CPA Staff

Lauren Heine
Consulting Co-Director, Green Screen & Applied Science
Dr. Lauren Heine applies green chemistry, green engineering and design for the environment for sustainable business practices. Lauren works closely with the USEPA Design for the Environment Program to facilitate the development of DfE Screens for Safer Chemicals. She co-authored the GreenScreen™ for Safer Chemicals, a tool for benchmarking chemicals based on inherent hazard and currently serves on the California Green Ribbon Science Panel. She is co-chairing the buyers tool development subcommittee for Wal-Mart's Sustainable Value Network for Chemical Intensive Products. She co-founded the Oregon-based Zero Waste Alliance and was a Fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science in the Green Chemistry Program at the US EPA. From 2003-2007, Lauren served as Director of Applied Science at GreenBlue Institute where she initiated and developed CleanGredients™, a web-based chemical information platform, developed in partnership with the US EPA's Design for the Environment Program. Lauren publishes on green chemistry metrics, alternatives assessment and science-based multi-stakeholder processes. Recent publications include a textbook entitled Introduction to Environmental Engineering, 3rd ed. into which she integrated sustainable development, cradle-to-cradle design, green chemistry, green engineering and sustainable materials management concepts. Lauren earned her doctorate in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Duke University.

Mark Rossi
Co-Director, BizNGO & Management
Dr. Mark Rossi develops innovative programs, tools and networks to advance the use of safer chemicals and sustainable materials. Mark founded BizNGO in 2006 to bring thought leaders together to define best business practices in selecting safer alternatives to toxic chemicals and unsustainable materials. The BizNGO community is now over 400 individuals. Mark led the development of BizNGO's visionary Principles for Safer Chemicals. He also co-founded the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative (SBC) to spur the introduction and use of biomaterials that are sustainable from cradle to cradle. With SBC, Mark co-authored its Guidelines for Sustainable Bioplastics and co-led the creation of the BioSpecs - Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Specifications for Compostable Biobased Food Service Ware). Mark is the co-author of CPA's Green Screen for Safer Chemicals. He also co-authored CPA's Plastics Scorecard, a tool for benchmarking plastics based on green chemistry principles and closed loop systems. Mark is a leader in the alternatives assessment field, starting with co-authoring the Lowell Center Framework for Alternatives Assessment in 2006. In 2001, he co-founded CleanMed, which is now the leading conference for greening health care. Mark serves on the Steering Committee of Health Care Without Harm, is a member of the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act Advisory Committee and is a Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Lowell Center for Sustainable Production. He is the co-author of many articles and reports on alternatives assessment, pollution prevention and technology innovation. Mark earned his doctorate in Environmental Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Beverley Thorpe
Consulting Co-Director, Communications & Advocacy
Beverley has researched and promoted clean production strategies internationally since 1986 and was a co-founder of the United Nations Environment Programme for Cleaner Production. She was the first Clean Production liaison and technical expert for Greenpeace International on chemical and waste issues and during this time initiated the first English language campaigns against PVC plastic and PVC waste and helped achieve a global ban on ocean incineration of hazardous wastes. In 2001 she worked with the US farming community and produced videos and reports to highlight the risks of GMO crops. Her work to advance Extended Producer Responsibility policy catalyzed the uptake of this zero-waste strategy in the USA and she is co-author of Clean Production Action's toolkit on producer take-back. Her current focus is the promotion of Green Chemistry within government policy and company practices and she continues to train, teach and publish materials that advance clean production strategies internationally. Beverley received her degree in Geography from Leicester University, UK and is a regular guest lecturer at Lund University, Sweden. She is a current board member of the Green Chemistry Network in the UK, Story of Stuff in the US and Greenpeace Canada.

Ellen Goldberg
Operations Manager
Ellen Goldberg joined Clean Production Action as Operations Manager in 2011. She brings over 15 years of business operations, marketing, development and technology management experience from the private sector. She joined CPA after serving as Concord Square Planning & Development's Chief Operating Officer, where she was responsible for financial and operational oversight, contracts, human resources, and technology. Prior to Concord Square, Ellen worked as Director of Operations for Cathartes Private Investments and managed corporate positioning, administration, development closeouts, sales team management and all marketing and technology initiatives. Ellen earned her BA from Penn State and her MBA from Northeastern University's High Technology program.

Emma Spencer
BizNGO Program Coordinator
Emma Spencer is coordinating Clean Production Action's BizNGO project — a unique collaboration of over 650 leaders from businesses, advocacy organizations, governments, and universities. She keeps BizNGO on track — communicating to the four working groups, maintaining social media channels, and coordinating the annual meeting. Her environmental health experience includes a study on chemicals of concern in adolescent girls and an interest in responses to environmental change throughout human history. She earned a B.A. in Archaeology from Columbia University, has participated in excavations in Egypt and Italy, and completed an internship at the American Museum of Natural History.