Packaging Speaks

Christian chats with Jay Edwards - packaging engineer, financial advisor, and founder of Pack2Sustain, about his unconventional career path and why he’s re-engaging the industry through fractional consulting and thought leadership. We cover his recent Walmart presentation on global trends, EPR, and clean packaging; the intersection of packaging and food safety; paperization and fiber closures; mycelium-based protection; and methane-to-plastic innovation. We also spotlight Jay’s new book, Packaging Done Right Is Magic, a field guide distilling decades of lessons for students and pros alike.Guest: Jay Edwards (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-edwards-61194320/)Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/)Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/)Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

In this episode Christian sits down with Jen Benolken, MDM & Regulatory Specialist at DuPont. With over 30 years in the packaging industry, Jen shares her journey across medical device manufacturers and suppliers, her passion for sterile barrier systems, and why she proudly includes “volunteer” in her job title. From the critical role of Tyvek to the future of sustainability, standards, and wicked problems yet to be solved, Jen brings a wealth of insight and encouragement for packaging professionals at every stage of their career. Guest: Jennifer Benolken (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbenolken/) Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/) Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/) Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

This week on Packaging Speaks, Christian sits down with Calvin Lakhan, Ph.D, Director of the Circular Innovation Hub at York University and an investigator at Waste Wiki, to explore where sustainability assumptions collide with real-world evidence. Dr. Lakhan shows how environmental impact plays out in practice, including situations where preventing spoilage can matter more than recyclability, and he walks through how to access and apply the datasets his team has assembled. If you build or buy packaging, this conversation gives you a sharper way to frame decisions and a clear path to the sources behind them.Guest: Dr Calvin Lakhan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvin-lakhan-ph-d-56329224/)Waste Wiki: https://wastewiki.info.yorku.ca/Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/)Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/)Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

We sit down with Grace Cook, a packaging engineer turned sustainability strategist, who’s rethinking what it means to make an impact. With roots in package development at P&G and KAO, Grace now consults across industries to help companies address their carbon footprint, climate risk, and material choices with eyes wide open. From revamping legacy spec systems to embedding LCA data into daily decision-making, Grace brings both a wide view and a long view to sustainability. We talk about designing better trash, how business incentives can drive meaningful change, and why just “doing what’s always worked” is no longer a viable path forward. Guest: Grace Cook (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracecookcircularity/) Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/) Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/) Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

We sit down with Lauren LaSpina, Founder of The Packaging Co-op: a first-of-its-kind collective of independent contractors structured like a law firm. Lauren shares how she built a thriving network of experts who collaborate, support one another, and pool resources to serve clients across the packaging world. Guest: Lauren LaSpina (The Packaging Co-op: https://pkgco-op.com/, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenlaspina/) Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/) Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/) Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

Liz Mellone spent nearly 30 years at Colgate Palmolive, moving from packaging engineer to VP through a mix of cross-functional experience, clear communication, and a deep understanding of the role packaging plays in product development. In this episode, she shares the lessons that shaped her career and the advice she gives to the next generation. Guest: Liz Mellone (https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-mellone/) Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/) Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/) Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

Jessie Schwartz reveals how she turned a post-layoff leap into a thriving consultancy; demystifying packaging data, fractional talent, and the coming wave of EPR compliance. Tune in for a masterclass on turning industry pain points into opportunity. Guest: Jessie Schwartz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-schwartz-62094416/) Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/) Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/) Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

Rob traces his path from hands-on engineer to global consultant, sharing candid stories and practical tactics that turn packaging challenges into wins for both brands and the planet. Guest: Rob Kaszubowski (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robkaszubowski/) Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/) Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/) Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

In this episode, Vicki opens up about something too many professionals face and not enough talk about: unexpected job loss. Guest: Vicki Catalina (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickicatalina/) Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/) Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/) Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

Camille brings warmth, depth, and serious insight into how to navigate the industry with purpose, persistence, and a sense of humor.Guest: Camille Corr Chism (https://www.indigopkg.com/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillecorrchism/)Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/)Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/)Music: Flopsy by Wallypop

From kicking off her career in the package testing lab at Estée Lauder to launching her own consulting firm out of Southern California, Danica’s story is packed with insights for engineers at every stage of their journey. Guest: Danica VanBeek, Founder of VanBeek Packaging (https://vanbeekpackaging.com/)Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/)Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/)Music: Awareness by A. Cooper (Free Music Archive, CC BY)

Learn how Elizabeth built a flexible, thriving packaging career, and what her journey can teach engineers considering consulting or remote work.Guest: Elizabeth Jeffries, Founder of Packsmith Consulting ([email protected])Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/)Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/)Music: Awareness by A. Cooper (Free Music Archive, CC BY)

An honest, heartfelt, and at times hilarious conversation with our founder (and father) Walt Ellis about the twists and turns of building not just a career, but a legacy. Guest: Walt Ellis, Founder of PackStaff Host: Christian Ellis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianellis/) Presented by: PackStaff, LLC (https://www.packstaff.com/) Music: Walt Ellis (aka Wallypop) Blackbird cover on the guitar

Announcing our new podcast, Packaging Speaks! New episodes every other Friday. Episode 1 premiers May 2nd, 2025.Host: Christian Ellis, Managing Partner at PackStaffMusic: Awareness by A. Cooper (Free Music Archive, CC BY)