Board Members

Board seats are up for election annually. The terms are three years and the Board of Directors meets on a monthly basis - usually in the morning on the first Thursday of the month. Board Members may attend the meeting in person or by phone. Each Board Member must be a dues-paying member of the Minnesota Composting Council one year prior to being elected to the Board, and must be a member of the USCC throughout the Board term.

Nominations are accepted in early October each year. MNCC members vote on the nominees in mid-October, and new and/or returning Board Members are announced in November each year.

Contact the Board or Board Members directly by filling out our Contact Us form.


​Executive Committee

Ginny Black  ​- Chairperson
Ginny is a retired Organics Recycling Specialist who used to work at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. In her job, Ginny provided technical assistance to compost facility operators and promoted markets for finished compost. She provided education to citizens to help them make informed decisions and take actions that conserve resources and prevent pollution to benefit the environment, economy, and society. 
Marcus Zbinden, Carver County - Vice Chair
Marcus has worked in the Solid Waste industry for the past 20 years. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point with a degree in Resource Management he began working as a Recycling Coordinator for Gallagher's Service, an independent hauler in the Twin Cities. In 1992 he took a position with Carver County as an Environmental Specialist where he continues to work with recycling, composting and other solid waste programs. In 1999, he received a Masters of Liberal Studies degree from the University of Minnesota and he is currently Vice Chair of the Minnesota Composting Council and Chair of the Recycling Association of Minnesota.
Kellie Kish, City of Minneapolis  ​- Treasurer
Kellie is the Secretary of the Minnesota Composting Council. She worked for Carver and Anoka Counties as well as the Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM) prior to joining the City of Minneapolis in April 2013. Her BA degree is from the University of Minnesota in Global Studies, Environmental Science, Natural Resources and Policy Management. She has played a major role in planning, studying and collecting data on composting Source Separated Organics at the Carver County Compost Project and in the City of Minneapolis' organics recycling program roll-out.
Nick Rich-Vetsch, Carbontec, Inc. - Secretary
​Nick is a licensed Professional Engineer and certified advisor in the TRUE Zero Waste program working as a Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Project Manager. He earned his Bachelor of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, during which time he participated on the Soil Judging team and fostered a passion for soil science. His drive to promote increased utilization of recovered and recycled materials in project design are invaluable skills in compost market development, waste diversion programs, facility optimization and compliance, specialized waste composition studies, odor monitoring and mitigation, PFAS and other contaminant management, and researching emerging technologies for alternative waste management. 
Jake Duame, SET/Waste Management - At Large
Jake’s role at SET is to oversee quality control and environmental compliance at all SET composting sites, including the organics processing facility in Rosemount, MN. He also manages the compost sampling and analysis program, coordinates with regional organics recycling stakeholders, and provides ongoing outreach and education to municipal partners, organic waste generators, haulers, and the public.

Board Members

Kris Coperine, NatureWorks
Kris Coperine is the Circular Economy Specialist for NatureWorks, a global biopolymer supplier. Her primary role at NatureWorks is to partner with stakeholders across the entire value chain to enable the sustainable and circular end-of life management of products made with NatureWorks biopolymers, including recycling and composting.  

Kris has more than 15 years' experience in the sustainability field, working in both the private and public sectors. Kris has a BA in Geography from the University of Minnesota, an International MBA from the University of Denver, and a certificate in Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies from the University of Cambridge. She is an accredited LEED Green Associate, a Certified Associate in Project Management, a certified TRUE Waste Advisor, and a certified GPRO instructor for Urban Green. Her background includes commercial property management, universal waste recycling, and business development, as well as restaurant, grocery, and retail. 
Kala Fisher, City of St. Louis Park
Kala is the Solid Waste Manager for the City of St. Louis Park. Kala coordinates residential recycling and organics recycling programs for the city. She has also served in similar roles at the county and regional level in both Florida and Minnesota. Her career experiences includes working with commercial composters, haulers, educators, businesses, schools, and residents to expand organics recycling and promote the use of compost. Kala has worked with stakeholders on issues surrounding certified compostable foodservice packaging during the development of the cIty's Zero Waste Packaging Ordinance. Kala is a graduate of St. Cloud State University where she received a BS in Environmental Studies.
Dustin Montey, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Organics Recycling Facility (SMSC ORF), Dakota Prairie
Dustin is the Assistant Manager at the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility in Shakopee, one of the largest composting facilities in the state of Minnesota. Dustin has worked with SMSC for the past 7 years, managing compost operations, colored mulch production, off-site wood grinding, sales, and delivery of products. In his position, Dustin has coordinated the production and sale of hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of compost to residential and commercial customers. Prior to working with SMSC, Dustin served for 5 years in the United States Marine Corps. 
Jon Klapperich, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Jon is a Wood Waste Specialist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency where he works to identify and promote environmentally beneficial uses for wood waste throughout the state. Jon holds a master’s degree in forest biology and enjoys spending time outdoors with his family and playing baseball.​
Tim Lundell, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District
Tim is the Senior Solid Waste Operator at the WLSSD in Duluth, MN. Since 2002, Tim has worked in household hazardous waste, assisted with the operation and supervision of a materials recovery center, yard waste collection site, and WLSSD's source separated organics composting facility. Tim earned a Bachelor of Science Degree at Bemidji State University and has previous work experience with the National Park Service and the MN Department of Natural Resources.
​​Nathan Reinbold​, Pope/Douglas Solid Waste Management
​Nathan is the Environmental Coordinator for Pope/Douglas Solid Waste Management – a 7 county regional Waste-to-Energy and Materials Recovery system. He coordinates and oversees waste reduction/reuse, recycling, household hazardous waste, industrial solid waste program, stormwater plan, organics management, events recycling, plate to garden events, business recycling grants, facility planning, ordinances, waste designation, hauler engagement, and community outreach. He has been involved with the Recycling Assoc of MN, hosting MN GreenCorps members, REC (Recycling Education) Steering Committee, MN Products Stewardship Council, and youth Groundwater/Conservation Days. Pope/Douglas started their organics recycling collection program in 2016 and Glacial Ridge Compost Facility in 2020.  Reinbold earned his degree in Environmental Studies/Geography from the University of MN – Duluth.  Nathan has 20 years’ experience working for tribal and county environmental programs.
John Springman, Ramsey County Environmental Health
​​John works as a Supervisor in the Environmental Health Division at Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health where he has gained over 27 years of experience working in solid waste related activities. John manages Ramsey County’s Solid Waste Services program, which provides a variety of residential collection locations for yard waste, organics, household hazardous waste, pharmaceuticals, and sharps.  He also manages waste hauling and recycling operations at all Ramsey County owned and leased spaces.  John earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Environmental Science and Biology from Minnesota State University, Mankato.