Executive Overview
In a significant leadership shakeup within the North American waste management sector, the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) announced on Monday, August 11, 2026, that Amy Lestition Burke has stepped down from her roles as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. Her departure brings to a close a nearly three-year tenure defined by strategic modernization, institutional pivoting, and ambitious workforce development initiatives aimed at transforming the public perception and operational reality of the waste and recycling industries.
To maintain organizational continuity during this critical transitional window, SWANA’s leadership has named Carolyn Muller, currently serving as the association’s Vice President of Industry Engagement, as the interim CEO, effective immediately. Concurrently, the SWANA Board of Directors has initiated a rigorous, nationwide executive search aimed at identifying a permanent chief executive by the close of 2026.
Despite the abruptness of the leadership change, key institutional figures—including SWANA President Lynsey Baer—have moved swiftly to reassure members, stakeholders, and industry partners that the association’s overarching mission, strategic priorities, and operational roadmap remain entirely uncompromised. The transition comes at a pivotal juncture for SWANA, arriving just weeks ahead of its flagship annual conference, RCon—the rebranded successor to the legacy Wastecon and SOAR technical events—scheduled to take place in St. Louis from September 29 to October 2, 2026.
This comprehensive report examines the trajectory of Burke’s tenure, the institutional mechanisms guiding the immediate leadership transition, the broader context of resource management evolution, and what the future holds for one of the solid waste industry’s most influential trade organizations.
Detailed Chronology and Transition Dynamics
The announcement of Burke’s departure on Monday morning reverberated across the environmental services landscape. According to official statements released by the association, the leadership change took effect immediately, signaling a mutual or board-driven decision to part ways. While the specific catalysts behind the departure have not been publicly detailed by the board, trade organizations undergoing shifts in strategic focus frequently encounter friction points between governance bodies and executive leadership regarding the pace or execution of institutional transformation.
SWANA’s executive committee acted rapidly to stabilize the organization’s daily operations and strategic projects. Carolyn Muller, a veteran executive within the association who has deeply cultivated industry partnerships and stakeholder relations as Vice President of Industry Engagement, stepped into the CEO office on an interim basis. Muller’s familiarity with SWANA’s internal mechanics, membership base, and ongoing advocacy efforts makes her uniquely positioned to shepherd the organization through the upcoming autumn conference season without missing a beat.
The board’s timeline for the executive search is both ambitious and pragmatic. By setting a target date of late 2026 for the appointment of a permanent successor, the board aims to minimize organizational drift and provide clarity to its roughly 10,000-plus members. Executive search consultants are expected to cast a wide net, looking both within the solid waste and resource recovery sectors and across adjacent environmental, manufacturing, and consumer goods industries to find a leader capable of managing a complex, multidisciplinary trade association.
Supporting Context, Metrics, and Tenure Highlights
When Amy Lestition Burke assumed the helm of SWANA in November 2023, she did so with a mandate for aggressive modernization. Recruited from her previous position as Vice President of Industry Solutions at the Consumer Brands Association (CBA), Burke brought a fresh perspective rooted in consumer packaged goods, supply chain logistics, and cross-sector collaboration. At the time of her appointment, SWANA’s board heavily praised her proven track record in growing strategic partnerships, diversifying revenue streams, and designing forward-looking operational blueprints.
Throughout her tenure, Burke positioned herself as a deliberate change agent. Inheriting an association with approximately 10,000 members, she quickly identified systemic challenges facing the broader waste and recycling sector—foremost among them being a persistent labor shortage, an aging workforce, and the urgent need to rebrand municipal solid waste management as a high-tech, environmentally critical profession.
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KEY MILESTONES IN BURKE'S TENURE
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* November 2023 : Amy Lestition Burke appointed CEO & Executive Director
* 2023 – 2024 : Focus initiated on expanding digital and strategic partnerships
* Late 2024 : Announcement of "Wastecon" rebranding to "RCon"
* October 2025 : Inaugural RCon flagship event launched successfully
* August 2026 : Formal departure from SWANA; Carolyn Muller named Interim CEO
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+In various interviews throughout 2024 and 2025, Burke repeatedly emphasized a foundational industry evolution: the transition of the profession away from simple, linear disposal models toward comprehensive, circular resource management. In a prominent 2024 interview with industry press, she remarked: "I was brought here to be proactive and to be that change agent to move the profession and the industry forward."
Central to this vision was a concerted push toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), alongside rigorous occupational health and safety protocols. Burke championed initiatives designed to position solid waste companies as "employers of choice" for younger, more diverse demographics. By updating recruitment pipelines, championing mental and physical safety on the tipping floor and behind the wheel, and modernizing the association’s educational offerings, she sought to future-proof a workforce historically plagued by high turnover and severe recruitment deficits.
