Team

Tradewater has assembled a team of experts in environmental science, engineering, public policy, data analysis, and project development and implementation. Over their careers, the Tradewater staff have collectively developed carbon credit projects that prevented the emission of more than 7.5 million tons of greenhouse gases.

Tim Brown Chief Executive Officer
Gabriel Bankier Plotkin Chief Operating Officer
Clarissa Balatan Chief People & Culture Officer
Nicholas Cade Director of US Programs
Katherine Chavarría Finance and Administrative Coordinator
Rishika Chhabrani Data Analyst
Xiomara Crespo Environmental Program Associate
Chad Dorger Program Manager
Eli Etzioni Partnerships Manager
Ana Fernández Logistics Associate
Sarah Fluharty Associate Director of US Programs
Juan Gallardo Warehouse Associate
Peter Garcia Environmental Program Associate
Beau Garrett Program Manager
Clarissa Gregg Environmental Program Associate
Kate Grenadier Director of People & Culture
Chris Gross Courier
María José Gutiérrez Murray Senior Director of International Programs
Justin Jetton Process Technician
Jacqualine (Jacqui) Joubert Projects and New Developments Associate
Rachel Kanan Chief Financial Officer
Sean Kinghorn Partnerships & Program Development Strategist
Kirsten Love Chief Marketing Officer
Samantha Marquette Marketing Manager
Victor Molina Operations Manager
Jenny Morgan Market Development Manager
Teddy Moser Environmental Program Associate
Oluwatimilehin Odubola Full Stack Developer
Sreya Pedamalla Manager of Data & Analytics
Rebecca Pessoa Data & Analytics Associate
Raymond Rieling Partnerships Manager
Mitchell Rinker Environmental Program Associate
Valeria Rios-Maldonado Program Manager
Rebeka Romanovsky Projects and New Developments Manager
Gina Sabatini Manager of Verification & Logistics
Josué Segura Communication Strategist
Youssef Souissi Projects and New Developments Manager
Georgia Sparks Research & Development Associate
Kap Tamilselvan Environmental Project Manager
Panjamas Thaengthonglang SEAP Program Manager
Meg Thode Projects and New Developments Associate
Hasit Trivedi Projects and New Developments Associate
Daniel Ulloa Projects Coordinator
Thom Van Ermen Program Manager
Moises Valle Process Technician
Adriana Vargas Verification and Logistics Associate
Cassandra Whitford Methane Project Development Manager
Beverly Yang Environmental Program Associate
Amany Zaid Mahran Projects & New Developments Associate
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Tim Brown Chief Executive Officer

Tim is a founder and the CEO of Tradewater.  He provides strategic direction for the firm in all business areas.  He is developing new programs to further Tradewater’s mission and expand its impact.  He is working to open new markets and facilitate the firm’s  international expansion.  Tim brings to Tradewater 40 years of experience in carbon programs, environmental policy, hazardous waste cleanup, and pollution prevention.  He founded Wabashco in 2008 to develop carbon offset and renewable energy projects in the Midwest, and in 1998 he co-founded the Delta Institute, a nonprofit organization to improve environmental quality and promote community and economic development in the Great Lakes Basin. He ran the Delta Institute’s environmental program, which included a wide range of water quality, pollution prevention, toxic reduction, and carbon sequestration work. Tim has worked for a range of environmental organizations in both the private and non-profit sectors including Clean Sites, ICF, and the Center for the Great Lakes.  He was a Dana Meadows Sustainability Leadership Fellow with the Sustainability Institute.   Tim holds a B.S. from Northwestern University.  He has held leadership positions on many boards over the years including the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Rebuilding Exchange, Delta Institute, and the Alliance for the Great Lakes, among others.  He currently serves on the board of the Lochland School.

 

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Gabriel Bankier Plotkin Chief Operating Officer

Gabe is a founder of Tradewater and currently serves as the COO. He oversees implementation of Tradewater’s domestic carbon offset projects and collaborates with the CEO to expand existing greenhouse gas mitigation programs and establish new ventures related to innovative technology and international carbon markets. Gabe began working in environmental project development at Wabashco, LLC, after a 12-year career as an attorney. He served first as a staff attorney with the Federal Defender Program for the Northern District of Illinois. He then joined the law firm of Miller Shakman & Beem, a commercial litigation boutique, where he became a partner and served as an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago Law School. Throughout his career, Gabe has served in various leadership roles in the non-profit world. While in law school, he founded Youth Rights Media, a non-profit in New Haven, Connecticut, dedicated to empowering youth to protect and advance their legal rights, and served on their Board of Directors for close to ten years. He also served for six years on the board of the Rebuilding Exchange, a Chicago non-profit committed to developing a market for the reuse of building materials, including spending four years as Board Chair. Gabe holds a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

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Clarissa Balatan Chief People & Culture Officer

Clarissa (she/her) joined Tradewater in 2023, leading the development and implementation of global human resources strategies to support the team’s growth and maximize our impact. She holds a degree in human resources management from Michigan State University and master’s degrees in finance and business administration from Indiana University. 

