WE'VE CHANGED. for good.
The Indiana Recycling Coalition
is now CIRCULAR INDIANA.
CIRCULAR INDIANA is focused on education and advocacy to strengthen the circular economy. Indiana is ready to leverage our unique strengths—manufacturing industry, transportation network, and geographic position—to eliminate waste, create jobs, and strengthen supply chains with benefits for all. Circular Indiana is here to lead the transformation.
WHY CIRCULAR?
Many challenges exist in our current linear system of take, make, waste, and dispose. The circular economy eliminates waste, captures resources, and restores nature. It functions to keep products and materials in use longer to improve the efficiency and productivity of our resources. Circular systems employ reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing AND recycling to create a continuous system. Recycling is an important part of the circular economy, but we also need to go beyond recycling. By rethinking our relationship with materials, we can redistribute the responsibility for managing waste to create a more resilient future.
For a deeper dive into the Circular Economy
OUR BACKGROUND
CIRCULAR INDIANA is a statewide for-impact, 501(c)(3) organization that convenes our members to educate, advocate, and innovate towards a better future for Indiana. We focus on uniting individuals, businesses, community organizations, and state and local governments in eliminating waste and creating a more circular economy.
Founded in 1989 as the Indiana Recycling Coalition, CIRCULAR INDIANA inspires our members to think and act beyond recycling and towards a more circular economy in Indiana. We are not a government entity, and we rely on support from our sponsors and donors. Your support matters; what you give comes back to you.
OUR COMMITMENT
CIRCULAR INDIANA is committed to using our platform to elevate marginalized voices and be an agent of lasting change for the intersecting issues of systemic racism and the environment. We will do this by seeking out, connecting with, and listening to diverse perspectives, pursuing lifelong personal, organizational, and community education, and advocating for just and equitable environmental policies.
OUR MISSION REMAINS
To strengthen the circular economy in Indiana through waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting.
OUR STAFF
ALLYSON MITCHELL
Executive Director
She / Her / Hers
Allyson is our fearless leader for this small but mighty team. She’s been keen on recycling since discovering how aluminum cans are recycled in her parent’s Reader’s Digest magazine as a 5th grader - and then gave a presentation to her whole class on the topic. She lives for a challenge, loathes the status quo, can’t stop asking questions about the world around her, and always double-knots shoelaces. (Isn’t it reckless not to?) She grew up on a farm in Indiana but loves city living, finding the balance through regular escapes into the woods for family hikes. Reading the book Cradle to Cradle in grad school fascinated and inspired her, so it's no wonder she landed here—bent on creating a more circular future for her two young sons.
Reach out to Allyson about advocacy, sponsorships, and partnerships.
MORGAN HARTMAN
Marketing & Communications
She / Her / Hers
Morgan is our one-stop-shop when it comes to communications. She is a magician with shapes and colors, and takes pride in finding inspiring ways to bring our brand to life. From social media presence to creating stunning proposals, she is instrumental in making the organization look and sound its best. Did she mention she was a production assistant on a feature film? That comes in handy when filming our own educational videos. Her role allows her to combine her love for multimedia design and advocating for sustainability. Although in her mid-twenties, she already aspires to be a sweet, little old lady, and has even adopted their most charming hobbies—knitting sweaters, baking cookies (plant-based, of course), taking in stray cats… you know the deal.
Connect with Morgan about our website, newsletter, or upcoming events.
MARLA CHERNEY
Programs Manager
She / Her / Hers
Marla is our go-to for all things programmatic and grammatic. She’s got grants, research, and data management covered—so you definitely want her on your trivia team. As a self-described “weather nerd,” Marla’s background is in sustainability, climate science, law, and policy. She originally wanted to research climate change, but realized that compiling endless scatterplots really wasn’t her thing. Instead, she uses her passion for both words and numbers by teaching people how to live sustainably. In her spare time, Marla spoils her two orange kitties and watches too much true crime. Born in Wisconsin, Marla is a connoisseur of fine cheese, sausage, wine, and football. She's always hooking her team up with only-found-in-Wisconsin goodies.
Chat with Marla about programs, educational resources, and how to be more circular.
Cortnee Yarbrough
Director of Strategic Engagement
She / Her / Hers
Cortnee is our guide to helping you make a difference with Circular Indiana. Thanks to her experience in development, she is ready to guide you through building your relationship with Circular Indiana. She inherited her commitment to environmental stewardship from her nature-loving dad who dressed as Smokey Bear when she was a tot—and she’s got their picture together to prove it! These childhood experiences and her degrees in political science, nonprofit management, and urban sustainability position her well to connect you and your organization to our shared vision for Indiana. A lover of cooking, baking, and making, Cortnee knows all the happenings within the Indiana food and artisan scene. Ask anyone who’s tasted her Everything Bagel Casserole—she shines in the kitchen!
Reach out to Cortnee for help making a donation or to chat about making a bigger impact with Circular Indiana.
BOARD OFFICERS
PAM FRANCIS (Private)
Circular Indiana, President
Schott Design
RYAN FRANZ (Private)
Circular Indiana, Vice President
Midland Paper
MICHAEL DAVIS (At Large)
Circular Indiana, Treasurer
David Jose (At Large)
Circular Indiana, Secretary
Our board is composed of members representing three organizational sectors (private/business, public interest, and government) as well as at-large members who represent the general public.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MORGAN BENNEtT (Public Interest)
Green Broad Ripple
Jessie Biggerman (Government)
Johnson County SWMD
Robert Christian (Private)
Strategic Materials, Inc.
Sarah Turner (Private)
Pratt Industries
DAVID VONNEGUT-GAbOVITCH (Public Interest)
Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis
AARON FRIEDRICH (Private)
Environmental Resources Management
KEN MILLER (At Large)
RACHAEL HOOVER lEKIC (At Large)
LINDSAY MCGUIRE (At Large)
KELVIN OKAMOTO (At Large)
Sponsors
Thank you to our annual sponsors for their generous support of Circular Indiana and our work to strengthen the circular economy in Indiana.
