Think about the last jar of peanut butter you finished. Maybe you scraped it clean. Maybe you didn’t, and tossed it in the recycling bin with a few spoonfuls still clinging to the sides.
It seems like a small thing. Pam Jansen knows it isn’t.
A career focused on the details that matter
Pam spent over 30 years at Waste Management, much of it in senior leadership roles spanning revenue management, business strategy, and data analytics. Along the way, she helped build programs that changed how everyday people think about what they throw away.
Here’s the problem she helped solve: plenty of people think they’re recycling correctly, but a jar that’s still a third full of peanut butter can create problems at a recycling facility. Food residue can contaminate other recyclables, making them harder and more expensive to process. Depending on the facility, heavily contaminated materials may end up in a landfill instead of being recycled.
Pam’s work gave Waste Management customers direct, personal feedback on what they were putting in their bins, so they could learn what actually gets recycled and change their habits. One household at a time.
And here’s the thing about one household at a time: it adds up. When one person learns to recycle right, they teach their kids, mention it to a neighbor, rethink what they buy. Small changes ripple outward.
Seeing the big picture
That idea, that individual choices add up to something much bigger, is what drives Pam. Even in retirement, she hasn’t slowed down. She continues to volunteer at CAFE's pop-up food distributions and helps rescue surplus food. For her, one of the most rewarding parts is seeing people leave with full carts and smiles on their faces.
When she's not thinking about food rescue, you'll find her skiing, hiking, biking, or photographing wildlife.
“CAFE Food Rescue gives me an opportunity to give back to the community I love and make a difference. I’m proud to be part of what this organization has already accomplished, and I’m looking forward to working with the board and staff to build on that success, strengthen our foundation, and make an even greater impact.”
Why we’re so lucky
We’ll be honest: we sort of hit the jackpot.
Food rescue lives at the exact point where Pam spent her career. Every pound of good food that ends up in a landfill is a loss twice over: a meal someone didn’t get, and waste our planet has to absorb. Most people never see that second cost. Pam has seen it up close for three decades.
She understands what rescued food means, not just for the neighbor who receives it, but for the mountains we all depend on. She also brings something every growing nonprofit needs: serious business and analytics experience. As Board President, Pam is focused on helping CAFE grow its reach and build the structure and funding to sustain it for the long haul.
As CAFE Food Rescue builds on its successes and looks toward its next chapter, we don’t think we could have found someone who understands our mission, and what it takes to build it, as deeply as Pam does.
Welcome, Pam. We’re glad you’re here. 💚
Pam Jansen, CAFE Food Rescue Board President
Want to be part of the team?
Volunteer with CAFE Food