Clarissa brings over 16 years of global human resources and leadership experience from the profit and non-profit sectors. She has served in HR leadership roles supporting international disaster relief, environmental and climate-focused research, and aerospace and defense. Clarissa is excited to make a permanent impact on our environment as part of the Tradewater team.   

In addition to trying new food spots, Clarissa enjoys reading, being outdoors, and whipping up knitted creations. 

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Nicholas Cade Director of US Programs

As Director of US Programs, Nick leads the team tasked with the identification and collection of ozone depleting substances around the United States and oversees operations at Tradewater’s aggregation and reclamation facilities. Prior to joining Tradewater, Nick was an attorney for several years in both private practice and as an active duty service-member in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps.  Before law school, Nick taught middle school social studies in Brooklyn, NY as a Teach For America corps member. He holds a B.A. in both History and Government from Colby College, an M.S. for Teachers from Pace University, and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.  Nick continues to serve as a reserve officer in the JAG Corps, sits on the board of directors of Volunteers of America of Illinois, and is active in a number of civic organizations.

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Katherine Chavarría Finance and Administrative Coordinator

Katherine joined Tradewater’s international team in 2019. She works on transboundary movement matters and provides general administrative support related to the program. Katherine enjoys working on environmental protections towards a goal of achieving sustainable development. Katherine lives and works in Costa Rica.

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Rishika Chhabrani Data Analyst

Rishika joined Tradewater as a Data Analyst in 2023 after completing an internship the previous summer. Her primary responsibilities include supporting the development and innovation of data systems at Tradewater. She collaborates closely with the team to design and implement new data system solutions, administration and maintenance of business intelligence (BI) dashboards. She holds a Master’s in Data Analytics Engineering from Northeastern University in Boston. 

Rishika recognizes the significance of data analytics in driving sustainable solutions for a changing world and is committed to supporting Tradewater’s mission of combating climate change by leveraging data analytics to make informed decisions and drive effective solutions. 

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Xiomara Crespo Environmental Program Associate

Xiomara Crespo joined Tradewater in 2022 as an Environmental Program Associate for Chicago, IL. Xiomara graduated with a bachelors of science with a major in environmental science and a minor in chemistry from the University of North Texas. Xiomara previously interned at The Borgen project working with Texas state representatives in aiding humanitarian issues. Her goal is not only to take care of the planet but take care of the people by providing them the proper education they need to fight climate change. She loves to travel and get first hand exposure to the several cultures of the world.

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Chad Dorger Program Manager

Chad Dorger is a Program Manager at Tradewater working on carbon offset development. He holds a B.S. from Loyola University Chicago’s School for Environmental Sustainability. Previously at Tradewater, Chad worked as an Environmental Program Associate, traveling the United States collecting refrigerants from 47 states!

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Eli Etzioni Partnerships Manager

Eli joined Tradewater’s Market Development Team in 2023 to support relationships with Tradewater’s customers and key partners. His responsibilities include account management, new business development, and designing business systems within Tradewater. He holds a B.A. degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and a minor in Computer Science from Claremont McKenna College.

Eli brings 5 years of experience in fundraising, partnerships, and commercialization of new climate technologies. Prior to Tradewater, he was the first business hire at Symbrosia, a climate-tech startup developing a seaweed feed additive to drastically reduce methane emissions in cow burps. He helped Symbrosia raise a $7M funding round, built relationships with farmers, CPG brands, and distributors, and developed Symbrosia’s first carbon project on the Verra registry. He also did business development at Elexity, a cleantech startup building AI software to help commercial buildings save energy. Before that, he worked at Fast Forward, an accelerator for nonprofit technology startups, where he helped manage partnerships with large corporations including Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and BlackRock.

Eli’s passion is scaling climate impact and getting people off the sidelines and into the climate movement. He is equal parts climate optimist and outdoor enthusiast. He can often be found thinking about sustainable aquaculture while surfing or pondering climate-friendly transit options while biking.

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Ana Fernández Logistics Associate

Ana joined Tradewater in 2023, and she is responsible for supporting the international movement of materials, regulatory compliance, and project management under Tradewater’s umbrella of greenhouse gas mitigation programs.

She began her career in 2015 in the automotive market as part of the inbound and outbound teams while pursuing a degree focused on international trade. Always working in the supply chain area, she has developed different aspects of logistics expertise, with a focus on import and export operations. After five years, she decided to move her life and work to Spain, where she started with a pharmaceutical company, working with controlled and dangerous substances, complying with regulations and quality standards. Over the last three years, Ana obtained her master’s degree in supply chain management and logistics from EAE Business School and is now pursuing an additional master’s degree in leadership and team management.

Ana believes that Tradewater’s work is of vital importance in our present and future, and being part of the change is a great motivator. She believes that all efforts to make people and companies aware of climate change and its impact on our lives are worth it.

