Speaker Biographies
Jerry Bartlett, Cedar Grove, Balanced Organic Recovery for Bioenergy and Compost
Jerry is the Chief Environmental and Sustainability Officer for Cedar Grove Composting and managed operations or environmental affairs for the last 10 years. He has 20 years of experience in the environmental industry and a thorough knowledge of solid and hazardous waste regulations. Jerry has managed projects involving environmental audits, hazardous waste management, ISO 14000 (environmental management system), waste recycling options, industrial wastewater permitting, onsite hazardous waste treatment, environmental litigation support, and disposal option development. B.S. in Park Management and M.S. in Environmental Planning.
Currently a board member of the U.S. Composting Council and Past President of the Washington Organic Recycling Council.
Jeff Canaan, WSDA
As Bioenergy Coordinator, Jeff directs bioenergy and agricultural energy efficiency efforts at the agency. Current projects include collaboration with WSU and Washington farmers on:
- Energy Efficiency in Washington Agriculture (EEWA), a cooperative effort to help farmers address energy-related challenges through fuel and fertilizer efficiency.
- Near-term research on bioenergy crops and biomass utilization for energy, fuels and beneficial co-products.
Craig Frear, WSU Department of Biological Systems Engineering
Craig just completed his PhD in Engineering Science from Washington State University Department of Biological Systems Engineering with a research emphasis on anaerobic digestion of animal manures and co-substrates. While at WSU, Dr. Frear has focused much of his professional time in developing industrial and community relations with researchers working on biomass related projects and developing outreach material related to biomass research and biomass conversion technology in general. Prior to his studies at WSU, Craig was a K-12 science educator and department chair for 12 years with previous degrees in chemistry (BA) from St. Olaf College and educational administration (MA) from Columbia University.
Rick Gustafson, UW College of Forest Resources
Rick Gustafson is the Denman Professor of Bioresource Science and Engineering, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington. He has a BS degree in Paper Science and Engineering and a PhD in Chemical Engineering, both from the University of Washington. He has been at the UW since 1986 and before that worked for Union Carbide developing high performance carbon fibers. He does research on design, optimization, modeling, and control of processes to covert biomass to products and fuels.
Chad Kruger, WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources
Chad is the Interim Director for the Washington State University Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources (CSANR). For the past five years he has coordinated CSANR’s Climate Friendly FarmingTM Project, which is researching agricultural practices and technologies that reduce agricultural energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon in soils, and provide renewable, biomass-based substitutes for fossil fuel-based products. He completed an M.S. (2003) in Land Resources from the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He was an Au Sable Graduate Fellow at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He was a member of the 2007 / 2008 Washington State Climate Action Team, co-chairing the Agriculture Sector Carbon Market Workgroup. He is an affiliated faculty member of the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group.
Eric Leber, AprèsVin Enterprises, FruitSmart and Port of Benton
- A Washingtonian...born in Seattle and raised on Cougar Mountain near Issaquah
- PhD from Yale University in Chemistry, has worked at PNNL
- Currently: PRESIDENT APRESVIN ENTERPRISES, INC. mission of AprèsVin is to produce the highest quality grape-seed products by recovering value from the residuals of winemaking while reducing the environmental and economic consequences of their disposal. Working to promote the sustainability of winemaking by getting more goodness from the grape.
- May be working on a Collaboration with WSU’s Food Science and Technology Dept. to study the nutritional characteristics of grape-seed flours in various baking procedures and environments
Peter Moulton, Department of Commerce
Peter is a Senior Energy Policy Specialist for the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. As the state’s Bioenergy Coordinator, he oversees interagency support for biofuel, biopower and coproduct development through public policy, research and incentive programs, as well as public sector production, distribution and use of bioenergy. Peter’s diverse background includes careers in rural economic development, watershed management and media production.
Dave Sjoding, WSU Extension Energy Program
Dave has twenty-nine years experience in the energy field focusing on the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy, climate change, energy policy and distributed generation. He is a Renewable Energy Specialist at the WSU Extension Energy Program. He serves as Team Leader of the six state Pacific Region Biomass energy Partnership and Director of the five-state Northwest CHP Application Center. Dave focuses on clean heat and power, bioenergy, geothermal, farm energy, and hydrogen/fuel cells in his current job assignment. Sjoding served as an Assistant Director for many years at the Washington State Energy Office before coming to the WSU Energy Program in 1996. In addition, he chaired the Power Washington Review Committee, which ultimately allocated over $95 million in oil settlement funds. He has a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington. He has a strong understanding of the northwest energy policy framework and structure.
Chery Sullivan, Department of Ecology
Chery joined Washington State Department of Ecology in 2005 as an Organics Specialist. As the Beyond Waste Organics Initiative Lead, Chery works closely with institutions, agencies, producers and processors to identify opportunities to create closed-loop organics management systems in Washington. Some of this work includes managing contracts to research and produce new products from residual organic resources. Chery also represents Ecology as a Board Member of the Washington Organic Recycling Council. This helps Chery build partnerships with stakeholders from around the state to promote the Beyond Waste Organic Initiative goals.
