Our Vision

What is Zero Waste McMinnville?

Our Mission is to lead by example to help McMinnville and Oregon become more sustainable through pragmatic zero waste policies and civic engagement.

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

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

Steve Iversen

Treasurer

Steve is a retired sciences manager for a DOE contractor in California. He came to McMinnville after retirement seeking relief from crowds, politics, wildfires, and water shortages. Steve joined Zero Waste McMinnville at its beginning in early 2014, and has served as the treasurer ever since. He has an intense long-
term passion for improving the environment, and for recycling and reuse as means to achieve that end. Currently he is a member of the Construction and Demolition committee, and is on the Events committee.

Steve's favorite zero-waste product is his backyard compost bin.

Education Bachelor of Science, Univeristy of California Davis; PhD, Northwestern University

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

Brynn Moir

Brynn Moir moved from Washington to Oregon for college, where she attended Linfield University. Throughout college and after, she has loved the atmosphere and community found in McMinnville and always knew she would settle here for that reason!

She earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies at Linfield, where, during her time there, helped create a composting system on campus, a campus community garden, and a bike co-op for students. Since then, she has put her efforts into helping found The Plastic Project, where she is now on the Leadership Council. She has also helped start McMinnville’s first community reusable container program for restaurants!

She is very passionate about reducing plastic, organic gardening, and making many home essentials from scratch.

Brynn’s favorite zero-waste product is toothpaste tabs. They are refillable and even better than name-brand toothpaste!

Education Bachelor of Arts, Linfield University; Bachelor of Music Therapy, Marylhurst University

Volunteer Work The Plastic Project

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

Advisory Board Members

Sal Peralta, Zero Waste Oregon

Jeri White, The Plastic Project

Keith Jordan, Mac Tool Library

Haley Queen, Sustainable Rituals

Dan Blue, Recology

Kade Klienstuber, Recology

At Zero Waste McMinnville Foundation (ZWMF), we believe that the movement to fight climate change through Zero Waste practices is strongest when it includes voices and perspectives from all walks of life. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our belief that a sustainable future depends on the active participation of people from every background, culture, and community.

Congresswoman Andrea Salinas