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Sarah Fluharty Associate Director of US Programs

Sarah joined Tradewater in 2023, providing leadership to the sourcing, collection, and operational teams within US Halocarbons. Over the past 10 years, Sarah has been an operational leader across multiple sectors, with her most recent experience in the carbon offset space. Her expertise includes driving operational efficiency, customer experience, CRM management, and team leadership. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina Asheville.

Sarah is passionate about sustainability, nature, and decarbonization. She resonates closely with Tradewater’s mission to fight climate change by preventing ozone-depleting gases from entering the atmosphere and generating high quality carbon offset credits.

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Juan Gallardo Warehouse Associate
Juan joined Tradewater in 2023 as a Warehouse Associate.
His previous experience includes ten years working in the railroad industry, recycling oil and coolants. Juan enjoys working on cars with his brother in his free time. He is excited to support Tradewater’s mission of improving our environment by collecting and destroying high-impact greenhouse gases.
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Peter Garcia Environmental Program Associate

Peter Garcia joined Tradewater in 2022 as an Environmental Program Associate for Los Angeles, CA. He supports the U.S. Ozone Depleting Substances program. Peter graduated San Diego State University with his Bachelors of Science degree with a Major in Biology. Peter loves to travel and run around with his dog on the beach. Peter loves going to National Parks and has a goal to visit all of them.  He also loves camping, and hiking.

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Beau Garrett Program Manager

Beau joined Tradewater in 2019. As a Program Manager, he focuses on providing refrigerant management solutions to portfolios of buildings through Tradewater’s Catalytic Coalition. He is also responsible for carbon accounting and target setting initiatives both internally and externally. Beau holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Environmental Engineering from Northwestern University. Prior to joining Tradewater, he managed sustainability projects for large, complex buildings with Delta Institute, and helped hundreds of commercial buildings achieve LEED certification, ENERGY STAR awards and city ordinance compliance while at Goby. Beau previously served as co-chair of the Delta Emerging Leaders, offers pro-bono energy benchmarking consulting, and is a co-founder of REVIVEcollective, a creative community based in multiple cities.

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Clarissa Gregg Environmental Program Associate

Clarissa joined Tradewater in 2018 as a Customer Service Representative and supports the work of the U.S. Ozone Depleting Substances program. She earned a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Millikin University. She also holds an Associate’s Degree in World Languages from City Colleges of Chicago, where she focused on French and Spanish. Prior to Tradewater, she worked in theatre, as a vocalist, in retail, and as an administrative assistant. 

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Kate Grenadier Director of People & Culture

Kate joined Tradewater in 2023 to continue building the People & Culture practice for the growing Tradewater team. Her ultimate responsibility is to the excellent team of people that make up Tradewater. On a day-to-day basis, this includes policy and system implementation, performance management, coaching and professional development programs, employee relations, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, recruiting and hiring, and supporting a thriving company culture at a global scale.

Prior to Tradewater, Kate has worked in the technology space with a background rooted in program, project, and account management that evolved into operations and leading the “people-side” of business. Kate is also an ICF Certified Career Coach. Kate has worked in multiple fully remote and hybrid models, supporting teammates across the globe. Coming from a very different industry, her trajectory into Tradewater is a bit less traditional; however, armed with her passion for protecting our planet, she is excited to work for an organization and with teams that are making a tangible impact.

In a past life, Kate was a whitewater raft guide. While professionally she has diverged from those days, after work you can still find her outside on the trails or rivers around Montana, or simply enjoying a beer with friends or a book down by the water.

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Chris Gross Courier
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María José Gutiérrez Murray Senior Director of International Programs

María José joined Tradewater’s work in 2018 when she was approached by the CEO and COO to partner and help with expanding work to Latin America. María José directs Tradewater’s international work in Asian, African, Latin American and Caribbean countries. Her roles include overseeing, finding, collecting and destroying ozone depleting substances from all over the world. Prior to joining Tradewater, she has collaborated as a climate change and sustainability consultant in numerous projects and programs relating to climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas accounting and management, corporate sustainability, and climate policy. For seven years, she was a Technical expert for the Secretariat of the Low Emission Development Strategies Global Platform (LEDS GP) Latin American and Caribbean Regional Platform (LEDS LAC), where she took on various coordinating and advisory roles around climate policy and action. She is also the founding member of the Costa Rica based NGO, Center for Urban Sustainability, and a member of the Balaton Group. María José holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Costa Rica, and a M.S. in Environmental Change and Management from the University of Oxford. María lives and works in Costa Rica.

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Justin Jetton Process Technician

Justin Jetton joined Tradewater in 2022 as a Process Technician. Justin spent 8 years in the United States Naval Reserves as an Master-At-Arms and completed a tour in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 2013. Justin also worked as a Non Destructive Technician in the oil and gas industry for 8 years. Justin spends his time working on DIY projects at home and enjoys craft beer. He loves spending time with his wife and 2 daughters, and traveling the world. He’s been to Australia and the United Kingdom and is ready for his next adventure!

