
Co-founded in 1995 by architect William McDonough, MBDC is at the forefront of advocating for the Cradle to Cradle Design™ philosophy. The firm emphasizes designing products and processes that celebrate clean renewable energy and diversity, aiming for a positive impact on both people and the planet. MBDC’s work led to the creation of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program, now managed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, setting a global standard for products that aspire to be more than just ”less bad”. As pioneers of this sustainable design framework, MBDC collaborates with clients to develop products that are safe, circular, and beneficial for a thriving future.
We conceived and launched the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard which is now administered by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, co-founded by William McDonough. Today, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is available to the public as an independent, third-party, peer-reviewed program, spurring innovation on a global scale. It sets, develops and maintains the global standard through a multi-stakeholder process that is continuously evolving.
Work with us
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William McDonough
Manager and Co-Founder
William McDonough
Manager and Co-Founder
“As Co-founder of MBDC, I have been working with our green chemists to encourage products that are safer and healthier for a Circular Economy for more than two decades. Jay and the rest of the team will utilize their knowledge as creators of Cradle to Cradle Certified® to work alongside your company to assess and optimize your products and processes.”
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Michelle Molloy
Managing Director
Michelle Molloy
Managing Director
Michelle joined MBDC in 2020 as a Cradle to Cradle general assessor, and she now leads the organization’s operations and business development as Managing Director. Michelle is actively involved in C2C product assessments and advising the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute on program strategy and market development. Michelle enjoys collaborating with clients about applying the Cradle to Cradle Design framework as a roadmap for corporate sustainability and risk management.
Michelle has been in the consulting space for 20 years and spent the beginning of her career working on the finance side of real-estate development which initiated her pivot to focus on the value proposition of sustainable development and products. Michelle has advised companies in the private and public sector, including start-ups participating in the Illinois Smart Grid Regional Innovation Cluster, US Geological Survey’s Innovation Office, 30+ organizations funded through Penn State’s Consortium for Building Energy Innovation, the commercialization team at the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, and the US Department of Navy’s Renewable Energy Program Office.
MSc in Environmental Management and Sustainability, Illinois Institute of Technology
BS in Business Administration, Mount Saint Mary’s University -
Ieva Juska
Senior Director
Ieva Juska
Senior Director
Ieva joined MBDC in 2022, and she leads the MBDC team of General Assessors in Cradle to Cradle product evaluations for certification, guiding clients and teams through the requirements of Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Water and Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness sections of the Cradle to Cradle standard.
Ieva develops reference materials and tools, leads trainings and client workshops, and continues to find ways to improve our approach to data management, analysis and reporting for general and material health assessors. Ieva manages a diverse group of projects, involving product categories in the built environment, textile, apparel, personal care, and packaging industries. She also assists clients in obtaining Health Product Declarations, and evaluates other add-on services for clients interested in optimizing efforts and their investment in Cradle to Cradle.
Ieva serves on the Health Product Declaration Collaborative Technical Sub-Group for Social Equity and also supports the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute in the development of the V4.1 Standard Guidance documents. She has served on the Direct Action Committee for the Science Policy Initiative at UVA and has advised on carbon neutrality for Lithuania as part of the EU Net Zero Cities project. Ieva’s graduate research focused on coastal ecosystem carbon cycling, greenhouse gas fluxes, and climate change impacts.
MSc in Environmental Science, University of Virginia
BA in Biology and Environmental Science, Miami University
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Kolton Kitterman
Senior Environmental Chemist
Kolton Kitterman
Senior Environmental Chemist
Kolton joined MBDC in 2020. He serves as MBDC’s Material Health Lead on numerous assessments across the MBDC project portfolio. Kolton also oversees implementation of technical projects to advance our chemical database structure and data quality. Kolton brings a passion for chemistry and expertise in the Cradle to Cradle Material Health Assessment Methodology.
Kolton has conducted MHAs on products in categories ranging from Personal Care to consumer electronics to luxury apparel. He leads in the optimization plans of products to address these industrial challenges and collaborates with international labs to come up with new innovative test methods for unique analyte testing. Kolton is currently the Co-Chair of the C2CPII Material Health Task Team and a member of the HPDC Technical Committee. In his free time, Kolton enjoys the Lake Life during the Wisconsin summertime, being a new father, and traveling with his family.
MA in Chemistry – Environmental Application & Inorganic Synthesis, University of Virginia
BS in Chemistry, University of Minnesota
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Alicea Meredith
Senior Environmental Toxicologist
Alicea Meredith
Senior Environmental Toxicologist
Alicea (“Ali”) joined the MBDC team as an environmental toxicologist in 2022. She now leads and verifies material health assessments across MBDC’s entire project portfolio. Ali brings expertise and efficiency from her experience with industry, and previously held roles as a bench scientist, product steward, and regulatory toxicologist for a global hardware and ink manufacturer. In her previous position, she advocated for sustainable design and safe chemistry in early product development and worked on the other side of the partnership in pursuit of eco certifications. Additional experience in roles for the federal government and academia give her a well-rounded perspective on material health and chemical compliance. When out of office, she enjoys making art, riding bikes, gardening, and going for a surf.
