About Us

Amina Razvi

Executive Director

As SAC Executive Director, Amina is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the organization. She leads the executive team and works with the board of directors to develop and implement the organization’s strategic plan.

Previously, Amina was the Vice President of Membership at the SAC, a leadership role in which she focused on providing exceptional customer service, account management, member value and business development for the organization. Amina worked with global members to increase adoption of the Higg Index and improvement of Higg scores through impact solutions.

Prior to joining the SAC, Amina was a senior manager on the Global Sustainability team at Gap Inc. where she led environmental initiatives across owned and operated facilities as well as in their supply chain. She led the development of Gap’s environmental sustainability strategy and the creation, execution and achievement of ambitious enterprise goals on energy and waste at owned and operated facilities. Amina also led the first large scale deployment of the Higg Index across Gap’s supply chain, and has been involved in the creation, development, piloting and rollout of the Higg since its inception.

Trained as an architect, Amina has designed and managed construction of retail stores, skyscrapers, houses, hotels, and museums. She has a B.S. in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois and a Master of Architecture degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Eszter Csicsai

Member Engagement Manager, AMER

Eszter is the SAC Member Engagement Manager for the Americas. She works with members throughout the region to deepen their involvement in the work and community of the SAC while scaling up usage of the Higg Index throughout their supply chains.

Prior to joining the SAC, Eszter was Senior Manager of Reuse and Donations at the New York City Department of Sanitation, where she oversaw materials reuse and circular economy programming aimed at supporting the City’s zero waste goals. In this position, she oversaw the launch of the inaugural ReFashion Week NYC, organized the cross-industry NYCxReuse materials reuse conference, and managed the launch of the world’s first municipally-administered food donation portal.

In addition, Eszter has over a decade of experience building communities of practice in settings as varied as the arts, academia, tech, and government. She holds degrees from New York University and Grinnell College; she is based in New York City.

Giovanna Davila

Manager, Reports & Member Communications

Giovanna is the Manager, Reports & Member Communications at the SAC. She oversees the SAC’s membership communications, quarterly reports, and special projects, serving as the liaison between the Membership and Marketing and Communications teams. She is based in Los Angeles, CA.

Prior to joining the SAC, Giovanna was the Outreach Manager for her master’s thesis group project where she worked with four colleagues and their client, Patagonia, to develop a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through materials innovation. Giovanna used the Higg MSI to analyze changes in raw materials and dye technologies for hundreds of products and developed presentations, outreach materials, and a website to communicate how Patagonia can reduce its environmental impacts through informed product design. 

Giovanna holds a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at UC Santa Barbara and bachelor’s degrees in Communication and Environmental Studies from UC Santa Barbara. She is a longtime singer and has been part of a collegiate a cappella group and most recently, a local Santa Barbara band called Brengrass where she sang and played the tambourine. When she’s not making music, you can find her baking, cooking, or spending time outside like a true Southern California beach bum.

Aaron Di Silvestro

Director of Higg Products

Aaron Di Silvestro is the Director of Higg Products at the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. He liaises between the Higg Index subject matter experts and the Higg Co technical teams, develops roadmaps for tool integration, and eases the transition from expert insights to implementation. He works out of Portland, Oregon.

Before joining the SAC, Aaron worked for Nike’s Global Sustainability organization implementing and delivering the tools required to make more sustainable business decisions. Often working in collaboration with the SAC and Higg, Aaron managed the development of the internal Higg MSI implementations and corporate footprinting applications.

In his free time Aaron is a passionate back-country skier and an unapologetic fan of the Seattle Sounders.

Wendy Dittmer

Director of Operations

Wendy is the Director of Operations and oversees the Human Resources, Finance, Legal, and Operations functions at the SAC. As part of the leadership team, Wendy ensures that the organization has the resources and foundation required to build and implement the Higg Index, the industry’s leading suite of sustainability tools. She is based in the US out of Austin, Texas and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Before joining the SAC team, Wendy spent over 25 years in the technology and fashion industries focusing on sustainability, operations, and I/T. Recently, she was the Chief Operations Officer at Raven + Lily, PBC, a Benefit Corporation apparel and lifestyle brand headquartered in Austin, Texas. In that role, she oversaw supply chain partnerships, sales and marketing, and distribution and logistics, leading the company to greater efficiencies and performance. At the Responsible Business Alliance, an industry coalition focused on supply chain responsibility, she led external communications and stakeholder engagements, working on behalf of the industry members. While at Dell, she led work in supply chain sustainability, supply chain I/T, and call center technology.