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Jacqualine (Jacqui) Joubert Projects and New Developments Associate

Jacqui is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and joined the Tradewater International team in 2023. In her role as Projects and New Development Associate, she is responsible for researching, stakeholder mapping and management, and initiating strategies to find, collect and destroy ozone-depleting substances globally.

She is currently completing a Doctoral Degree, examining the ways in which blockchain technology can be harnessed by social enterprises across the globe to enhance their operations. Prior to this, she completed a Masters Degree in International Relations from the University of Cape Town.

Her professional experience includes work across various industries, working with both for-profit and non-profit organizations. She has worked closely with businesses globally focusing on their ESG operations, monitoring and evaluation, impact investing and impact management. Her unique background has resulted in an impact-driven solutions approach to the challenges faced and created by businesses across global industries. When not in the office, Jacqui volunteers with Girl Guides South Africa. She holds the position of International Commissioner, working closely to build global opportunities for South African girls.

Jacqui is passionate about developing sustainable solutions and strategies to overcome the most pressing challenge this generation faces- climate change. She believes that these solutions need to be based on evidence and scalable to ensure the environmental, social and economic stability for generations that are still to come.”

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Rachel Kanan Chief Financial Officer

Rachel joined Tradewater in 2016, and currently serves in the capacity of Controller. In this role, she manages the organization’s accounting operations including financial statement preparation, payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable. Previously, she served as the Director of Business Operations and Verification where she led a team that was responsible for managing the verification of Tradewater’s carbon projects, overseeing logistics, operationalizing new business ventures, and providing further support to the firm’s carbon offset projects. Prior to joining Tradewater, Rachel spent 9 years as a middle school math teacher, and also served as a bookkeeper for other businesses. Rachel has a B.A. from Saint Xavier University in Chicago and a MS from the University of Illinois.

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Sean Kinghorn Partnerships & Program Development Strategist

Sean Kinghorn is a solutions-oriented leader with 20+ years of experience in sustainability strategy, sustainable business practices, green building consulting, and environmental planning.  He is an expert in “profitability through sustainability” by integrating sustainable business practices with financial goals and objectives.  He has led efforts across a broad range of sectors; most recently spending a decade in leading tech companies as the head of sustainability. He thrives in combining his creativity and problem-solving skills to provide solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental issues.

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Kirsten Love Chief Marketing Officer

Kirsten joined the Tradewater team in 2019 as the Director of Market Development. In her role, she leads the effort around making carbon offset credits available to new markets. This includes not only making carbon credits available to corporations, but also to individual consumers who want to make an impact on climate change. Prior to joining Tradewater, she worked in the Foodservice Industry for a Supply Chain solutions company. Here she worked in a number of different functional roles which included account management, promotions and project management, marketing analytics, resource management, and business development strategy. Kirsten holds a B.S. degree in Psychology and a B.S. degree in Business and Applied Math from The Illinois Institute of Technology. Outside of work, Kirsten is a devoted mother to two and coach to many in her passion to mentor and develop youth through sports such as football, soccer, and basketball.

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Samantha Marquette Marketing Manager

Joining Tradewater in 2021, Samantha leads the organization’s visual communication and digital marketing strategy. Her background uniquely merges a BFA in Visual Communications with an MA in International Psychology concentrating on global communications. With nearly ten years of brand and marketing experience, Samantha’s diverse portfolio includes her work with for-profit and non-profit organizations, where her dedication to advocating for mission-driven causes like social justice, human rights, and sustainability led her to support various programs around the globe. After spending more than five years working and volunteering abroad, Samantha returned to Chicago, IL to lead a nationwide behavioral health organization in developing and managing their growing multi-media department focused on video production, graphic design, and website development.

Samantha remains in Chicago, IL where she lives with her partner, two cats, and a dog. When she is not working, Samantha enjoys gardening, cooking, and watching live music alongside her friends. Samantha is excited to be a part of Tradewater’s Communications Department and continue the mission of combating catastrophic climate change.

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Victor Molina Operations Manager

Victor is an Operations Manager at Tradewater. He joined Tradewater in 2017 as a Process Technician and works in the aggregation and processing of a variety of refrigerants. He also served in the United States Air Force as a Fuels Specialist, working with petroleum and associated equipment. Prior to joining Tradewater, Victor operated hydroprocessing units at a Research & Development plant.

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Jenny Morgan Market Development Manager

Jenny joined Tradewater in 2022 as the Market Development Manager. In her role, she partners with organizations to help achieve carbon neutrality through sustainability consultation, emissions reduction, and the purchase of carbon credits. She operates under the belief that our most challenging problems cannot be solved by government and nonprofits alone – it requires a collective effort. She is passionate in changing the way we view business and industry to be both profitable and purposeful. Prior to joining Tradewater, Jenny has worked within the technology and hospitality sectors, and comes with 15+ years of experience in Business Operations, Market Development, Events, and Community Engagement. Outside of work, Jenny enjoys spending time with her family and friends hiking, running, swimming, and planning themed celebrations.

