John H. Skinner, Ph.D. is an independent environmental consultant working out of Wasington, DC. He was the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) in Silver Spring, Maryland, from August 1996 through April 2015. Prior to that, Dr. Skinner held the position of Senior Advisor to the United Nations Environment Programme in Paris, France for a period of four years. He was with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC from 1972 through 1992, serving in various capacities including Deputy Assistant Administrator for Research and Development and Director of the Office of Solid Waste. He started his professional career as a researcher at the GE Corporate Research and Development Center. He is a Board Certified Environmental Engineering Member of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. His professional activities also include serving as the National Representative to International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), and was President of ISWA from 1992–1996. He also held the position of President for the Institute of Solid Waste of APWA from 1990–1991. He holds three SWANA Certifications in Collection Systems Management, Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems and Composting Program Managment. He is the recipient of many awards and honors including the Presidential Distinguished Meritorious and Distinguished Executive Awards from Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. At EPA he received the A.J. Barnes Human Resources Leadership Award and the Gold and Silver Medals for Exceptional and Superior Service. He is an Honorary Fellow of the UK Chartered Institution for Wastes Management. He received a NASA Fellowship to study at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) where he received a Ph.D. and Masters Degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He holds a B.S. in Engineering Science from Hofstra University where he graduated cum laude and with honors. He has published widely in the solid waste and environmental field and is the co-editor of two books on international solid waste management programs.