Rebecca CaldwellCaldwell Environmental Solutions
Principal
Becky Caldwell is a nationally recognized expert in the field of solid waste resource management and solutions. She is the President of Caldwell Environmental Solutions, a solid waste management consulting company, in Middle Tennessee.
Ms. Caldwell served as the Regional Solid Waste Planning Manager at the Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) where she was responsible for finding and facilitating resources for managing solid waste-related challenges across a diverse 13-county region that included high density urban, suburban, and rural constituents, and working towards an integrated management plan to protect the region’s air, land, and water resources. Specific projects in this role included the 2019 Middle Tennessee Solid Waste Master Plan, and the 2020 Regional Needs Assessment.
Her experience across more than two decades includes 18 years with the City of Franklin, Tennessee, including 10 as Director of Sanitation and Environmental Services, where she was responsible for a multi-million-dollar annual budget, planning, operations, and safety for four residential collection divisions, commercial collections, special events, transfer station operation, and disposal planning.
She graduated from Eastern Kentucky University, with a Bachelor of Business Administration, and earned her Master of Business Administration in 2005, from the University of Phoenix.
Ms. Caldwell is certified through SWANA in Managing Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems, Managing MSW Collection Systems, Managing Recycling Systems, Transfer Station Management, and Household Hazardous Waste & CESQG Collection Operations.
Joe WilliamsCommon Sense Consulting
Principal
Joe Williams enters a fourth decade of solid waste management energized by his newest challenge as founder of Common Sense Consulting of Franklin, LLC in Franklin, TN. Experienced in both the private and public side of MSW, Mr. Williams spent nearly ten years with the former Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) before taking the reins as Solid Waste Director for the City of Franklin, TN in 1998. His responsibilities have included hiring, training, safety and compliance, operations, financing and administrative requirements for all sections of solid waste management, including residential, commercial, medical, and special wastes.
Mr. James Nathaniel RidleyCity of Franklin
Assistant Director
Nate Ridley currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Sanitation and Environmental Services Department for the City of Franklin, Tennessee. A SWANA member since 2008, Mr. Ridley has more than 20 years of experience in the Solid Waste industry and equipment operation. He is SWANA-certified in two disciplines: Managing Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Collection Systems and Managing Integrated Collection Systems. Mr. Ridley has been a SWANA-certified instructor since 2013 for the Managing MSW Collection Systems course and he also serves as Safety Ambassador for the SWANA Tennessee Chapter. He is married with five children. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing, football, grilling, and motorcycles. His favorite quote is “Leave it better it… better than you found it.”
Robin Ennis(Retired)
Robin Ennis retired from Montgomery County, MD in 2020, where she served as the Chief of Solid Waste and Recycling Collection for 13 years. Previously, she served as the Director of Collections, Customer Service, Recycling, and Media Arts for the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority, where she and her team earned an Emmy Award for their weekly television show, eTV. Ms. Ennis has been an active member of SWANA for 25 years, was elected Vice President and President of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, and has earned six certifications. She is a SWANA-certified faculty member, who teaches five courses: Manager of Landfill Operations, Managing Municipal Solid Waste Collection Systems, Managing Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems, Managing Recycling Systems, and Zero Waste Principles and Practices.