Heidi Sanborn

National Stewardship Action Council Executive Director

Heidi Sanborn is a nationally recognized environmental policy expert, circular economy advocate, and sustainability strategist with more than three decades of experience advancing recycling, resource recovery, and climate-focused public policy initiatives. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the National Stewardship Action Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing equitable and sustainable solutions for waste reduction, product stewardship, recycling, and the circular economy. Sanborn is widely regarded as a leading voice on extended producer responsibility (EPR), environmental justice, sustainable materials management, and climate policy. Through her leadership, the National Stewardship Action Council has helped shape landmark legislation and policy frameworks focused on reducing waste, improving recycling systems, expanding producer responsibility programs, and advancing circular economy infrastructure throughout the United States. Before founding NSAC, Sanborn served for more than 20 years as Executive Director of the California Product Stewardship Council, where she played a central role in advancing statewide and national product stewardship legislation involving packaging, pharmaceuticals, batteries, carpets, paint, and household hazardous waste. Her work has helped drive collaboration among local governments, industry leaders, environmental organizations, and policymakers to improve environmental outcomes while strengthening sustainable materials management systems.