Attracting young professionals to the solid waste industry is no easy feat. With no clear track or degree in solid waste — and often no desire or thought to join the industry — how do you get young professionals to take even a first look?

Learn from the City of Tampa's fruitful internship program where out of eight interns, six are now working in local government, five remain in the solid waste industry, and two continued employment with the City of Tampa. The internship program began in 2020 and has helped cultivate a passion for the industry among newcomers. In this panel discussion, supervisors of the program and past interns — now successful in their own local government careers — provide insights on attracting and retaining young professionals. The session combines insight from presenters and attendees to capture all the knowledge and insight in the room.

About the Speakers

Jake Anderson
Recycling Operations Specialist | Circular Action Alliance

Jake Anderson was the first co-op intern with the City of Tampa Solid Waste Department. Jake received his bachelor’s from USF in marketing, and his master’s in global sustainability with a certificate of sustainable tourism. As an intern, he learned about the importance of educating residents on how to recycle right, and how to have fun while being creative through education and outreach. This experience solidified his passion for waste reduction and aligned with his interest in sustainability and building a circular economy. After graduation, he spent a year in Virginia as a recycling coordinator for a university, then moved to Oregon where he served for 3 years as Solid Waste Program Manager for Columbia County OR. Jake’s experience with the county involved managing programs and contracts included in the county’s solid waste management plan and solid waste ordinance under the public works department. Some of his responsibilities and programs include public/private property cleanups, community cleanups, household hazardous waste events, illegal dumping program, sharps container disposal program, recycling/composting outreach and education, webpage design/maintenance, transfer station site management, ReUse program innovation, procurement and contract administration, and extended producer responsibility programs (EPR). With this experience, he recently has received a new opportunity with Circular Action Alliance, a leading organization for EPR in the Paper and Packaging Industries. His new position is Recycling Operations Specialist, where he will implement new recycling infrastructure across the state of Oregon.

Kayla Caselli
Sustainability & Resilience Officer | City of Tampa

Edgar Castro Tello
Recycling Coordinator | City of Tampa

Edgar Castro Tello, University of Central Florida graduate, started his environmental career in conservation education at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He worked as a field biologist performing migratory bird studies and evaluations, while implementing federal and state policies relating to urban development and wildlife. He continued his passion for environmental education with City of Tampa where he’s worked for over 7 years in the Recycling Division working on programs such as backyard composting, yard waste composting, bead reuse program, and other waste reduction initiatives.

Tessa Coulter
Recycling Specialist | City of Tampa

Tessa Coulter graduated from the University of Tampa in 2024 with a degree in environmental studies with a focus on public policy and a minor in sustainability. Her passion for community engagement and sustainability led her to intern for over a year with the City of Tampa’s Department of Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management. In January, she joined the department full time as a Recycling Specialist, working on a variety of waste reduction initiatives.

Tatum Flowers
Solid Waste Operations Specialist Senior | Clark County, WA

Tatum Flowers, a University of South Florida graduate, began her environmental career in food rescue and recovery to reduce food insecurity. While obtaining her master’s focused on food security and sustainability, she interned with the City of Tampa as a Solid Waste and Recycling Education Intern, promoting food waste prevention, reuse, and reduction as a top climate mitigation strategy. Her career then took her to the Pacific Northwest, where she provided food waste reduction technical assistance to businesses in Eugene, Oregon. With a keen understanding of the waste industry’s educational needs, she now specializes in procurement, contracts, legislative compliance and long-term planning for Washington state’s organic management laws and extended producer responsibility programs.

Shelby Lewis
Materials Management Consultant | RRS

Shelby is a native Floridian and a graduate of the University of South Florida with a degree in psychology. She works for RRS as a Materials Management Consultant. Prior to that, Shelby worked in the marine conservation and research field before moving into the public sector of the solid waste industry for 8 years. A passion for the environment and all those that inhabit it has kept Shelby in the industry of conservation - from researching wild dolphins, to studying waste.

Renad Uri
Recycling Program Manager | Battle Motors

Renad Uri is the Recycling Program Manager for Prince William County’s Solid Waste Division. In this role, she oversees waste diversion programs, community outreach, and recycling compliance efforts across the county. With several years of experience in solid waste management, Renad leads initiatives focused on improving public education, enhancing facility operations, and supporting environmental sustainability. She collaborates closely with residents, haulers, and local agencies to ensure effective recycling and proper waste disposal practices.