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Teddy Moser Environmental Program Associate

Teddy joined Tradewater in 2023 as an Environmental Program Associate based out of Covington, KY, working to identify, collect, and destroy harmful refrigerants across the United States. He received a Master’s Degree in Environmental Law & Policy from Vermont Law School in 2023, following Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of Cincinnati in 2019. He has a background in agriculture and construction management, and has long been an advocate for conservation, sustainability, and environmental justice.

In his free time, Teddy enjoys travelling, hiking, camping, swimming, snowboarding, gardening, cooking, and watching Pixar movies with his wife and son. He looks forward to joining to fight against climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and teaching his son about environmental stewardship through meaningful action.

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Oluwatimilehin Odubola Full Stack Developer

Timi joined Tradewater in 2023, where he assumed responsibilities for the design, development, and maintenance of software applications for the organization. Prior to his role at Tradewater, Timi achieved a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.

Timi’s professional journey has been guided by a deep-seated commitment to champion Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG13) and to contribute his skills to building climate-focused technologies. His career has encompassed a diverse range of organizations, spanning both the financial and non-profit sectors, from dynamic startups to well-established mid-level enterprises.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Timi remains an active and engaged participant in his community. During his leisure time, he finds solace in the harmonious tunes of the piano, enjoys exploring new destinations through travel, and generously devotes his time to volunteer work within his local community.

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Sreya Pedamalla Manager of Data & Analytics

Sreya joined Tradewater in 2020. She handles the development and analysis of Tradewater’s data systems. She has a Master’s Degree in Data Analytics Engineering from Northeastern University, Boston. She gains inspiration knowing that her work contributes to the destruction of high impact greenhouse gases.

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Rebecca Pessoa Data & Analytics Associate

Rebecca joined Tradewater’s International team in 2021 and had recently began a new role as a Data & Analytics Associate. Most of her professional experience has focused on developing strategies to manage data and high volume of information. This includes internal auditing processes related to the environmental management system and conformity assessments and working to develop a life cycle assessment in compliance with international standards as ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 in the cleaning manufacturing industry.

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Raymond Rieling Partnerships Manager

Ray joined Tradewater in 2023 as Partnerships Manager for Tradewater: Refrigerant Solutions. In this role, Ray is responsible for the creation and implementation of the strategy for this program, developing and maintaining relationships with Tradewater’s customers and key partners. Before joining Tradewater, Ray co-founded a portable storage company in Northern Virginia, and helped it grow to one of the largest independent mobile storage providers in the country. Prior to his storage start-up, Ray managed political campaigns, running eight campaigns across three states including multiple state legislative and U.S. Congressional races.

Ray earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Colby College. He lives in Virginia with his wife and their two sons. He enjoys reading, backpacking, swimming, the state of Maine, and the New York Yankees.

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Mitchell Rinker Environmental Program Associate

Mitchell joined the Tradewater team in 2022 as an Environmental Program Associate. He graduated with a M.S. in Environmental and Resource Management from Arizona State University in 2021. Prior to working with Tradewater, he worked in the mortgage industry as a loan processor and has done volunteer work with the National Park Service in Maryland. He is excited to be a part of the fight against climate change and hopes his work will make a lasting difference.

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Valeria Rios-Maldonado Program Manager

Valeria joined Tradewater in 2020 as an Environmental Program Associate and was promoted to Program Manager in April of 2022. She currently oversees identification and collection efforts of CFC refrigerants within the United States. Valeria holds a Master of Public Health in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Previously, Valeria worked at UIC’s Environmental Health and Safety Office as well as did research looking to see if “green” rehabbing of low-income housing in the Chicago area is associated with environmental and personal health indicators.

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Rebeka Romanovsky Projects and New Developments Manager
Becky joined Tradewater’s international team in 2023, and her responsibilities include overseeing, finding, collecting, and destroying ozone-depleting substances and GHGs from all over the world. Before joining Tradewater, Becky earned her master’s degree in International Development from IE University in Spain, specializing in Sustainable Business & Climate Action.
In her professional career, she worked with all four sectors on issues of carbon offsetting and decarbonization, blue carbon credits, ocean health projects, net-zero targets, ESG and carbon reporting, and scope three accounting in both developed and emerging markets. She founded two start-ups focused on climate action in Toronto and Madrid and headed the ESG product department in a Singapore-based start-up. Becky is passionate about climate innovation and social entrepreneurship and sees Tradewater’s work as one of the most impactful and necessary efforts to stop the climate change emergency.
Becky sees Tradewater as a prime example of how close collaboration between social entrepreneurs, the private sector, civil society, governments, and NGOs can together drive the required systems to change for the climate-smart transition.
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Gina Sabatini Manager of Verification & Logistics

Gina joined Tradewater in 2018 as an Administrative Assistant and later supported the Business Operations and Verification team with verification of offset projects, logistics implementation, and development of internal processes. In 2022, she began a new role as Manager of Verification and Logistics under the Department of Verification and Logistics. This department leads the verification activities for Tradewater’s carbon offset projects on a global scale. Gina received a B.A. in Human Ecology in 2013 from College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine.