Wendy has a Masters of Science in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University, and a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science from Purdue University. While she loves working in the fashion industry, software coding will always hold a special place in her heart. She enjoys traveling the globe with her husband, and as an avid long-distance runner, is always looking to pair a trip with a race.

Orine Dsouza

Manager, Higg Tools

Orine Dsouza is the Manager of HIGG tools for the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. She will be responsible for managing and improving the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (Higg FSLM) and their suite of resources. The goal of this position is to continue integrating the input of Coalition members, facilities, and stakeholders into the tools and resources through effective engagement and facilitation, in order to scale the adoption of these tools globally. She is based in Bangalore/India. 

Before joining the SAC team, Orine was the Supply Chain Sustainability Manager for India and Sri Lanka at H&M. This includes setting the strategy, planning, controlling and analysis of impact for the supply chain. She has been a key contributor, providing guidance on strategy, policies, and planning for long-term sustainability. Orine was responsible for leading the team in implementing the Annual Action Plans (Validation, Program and Projects) in cooperation with the business team and suppliers. She also handled any escalation that came from the supplier level, and provided support in managing and mitigating issues. 

Orine has a Master’s degree in Social Work. In her free time, Orine loves to see new places and bake/ cook new cuisine. 

Sheila Estaniel

Director of Communications

Sheila Estaniel is the Director of Communications at the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. She leads all internal and external communications, as well as media outreach. She is based in Los Angeles, CA.

Before joining the SAC team, Sheila spent more than a decade directing marketing, communications, and external affairs efforts for public, private, and nonprofit organizations. She collaborated with companies like Disney and partnered with organizations like the Trade Commission of Peru. She also led various social media, public awareness, and consumer-facing campaigns.

Sheila has helped mom-and-pop shops, national brands, and Fortune 500 companies reach business development goals by demonstrating their value, telling their story, and connecting with their diverse communities. 

In her free time, Sheila likes to keep active and try something new. You can find her reading tweets, hiking trails, planning trips, and drinking coffee. She currently serves on the advisory board for the Wildwoods Foundation.

Christina Fleming

Executive Assistant

Christina is the executive assistant for the SAC. She reports directly to executive director Amina Razvi and provides her support. Christina serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on all matters pertaining to the executive director. She also serves as a liaison to the SAC Board of Directors and the SAC Executive Team. Christina organizes and coordinates executive outreach and external relations efforts and oversees special projects.

Prior to joining the SAC, Christina was the director of communications for Bright Impact, a consulting, software and fund management firm. She provided administrative support and coordinated events. She developed strong relationships and contributed educational material for the startup while processing internal and external communications for the team. With a marketing and public relations background, Christina spends her time brainstorming on new techniques and strategies to stay on top of the rapidly changing trends within media and digital marketing.

Christina is a graduate from the University of Central Florida. She regularly pursues her passion for yoga and meditation. She currently stands as a 300-hour certified registered yoga and leadership instructor in the Orlando-area.

Esther Germans

Director of Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships

Esther Germans is the SAC Director for Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships. Together with her team, she is responsible for proactive engagement and cooperation among SAC’s members, strategic partners and key stakeholders, ensuring that the coalition will create synergies for a sustainable and fair industry. Esther is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, which is also her home country. 

Prior to joining the SAC team, Esther worked with the UN’s International Labour Office for over 15 years, where she was based in Lima – Peru, Geneva and in Phnom Penh – Cambodia, where she lead the Better Factories Cambodia programme. She has a Masters degree in Economics and started her career in the banking sector.

Esther is a senior leader and professional in the field of social sustainability in global value chains and is passionate about transforming the apparel industry. She has vast experience in leading strategic sector wide processes through close engagement with key industry partners: brands, factories, governments, workers, unions and employers. Through her work in a multinational environment with sometimes challenging dynamics, she distinguishes herself by listening, consulting, influencing, building trust and relations to find collective solutions for complex problems.

Esther is also a mother of 3 daughters and loves spending time with them, her husband, and pets. She is chair of the parent teacher committee and politically active in the community. She enjoys playing the saxophone, loves to play tennis, and goes for bike-rides in the Low Lands. When time permits, she reads geopolitics and leadership literature and good novels.

