2026

Bailey Hall and Gwynn Mackellen serve as Co-Chairs for NCRA’s Legislative Committee. They work for the City of Sunnyvale and City of Oakland respectfully, and lead the organizing of NCRA’s annual Advocacy Day.

The Banana Slug String Band has spent over 30 years proving that the fastest way to a kid’s brain is through a catchy hook and a full-body redwood tree costume. Born out of outdoor education programs deep in the California redwoods, the four-piece — Doug “Dirt,” “Airy” Larry, “Solar” Steve, and “Marine” Mark — started out teaching kids about ecosystems and never really stopped, they just added guitars. Since then, they’ve performed in 40 states and 5 countries, released 12 award-winning albums, and played their home stage at Strawberry Music Festival nearly 40 times. Their live shows blend folk, blues,…

Steve Lautze has 45 years of experience in the reuse and recycling field, starting as student co-manager of the fledgling recycling operation at Stanford University in 1981. More recently, over the past 25 years, he has focused his energy on recycling market development, including 15+ years leading the California Assn. of Recycling Market Development Zones,…

Claudia Richardson is a materials scientist and sustainability leader focusing on the textile, apparel, and soft goods industries. Over the past 15 years, she has worked across fashion and outdoor brands, consumer electronics, and materials startups to translate sustainability goals into scalable materials systems.