Our Vision
What is Zero Waste McMinnville?
.png)
Since 2014, our goal has been to make McMinnville be the first city in Oregon to divert 90% of our waste from landfills by 2030. We envision ​ McMinnville as a sustainable community that provides programs and education to promote policies that eliminate waste.
​
Zero Waste is a lifestyle that is ethical, economical, efficient, and visionary. It encourages people to change their thinking about how resources are used. It guides people to modify their lives and daily practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use.
​
​Zero Waste eliminates the volume of toxic waste and materials. It conserves and recovers resources, to not burn or bury them.
​
Implementing a Zero Waste lifestyle will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that are a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.
​
​We provide educational and hands-on programs to organizations, schools, hospitals, events, sponsors, and local government. We need our community to expand the Zero Waste message and programs. Join us on this sustainable and fulfilling life!
Meet our Board of Directors
Ramsey McPhillips
President
Ramsey McPhillips is the co-Founder and President of Zero Waste McMinnville and has been actively involved with environmental recycling issues since childhood. He is determined to make McMinnville the first city in Oregon to be fully “zero waste.” Ramsey’s particular interests revolve around food waste and regenerative soil farming as avenues to solve climate change.
He is the founder of Tainable Regenerative Agricultural Laboratory, a nonprofit providing laboratory and farmland to scientists dedicated to solving climate change through soil research.
Education Bachelor of Arts, Bowdoin College; Sterling College
_edited.png)
Olivia Rovang
they/she
Vice President
Olivia Rovang is a native Oregonian who is serving with Visit McMinnville as the Associate Development Coordinator through the RARE program.
​
Olivia has spent the last five years living in Prescott, AZ obtaining degrees in Sustainable Food Systems, where they completed coursework in agroecology, sustainable community development, food justice, and value chain assessment. As a culmination of that academic journey Olivia implemented a commercial composting project in Prescott with the support of a local composting program and some local coffee shops. Additionally, during school, Olivia worked as a barista, gaining customer service experience and connecting with the community through the customer service lens, this is what sparked Olivia's commitment to service.
​
Generally, during non-working hours you can find Olivia on the nearest hiking trail, wandering through the trees looking at birds or some interesting moss.
Olivia's favorite zero-waste product are her household cleaners, which they make from scratch.
Education Master of Science, Prescott College
Volunteer Work RARE, Americorp
.png)
Steve Iversen
Treasurer
Allison Ernst
she/her
Secretary
Allison Ernst is the Secretary and Wine Industry Liaison for Zero Waste McMinnville. She is also the Direct-to-Consumer Operations Manager for Jackson Family Wines Oregon.
Allison grew up in the Willamette Valley and received her BA in Advertising from the University of Oregon. After exploring the world of arts and culture, she found her home in Wine Country. She joined the ZWM board of directors in 2024 and is very proud to be a part of this small and change-making team.
Allison's favorite zero-waste product is un-paper towels.
Education Bachelor of Arts, University of Oregon
Awards Wine & Spirits Education Trust Level 3 Award in Wines, with Merit
Volunteer Work Victoria Ernst for House District 24, The St. Paul Rodeo, B*tch Media
_edited.png)
Linda Werner
she/her
Liaison to The Plastic Project
Linda's journey to McMinnville began in Indio, California and proceeded chronologically to Palm Springs, Seattle, Barstow, Portland, Seaside, Beaver, Rockaway Beach, Beaver again, finally ending in McMinnville, Oregon. Most of her work experience has been with non-profits administrating, writing grants, and fundraising. For her last 12 years prior to retirement, she worked with the Tillamook County Library as a branch manager.
The first item Linda deleted from her daily life was paper coffee filters. She then transitioned to cloth filters, and finally a stainless steel filter that needs no other filters. She also LOVES dish soap bars and scrub brushes --- "makes doing dishes quick and easy!"
Education Northwest College of Art; Portland State University
Volunteer Work Co-founder of Community Arts Project, Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, North Coast Seafood Festival
_edited.png)
Charlene Doland
Civic Liasion
Charlene Doland is the President of Edible Landscapes of Yamhill County, a McMinnville-based non-profit devoted to engaging with, inspiring, educating, and supporting Yamhill County individuals and communities as they cultivate organic edible gardens.
She is a process-focused leader who uses collaboration, authenticity, and mentoring as key skills to develop team unity focused on accomplishing common goals. She has decades of experience in leading multicultural, multilingual teams, sometimes with competing and conflicting interests, to consensus.
Charlene's favorite zero-waste product is fresh fruits and vegetables from her home garden.
Education Associate Degree, Chemeketa Community College; Bachelor of Arts, DePaul University
Susan Allen
Business Liaison
Susan moved to McMinnville in 2010 as co-owner of Thinkplanet on Third St; which carries recycled, upcycled and sustainable gifts.
Susan is ZWM's Business Liaison and operations and marketing advisor. She brings 30 years of sales, marketing and operations experience with Secote Automation, AMREL Rugged Computers, Beevers Medical Supply, and other organizations. She has traveled extensively for both business and pleasure.
“My favorite eco-responsible product is the ForeverWare stainless steel double-walled 16 oz container. I am looking forward to McMinnville embracing the concept of reusables over disposables.”
Susan enjoys life with her fiancé, Jenni, and their 5 dogs - Bella, Saint, Freya, Ivy and Isaac.
​
Education Bachelor of Arts, University of Massachusetts - Amherst; Master of Business Administration, University of Phoenix - Costa Mesa
Awards Certification in Design and Advertising, Paris/American Academy of Art
Volunteer Work St. Barnabas Soup Kitchen, Cal State Fullerton
Olivia Rovang
they/she
Olivia Rovang is a native Oregonian who is serving with Visit McMinnville as the Associate Development Coordinator through the RARE program.
​
Olivia has spent the last five years living in Prescott, AZ obtaining degrees in Sustainable Food Systems, where they completed coursework in agroecology, sustainable community development, food justice, and value chain assessment. As a culmination of that academic journey Olivia implemented a commercial composting project in Prescott with the support of a local composting program and some local coffee shops. Additionally, during school, Olivia worked as a barista, gaining customer service experience and connecting with the community through the customer service lens, this is what sparked Olivia's commitment to service.
​
Generally, during non-working hours you can find Olivia on the nearest hiking trail, wandering through the trees looking at birds or some interesting moss.
Olivia's favorite zero-waste product are her household cleaners, which they make from scratch.
Education Master of Science, Prescott College
Volunteer Work RARE, Americorp
Advisory Board Members
Sal Peralta, Zero Waste Oregon
​
Jeri White, The Plastic Project
​
Keith Jordan, Mac Tool Library
​
Haley Queen, Sustainable Rituals​
Congresswoman Andrea Salinas
