SWANA announces new president, 2026 board of directors

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Maryland, has announced that Elizabeth Roe has been elected as president, along with its new board of directors, which began their term July 1.

“We welcome the incoming officers and board of directors,” says SWANA CEO Amy Lestition Burke. “These individuals represent many aspects of the waste and resource management industry and will bring their unique perspectives together to shape the future of SWANA and support our members. I am enthusiastic to work together to continue the momentum and progress we have made over the past year.”

The SWANA 2026 Board of Directors includes:

• Elizabeth Roe, President
• Lynsey Baer, Vice President
• Kevin Roche, Treasurer
• John Welch, Secretary
• Tammy Hayes, Past President
• Dana Blumberg
• Dan Cooper
• Tiffany Dunn
• Debbie Hackman
• Brenda Haney
• John Hawk
• Carla Jordan
• Tom Koutroulis
• Preston Lee
• Achilles Mallari
• Shannan McGarr
• Susanne Passantino
• Mary Shanks
• Hailey Tatum
• Allison Trulock 
• Philip Westmoreland

The SWANA Board of Directors comprises delegates representing the private sector, technical divisions, young professionals and the 13 geographic regions that encompass the 47 chapters, as well as the officers.

The newly appointed board members and leaders bring a wealth of knowledge from various sectors within the industry, according to SWANA, including environmental engineering, public policy, public outreach, and education.

Roe, newly elected President of SWANA, spoke about her journey as a SWANA member:

“Like many of our members, I originally came to SWANA for education and training related to solid waste and resource management. As I kept coming back, I discovered a community of peers who were dedicated to making this industry safer, better, and more sustainable. Over the course of my career, I’ve seen many changes, especially in the materials that we are asked to handle, but what hasn’t changed is the commitment of SWANA members to protect human health and the environment, making their communities great places to live, work, learn and play."

A member of SWANA since the early 2000s, Roe has served in leadership roles in SWANA Technical Divisions and has been active in her local SWANA chapters.

“My own SWANA journey began with a simple question, ‘How can I help?’ That desire to serve and support our members has led to years of volunteer service with my friends in the industry,” Roe says.

Roe replaces Tammy Hayes, who will transition to the role of past president of SWANA.

“Congratulations to the new board members. SWANA is fortunate to have these committed individuals leading the way,” Hayes says. “Serving as president of SWANA was an honor and a highlight of my career. Thank you to my fellow board members, staff, volunteers and partners who supported me. I look forward to continuing to guide the board in the role of Past President, and am especially excited about SWANA’s new conference, RCon.”

“Thank you to the outgoing board members who shared their time, ideas, and energy to support SWANA – Past President Art Mercer, Director Gary L. Conover, Director James D. Moore, and Director Timothy Stephens,” shared Lestition Burke. “I appreciated their contributions and support over the past year and encourage them to stay involved with SWANA’s many volunteer opportunities.”

SWANA says it continues to strengthen its board of directors with individuals who bring commitment to safety, sustainability, innovation, and professional development to advance SWANA’s mission to educate, advocate, and provide resources that empower professionals to create a more sustainable and resilient waste management infrastructure.