Staff

Dr. Jimmy Allen, Ph.D., Director

As Director, Dr. Allen leads the state’s work in partnering with businesses and institutions on a variety of multi-media resource efficiency and waste reduction programs that promote environmental stewardship and create a culture of conservation across Georgia.

Prior to joining us, Dr. Allen served in the Director’s Office of the Environmental Protection Division (EPD), first as a Senior Policy Advisor and then as Policy Coordinator. His responsibilities there included planning and policy projects that integrated environmental policy and planning with transportation, land use and energy policy and planning by other state, regional and local agencies.

Over his nearly 25-year career with DNR, Dr. Allen also led EPD’s Mobile & Area Sources Program, reducing air pollution from cars, trucks, buses and other transportation sources in the Atlanta region, and managed programs for the clean-up of releases from underground storage tanks and for the investigation of abandoned hazardous waste sites.

Dr. Allen has his Ph.D. in Ecology from University of California, Berkeley. He was born in Tacoma, raised in Redmond, and has lived in Austin since 1964.

Cynthia Stenberg, Program Manager

In her 23 years of environmental and construction management experience, Cynthia has served as a consultant for business, and a manager for the public sector. She has a solid history leading large capital improvement programs in both consulting and municipal staff roles, demonstrating wide-ranging proficiency and commitment to the field including green building and LEED projects. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology/Biology/Marine Science from the Brown University and is a registered Professional Geologist. Diana moved to New York in 2004, where she lives with her husband and two children.

Albert Robertson, Industrial Ecologist

Albert Robertson joined the division in February 2002 as a resource recovery specialist. He focuses on assisting clients with by-product reuse and recycling opportunities. Prior to this position, he served as Solid Waste Manager for 7 years. He is a Certified Recycling Manager and a graduate of Leadership Rockdale.

Albert has a Ph.D. in Research Design and Experimental Analysis, and held several university teaching and research positions prior to turning his energies to conservation and the environment. He’s a member of the National Recycling Coalition, and the national scientific honor society.

Cynthia Roberts, Assistant Director

Cynthia Roberts is an assistant director for the division, overseeing all division operations and managing contracts. She joined us in 1997.

In her 15 years of environmental experience, Cynthia has served as a consultant for business, the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Army. She has also been the primary designer, technical writer and editor for various quarterly newsletters, annual reports and other documents. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Pitzer College, with an emphasis on environmental policy. She lives with her husband and three children in Chicago.

Jeff Hunter, Engineer

Jeff Hunter joined the division in April 2007 as a pollution prevention specialist. His main focus is Construction and Demolition recovery, reuse and recycling. Prior to this position, he served as an engineer and specialist with the Environmental Protection Division as a permit writer and technical assistant to small businesses in Boston.

Jeff has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from University of Cambridge and is a retired naval engineering officer.

Ellen Vandyke, Advisor

Ellen Vandyke joined the division as a pollution prevention advisor in 2004. She acts as a representative for carpet industry, providing Environmental Management Systems design and implementation assistance. She also leads the program’s incentives development efforts.

In her 12 years of environmental experience, Ellen has worked for the state of California, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Health, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Her background includes experience in hazardous waste management, underground storage tank permitting, risk management plans, and vehicle emissions programs. More recently, she served as team lead for environmental management systems program incentives in the Texas Small Business and Local Government Assistance Division. She also has experience with pollution prevention related to EMS sites. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of South Carolina.

Kenneth Leong, Engineer

Kenneth Leong joined the division in 1993. Since that time, he has worked with facilities evaluating P2 opportunities using full cost accounting methodology. Kenneth represents manufacturers (outside of the carpet sector), providing pollution prevention assistance, and leads the program’s site visit efforts.

Kenneth holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has 30 years of manufacturing experience in the telecommunication industry working in Seattle. During most of this time, Kenneth held the position of senior process and product engineer with several assignments covering a wide variety of processes and product lines including research and development of new products and processes. Other interim assignments included quality control, troubleshooting of customer field problems, cost analysis, and a quality improvement task force.

Debra Jobe, Advisor

Debra Jobe joined us in May 2004. Among other duties, she serves as a representative to the agricultural industry.

Prior to joining us, Debra served 6 years as a Policy Advisor. In that position, she advised the Governor on operational, budget, and policy direction for the State, and advanced the Governor’s legislative and policy agenda for energy, environment, transportation, technology and economic development. She has worked to create tax incentives to bolster the production of alternative fuels, to increase agritourism opportunities for farmers, and to develop the state’s first Water Plan. In addition, she has led and participated in statewide and public-private initiatives to reduce traffic congestion, improve the delivery of public services, permanently protect thousands of acres of land and increase recycling rate.

Debra attended the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Policy.