Meet the Garbage Gals!

Garbage Gals is more than a clean-up crew; it's a movement. We bring people together to reclaim their neighborhoods and make meaningful impacts.

Community engagement is crucial for lasting change. Through our clean-up initiatives, sustainability efforts, and partnerships with local organizations, we empower residents to take pride in their environment.

Our mission is to clean up neighborhoods, create camaraderie, and show how small steps can lead to big change across Chicago.

Board of directors

  • PRESIDENT

    Originally from California, now based in St. Louis. After a rewarding career advocating for Early Childhood Education in Missouri, I recently retired and look forward to spending more time with my two grandsons and exploring my hobbies!

    One way I practice sustainability is utilizing an electronics recycling service. My goal is to learn how to compost and grow my own vegetables.

  • TREASURER

    Originally from St. Louis, now calling Phenix City, Alabama home. I love spending my weekends hiking with friends and exploring the great outdoors.

    I practice sustainability by raising my own chickens, providing plenty of eggs for myself and my roommates. Living in a rural town with my own septic tank has made me more mindful of the waste I produce. I also compost all yard and chicken waste to minimize our environmental footprint.

  • DIRECTOR

    Born, raised, and now based in St. Louis. My wife and I enjoyed the first 10 years of our professional career in Chicago. We moved back to St. Louis two years ago to grow our family of now two boys and two dogs.

    As our household grows, so do our sustainability practices! Our two-year-old never wastes food, instead sharing it with our always-hungry Pug and Boston Terrier. We also use a compost tumbler for yard waste.

  • SECRETARY

    Only child from a big St. Louis family. In my tech career, I’m driven by forging connections that are rooted in community - the very values that have made Garbage Gals such a natural fit. Their mission is so meaningful and I’m honored to be a very small part of it.

    I practice sustainability by always carrying at least two silicone straws with me.

  • DIRECTOR

    6-year Wicker Park resident, working full-time in furniture sales within the events industry. Cat mom to Dane, my Maine Coon. I satisfy my sweet tooth with home baking and am a yoga enthusiast (Zen Yoga Garage!). Crafty, handy, and single 😉.

    I embrace sustainability by regularly composting, crushing cans, cutting straws, and using my Garbage Gals reusable totes, all while following a vegetarian lifestyle.

founder and executive director

Hi, I'm Sophie! Though I moved to Chicago in 2019 and still feel a bit new, I've already developed a deep connection to the city. My passion for trash collection, however, goes back a bit further.

When I was about 20, my mom and I volunteered for an Earth Day cleanup in our community. That experience left me with a new sense of pride and connection to our street—a feeling I had never had before.

I often thought back to that day, and in August 2023, I decided to bring that same feeling to life. That’s when I created Garbage Gals - looking for a way to foster pride and connection in my community.

I embrace sustainability by composting with WasteNot Compost, recycling fabric through Trashie, and hosting a Clothing Drive to give old clothes a second life.

WHY WE DO IT

Trash isn't just discarded waste. It reveals our habits, values, and what we respect. Each piece of litter symbolizes either a lapse in judgment or an opportunity for progress.

While many view trash as the end of a cycle, we see it as a chance for a fresh start. By responsibly disposing of waste and recycling as much as possible, we turn potential landfill waste into new possibilities, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future.