YP Spotlight: Kaitlin Matteson

The SWANA Young Professionals (YP) group continues to grow and expand across the country. SWANA YP members have been busy this past year speaking at SWANA events, leading teams, mentoring students and making strides in every aspect of the industry. Let’s get to know some of these upcoming industry leaders!

Meet Kaitlin Matteson, Assistant Manager of Waste Disposal Division - City of Columbus' Pine Grove Landfill, GA

Kaitlin is the Assistant Manager of Waste Disposal for Columbus Consolidated Government, located in Georgia, where she assists in the management Pine Grove Municipal Solid Waste and C&D landfills, Granite Bluff Inert Landfill, and their class one composting operation. She also helps manage the city’s closed landfill sites including Schatulga Road Landfill, Wilson Camp, Satilla Landfill, and Oxbow Meadows Inert Landfill. Kaitlin started her career as an environmental scientist in her hometown of Kansas City, MO. Her background in education of soil health, water quality and land use management combined with her professional career background in hazardous waste surveys and disposal, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, Industrial Hygiene and Project Management set her up with a broad knowledge and skill set in this industry.

Kaitlin started working with the City of Columbus in September 2020. She shares, "During my time outside of my landfill tasks, I took on the responsibility to run the Integrated Waste Facebook page, our Columbus GA Recycles App as well as keep our Integrated Waste website up to date. I have been a speaker for our Recycling Town Hall where citizens were updated on current information and asked questions." Kaitlin currently serves as the Chairman of the Public Works Accident Review Board and is very passionate about helping Columbus Consolidated Government reach its waste reduction goals through recycling and composting. Her supervisor, Matthew Dolan, shared, "She has brought a breath of fresh air to our public outreach and education program that was much needed at the time."

Kaitlin is from Lee’s Summit, Missouri and she graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. Outside of work, she has been active in SWANA as a speaker for the "What I Wish I Knew As A YP" session during her chapter's Fall Conference. In her free time, she enjoys paddle boarding, yoga, gardening, and maintaining her numerous house plants.   

When asked about her time as a young professional in SWANA she shares, "I enjoy networking and learning alongside other young professionals in my career."

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