Marcia Graham

Head of People & Culture

Marcia Graham is the Head of People & Culture for the SAC. In her role, she provides expertise and support in the areas of Performance Management, Employee Relations, Employee Engagement, Compensation and Benefits, Policy and Procedure, Diversity & Inclusion and Culture practices. She reports directly to the Director of Operations, Wendy Dittmer. Marcia is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

Prior to joining the SAC, Marcia spent 23 years working in the fashion and advertising industries holding various positions focused on HR and Talent Management. Her working experience in the fashion industry include working with Tommy Hilfiger, Pepe Jeans and VF Corporation. Her working experience in the advertising industry include working with 72andSunny, Wieden+Kennedy and WE ARE Pi. 

Marcia has an HBO degree in Human Resources Management and Fashion Design. In her free time, she likes to stay active and creative; she is a mother of 3, a long distance (marathon) runner, works out regularly, and runs a Basketball Academy together with her husband. She also loves music, art, film, dance, travel and cooking delicious healthy (soul) food. 

Devin Hurley

Member Engagement Coordinator, AMER

Devin is the Member Engagement Coordinator for the Americas (AMER) at the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. She works with the Membership team providing support to member involvement and experience in the Americas region. Devin is based in Washington DC.

Prior to joining the SAC team, Devin was the Program Assistant and Board Liaison at American Rivers, an environmental conservation organization focused on rivers and clean water. She served as the liaison to the AR Board of Directors, assisted on conservation projects, and managed AR’s Most Endangered Rivers 2020 campaign. With a background in sustainability, she has previous experience developing and implementing an internal sustainability program and strategy.

Devin is a Chicago native and graduate from the University of North Carolina- Wilmington. In her free time she likes to explore DC’s many bike trails and hiking National Parks. Devin is an avid biker and hiker who has a goal of visiting every US National Park.

Laura Jans

Member Engagement Coordinator, EMEA

Laura is the Member Engagement Coordinator for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. She supports the membership team by providing a harmonious, effective, and value added member experience for members in the EMEA region. She is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

Before joining the SAC team, Laura interned and worked with one of the SAC’s members in the Netherlands, De Bijenkorf, where she supported the implementation of their sustainability strategy. This is where Laura got in touch with the SAC for the first time. A year later, when pursuing her Master of Science in Global Business and Sustainability at Erasmus University Rotterdam, she wrote her thesis on the SAC, titled “How multi-stakeholder initiatives foster supply chain transparency in the fashion industry: A case study of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition”. 

Laura also holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration from Radboud University Nijmegen, and she went on exchange to Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jogjakarta, to explore her (half) Indonesian roots. In her free time, it is important to Laura to stay healthy and active. She enjoys a variety of sports including hiking and running. She also loves cooking, practices yoga and mindfulness, and has a big passion for photography.

Clara Kamphorst

Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator

Clara Kamphorst is the Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator at the SAC. She supports the Stakeholder Engagement team by coordinating key activities, monitoring & researching relevant social and environmental trends, in addition to managing and updating all related databases, reports and initiatives. She helps the SAC to build partnerships and alliances to advance the cause of sustainability in the apparel & footwear industries. Clara is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Before joining the SAC team, Clara worked at the Bangladesh Accord, an agreement between brands and trade unions designed to build a safe Bangladeshi ready-made garment (RMG) Industry.  She helped the Accord’s International Secretariat to ensure all policies and protocols were implemented, while liaising with key stakeholders. Clara holds a master’s degree in Public International Law from Leiden University and a bachelor’s degree in Law from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). 

In her free time, Clara is an avid podcast listener, who loves to cook and to experiment with new vegetarian recipes. When she is not hosting dinners for her friends, she can be found taking long walks in the city and exploring local cafés.

Jeremy Lardeau

Vice President, Higg Index

Jeremy Lardeau is the VP of the Higg Index at the SAC. As part of the leadership team, he oversees the strategic direction and development of the Higg Index suite of tools. Jeremy is based in Barcelona, Spain.

Before joining the SAC team, Jeremy was Senior Director of Sustainability Analytics, at Nike, Inc. where he led sustainability reporting, performance management, data products, and reporting. Prior to Nike, Jeremy was a manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ sustainability practice, successively working out of the Paris, Mexico City, and San Francisco offices.

Jeremy holds a Masters in Industrial Engineering from the Ecole Centrale Paris. In his free time he is known to love travelling, running and alpine climbing, but actually enjoys most horseplaying with his three young boys.

