2026 FlexForward Conference

Steve Adams, VP Commercial Growth, Nexus Circular

Advanced Recycling/Mass Balance

Steve brings 15 years of experience in the advanced recycling and chemical manufacturing industries and currently leads strategic M&A, commercial growth and licensing initiatives to further integrate Nexus Circular into the recycling landscape, expanding its impact.

Steve has led the design, construction, startup, and operation of Nexus Circular's first commercial-scale advanced recycling facility. Previously, in engineering and operations leadership roles with Baker Hughes and other oil and gas companies, he directed multi-site manufacturing and supply chain networks and developed engineering strategy with delivery of complex capital projects.

Steve earned a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University.

Jason Bergquist, CEO - North America, RecycleMe

Eco modulation and Flexible Packaging Design

Jason Bergquist is CEO – North America at RecycleMe, the consulting division of Reclay Group International. With more than 35 years of industry experience, Jason has led commercial and municipal waste divisions, material recovery operations across six states, and bottle bill redemption programs in Maine, New York, and California. His career spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, bringing a global perspective to recycling and resource management. Jason holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from John F. Kennedy School of Law and has provided regulatory guidance on Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging, container deposit legislation, Superfund compliance, and hazardous waste management.

Edwin Borbon, Government Affairs Associate, Serlin Haley LLP

Federal and State Proactive Policies

Edwin brings a wealth of experience in California’s legislative landscape, with a career spanning both government service and advocacy. He spent six years in various roles with the California State Assembly, most recently serving as legislative director for Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas). His career in California began as a scheduler and legislative assistant for multiple assembly members; he then advanced to key roles, including legislative director and Capitol director. Edwin also worked in legislative advocacy for the Precision Advocacy Group, a Sacramento-based lobbying, public affairs, and public relations firm. He leads the advocacy work for FPA in the Western Region, covering the states west of the Mississippi.

Dan Felton. President and CEO, Flexible Packaging Association

State of FPA and the U.S. Flexible Packaging Industry

Navigating Sustainability: Overcoming Packaging Industry Challenges on the Road to 2030

Dan serves as President & CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), the association representing U.S. converters of film, foil, paper and other materials into packages for food, medical device and industrial products. Prior to joining FPA in 2024, Dan served as Executive Director for AMERIPEN – the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment. A well-known leader in the U.S. government affairs arena for more nearly 20 years, Dan has represented multinational corporations, various coalitions, and trade associations representing several Fortune 500 companies. He is particularly passionate about environmental, sustainability, and packaging issues and has advocated extensively in those areas at the local, state, and federal levels in the U.S.

Letricia Fry

Eco-modulation and Flexible Packaging Design: Industry Perspectives, Fees and Case Studies

John Garnett, SVP, Technical, Sustainability, Innovation, Charter Next Generation

Post Consumer Recycled Content - Challenges and Opportunities

Andy Hackman, Principal Lobbyist, Serlin Haley LLP

Federal and State Proactive Policies

Lobbying and Saving Democracy

Dr. Rachel Meidl Ph.D. CHMM

Advanced Recycling/Mass Balance

Dr. Rachel Meidl, PhD, CHMM, is deputy director and a distinguished fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. She also co-chairs the Recycling Science Council and is a strategic advisor to MSCI, Inc. With over 30 years of experience across industry, academia, government, and finance, her research focuses on sustainability, the circular economy, and life cycle management. Previously, Dr. Meidl served as deputy associate administrator for the U.S. PHMSA and director of Regulatory & Technical Affairs at the American Chemistry Council. She is a member of the National Academies of Sciences Roundtable on Plastics Committee and holds a Ph.D. in law and public policy from Northeastern University.

Dr. Purva Mhatre Ph.D.

Navigating Sustainability: Overcoming Packaging Industry Challenges on the Road to 2030

Dr. Mhatre-Shah is the Associate Sustainability Manager at Sonoco Products Company, where she serves as the North American Sustainability Business Partner and leads global product life cycle assessments (LCA), carbon footprinting, and company-wide LCA automation. Previously, she spent three years in environmental consulting developing circular economy strategies and carbon accounting frameworks. Purva holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in civil engineering and a PhD in Sustainability Management. An accomplished researcher, she has authored multiple papers on circular models, material reuse, and industrial adoption barriers.

Rebecca Mick, Program Director, Film and Packaging Innovation, Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR)

Navigating Sustainability: Overcoming Packaging Industry Challenges on the Road to 2030

Rebecca Mick is the Program Director for Film & Packaging Innovation at the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). She manages Critical Guidance, a part of APR’s Design for Recyclability Recognition Program and the Film Technical Committee. Rebecca brings nearly a decade of experience in the packaging industry with most of that time in flexible packaging. She now helps companies from across the value chain understand how to design plastic packaging for recycling while also helping to expand the guidance for flexible plastic packaging. Rebecca has a PhD in Chemical Engineering specializing in polymer rheology from Illinois Institute of Technology.

Jennifer Ronk, Global Director for Plastics and Circular Policy

Advanced Recycling/Mass Balance

Jennifer Ronk is Dow’s Global Director for Plastic and Circularity Policy, leading global policy strategy on plastics and the circular economy. She develops science-based policy positions to support circularity, business growth, and regulatory readiness through engagement with governments, industry partners, and NGOs. Since joining Dow in 2018, Jennifer has held key sustainability leadership roles and serves on the boards of AMERIPEN, GreenBlue, and Houston Wilderness. Prior to Dow, she worked in sustainability research, climate policy, and environmental consulting. She holds a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University

Nishant Sharma, Director - Regulatory Affairs, Amcor

MAHA's Influence in Flexible Packaging

With over 15 years of experience in Compliance, Nishant has been a driving force in Regulatory field with most recent engaged topic includes PFAS & GRAS. Currently, Nishant is leading Amcor flexibles North America Regulatory team, as Director – Regulatory & Scientific

Emily Williams, Director of How2Recycle, GreenBlue

Navigating Sustainability: Overcoming Packaging Industry Challenges on the Road to 2030

Emily Williams, Director, How2Recycle, has over ten years of packaging industry experience in packaging roles, working across product development engineering, strategic marketing, partnerships, policy, and product sustainability expertise. As a recognized subject matter expert, she has held leadership positions across organizations, serving on the Board for AMERIPEN, as the Chair of the Government Affairs Committee with the Flexible Packaging Association, and a member of the Communications and Public Affairs Committee with the Association of Plastics Recyclers. Emily has a Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a Masters of Science in the same from the University of Cincinnati.

Judith Zink, Principal & Co-Founder, Capitoline Consulting

Federal and State Proactive Policies

Judith is a founding Principal of Capitoline Consulting, LLC, with 30 years of federal government relations experience in both private firms and corporate settings. She advises CEOs, non-profits, and public entities on legislative and regulatory policy, specializing in strategy, communications, federal budgets, and advocacy. Known for building long-lasting, bipartisan relationships with government officials, Judith has spent over a decade driving measurable value for many of her clients. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and German from Loyola University Chicago and is a fellow of the Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft. Additionally, she actively supports community youth mentorship and food security initiatives.