Speaker Biographies
Jerry Bartlett, Cedar Grove, Balanced Organic Recovery for Bioenergy and Compost
Jerry is the Chief Environmental and Sustainability Officer for Cedar Grove Composting and managed operations or environmental affairs for the last 10 years. He has 20 years of experience in the environmental industry and a thorough knowledge of solid and hazardous waste regulations. Jerry has managed projects involving environmental audits, hazardous waste management, ISO 14000 (environmental management system), waste recycling options, industrial wastewater permitting, onsite hazardous waste treatment, environmental litigation support, and disposal option development. B.S. in Park Management and M.S. in Environmental Planning.
Currently a board member of the U.S. Composting Council and Past President of the Washington Organic Recycling Council.
Jeff Canaan, WSDA
As Bioenergy Coordinator, Jeff directs bioenergy and agricultural energy efficiency efforts at the agency. Current projects include collaboration with WSU and Washington farmers on:
- Energy Efficiency in Washington Agriculture (EEWA), a cooperative effort to help farmers address energy-related challenges through fuel and fertilizer efficiency.
- Near-term research on bioenergy crops and biomass utilization for energy, fuels and beneficial co-products.
Craig Frear, WSU Department of Biological Systems Engineering
Craig just completed his PhD in Engineering Science from Washington State University Department of Biological Systems Engineering with a research emphasis on anaerobic digestion of animal manures and co-substrates. While at WSU, Dr. Frear has focused much of his professional time in developing industrial and community relations with researchers working on biomass related projects and developing outreach material related to biomass research and biomass conversion technology in general. Prior to his studies at WSU, Craig was a K-12 science educator and department chair for 12 years with previous degrees in chemistry (BA) from St. Olaf College and educational administration (MA) from Columbia University.
Rick Gustafson, UW College of Forest Resources
Rick Gustafson is the Denman Professor of Bioresource Science and Engineering, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington. He has a BS degree in Paper Science and Engineering and a PhD in Chemical Engineering, both from the University of Washington. He has been at the UW since 1986 and before that worked for Union Carbide developing high performance carbon fibers. He does research on design, optimization, modeling, and control of processes to covert biomass to products and fuels.
Chad Kruger, WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources
Chad is the Interim Director for the Washington State University Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources (CSANR). For the past five years he has coordinated CSANR’s Climate Friendly FarmingTM Project, which is researching agricultural practices and technologies that reduce agricultural energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon in soils, and provide renewable, biomass-based substitutes for fossil fuel-based products. He completed an M.S. (2003) in Land Resources from the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He was an Au Sable Graduate Fellow at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He was a member of the 2007 / 2008 Washington State Climate Action Team, co-chairing the Agriculture Sector Carbon Market Workgroup. He is an affiliated faculty member of the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group.
Eric Leber, AprèsVin Enterprises, FruitSmart and Port of Benton
- A Washingtonian...born in Seattle and raised on Cougar Mountain near Issaquah
- PhD from Yale University in Chemistry, has worked at PNNL
- Currently: PRESIDENT APRESVIN ENTERPRISES, INC. mission of AprèsVin is to produce the highest quality grape-seed products by recovering value from the residuals of winemaking while reducing the environmental and economic consequences of their disposal. Working to promote the sustainability of winemaking by getting more goodness from the grape.
- May be working on a Collaboration with WSU’s Food Science and Technology Dept. to study the nutritional characteristics of grape-seed flours in various baking procedures and environments
Peter Moulton, Department of Commerce
Peter is a Senior Energy Policy Specialist for the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. As the state’s Bioenergy Coordinator, he oversees interagency support for biofuel, biopower and coproduct development through public policy, research and incentive programs, as well as public sector production, distribution and use of bioenergy. Peter’s diverse background includes careers in rural economic development, watershed management and media production.
Dave Sjoding, WSU Extension Energy Program
Dave has twenty-nine years experience in the energy field focusing on the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy, climate change, energy policy and distributed generation. He is a Renewable Energy Specialist at the WSU Extension Energy Program. He serves as Team Leader of the six state Pacific Region Biomass energy Partnership and Director of the five-state Northwest CHP Application Center. Dave focuses on clean heat and power, bioenergy, geothermal, farm energy, and hydrogen/fuel cells in his current job assignment. Sjoding served as an Assistant Director for many years at the Washington State Energy Office before coming to the WSU Energy Program in 1996. In addition, he chaired the Power Washington Review Committee, which ultimately allocated over $95 million in oil settlement funds. He has a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington. He has a strong understanding of the northwest energy policy framework and structure.
Chery Sullivan, Department of Ecology
Chery joined Washington State Department of Ecology in 2005 as an Organics Specialist. As the Beyond Waste Organics Initiative Lead, Chery works closely with institutions, agencies, producers and processors to identify opportunities to create closed-loop organics management systems in Washington. Some of this work includes managing contracts to research and produce new products from residual organic resources. Chery also represents Ecology as a Board Member of the Washington Organic Recycling Council. This helps Chery build partnerships with stakeholders from around the state to promote the Beyond Waste Organic Initiative goals.