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.

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Director LCA Services

Anna Nicholson is the Director of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Services at IERE and works to provide clients with comprehensive, fact-based environmental assessments and policy and program development. With her combined skills in LCA, industrial/ mechanical engineering and supply chain planning and strategy, her background positions her to help organizations address complex environmental challenges. Ms. Nicholson’s prior experience includes sustainable manufacturing and supply chain strategy with Deloitte Consulting, supply chain strategy for Coca-Cola and consulting in Europe to analyze EU directives for energy-related products. She has worked with major Fortune 5 retailers, manufacturers and start-up companies in many industry sectors, including agriculture and food, consumer products, electronics, packaging and chemicals. Anna has MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Technology Policy from MIT and BS degrees in Industrial Design and Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University.

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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.

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LCA Analyst

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.

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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.

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