Philippe Doliger
Policy Advisor
European Recycling Industries' Confederation (EuRIC)

Philippe Doliger joined EuRIC in April 2024, after more than five years of working as an EU public affairs consultant in Brussels, where he advised and supported private companies and trade associations on various issues including circular economy. At EuRIC, the leading voice for a competitive European recycling industry, Philippe is in charge of overseeing the work of EuRIC Textiles – EuRIC’s branch promoting the collective interests of the European textile recycling and re-use industries. EuRIC Textiles evaluates and provides input on the implementation of the EU's textiles strategy, focusing on ecodesign criteria, mandatory recycled content targets, and end-of-waste criteria for textiles.

Philippe holds Master degrees in EU affairs from the College of Europe, Sciences Po Lille (France) and the University of Münster (Germany).

Jessica Franken
Government Affairs Director
SMART

Jessica Franken, SMART’s Director of Government Affairs, has more than 20 years of professional government relations/public policy experience that includes positions on Capitol Hill and many years of work with industry association clients including the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textile Association, as well as groups representing nonwoven fabrics, pharmaceutical printing and healthcare packaging industries. In this capacity, Franken has acted as a primary policy liaison/advocate between clients and public officials on a diverse array of issues including the environment, product safety, trade, tax, healthcare, manufacturing, and labor/workplace policy.

An accomplished writer, Jessica Franken has contributed to and authored more than 150 policy-themed articles for trade publications, and has developed numerous industry-adopted position papers and formal submissions to the U.S. government. She has also been involved in drafting and advancing legislation at the state and federal level benefiting her clients, and has testified before numerous state legislative bodies on behalf of her clients, achieving legislative victories in challenging policy environments.

Franken received a Master’s degree in Public Policy from George Mason University’s School of Public Policy, and was named the 2006 recipient of the university’s coveted Alexis de Tocqueville Award for academic achievement and professionalism in the field of public policy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Government and Politics, graduating with honors from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1997. She is the President of The Franken Group, LLC, a government affairs consulting firm offering services to multiple association and industry clients. In her spare time, she makes and sells “Frankenballs” confections—a sinfully delicious cross between cake pops and truffles—and enjoys running and posting pictures of her cats on social media.

Karla Magruder
Founder
Accelerating Circularity

Karla Magruder is the Founder and President of Accelerating Circularity. She has over 35 years of global experience from fiber to finished garments. In her current role at Accelerating Circularity she leads the organization’s work in enabling the industry’s transition to textile-to-textile circular systems.

Prior to her current role she founded Fabrikology International, a textile consulting company where she worked on material developments and guided both nonprofit and for-profit organizations towards more sustainable textile strategies. Past clients includes, Textile Exchange, USAID, Lenzing and Carhartt.

Previous industry affiliations include the UNFCCC Fashion Industry Charter Steering Committee, Co-Chair of their Raw Material Working Group and a Textile Exchange Governance Board member.

Karla is currently a member of the Cotton Board and the Walmart Lighthouse Advisory Board.

Alan Wheeler
CEO
Textile Recycling Association

Alan is the CEO of the UK Textile Recycling Association and the General Secretary of the Bureau of International Recycling’s textiles division. He also sits of the textiles board of the European Recycling Industries Confederation (EuRIC). With over 20 years working directly in the textile recycling industry and 30 years in the wider recycling sector, his wide and varied job can include general taking enquiries from the public to liaising with senior politicians and civil servants to shape government and EU policy direction. On occasions he has even met the Princess Royal (Princess Anne) and the then UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, at 10 Downing Street.