From Waste to Worth: Circular Economy in New Mexico

Meet Our Presenters

Black and white photograph of Ed Craig, University of Edinburgh Professor.

Ed Craig  |  Professor, University of Edinburgh

Bio

Professor Ed Craig is a thought leader in sustainability and innovation ecosystems, dedicated to advancing zero-carbon goals through knowledge exchange and partnerships. Known for challenging assumptions and fostering ambitious collaborations, he is a regular speaker at UK and European conferences.

Ed’s passion for sustainability began in the 1970s when he sought alternatives to landfilling glass bottles in Scotland. After graduating from Edinburgh Business School, he pioneered its first recycling system and worked with the ecological wastewater startup, Living Water. A serial entrepreneur, Ed has supported over 1,000 small businesses and led 30+ global impact-driven partnerships.

He founded the Edinburgh Climate Change Initiative (ECCI), Europe’s first major sustainability hub. ECCI hosted 10,000 people annually, incubated enterprises, launched the world’s first MSc in Carbon Management, and influenced sustainability globally, winning awards like the Guardian Sustainability Award (2016).

In 2018, Ed launched the Low Carbon College (LCC) in Shanghai, China’s first sustainability-focused higher education institution, training leaders and hosting research centers.

Now CEO of Carbogenics, an award-winning biochar company, Ed also collaborates with New Mexico to address waste challenges. Married with three grown children, he mentors nonprofits and chairs Scotland’s oldest environmental charity.

Black and white headshot of Juliana Ciano, Co-Founder and Program Director of Reunity Resources

Juliana Ciano  |  Co-Founder and Program Director, Reunity Resources

Bio

Juliana Ciano, Program Director and co-founder of Reunity Resources, is a social entrepreneur and educator focused on sustainable community food systems and holistic education. Since co-founding Reunity Resources in 2011, Juliana has championed a closed-loop sustainable food system and advanced food justice in Santa Fe. She has developed compost programming that diverts 1.5 million pounds of food waste annually from the Santa Fe landfill and has trained over 11,000 public elementary school students and staff in cafeteria compost practices, reducing trash collection by one-third.

In 2019, Juliana launched initiatives offering educational opportunities to over 5,000 young people through field trips, apprenticeships, farm volunteer days, community workshops, and festivals. The farm also supports fresh food accessibility through an affordably priced farm stand and the annual donation of thousands of pounds of food to local hunger relief efforts.

With a Master’s in Education specializing in neurodivergent learners, Juliana is a former teacher and coach, as well as a mother of two. She is passionate about empowering young people to discover their strengths, connect with nature, and engage meaningfully in their communities. Through her leadership, Reunity Resources continues to inspire sustainable practices and foster lasting community impact.

Black and white headshot of Sandra West, Sustainable Waste Specialist for the City of Albuquerque.

Sandra West  |  Sustainable Waste Specialist, City of Albuquerque

Bio

Sandra West, Sustainable Waste Specialist for the City of Albuquerque, focuses on increasing circularity in materials management. Since joining the City in April 2022, Sandra has expanded sustainable waste initiatives to include community composting, food waste prevention, and diversion programs. She has fostered partnerships with other cities, including Murcia, Spain, and strengthened collaborations across city departments, agencies, and community-based organizations to drive impactful change.

With a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering and a master’s in biology, Sandra applies an industrial ecology approach to solving waste management challenges. Her diverse experience spans municipalities, non-profits, cooperatives, and contractors. She co-founded the Zero Waste Los Alamos program, contributed to the adoption of a green waste collection initiative, and served on Los Alamos County’s Environmental Sustainability Board.

Sandra also brings experience from New Mexico’s energy sector, where she taught energy conservation, organized sustainability events, and supported renewable energy initiatives at county and state levels. A native New Mexican, Sandra is deeply committed to protecting the environment and building a more resilient future for people and the planet. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the outdoors and advocating for sustainable practices in her community.

Black and white headshot of Ward Hendon.

Ward Hendon  |  Moderator

Bio

General Partner Dangerous Ventures Ward Hendon is an investor, teacher, and entrepreneur with a diverse career spanning law, business, and education. A founding team member of Axiom Law, Ward helped grow the company into the world’s largest provider of tech-enabled legal services. With 6,900 lawyers, Axiom serves over half of the FTSE/Fortune 100 and has been recognized for innovation by The Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal. Over 15 years, Ward held executive management roles and contributed to Axiom’s global success before its 2019 acquisition by Permira, a private equity firm.

Currently, Ward teaches entrepreneurship and impact investing at UCLA Anderson School of Management and explores the intersection of law and innovation at UNC School of Law. He also invests in promising businesses, serves on boards, and mentors entrepreneurs and CEOs.

Ward graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and its School of Law, later clerking for the Hon. Wm. L. Osteen, Sr., and practicing corporate law at King & Spalding LLP in Atlanta.