Betty Li

Manager of Membership Engagement, APAC

Betty is the Manager of Membership Engagement, APAC at the SAC. She ensures that members have the guidance and support needed to utilise the Higg Index tools to drive their sustainability strategies forward. She is based in Hong Kong.

Before joining the SAC team, Betty was part of the K11 sustainability team with a dual role as the Community Manager at K11’s Nature Discovery Park – Hong Kong’s first urban biodiversity museum to inspire action towards the UNSDGs. With a focus on stakeholder engagement, she launched the K11 Sustainable Tenancy Pledge to engage and empower tenants on adopting sustainable retail and F&B practices while supporting internal teams on improving operational practices and communications around sustainable building. She graduated as a Marketing major at UBC and completed her MBA at HKUST.  

Outside of work, Betty hosts meet-ups to connect like-minded people as the founder of the Hong Kong Sustainability Club, and co-organiser of the local chapters of Green Drinks and Podcast Brunch Club. She also enjoys solo travelling, climbing and has most recently picked up sailing.

Ruth Lin

Finance and Operations Manager

Ruth Lin is the SAC Finance and Operations Manager and works on the Apparel Impact Institute, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and Social & Labor Convergence Program. She oversees account receivables, communications with members and prospective members regarding payments, and operational support. She helps with each organization’s budgeting, financial statements, monthly reports, and audits.

Prior to joining the SAC, Ruth was an accountant at a supply chain technology start up, Elementum, which is focused on revolutionizing the supply chain industry and streamlining each part of operations onto mobile apps. Ruth was focused on internal support and she also implemented sustainability changes by creating a compost program in two offices and introduced more recycled products. She volunteers as an Ethical Detective with Good on You, which rates how sustainable each fashion brand is.

Ruth has worked at Australian Volunteers International, which is focused on sustainable development. She volunteered with wildlife in California, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Great Barrier Reef. Ruth graduated with a B.S. degree in accounting from Case Western Reserve University and studied abroad in New Zealand.

Dhawal Mane

Senior Manager, Training and Verification

Dhawal is the SAC Senior Manager of Training and Verification and is based in Bangalore, India. He is responsible for building, maintaining, and improving verification and training programs for the Higg Index suite of tools and ensure that the Higg Index is a trusted and credible measure for sustainability performance and benchmarking.

Prior to joining SAC, Dhawal worked with C&A’s sustainable chemicals management team as a senior specialist. His role involved working with manufacturers of varying complexities and building their capacity to implement environment management systems. He has worked with vertically integrated textile manufacturer Pratibha Syntex as a sustainability manager and was responsible for executing sustainability projects like GHG accounting and reporting, life cycle analysis, internal and external sustainability communications.

Dhawal has been recognized in the 2017 GreenBiz 30 Under 30 cohort of global sustainability professionals. Through Sustainability Drinks Bangalore, he convenes the city’s sustainability community for networking and collaboration opportunities.

Chris Marshall

Director, Transparency Program

Chris Marshall is the Director of the Transparency Program at the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. He is responsible for leading the Transparency Program, which provides a consistent way for brands, retailers, and manufacturers to share sustainability information on apparel and footwear products, across impact categories such as water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and use of fossil fuels. He is based in Amsterdam in The Netherlands.

Before joining the SAC team, Chris was the Senior Director of Merchandising, at PVH where he was tasked with leading a team developing sports performance apparel. Chris comes with 16+ years of experience in the footwear and apparel industry in companies such as Nike, Converse, Vans (VF), Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein (PVH). His functional experience ranges from planning, sourcing, vendor compliance, and product merchandising.

Chris prides himself on being a lifelong learner and he has recently finished his master’s degree in digital management. In his free time you can find him chasing the sun, wild camping throughout his multi-day hikes in the mountains.

Andrew Martin

Vice President, Membership and Stakeholder Engagement

As Vice President, Membership and Stakeholder Engagement, Andrew is responsible for developing and implementing the SAC’s global stakeholder engagement strategies, while leading business development, to identify opportunities to expand membership and increase adoption of the use of the Higg Index. As part of the leadership team, he works to ensure that all stakeholder engagement and business development activities are fully integrated  into the overall SAC strategic plan and drive the global relevance and sustainability leadership of the SAC and its members, within the sector and beyond.