MSc in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University
BS in Environmental Chemistry, Stockton University
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Morgan Tassone
Director, Quality Control & Assurance
Morgan Tassone
Director, Quality Control & Assurance
Morgan Tassone joined MBDC after graduating from the University of Virginia (UVA) with a MSc in Environmental Sciences. Her graduate research analyzed shifts in Arctic vegetation productivity and functional diversity in response to climate change and environmental gradients. She also earned a certificate in Sustainable Business from the UVA McIntire School of Commerce and the UVA Ellison-Edmonson Award for Interdisciplinary Research. Prior to joining MBDC, she worked for a global architecture, engineering, and construction company as an Environmental Scientist for nearly five years. While there, she managed the development of National Environmental Policy Act documents that assessed environmental and human impacts from the implementation of federal projects. At MBDC, she applies her technical knowledge and management experience to the development of General Assessments.
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Emma Cronin
Senior Project Manager
Emma Cronin
Senior Project Manager
Emma joined MBDC in 2023 and is now leading multiple Cradle to Cradle product assessments, for large and small enterprises seeking certification or validation of claims. Prior to joining MBDC, Emma worked as an Environmental Scientist for an international engineering and environmental consulting firm, where she supported multiparty allocation investigations and litigation.
Emma’s graduate research examined nutrient loading and removal in agricultural streambeds. MBDC’s team and General Assessment deliverables are benefiting from Emma’s superior project and supply chain management experience. Her passion for Water and Soil Stewardship is a great addition to the team’s capability. In her free time, she likes to spend time outside, especially with her dogs or on a run.
MA in Environmental Sciences – Hydrology, University of Virginia
BS in Environmental Sciences – Conservation Biology & Biodiversity, University of Vermont
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Elyse Harris
Senior Project Manager
Elyse Harris
Senior Project Manager
Elyse joined MBDC in 2023. She leads a wide variety of Cradle to Cradle product certification projects, including all of the assessments for Shaw Industries Group, Inc., the largest global carpet company. Elyse successfully guides clients through all aspects of the product assessment process, and brings technical discipline along with expertise in water issues, renewable energy and carbon accounting. She enjoys training clients and affiliates in Water and Soil Stewardship and Clean Air and Climate Protection, and how to conduct an in-person site visit.
Prior to joining MBDC, Elyse worked as an Environmental Scientist for an engineering and environmental consulting firm where she evaluated field and laboratory data to assess the impacts on local soil and water sources. She also worked in the solar industry as a Data and Proposal Analyst. Elyse represents MBDC in “Technical Deep Dives” led by C2CPII, to gain insights from the assessor community on managing the transition to V4.1 of the C2C Product Standard. Elyse brings her passion for preventative environmental protection to the team. When out of office, Elyse competes in USTA leagues and tennis tournaments in Virginia, practices acro yoga, and enjoys reading for her two book clubs.
BS in Biology, with concentration on Biodiversity and Ecology, and a minor in Mathematics, Sewanee: The University of the South
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Isabella Cotier
Project Manager
Isabella Cotier
Project Manager
Isabella joined MBDC as a Project Manager, bringing a solid foundation in environmental studies and public health. She graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, specializing in Conservation Science and Policy. Her academic research focused on public cooling accessibility in Providence, Rhode Island, where she conducted a program evaluation of the city’s cooling centers in collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). Her background is primarily focused in state government work. She served as a Public Health Scholar with RIDOH and worked for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Leveraging her experience and research skills, Isabella will play a key role in working with MBDC team members and clients on various projects.
BA Environmental Studies – Conservation Science and Policy, Brown University
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Celeste Weaver
Director of Communications
Celeste Weaver
Director of Communications
Celeste is William McDonough’s Director of Visual Communications and has an extensive background in Cradle to Cradle Design™ and sustainable design, working directly with McDonough on his speaking engagements and presentations. She manages graphics and communications and provides graphic support for client reports and deliverables with teams at McDonough Innovation, William McDonough + Partners, and MBDC, LLC.
Prior to working with McDonough, she worked for Philadelphia-based sustainable architecture firms as a Senior Graphic Designer and Communications Coordinator for over 15 years. Celeste graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Graphic Design from Drexel University.
Our Sister Companies
MBDC collaborates with sister companies William McDonough + Partners and McDonough Innovation to provide clients with holistic solutions — including design, product and material procurement, and high-level advising.
William McDonough + Partners lead design teams in the definition of a project vision and building concept design, working closely with William McDonough to bring his design concepts into reality. WM+P are architects, planners and leaders in sustainable design, providing a framework for an environmentally driven approach to building design and a process to execute it.
Through McDonough Innovation, William McDonough provides targeted ideas, product concepts and solutions to a wide range of sustainable growth issues faced by governments, companies and NGOs. Through collaboration with WM+P, his values-driven approach helps nations and companies embed sustainable growth principles into their culture and to advance progress toward their positive vision.