Don Birnesser performed civil, environmental, and mechanical engineering for projects in 23 states within the US and two provinces in Canada. He was a project manager, supervising civil/environmental engineer, and operations manager involved with solid waste master planning, site evaluation, environmental permitting and compliance, engineering, procurement and contract negotiation, construction support, operational and safety assessment, and expert witness services. Project experience includes planning, recycling and characterization, materials recovery, composting, transfer, resource recovery and conversion technology, renewable energy recovery, disaster debris recovery, and active and closed landfills.

In 2004, Don became a certified SWANA Transfer Station Manager. Mr. Birnesser is a certified faculty instructor for the Transfer Station Management training course since 2006. In 2012, SWANA presented him with the Commitment to Service Faculty Award. Since 2013, Mr. Birnesser has served as the Training Committee Chair for the Technical Division. In September 2022, the Collection & Transfer Technical Division elected Don as its SWANA Advisory Board Delegate until June 2024. Mr. Birnesser is a member of the Executive Committee for the Technical Division.