Prior to joining the SAC, Andrew was at amfori, the leading business association for open and sustainable trade, where, as VP Services, he was responsible for global operational activities. In addition to a strategic role in the development of the vision and strategy of the organization, Andrew managed membership services, led the implementation of global social and environmental audit assessments, including launching a pioneering audit integrity program, and also the largest capacity building program of its kind for social and environmental performance in global supply chains. 

Andrew has a degree in philosophy and theology from Kings College London, an MBA with distinction from the University of Exeter, where he was awarded ‘Dissertation most likely to change global thinking,’ and a postgraduate qualification in team coaching, from UWE, Bristol. During his extensive career, including more than 20 years in global textile manufacturing, Andrew has worked for a multi-national corporation, his own consultancy, and more recently in the education and non-profit sectors. 

A highlight of his work and interest is the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, and its philosophy of Gross National Happiness, an alternative progressive values-based model for measuring and guiding economic, societal, and personal well-being. He is currently based in the seaside town of Looe in Cornwall in the South West of England.

Angela Ng

Senior Manager, Higg Facility Tools

Angela is the SAC Higg Facility Tools Senior Manager. Previously, she worked at SAC brand member Columbia, where she focused on sustainability in the social and labor program. Angela was also responsible for managing Columbia’s supply chain sustainability performance and initiatives. Implementing the Higg Facility Environmental Module was central to Angela’s efforts, from scaling adoption of the tool to integrating Higg FEM into Columbia’s business functions. Angela has been working with the Higg Index since its inception. She brings years of supply chain and industry experience. Angela lives by the mottos, “Make a difference” and “pay it forward.”

Melissa O de León

Manager, Higg Product Tools

Melissa O de León is the Higg Index Product Tools Manager at the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. Melissa ensures that the methodology and content of the Higg Product Tools are meeting member needs. She supports industry stakeholders in submitting data through the MSI Contributor, and works with members to identify data gaps and opportunities to solicit high-quality life cycle assessment data. Melissa is based in the US in Austin, Texas.

Before joining the SAC team, Melissa co-founded Regenerate, where she worked as sustainability consultant for fashion SMEs to some of Brazil’s largest textile producers. In her role she developed the training tool ‘Sustainable Fashion Cards’, and co-authored the research report ‘Fashion Threads’, funded by the Laudes Foundation.

At a previous role at the Hessnatur Stiftung in Berlin, Melissa conducted ESG assessments for several european companies, and evaluated the textile industry’s criteria of the ‘Siegelklarheit’ platform from the German International Development Agency (GIZ).

Melissa believes in the power of education, and has volunteered in adult literacy, ESL, and community education projects. Most recently she developed a learning module about Sustainability in Fashion for the social entrepreneurship program Yunus&Youth. In her free time, Melissa enjoys sewing and learning traditional Mexican weaving techniques.

Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco

Director, Higg Brand & Retail

Maravillas is the Director, Higg Brand & Retail at the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. She is responsible for managing the Higg Brand and Retail Module and its suite of resources. She works closely with our Coalition members, facilities and stakeholders to scale the implementation of these tools globally. Meaningful collective action is her main priority. She is based in Barcelona, Spain.

Before joining the SAC team, Maravillas was the CSR & Sustainability Manager at Desigual, where she developed the strategic planning and oversight of the global CSR and Sustainability strategy of the company. Among her responsibilities she led projects aimed at improving Product sustainability, developing a more responsible Supply Chain and reducing the Environmental Impact of the Company’s activity. Prior to Desigual she worked as a Sustainability & CSR consultant and she is a professional with 12+ years of experience.

 Maravillas holds a degree in Biology from University of Seville and a Masters in Environmental Impact Assessment from University of Barcelona. In her free time she enjoys combining her two favorite hobbies: traveling and trying new food from all around the world. She also teaches Sustainability classes to Business and Communication masters degree students.

Beatrice Thumi

Public Relations Analyst

Beatrice Thumi is the Public Relations Analyst at the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. She/he is the primary contact person for all media inquiries, providing up to date press materials and information as needed. She is also responsible for media outreach, managing media lists platforms, and follow ups for story placements. She is in charge of monitoring and tracking media coverage, providing ongoing reports and industry insights. She is based in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. 

Before joining the SAC team, Beatrice was the Account Director at Oxygene Marketing Communications Limited where s/he led the PR department. She managed an account portfolio of market leading organizations such as EABL, SEACOM and Sanlam, providing a variety of PR and communication services including specialist areas such as crisis management and reputation management. She has extensive agency experience, steering teams through the development of complex communication strategies, providing support for execution and delivery based on specific client requirements. 