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Josué Segura Communication Strategist

Josué joined Tradewater’s international team in 2021 as a Communication Strategist. He has degrees in both advertising and social communication and has worked, mainly, in projects with social inclinations. Most of his professional experience has focused on developing and supporting communication strategies focused on social causes. According to him, his most important experience was working in Era Verde as an editor and production assistant, where he began to understand the potential that communication has towards making social issues visible.

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Youssef Souissi Projects and New Developments Manager

Youssef joined Tradewater in 2023. He is responsible for exploring and managing international development opportunities to ensure the collection and destruction of ozone-depleting refrigerants and halons.

Youssef holds a Master’s degree in Process Engineering from Toulouse University in France, and brings over 10 years of experience in program management, business development, and operations within the energy and transportation sectors.

Throughout his personal and professional journey, Youssef has traveled to over 40 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Embracing diverse perspectives and experiences has continually fueled his personal growth and ignited his deep passion for social good and sustainability.

When he’s not at work or playing soccer, he indulges in his passion for electronic music, bedroom-DJing and mixing his favorite vinyl records.

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Georgia Sparks Research & Development Associate

Georgia joined Tradewater in 2022 as Research & Development Associate. She works on the scoping, innovation, and development of new programs focused on reducing methane emissions. She also worked at Tradewater in 2019 and 2021 before joining full-time. Georgia recently graduated from Barnard College-Columbia University with a B.A. in Environment & Sustainability. She has worked on climate research, political campaigns, and immigration law. Georgia lives in New York City where she enjoys exploring parks and seeing live music.

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Kap Tamilselvan Environmental Project Manager

Kap joined Tradewater in 2024 as an Environmental Project Manager; bringing his passion for combating climate change and a wealth of experience in leading complex projects and driving innovation in the energy industry. At Tradewater, he is responsible for developing and managing a pipeline of projects within our Methane program to identify and prevent the emission of harmful greenhouse gases.

With 5 years under his belt, Kap has honed his skills in cross-functional collaboration, developing deep relationships with stakeholders, managing projects and product development for global markets, and operationalizing product strategy. He’s a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a proud University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Mechanical Engineering alum. But Kap’s not just about work! He’s a Climatebase fellow, a founding board member of a mission-based run club, and an avid biker. He’s all about community, having helped raise funds for summer camps and holiday gatherings for underrepresented kids and their families. In 2022, he even biked 165 miles to raise over $1000 for Multiple Sclerosis research! On a rainy day, you can find him with a good book in the company of his partner and their cat.

Kap is thrilled to join Tradewater and to use his expertise to have a tangible impact on the environment and make a real difference in the fight against climate change.

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Panjamas Thaengthonglang SEAP Program Manager
Panjamas (Pan) joined Tradewater’s international team in 2023 and serves as the SEAP Program Manager. Based in Thailand, her responsibilities include overseeing, finding, collecting, and destroying ozone-depleting substances and GHGs, in the South East Asian region.
Pan earned her Master of Science in Comparative Public Policy and Welfare Studies from the University of Southern Denmark and a Master of Science in Applied Behavioral Science Research from Behavioral Science Research Institute. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Political Science (International Relations) from Srinakharinwirot University.
Before joining Tradewater, Pan’s professional experience focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social project management. She worked extensively in project development in Thailand and as a teacher for an international school in Denmark.
Pan is passionate about the value of education and has worked on project-based learning approaches among teachers and junior students in remote areas of Thailand. Food (in)security is another challenge she is concerned about – as millions of Thais struggle to access food.
Pan believes Tradewater’s equitable approaches elevate the unique values within communities and provide global solutions to preventing catastrophic climate change.
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Meg Thode Projects and New Developments Associate

Joining Tradewater in the Fall of 2023, Meg brings enthusiasm and a multidisciplinary approach to her role as Projects & New Developments Associate. Tasked with supporting the exploration and development of international work, her role is key to developing projects around the world.

Armed with a BA in Global Health & International Relations from Tufts University and an MSc in International Development from IE University, she brings a holistic approach to sustainability, acknowledging the interdependent relationship between a healthy planet and thriving communities. Her professional journey, which has spanned international borders, is marked by significant contributions to both non-profit initiatives and corporate sectors, particularly in areas of ESG compliance, public health, and international development. She made significant strides in blue carbon offsetting, gaining in-depth knowledge of carbon credits and ecosystem-based approaches to climate mitigation.

