Michelle Leonard began her career in the waste industry in the 1990s with SCS Engineers, when attending a Southern California SWANA chapter event meant she might meet only a handful of women in the industry. She was nominated for the SWANA Executive Board, where she served as treasurer, secretary, vice-president and finally president in 2016. She is always available to present, moderate, sit on panels, work with clients on the latest programming and—most importantly—to learn new things. Her passion for her work and her depth of knowledge in our industry are unsurpassable. Michelle Leonard is the 2019 recipient of the SWANA Sustainable Materials Management Technical Division Distinguished Achievement Award (DIAA).