Tuesday, September 16
8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. CT

Rachel Meidl, LPD, MEPM, MEd, CHMM, Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy

The notion of sustainability is often presented as a win-win situation. However, success requires a holistic, cross-disciplinary, and multidimensional approach that accounts for the costs and benefits across life cycles to ensure presumed solutions do not shift risks across supply chains and offset social, economic, or environmental gains. As global demand for energy, plastics, metals, and other critical materials intensifies—alongside growing waste and environmental pressures—the need for understanding integrated, circular strategies has never been more urgent. Yet current efforts often fall short, hindered by siloed thinking, policy misalignment, and investment patterns that prioritize short-term gains over long-term resilience. This keynote will explore how life cycle approaches, product stewardship, and systems-level insights can guide more credible, scalable, and impactful progress to a more sustainable and circular economy.

About Rachel Meidl

Dr. Rachel A. Meidl, LPD, CHMM, is fellow in energy and sustainability at Rice University's Baker Institute and deputy director of the Center for Energy Studies. She was previously appointed deputy associate administrator for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, an agency of the US Dept. of Transportation. Her research focuses on sustainability; the circular economy; domestic and international policy and law as it relates to life cycle management of hazardous wastes; safety and environmental regulations of the treatment, storage, disposal, and transportation of chemicals within and outside the US;  assessing plastics, plastic recycling technologies, advanced electronics, and alternative energy applications from a sustainability and life cycle perspective to understand the environmental, economic, and social impacts across the supply chain; and resiliency of the energy industry. 

Prior to her public service, Meidl was the director of regulatory and technical affairs at the American Chemistry Council in Washington, DC, where she advanced a broad range of regulatory and policy issues, including reforming the Toxic Substances and Control Act, hazardous waste management and emergency response, and addressing contaminated site issues. She has more than 20 years of experience in industry, academia, government, politics and international relations, managing the entire life cycle of hazardous waste operations and emergency response to chemical, explosive, radioactive and biohazardous materials. 

Meidl holds a doctorate in law and public policy from Northeastern University, a master's in environmental policy and management with a concentration in environmental chemistry and international law from the University of Denver, a master's in applied science and technology from National University, and bachelor's degrees in conservation biology and zoology & animal physiology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

 Thursday, September 18
 11:50 a.m.-12:20 p.m. CT

Kevin Kransler, PhD, DABT, CPPS, President, Product Stewardship Society

Sonia Razzaque, President-Elect, Product Stewardship Society

Conclude your conference experience with this vital wrap-up session led by PSX's top leadership. The President and President-Elect will reflect on the diverse presentations, dynamic discussions, and valuable networking that occurred throughout the week. They will synthesize the key takeaways, highlight recurring themes, and share critical lessons learned, offering a cohesive overview of the conference's most significant insights. Gain perspective and clarity as we collectively look towards applying these learnings in our work.