Her ultimate motivation is lowering the “activation energy” to do the right thing. At Tradewater, Meg sees the opportunity to contribute to crucial climate solutions, leveraging international collaboration for a climate-smart future. She is excited about driving systemic change through her role, scaling Tradewater’s global impact in the fight to mitigate greenhouse gasses.

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Hasit Trivedi Projects and New Developments Associate

Hasit joined Tradewater in 2023 and his responsibilities consist of finding, collecting, and destroying ozone-depleting substances and GHGs. Hasit holds a degree in Chemical engineering from Pune University in India and a postgraduation diploma in Environmental engineering from the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom. 

Hasit brings more than 15 years of work experience in handling renewable energy and environmental resource management related projects. He has worked with private companies and across the NGO sector throughout his career.  He is an ISO 14064 Lead verifier for GHG quantification. Because of his keen interest in sustainability and ESG, he has completed training for Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) from KPMG and has plans for the GRI certified professional exam.

He believes in making positive changes for society and the environment through his skills and knowledge. He enjoys writing poems, playing flute and listening to audiobooks. 

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Daniel Ulloa Projects Coordinator

Daniel joined Tradewater International in 2021 as an operations executive. He is a chemical engineer from the University of Costa Rica and is currently studying to obtain a Master´s degree in Integrated Water Resource Management. Most of his professional experience is in the private sector as an industrial consultant first and later working at the Standardization Institute in Costa Rica (INTECO). He experienced firsthand the process of developing standards for the refrigeration, environmental, and food sector, among others, and learning about certification processes. Aside from professional qualifications, he is a SCUBA diver. Being able to observe how fast marine life is declining is one of his many motives to pursue a career in the environmental sector, where he can fight against climate change.

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Thom Van Ermen Program Manager

Thom joined Tradewater in August 2016 and serves as a Program Manager in the company’s CFC collection program. He has taken over 175 trips around the U.S to collect over 100,000 lbs.  Prior to joining Tradewater, he spent 30 years as an actor, director, stage manager, technical director, and production manager for various non-profit theater organizations.

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Moises Valle Process Technician

Moises joined Tradewater in 2022 as a Process Technician in our Elk Grove Village facility. He supports our work in the aggregation and processing of a variety of refrigerants. Moises’s years of technician and management experience will be an added asset to the team.  Moises has been teaching 4-6 year olds T-ball for six years.  In his free time, he is busy with his three sons. He also loves to grill and eat sushi.

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Adriana Vargas Verification and Logistics Associate

Adriana joined the Verification and Logistics team in 2022, to support the validation and verification work of Tradewater’s international projects. She has studies in Environmental Engineering from the Technological Institute of Costa Rica and experience in Inventories of Greenhouse Gases, Carbon Neutrality and environmental management in the food and agricultural industry.
She is passionate about the fight against climate change through innovative and global solutions, as well as the role of environmental education as a tool for change. Her other interests include languages and music.

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Cassandra Whitford Methane Project Development Manager

Casey joined Tradewater in 2021. As the Methane Project Development Manager, she oversees the growth of Tradewater’s methane program and is the Tradewater expert on measuring methane emissions. Casey holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University at Buffalo. During her time at Northwestern, she developed catalysts for chemical reactions relevant to sustainability and renewable energy. Casey also has academic research experience in energy storage devices. Prior to joining Tradewater, Casey worked as a Staff Engineer at MSA Safety on the product development of combustible gas sensors used in portable safety devices to detect methane and other flammable gases.

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Beverly Yang Environmental Program Associate

Beverly joined Tradewater’s Methane team in 2024, and her main responsibilities include conducting research to identify and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, interacting with landowners, and organizing data sources. She recently graduated with an MIA in International Finance and Economic Policy from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.

Prior to joining Tradewater, she worked as a research assistant at the Earth Institute, analyzing economic and sustainability policies and programs in China. She also worked on climate finance projects in developing countries, business and data analysis, as well as mass communication and digital marketing. She is excited to learn more about the sustainability and energy world, and at Tradewater, she hopes to help make a real climate difference for small businesses and landowners.
Beverly lives in New York City and recently became a “pawrent” for the first time. During her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, and exploring restaurants and tea houses around the city.

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Amany Zaid Mahran Projects & New Developments Associate

Amany joined Tradewater in 2023 as a Projects & New Developments Associate. She is responsible for conducting research and stakeholder management to explore international development opportunities and assessing the feasibility of new countries as locations for refrigerant collection projects.

Amany has recently graduated from the University of Rochester with a double B.A. in International Relations and Political Science. During her undergraduate studies, she partnered with Tradewater and also interned at various political think tanks and non-governmental organizations focusing on foreign policy and sustainable development.

Amany is excited to join the fight against climate change on a global scale. In her free time she enjoys traveling, cooking, and watching soccer games.