Furthermore, Burke’s administration oversaw the delicate structural realignment of SWANA’s major national events. Recognizing that legacy trade shows required a contemporary redesign to reflect the complexities of modern material recovery facilities (MRFs), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies, and municipal decarbonization goals, Burke and the SWANA leadership team spearheaded the pivot from Wastecon and SOAR to the unified flagship event known as RCon. The inaugural RCon event, introduced to the industry in late 2024 and brought to life in subsequent years, symbolized the structural agility that Burke injected into the organization.
Official Statements and Institutional Reassurance
In the wake of leadership transitions, market uncertainty can often destabilize membership retention and corporate sponsorship commitments. Recognizing this risk, SWANA’s governing body deployed a unified messaging strategy to underscore institutional resilience and continuity.
In an emailed statement addressed to industry stakeholders, SWANA President Lynsey Baer addressed the transition directly, emphasizing that the association’s strategic compass remains unaltered:
"We are grateful for her leadership, dedication, and the many contributions she has made to both SWANA and the solid waste industry. We sincerely thank Amy for her service and wish her every success in her future endeavors."
Baer further elaborated on the operational readiness of the association moving forward, noting that the executive departure will have zero negative impact on SWANA’s core programmatic missions or upcoming engagements:
"The organization is fully committed to its ongoing programs and to successfully hosting RCon. We are confident in the strength of the organization and excited about the opportunities ahead."
Industry analysts have noted that Baer’s proactive communication is critical for calming external partners. SWANA operates as an essential hub for safety standard-setting, operator certification, legislative advocacy, and technical training across the United States and Canada. Maintaining unbroken momentum heading into the critical third and fourth quarters of the fiscal year—particularly during the execution of its flagship national conference—is paramount to preserving the economic and political leverage of the association.
Future Outlook: Challenges and Opportunities for SWANA
As SWANA looks toward the horizon under the temporary leadership of Carolyn Muller and anticipates the onboarding of a permanent CEO by the end of 2026, the association stands at an unprecedented crossroads in the history of North American environmental services.
1. Navigating Legislative and Regulatory Shifts
The incoming CEO will inherit an operational environment intensely shaped by rapidly evolving regulatory frameworks. Across multiple U.S. states and Canadian provinces, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation for packaging and printed paper is shifting financial and operational burdens onto brand owners, fundamentally altering how municipal programs interact with private waste haulers. Simultaneously, stringent new rules regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) mitigation, landfill gas emissions, and organic waste diversion mandates are forcing municipal and commercial operators to adapt at a breakneck pace. SWANA must remain the authoritative, technical voice guiding its members through these complex regulatory mazes.
2. Workforce Transformation and Safety Advocacy
Despite significant strides made during Burke’s tenure, the solid waste industry consistently ranks among the most hazardous professions in North America. The next permanent leader will need to double down on safety innovations—leveraging telematics, artificial intelligence for hazard detection on sorting lines, and enhanced driver training programs. Moreover, the imperative to recruit younger tech-savvy professionals into collection, logistics, and facility management will require continuous refinement of SWANA’s educational and career-pathway initiatives.
3. The RCon Era and Event Evolution
The upcoming RCon conference in St. Louis (scheduled for September 29 to October 2, 2026) will serve as the ultimate proving ground for the post-Burke era. Attendance numbers, exhibitor floor satisfaction, and the reception of technical sessions will offer clear indicators of institutional stability. Under interim leadership, SWANA must deliver a seamless, high-value conference experience that validates the strategic decision to consolidate its legacy events into a single, cohesive summit.
4. Financial Health and Membership Growth
Growing and retaining membership in an era of corporate consolidation within the private waste sector presents a perpetual challenge. Independent haulers, municipal sanitation departments, and multinational environmental corporations all look to SWANA for distinct forms of value—ranging from regulatory compliance assistance to high-level networking. The incoming permanent CEO will be tasked with balancing these diverse needs while exploring new revenue streams in digital education, data analytics, and specialized safety certifications.
Conclusion
The departure of Amy Lestition Burke marks the end of a transformative, modernization-focused chapter for the Solid Waste Association of North America. Over nearly three years, Burke challenged the status quo, pushed the industry toward proactive resource management, championed demographic diversification, and restructured foundational events like RCon to meet the realities of the 21st-century circular economy.
While transitions of this magnitude invariably introduce short-term questions, SWANA’s institutional depth—bolstered by veteran interim leadership under Carolyn Muller, steady governance from President Lynsey Baer, and a deeply committed professional membership base—positions the organization for stability and continued growth. As the search for a permanent CEO gets underway, the association remains steadfastly anchored to its foundational mission: advancing the responsible management of solid waste and empowering the professionals who protect our communities and environment every single day.
