Women Leading Sustainability 2025
April 4, 2025
Michigan Sustainable Business Forum proudly presents our Women Leading Sustainability, celebrating outstanding women professionals advancing sustainability across Michigan.
This campaign recognizes women who drive innovation, leadership, and impact in sustainability, shaping more resilient businesses and communities. Honorees are making significant strides in climate action, circular economy practices, and environmental stewardship.
Throughout March, we will highlight their inspiring achievements and the vital role they play in creating a sustainable future for all.
2025 Honorees
Kristi King, President of Perfect Circle Recycling
Kristi King, a North Carolina native, began her career at 19 with Steelcase Furniture, developing expertise in customer relations and project management over 16 years.
After relocating to Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2005, she partnered with Todd Wilson in 2017 to transform Perfect Circle Recycling (PCR) into a leading force in West Michigan’s recycling industry. By 2019, as President of PCR, Kristi helped secure Meijer as their first major client, demonstrating her resilience and dedication to sustainability and innovation.
Maria Marin, CEO, President & Founder of Unlimited Recycling, Inc.
As a proud Latina woman in the recycling and waste management industry, it has been a privilege to be a pioneer and a visionary in this field. When I started my company, many—including friends—thought I was crazy. But that didn’t deter me from pursuing my vision, my dream, and my passion for protecting our planet. I firmly believe that women are incredibly powerful, and when we recognize our strength, the sky is the limit. We just have to believe in ourselves.
I take great pride in my two wonderful sons, who are actively involved in our family business, Unlimited Recycling. They represent the future of the company. Beyond work, I love traveling the world to explore different cultures, understand how people live, and, most importantly, learn about their waste management practices. These experiences have allowed me to bring valuable insights back to Michigan, helping me implement positive changes for both our customers and the environment. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, dancing, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Marty Gerencer, Executive Director of West Michigan Food Processing Association
I am the Executive Director of the West Michigan Food Processing Association. Our work seeks to connect West Michigan’s Food Processing Industry from “farm to table” by taking a holistic approach to link farmers, food processors, state and local government, and economic development officials with the resources, infrastructure, new markets, and educational institutions that are able to train the current and future workforce.
We strive to achieve “triple bottom line” enhancements, including regional economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social impact. The West Michigan Food Processing Association is “planting the seeds of connectivity in the region and throughout the world to be holistic, supportive, and a catalyst for growth.
Annalise Stekete, Sustainability Manager of Meijer
Annalise Steketee is an advocate for sustainability prioritization in the business space. Following her graduation from the University of Michigan, Annalise joined Meijer’s Environmental team in 2021 to focus on sustainability initiatives across the organization, which are grouped into the company’s four sustainability pillars: carbon emissions reduction, food waste reduction, circular economy, and Great Lakes stewardship.
Sarah Weishaar, Founder & CEO of Impact Collective Group
Sarah Weishaar is the Founder and CEO of Impact Collective Group, a sustainability consulting firm empowering global businesses to achieve success and resilience through strategic sustainability solutions. With nearly 20 years of leadership experience, she leverages her FSA credential from the IFRS Foundation along with those from NYU, MIT, Indiana University, and the University of Michigan to drive impactful change. Sarah is also a dedicated leader in the sustainability community, serving on the Michigan Sustainable Forum Board of Directors and as a ClimateBase Fellow.
Yumi Jakobcic, Office of Sustainability Practices Director at Grand Valley State University
Dr. Yumi Jakobcic is the director of GVSU’s Office of Sustainability Practices. She loves supporting students in their sustainability journey and is looking forward to the start of the growing season at GVSU’s Sustainable Agriculture Project.
Morgan Feldpausch, Environmental Sustainability Director of Ingham County
Morgan Feldpausch is the Environmental Sustainability Director at Ingham County. With a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and Sustainability from Michigan State University, my passion for the environment has been shaped by years of outdoor activities like camping, canoeing, biking, and swimming. I’ve spent the last six years working in local municipal sustainability, and I’m incredibly grateful to be serving in the region I call home: Michigan’s Capital Region.
