Local women breaking down barriers in waste management services

Cheryl Hentz

Contributor

April 20, 2026

FOX VALLEY – In an industry where women remain significantly underrepresented, three Northeast Wisconsin women are breaking the mold.

Katie Robinett, Samantha Behm and Jayden Erdman all work on the same Reworld-Fox Valley field services team, outnumbering the men on the five-person technical and field-based environmental services crew.

Kerry Pomplun – Reworld-Fox Valley facility’s administrative assistant – said the woman-dominated crew is “a rare achievement in a sector historically dominated by men.”

In 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that women made up only 15.5% of waste management and remediation services employees and 12.4% of the related sector of commercial transportation.

At Reworld–Fox Valley, however, Pomplun said Robinett, Behm and Erdman are not only performing the job – they are setting the standard.

“Their work is hands‑on, technical and essential to the region’s environmental infrastructure,” she said. 

As field services technicians, Pomplun said the female trio handles industrial cleaning, waste management and safety-critical tasks at customer job sites – all of which require physical strength, specialized training and a strong knowledge of environmental compliance.

“It’s very uncommon in our industry to have a majority women-led team of field service technicians, or technical services team, particularly in the Fox Valley,” she said. 

Pomplun said women rarely hold these types of positions in the waste industry, making the team a rare presence in the waste management sector.

“What probably makes these three women unique is that they’re handling things like industrial cleaning supplies, going into confined spaces to do job clean-outs and so forth,” she said. “And it’s a very safety-critical work environment on these job sites.” 

Though no prior experience is required for the work these women do, Pomplun said physical strength is essential.

Field service technicians, she said, regularly lift 50-75 pounds, handling large, heavy hoses and other equipment.

Pomplun said technicians also operate forklifts, backhoes and vehicles with trailers in tow – and must be proficient with all equipment, even if it’s not used daily.

“They also have to be able to crawl in and out of confined spaces when they’re doing clean-outs,” she said. “So, there’s definitely a physicality that goes along with the job. But we also work smarter, not harder, and we take safety very seriously.”

Beyond the physical aspects of the job, Pomplun said technicians need to maintain a broad knowledge base, including staying current on environmental services, understanding regulations and identifying different types of waste.

Reworld, she said, provides both initial and ongoing training, keeping employees up to date on company policies as well as frequently changing OSHA, DOT and other regulatory guidelines.

“Katie has a CDL license, so she had to complete the required training based on the DOT standards, understanding hours of service and operating the VAC (vacuum) truck,” she said. 

Though no prior training or education is required, Pomplun said some familiarity with the waste industry can be an advantage for new employees at Reworld.

“It certainly gives them the upper hand to have some of that technical knowledge prior to stepping into the role…,” she said. “Samantha’s father also works for us as a driver. So, she had some good knowledge of what she was stepping into prior to applying for the role. And Samantha referred Jayden to us, so she had explained to her a lot of what she does on the job.” 

Women empowering other women  

As they continue to set the standard at Reworld-Fox Valley, Pomplun said it’s encouraging to see these women inspiring others, breaking down barriers for those who may have thought a job like this wasn’t possible for them.

“When other women see other women doing this work and doing it well, those barriers start to fall away,” she said. “I think that has been a contributing factor to why we have found a few more women in these roles than we have in the past.”

Pomplun said the technicians’ influence extends beyond daily operations.

Their visibility in the field, she said, serves as inspiration for young women exploring careers in environmental services, industrial operations or technical trades.

Though some women have applied for these roles, Pomplun said after the interview process, they decided the positions weren’t the right fit for them.

“But we are taking every opportunity we have to let people, including potential candidates, know that we have a female majority-led field services team and how well that works within our operation,” she said. 

Pomplun said the company also provides opportunities for interested individuals – including other women – to speak directly with Robinett, Behm and Erdman if they choose.

“It helps if they explain to women exactly what they do and let them know they, too, could possibly do this work,” she said. “The opportunities are definitely there.” 

Though women are still underrepresented in field service roles, Pomplun said more are moving into safety and environmental management positions, including in Northeast Wisconsin.

“Our environmental health and safety manager here in the Fox Valley area is a woman, and she’s been in the industry for a very long time,” she said. “Our corporate director of safety is also a woman. There are other safety managers who are women and other environmental specialists who are women. So, that area is definitely growing.” 

As for Robinett, Behm and Erdman, Pomplun said they are more than just employees.

“I feel like they’re role models, and the impact of what they’re doing reaches far beyond our facility,” she said. “I feel it also makes a big impact in our community. Wisconsin needs skilled workers, and women are an untapped powerhouse in the trade industries. Stories like theirs help open those doors for other women.”

Pomplun said the Reworld-Fox Valley team stands out not only within the region and the company but across the industry, reflecting a shift toward more inclusive hiring and a recognition that technical roles thrive on diverse perspectives and leadership styles.

“These women are more than a statistic,” she said. “They are trailblazers, role models and history‑makers right here in Fox Valley. Not all history is made in boardrooms. Sometimes it’s made in steel‑toed boots, on job sites by women who refuse to be underestimated. Their skill, strength and commitment to safety elevate the work we do for our customers and our community.”

The future for women in non-traditional roles

As Wisconsin invests in workforce development and expands opportunities in the skilled trades, Pomplun said Reworld-Fox Valley’s milestone underscores the importance of representation and the value of creating pathways for women to enter and advance in technical careers.

She said Reworld-Fox Valley hopes the example being set by its female-led field services team encourages more women to explore roles in environmental services, where the demand for skilled workers continues to grow.

Currently, she said the company operates roughly 100 locations and employs 4,500 people across the country – primarily on the East Coast, in the South and the Midwest.

“But we’re growing so there’s definitely other facilities that are popping up in different regions,” she said. 

As the company grows, Pomplun said they encourage women to step into the industry and take on non-traditional roles.

Beyond competitive pay, she said these positions offer the satisfaction of performing work often seen as a “man’s role” and delivering real value to customers, making the work itself highly rewarding.

“We’re doing great things here at Reworld, by keeping waste out of the landfills as much as we possibly can and turning that waste into more sustainable solutions, including producing energy out of the waste, and doing it properly and safely,” she said.

Head to Reworld’s website at reworldwaste.com for more information.