanup Day Coordinator. Julia has extensive prior experience in environmental policy and outreach programs while at Californians Against Waste, California Product Stewardship Council, and San Francisco Environment Department. Julia graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning with a Water Quality emphasis from University of California, Davis.
Environmental Education Manager
Emi Hashizume
Emi joined the RethinkWaste team in October 2018. As the Environmental Education Manager, Emi oversees the Shoreway Environmental Center tours, as well as the In-Schools Recycling and Compost Program to improve waste reduction, recycling, and compost performance at schools. The program pairs student education, custodial training, and educator resources with on-site assistance and technical support in updating campus facilities and waste infrastructure. Before RethinkWaste, Emi coordinated the Green Business Program for four years at the San Mateo County Sustainability Department. Emi graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Analysis, with an emphasis in Public Policy and Environmental Justice with minors in Asian American and Community Studies from Pitzer College.
Recycling and Compliance Program Manager
Reagan Chung
Reagan Chung joined the RethinkWaste team in April 2024. As the Recycling and Compliance Program Manager, he specializes in meeting the requirements of SB 1383 and other state regulations alike. He has over 16 years of recycling outreach experience in the government, environmental consulting, and waste and recycling hauler sectors. Reagan has a strong waste and recycling hauler operational background, being with Republic Services of West Contra Costa County for over 10 years where he oversaw the Post Collection Agreement (PCA) and other franchise agreements in the service area. He has also served as a researcher, quantitative analyst, and recycling outreach specialist on several major projects (such as StopWaste Partnership (SWP) and Tire-Derived Product Business Assistance Program (TBAP) in Northern California). Reagan is also fluent in Chinese and uses his language skills to provide recycling technical assistance to Chinese-owned businesses. Reagan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with combined majors in Environmental Studies and Earth Sciences from University of California, Santa Cruz.
Outreach and Communications Manager
Karina Hammoud
Karina Hammoud joined the RethinkWaste team in February 2026. As the Outreach and Communications Manager, she supports outreach and communications efforts to engage residents and community partners in waste reduction and resource recovery. She develops and delivers public-facing programs and campaigns, manages communications across multiple platforms, and helps amplify RethinkWaste’s mission through strategic storytelling and community engagement. Previously, Karina led outreach and education programs at Recology San Francisco Environmental Learning Center and Artist in Residence Program. She brings a strong background in public outreach, program coordination, and digital communications, with a passion for making environmental information accessible, inclusive, and actionable. Karina earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Environmental Sustainability & Social Justice from San Francisco State University.Â
Clerk of the Board/Sr. Management Analyst
Cyndi Urman
Cyndi Urman joined the RethinkWaste team in June 2010. As the Clerk of the Board, Cyndi serves RethinkWaste’s elected Board of Directors in official agency record keeping, correspondence and acts as the main staff in preparing the Board Agenda, and verifying legal notices have been published. As the Senior Management Analyst, her primary role is managing the agency’s public procurement process, contract management, grant solicitations, and supporting the Facilities Engineering team. Cyndi comes to RethinkWaste with an extensive background in administration, customer service, community relations, and marketing having worked for a Chamber of Commerce, a medical center, and in the tech industry.Â
Associate Engineer
Joanne Nghiem
Joanne joined the RethinkWaste team in March 2022. As the Associate Engineer, she manages the public procurement process and provides technical support for capital improvement projects. Previously, Joanne spent four years at an environmental engineering consulting firm performing water and wastewater treatment design, construction management and program budget management. Joanne also worked for a non-profit single-use disposable packaging in food service waste reduction program. Joanne is a professional civil engineer and graduated with a Masters Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Harvard University.
Administrative Associate II
Dolores Molina-Bucio
Dolores Molina-Bucio joined the RethinkWaste team in June 2024 as the Administrative Associate. In this role, she oversees and manages the day-to-day logistics for the office and provides comprehensive administrative support to staff members and the agency. Prior to this, Dolores worked in the non-profit sector as a senior program coordinator where she consulted, coordinated, and facilitated health and wellness programs with emphasis in movement and nutrition education for San Francisco seniors and adults with disabilities. She successfully designed and launched several community-based initiatives that included health, wellness, and trauma informed food security programs for people residing in low-income housing throughout the Bay Area, improving access to nutritious food and wellness resources. She is passionate about community health and wellness and brings a wealth of experience in program management, communications, and administrative support to her role at RethinkWaste. Dolores holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from San Francisco State University.
Environmental Education Associate II
Reyna Oceguera
Reyna joined the RethinkWaste team in May 2022. As the Environmental Education Associate Reyna leads tours of the Shoreway Environmental Center, coordinates Annual Community events and contests, and assists with the In-School Recycling and Compost Program to improve waste reduction, recycling and organic performance at schools in the RethinkWaste service area. Reyna previously worked in the Zero Waste field at a local hauling company where she coordinated waste sorting efforts with schools and the community, along with being as the main contact for all recycle, compost and landfill service-related data. As a steward to the environment, she worked as a Park Ranger at an urban park in the East Bay of California, along with coordinating local environmental summer camp programming. Reyna graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration from San Francisco State University.
Public Outreach Fellow
Oliver Crawford-Shelmadine
Oliver joined the RethinkWaste team in November 2025 as a Public Outreach Fellow. Oliver supports outreach initiatives aimed at raising awareness and educating local communities and stakeholders on the environmental impact of waste and strategies to reduce the impact collectively. Oliver also contributes to the Public Spaces Diversion Program which helps increase waste diversion and proper sorting at public spaces within the RethinkWaste service area. Oliver previously worked at ReScape California where he advanced regenerative landscaping practices that minimize waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through professional trainings and outreach programs. Oliver graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Resource Studies from UC Berkeley, with a focus on Industrial Sustainability.
Environmental Education Fellow
Clara Coady
Clara joined RethinkWaste in February 2024 as an Environmental Education Fellow. Specifically, she works to spread awareness of proper waste management techniques through the Shoreway Environmental Center and schools in RethinkWaste service areas. Clara previously worked as an educator with the Boys and Girls Club. In college, Clara worked with a refugee tutoring program in Salem and had the opportunity to study trees, native land use practices, and create maps of trees affected by wildfires and other natural disasters, to make predictive models of where wildlife and plants might redistribute. As a senior project she studied the possible benefits of implementing community gardens in underserved communities, for both food waste reduction and food security measures, and how it would support the City of Salem’s 2023 climate action plan. Clara graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science with a minor in Anthropology from Willamette University.
Environmental Education Fellow
Emily Rose Mielke
Emily Rose Mielke joined the RethinkWaste team in October 2025 as an Environmental Education Fellow. She facilitates opportunities for students and the community to deepen their understanding of sustainability and proper waste sorting. By supporting the education team in leading tours of the Shoreway Environmental Center, engaging in school outreach, and advancing zero waste initiatives, Emily Rose helps move RethinkWaste toward a greener, more circular future.
Emily Rose built her conservation and sustainability expertise through several AmeriCorps roles. She has worked with the National Park Service, health organizations, and state agencies — in roles ranging from botany to zero waste to tidal marsh conservation — all in pursuit of a healthier environment and guided by the belief that caring for our beautiful home is everyone’s responsibility. Emily Rose holds a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign.