SPLC Announces New Board Officers, Welcomes New Board Member

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 16, 2025 - The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC), a leading organization dedicated to advancing sustainable purchasing practices, is pleased to announce the election of its new Board officers as well as new Board member Kenyatta Lewis from MGM Resorts International. These individuals bring a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to furthering SPLC's mission.

"We are thrilled to welcome Rekha, Andrew, Judy, and Russell as our new Board officers, and Kenyatta to the Board as a director. Their diverse expertise and unwavering dedication to sustainability will be invaluable as we further catalyze the sustainable procurement movement,” said Marc Heisterkamp, SPLC CEO. “With their leadership, SPLC is poised to make even greater strides in transforming procurement and supply chain for a more sustainable future."

Chair
Rekha Menon-Varma, CEO, AltaScient

Rekha Menon-Varma is the CEO of AltaScient, a firm specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) integration into risk and sustainability analytics for critical value chains. She is a senior leader with 20+ years’ experience at US and EU corporations and is highly effective in executing CEO and Board agendas.

Prior to this, Rekha was the Managing Partner at Vertaeon where she built the start-up from ideation to product to commercialization and positioned it for the SaaS-based enterprise analytics growth curve. Earlier at NV Bekaert SA, Rekha led global teams for growth strategy assessment, launched an enterprise risk management program (ERM), and a corporate sustainability strategy, reporting to the CEO, C-Suite and the Board. Prior to this, she worked at Lyondell Chemical, in multiple marketing, e-Business and engineering roles of increasing responsibility. View Rekha's full bio.

Vice Chair
Andrew Baer, Head of Responsible Procurement, S&P Global, Inc.

As S&P’s first Head of Responsible Procurement, Andrew Baer created and continues to lead the company's procurement sustainability program and initiatives. Andrew came to that role with 20 years of experience in procurement, where he led complex, international technology deals and developed Sourcing and Vendor Management functions at leading financial services and technology firms.

Andrew is a founding member of the United Nations Global Compact's Coalition for Sustainable Procurement, which launched in June 2025. His work with international sustainable procurement groups speaks to his passion for collaborative solutions to sustainability issues. View Andrew's full bio.

Secretary
Judy Panayos, Director of Sustainability, Medline

Judy Panayos is currently the Director of Sustainability at Medline, leading environmental sustainability programs, with a focus on carbon management, climate risk analysis and target-setting and emissions reduction.

Judy’s early career was in performing arts management, including multi-stakeholder urban renewal projects. At Becton Dickinson where she lead various supplier programs including sustainability, diversity, risk, quality and recognition. Most recently, Judy was at Sodexo in Responsible Sourcing before moving into a global climate role, leading the creation of action plans for Sodexo’s Net Zero 2040 commitment as well as embedding climate action in client solutions. View Judy's full bio. 

Treasurer
Russell Chung, Chief Procurement Officer, University of California, Berkeley

Russell Chung is a seasoned procurement and supply chain executive with extensive leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. He currently serves as the Chief Procurement Officer at the University of California, Berkeley, where he oversees procurement strategy and operations for one of the world's top public universities. In addition, he is the sustainable procurement lead for the University of California system, aligning institutional purchasing with environmental and social responsibility goals.

Prior to his role at UC Berkeley, Russell was the Chief Procurement Officer at the City University of New York (CUNY) and the Director of Procurement at The Ohio State University. His expertise extends beyond academia, having led global procurement and supply chain organizations at major corporations including The Kohler Company, Delphi Technologies, and General Motors. View Russell's full bio.

Board Member
Kenyatta Lewis, Executive Director, Responsible Supply Chain, MGM Resorts International

Kenyatta Lewis is responsible for defining innovative strategies that guide the global business impact program at MGM Resorts, providing small and local businesses opportunities for economic growth. She also leads the company’s sustainable procurement efforts, aimed at addressing the environmental, social and economic impacts within its supply chain. She has designed, implemented, and expanded an award-winning program, leading both the Supplier Impact Task Force and their Responsible Supply Chain Governance forums.

In 2016, she developed the Global Business Impact Mentorship Program, which pairs small and local businesses with MGM Resorts executives and provides critical business coaching to elevate corporate readiness. To date, nearly 150 businesses have been positively impacted by this program. View Kenyatta's full bio.

See the full SPLC Board of Directors list below.

Media Contact 
Kristy Pickurel, Director of Marketing & Communications, SPLC 
kristyp@sustainablepurchasing.org 

About SPLC 
The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) is a global community of purchasers, suppliers, advocates, and experts dedicated to driving positive impact through the power of procurement. Visit SPLC at www.sustainablepurchasing.org. 

SPLC Board of Directors