Kalli Marshall, Recycling and Materials Management Coordinator of Van Buren Conservation District
Kalli Marshall has been Recycling and Materials Management Coordinator for the past three years. She has a Bachelors of Science in Biology and enjoys spending time with friends, family and her two dogs at home when she is not busy advancing recycling in Van Buren County.
Marshall has been working to expand recycling services in Van Buren County. Recently, she was named the chair of the multicounty Materials Management Planning Committee. Her latest project expanded and opened more recycling drop-off stations throughout the county. By securing funding to aid local communities, there will be almost 15,000 households gaining new access to services and many more getting access to recycling for new materials.
Danielle Todd, Executive Director of Make Food Not Waste
Danielle founded Detroit-based Make Food Not Waste in 2017 and serves as its Executive Director. She has led the organization through the creation of two Upcycling Kitchens and the launch of Every Bit Counts, a targeted approach to cutting Michigan’s food waste in half by 2030. Danielle holds an MBA from Wayne State University and a BA from the University of Michigan.
Janay Brower, Founder & CEO of Public Thread
Janay is the Founder and CEO of Public Thread, a circular design, upskilling & manufacturing lab. PT is focused on community level systemic change for textile waste and supporting the growth of a circular economy in textiles, including living wages for those making the products we use everyday.
She is driven by mixing creativity, systems thinking and racial/economic justice into all of her work. Prior to starting Public Thread, Janay led community-level system change efforts in both the public and nonprofit sectors for more than 13 years. She has a Bachelors of Art in Public Policy with a concentration in International Relations.
Kari Bliss, Principal of Sustainability at PADNOS
Kari Bliss is a sustainability leader with over 23 years of experience in recycling and materials management. As Principal of Sustainability at PADNOS, Kari drives circular solutions that help build a more resilient supply chain for metals, paper, plastics, and electronics, leading ESG strategy, advising national accounts, and developing innovative circular economy programs that turn low-value materials into high-revenue streams.
Sarah Archer, Founder & CEO of Iris Waste Diversion Specialists
Sarah Archer is the Founder and CEO of Iris Waste Diversion Specialists based in the Saginaw Bay Region of Michigan. Since 2004, Sarah and the Iris team have been providing program management, technical assistance, marketing, education, and material audit services to clients across Michigan. Their boots-on-the-ground experience provides valuable insight into the strategic development of zero waste and materials management programs.
In 2016, Iris began providing food scrap collection services to businesses in Flint, Saginaw, and Bay City, expanding in 2022 to include a residential subscription service. The Give A Scrap Food Scrap Pickup Service has diverted over 250 tons from landfill disposal to composting. Sarah is also a Purveyor of Premium Worm Castings as owner of 5Heart Earthworm Farm in Birch Run, where a portion of the collected food scraps are processed. She enjoys providing educational lessons and tours on the farm to students and community groups in the region.
Katie Chapman, Senior Sustainability Engineer at Haworth
Katie Chapman is a Senior Sustainability Engineer on Haworth’s global sustainability team, bringing 15 years of experience in the field. She leads the company’s circular economy initiatives, ensuring that both current and future products adhere to their circular design principles. In her work, she drives the company forward by engaging with designers and engineers to find opportunities to integrate sustainable materials and design products that are long-lasting and have a responsible end of use. Katie holds a bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Business from Aquinas College.
Annabelle Wilkinson, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Grand Rapids
Annabelle Wilkinson is the Chief Sustainability Officer directing the City of Grand Rapids’ Office of Sustainability, responsible for managing the City’s sustainability, climate change and environmental justice programs. Annabelle has over a decade of public service experience and has been employed by the City for over five years in the Office of Sustainability. Annabelle and her staff are currently finalizing the City of Grand Rapids first Climate Action & Adaptation Plan this spring. In her moments of rest, Annabelle can be found reading, gardening, hiking in nature, and laughing amongst friends and family.