Permanence

Emission reductions are considered permanent if they are not reversible. In some projects, such as forestry or soil preservation, carbon offset credits are issued based upon the volume of CO2 that will be sequestered over future decades—but human actions and natural processes such as forest fires, disease, and soil tillage can disrupt those projects. When that happens, the emission reductions claimed by the project are reversed.

The destruction of halocarbon does not carry this risk. All destruction activities in Tradewater’s projects are conducted pursuant to the Montreal Protocol , which requires “a destruction process” that “results in the permanent transformation, or decomposition of all or a significant portion of such substances.” Specifically, the destruction facilities Tradewater uses must meet or exceed the recommendations of the UN Technology & Economic Assessment Panel , which approves certain technologies to destroy halocarbons, including the requirement that the technology achieve a 99.99% or higher “destruction and removal efficiency.” Simply put, this means that Tradewater’s technologies ensure that over 99.99% of the chemicals are permanently destroyed. During the destruction process, a continuous emission monitoring system is used to ensure full destruction of the ODS collected.

Accuracy

Some carbon offset projects necessarily rely on estimations or assumptions when calculating the emission reductions from project activities. Forestry projects, where developers make assumptions about the carbon that will be sequestered over future decades if trees are conserved, are a perfect example. Such projects sometimes result in an overestimation of the environmental benefit of the project.

Tradewater’s halocarbon projects avoid the issue of overestimation by consistently conducting extremely precise testing and measurement of the amount of refrigerant destroyed in each project.

  • Every container of ODS that Tradewater destroys is weighed by a third-party using regularly calibrated scales. The ODS is then sampled by a third-party and analyzed by an accredited refrigerant laboratory to determine its species and purity. These two steps combine to ensure that credits are issued only for the precise volume and type of refrigerant destroyed.
  • The destruction facilities that Tradewater uses continuously monitor the incineration process during destruction events to ensure that over 99.99% of the ODS is destroyed. This monitoring is mandated by regulatory protocols and is part of the verification process to which projects are subjected.
  • Tradewater accounts for the project emissions created during the collection, transport, and destruction of ODS, and the number of offsets issued is reduced by a corresponding amount. The protocols that we use also build in other reductions to account for substitute chemicals that will be used to replace the destroyed refrigerants. Tradewater publishes this information in the documentation for all its ODS destruction projects. These documents outline how the material was obtained, the project emissions calculations, the test results, and the amount and type of ODS chemicals destroyed, among other information.
  • Additionality

    It is a basic requirement of all carbon offset projects that the underlying project activities are additional. “Additional” means that the projects would not happen in the absence of a carbon market. Tradewater’s halocarbon projects simply would not happen – and the gases would be left to escape into the atmosphere – without the sale of the resulting carbon offset credits. This is because there is no mandate to collect and destroy these gases. It is still permissible to buy, sell, and use halocarbons that were produced before the ban. There are other reasons halocarbon destruction projects are additional:

    • There are no incentives or financial mechanisms to encourage halocarbon destruction. According to the International Energy Agency and United Nations Environment Program, “there is rarely funding nor incentive” to recover and destroy ozone depleting substances in storage tanks and discarded equipment. And collecting, transporting, and destroying halocarbons is time-intensive and expensive. The burden to collect and destroy these gases therefore remains prohibitive outside of carbon offset markets—meaning that if organizations like Tradewater do not do this work, nobody else will.
    • Countries are not focused on the need to collect and destroy halocarbons. The Montreal Protocol has been celebrated as a success because of its production ban. This success, however, ignores the legacy gases produced before the ban and is a blind spot for government regulators. In the U.S., for example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a Vintaging Model in the 1990s to estimate the quantify of ozone depleting substances left in circulation. Based on the inputs and assumptions put into the model, the EPA predicted that no CFCs would be available for recovery beyond 2020 in the United States. But this prediction did not prove accurate. Tradewater has collected and destroyed more than 1.5 million pounds of CFCs globally in recent years and continues to identify thousands of pounds per week.
    • International carbon accounting standards do not require corporations to measure or track emissions tied to halocarbons, and refrigerants are specifically excluded from Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitments. These commitments derive from emissions reporting under the GHG Protocol, which requires companies to report on emissions only from new generation refrigerants, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), but does not establish any obligation to report inventories or emissions of refrigerants still in use, such as CFCs and HCFCs. All these factors combine to make Tradewater’s carbon offset projects highly additional. As Giving Green, an initiative of IDinsight, concluded: “Tradewater would not exist without the offset market, so this element of additionality is clearly achieved.” The case for additionality is not so clear for some other project types, such as forestry and landfill gas carbon projects. For example, some forests are already being conserved for their beauty, or for use as parks, and generate carbon offset credits only because those conservation efforts do not yet have full formal protection in place to avoid deforestation in the future. Similarly, methane from landfills can be used to make electricity or captured as compressed natural gas, thereby creating additional revenue streams to support the activities, beyond the sale of carbon credits.