Erica Mertens, Recycling Program Manager, Town of Truckee

Host Taylor Wolfe talks with Erica about her life, her work and her passion for public service. From childhood in a family with Asian immigrant grandparents in the Bay Area and time at her grandfather’s community hub-style grocery store, to “weekend warrior” skiing adventures to Tahoe, she learned to love the mountain environment. An environmental degree from UC Davis and internships and paid positions with the state in Sacramento eventually led to her “dream job” with the city of Truckee. Along with life in the backcountry, Erica enjoys creating tackling environmental degradation and climate change by running innovative programs like Truckee Litter Corps and Feed Truckee to reduce food waste. All this while enjoying mountain life, volunteering with Truckee Round House Maker Space, and coaching high school Lacrosse teams.