Sonya Betker TRUE- Advisor, SEA, CE-Instructor
Sonya Betker is a sustainability and circular economy leader based in the Greater Minneapolis–St. Paul area, with nearly two decades of experience transforming how organizations view and manage waste. As a Project Director at SCS Engineers, she works with large, multi-site clients to design and implement sustainability strategies that advance zero-waste goals, improve resource efficiency, and create measurable environmental, social, and economic impact. Her work spans waste stream optimization, vendor partnerships, environmental auditing, and circular economy system design across regional, national, and global scales.
Throughout her career, Sonya has built a reputation as a systems thinker and change agent, moving across roles in commercial asset management, waste brokerage, and emerging sustainability technologies before fully stepping into circular economy leadership. She is a certified TRUE Advisor, Sustainability Excellence Associate, and Circular Economy Instructor, and she serves in multiple board and advisory roles supporting stewardship, reuse, and biochar initiatives. Her work often focuses on reframing waste as a resource and developing practical, real-world solutions for complex material streams such as textiles, organics, and industrial byproducts.
In addition to her technical expertise, Sonya is deeply committed to education, mentorship, and collaboration. She actively engages young professionals, contributes to industry thought leadership, and participates in global conversations on regenerative systems and climate solutions. Grounded in both strategy and action, she brings what she describes as “just enough rebel energy” to challenge traditional systems and help build more resilient, circular communities.
• Real Estate and Management
• Business Management and Sustainability
• True Zero-Waste Certification
• Circular Economy Instructor Certification
• SEA (Sustainable Excellence Associate)
• University of Wisconsin-Stout- B.S.
• Dakota County Technical College- A.A.S.
• Women of Waste - MSW Magazine (2023)
• Published in APWA Reporter (two articles)
• Published in Waste Today
• Phi Theta Kappa
• Airman 1st Class
• SWANA
• NSAF (National Stewardship Action Foundation) - Vice Chair
• Minnesota Biochar Initiative - Vice Chair
• ISSP (International Sustainable Society of Professionals)
• Circular Economy Alliance
• Reuse Minnesota
• GBCI
• Reuse Minnesota Silent Auction Events
• STEM Outreach for Women in Male-Dominated Industries
What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to believing in perseverance. If something is worth it, it's going to be a little challenging, especially if you're passionate about it and it's something that isn't mainstream. So perseverance is key. I also have this burning desire to help and do better, to leave better ideas and make a positive impact. I've always been told I'm very passionate about what I do, and I think when you are leading from a very passionate point of view, the success comes with it. I also joke about having a Gen X attitude, but really, it's about that determination to keep pushing forward even when things are difficult.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is to focus on your passion and then let the journey take you. I came from an era and an industry where there wasn't a lot of mentorship, so I had to figure things out as I got older. Focusing on my passion for sustainability, circularity, and the environment as a larger picture has allowed me to work for waste brokers, for digester companies, and now for engineering firms as a non-engineer. That focus on passion has opened doors I never expected and allowed me to have opportunities that not a whole lot of people can say they've had.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid. Just really, really stand strong and stand confident, because your opinion and your input matters more than I think you know. Your input and your passion are what's going to make the change, or help the change, I should say. Don't be afraid of your passion and don't let it be quieted down. If there's an opportunity for a young woman to find a mentor, I think it's super important, especially in a non-traditional field or an industry that is more traditionally men. You also have to learn to have a bit of a thicker skin and know that some of the comments are just sideways because of the unknown of women in the industry. But don't let that stop you.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now is dealing with people who are very complacent or very content with the way things have always been done. A lot of people talk about zero-waste and circular economy, but their eyes kind of blank out. The circular economy is our roadmap to zero waste, but because I'm so immersed in that, when I talk to folks who say 'we've always done it this way,' that change becomes scary for them. It takes a lot of time to educate people, make them comfortable with change, and then actually get them excited about it. That process of going from the hard no to 'I get it' is where perseverance really has to stay important. Too many people are comfortable with the status quo, and we have a bunch of holes with stuff in them as a result. Maybe it's time we start a new way, because if nothing changes, nothing changes.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are being true to your goals and being true to what you want. I believe in working hard and working well with others, and respecting others where they're at, whether that's at a higher level or a lower level in terms of work-life experience. Everybody comes with a different life experience, everybody comes with a different story, and that's valuable. I value the YPs (young professionals), I value the OPs (older professionals), I just value everybody. Learning to hear people is so important. One of the other things that's really important to me is making sure that you allow yourself your time and don't become your job. If something happens, like you get laid off, people can lose their self-worth, and it's not about that. My big mantra is I take life by the journey, but I'm always focusing on doing better and paying it forward.