 In her free time, Beatrice likes to keep active and regularly works out. She is a makeup and skincare aficionado and loves creating content for her blog. She is passionate about her faith, personal growth and constantly striving for self-improvement.  She is also an avid reader, enjoys listening to music and podcasts and loves a good cup of coffee.

Veronique Tjon

Senior Manager, Member Engagement, EMEA

Veronique is the Project Manager for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). She supports SMEs in integrating the Higg suite of tools within their organization as well as supply value chain. She ensures that SMEs have access to SAC’s tools and resources including training & capacity building, benchmarking and performance improvement. She furthermore facilitates in the development work in cooperation with the other SAC work streams to tailor support and tools specifically to the SMEs needs.

Prior to joining the SAC, Veronique had been based in Hong Kong for nine years from where she supported brands in developing corporate sustainability strategies. She also worked alongside the supply value chain in Asia by integrating sustainable materials and chain-of-custody processes into their business practices. In her previously held position at a certification body, she managed the Training & Capacity Building program for the Facility Environmental Module 2.0, which was deployed to over 250 supply chain members across Asia as well as the Verification Pilot.

Veronique is a qualified ISO 14001 internal auditor and ISO 14064-1 Carbon Accounting and Greenhouse Gas Inventories auditor. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Veronique is located in Europe.

Ruby Veridiano

Senior Manager of Global Content & Brand Strategy

Ruby Veridiano is the Senior Manager of Global Content & Brand Strategy at the SAC, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. She is the steward of the SAC brand story, managing the organization’s brand messaging, as well as strategizing content to engage and inspire the SAC team, their stakeholders, industry partners, and target audiences, with the organization’s mission and vision for change. After  spending over 7 years in Paris, France, she has relocated back to her home state of California. 

Before joining the SAC Team, Ruby seeded her foundation as a storyteller through her roots as a spoken word poet, and was the only female in a performing arts group that toured professionally across the USA. In 2015, she received her Master’s Degree in Global Communications at the American University of Paris. She worked on the Corporate Social Responsibility Team at the LVMH Group in Paris, where she worked on global diversity initiatives. She was also a journalist and content producer for NBC News. Her original web series for NBC, entitled “Wear I’m From”, was nominated for a 2018 Namic Vision Award. As an advocate for garment workers rights in the fashion supply chain, she connects the dots between sustainable fashion and the women’s movement. 

In her free time, she nurtures her commitment to women’s empowerment by mentoring young women to be their best selves. She is passionate about personal growth, spirituality, and nurturing oneself from the inside out. One of her life goals is to become a decent surfer one day.

Eliza Ward

Director of Membership & Corporate Engagement

Eliza Ward is the Director of Membership & Corporate Engagement at the SAC. Together with her team, which includes the SAC’s Member Managers and Coordinators, she is responsible for ensuring the active engagement and overall satisfaction of members, as well as growing the organisation’s corporate membership base. She has particular focus on ensuring the successful delivery of the SAC’s new membership requirements to meet our ambitious impact goals. Eliza is based in London, UK.

Before joining the SAC team, Eliza was at the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) where she was responsible for growing the organisation’s membership, revising and improving its membership offer and representing the organisation publicly. Prior to ETI, she held senior roles at Fairtrade, leading on global partnerships such as with Mondelez International and Ben & Jerry’s, and with the UK’s major supermarkets. Eliza holds an MA in Human Rights from University College London, and a BA in Politics from Newcastle University.

In her personal life, Eliza is a passionate cook who owns an ever-expanding set of recipe books. She loves to travel and experience new places as a local, particularly by sampling local cuisines, and she likes to keep up with current affairs by listening to podcasts.

Lauren Zahringer

Manager of Business Development, EMEA

Lauren is the Manager of Business Development, EMEA at the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, where she is focused on growing our membership, Higg Index adoption, and organizing events for both prospective and SAC members across EMEA.

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Marymount Manhattan College, and Master of Science in Environment, Science, and Society from University College London. Prior to joining the SAC Lauren worked both in fashion, at IMG Fashion and BPCM P.R., as well as in sustainable design at Terreform ONE, a socio-ecological design firm in New York City. Later Lauren started _The Radically Good_, a web platform dedicated to promoting and supporting sustainability in businesses throughout the New York area.

Lauren is currently based in Amsterdam.