Meet With Dumpster Diving Experts
Get to know the dedicated individuals behind our platform, united by their love for dumpster diving and sustainability.
Ramona Caldwell
Founder & CEO (Born October 12, 1982)
Ramona is the driving force behind DumpsterDiving101.com. Raised in the Mission District of San Francisco, she developed an early passion for sustainable living and reducing waste. After graduating with honors from UC Berkeley with a degree in Environmental Studies, Ramona worked for several non-profits focused on recycling education.
Her experiences dumpster diving to source materials for community projects inspired her to start a blog in 2010 sharing tips and stories. As her audience grew, so did her ambition – leading to the launch of DumpsterDiving101 in 2015. Under Ramona’s visionary leadership, the site has become the go-to resource for the dumpster diving community.
When not scouring dumpsters, Ramona enjoys urban foraging, attending activist meetings, and spending time with her rescue dogs Remy and Rosie. An avid reader, she belongs to two book clubs. Ramona brings over 15 years of dumpster diving experience to the company along with her endless creativity and passion for reducing waste.
Paloma Quintana
Managing Editor (Born June 3, 1989)
A native San Franciscan, Paloma joined the DumpsterDiving101 team in 2017 after graduating from San Francisco State with a degree in Professional Writing. Her skills for crafting engaging content made her a perfect fit for the role of Managing Editor.
Paloma got her start dumpster diving for materials to use in her art projects as a student. She was hooked by the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of giving discarded items new life. When not scouring the city’s dumpsters, Paloma loves painting murals, taking urban photography, and searching for rare records to add to her vinyl collection.
With several years of professional dumpster diving under her belt along with a deep appreciation for art and culture, Paloma brings a fresh perspective to the site’s content. Her editing talents keep the writing crisp while her creative spark takes it to new heights.
Tallulah Kingsley
Senior Writer (Born August 22, 1985)
A true bohemian spirit, Tallulah discovered dumpster diving while hitchhiking across America after dropping out of Reed College. What started as a way to find free road snacks turned into a lifelong passion for living off society’s excess.
Tallulah has dumpster dived everywhere from rural countryside to major metropolises during her decades of nomadic travels. Her writing captures the freedom, thrill, and ethical considerations of the dumpster diving lifestyle. Tallulah finally put down roots in San Francisco in 2012 after having a daughter, but her adventurous soul still shines through her vivid storytelling.
In her spare time, Tallulah plays in a folk punk band, teaches creative writing workshops, and hits open mic nights to perform her poetry. Her wealth of dumpster diving knowledge paired with her unique voice makes Tallulah an integral part of the DumpsterDiving101 team.
Rufus Hartfield
Lead Researcher (Born April 18, 1978)
An obsession with statistics and data is what first drew Rufus to dumpster diving as a hobby in college. Keeping meticulous records allowed him to pinpoint the best dumpsters and times for finding quality discards. This analytical approach helped Rufus dumpster dive his way through earning dual PhDs in Mathematics and Economics from Stanford.
After a stint teaching at UC Berkeley, Rufus joined DumpsterDiving101 to satisfy his passion for crunching numbers related to waste streams and dumpster compositions. In his role as Lead Researcher, he designs studies, analyzes data sets, and authors the site’s most statistic-heavy pieces.
When not calculating dumpster metrics, you can find Rufus rock climbing, studying game theory, or working on his autobiographical comic book series. His unparalleled dumpster insights combined with his academic background make Rufus an invaluable asset.
Griffith Vanderbeek
Field Expert (Born November 30, 1992)
Griffith grew up assisting his parents’ contracting business by raiding dumpsters for reusable building materials – stoking what would become a lifelong dumpster diving obsession. After graduating from UC Davis with an Environmental Engineering degree, he went on to manage waste diversion programs for the City of San Francisco.
This combination of dumpster diving depuis l’enfance and professional waste management experience made Griffith a natural fit for the DumpsterDiving101 team. As the site’s Field Expert, he regularly ventures into the trenches to test dumpster diving techniques, assess hot spots, and gather insights from fellow divers.
In his down time, you’ll find Griffith getting his hands dirty restoring classic cars, working on Burning Man art installations, or watching documentaries on consumer waste. His youthful energy, hands-on skills, and insider knowledge of San Francisco’s waste stream are key assets.
Abner Thackery
Dumpster Diving Historian (Born September 15, 1980)
For Abner, a chance dumpster diving experience while backpacking through Europe opened his eyes to the stories and cultures surrounding lived experiences of waste. This revelation inspired him to return to the US and pursue a PhD in Anthropology at UC Berkeley specializing in refuse and consumption patterns.
Abner has authored multiple books documenting the history and societal impact of dumpster diving dating back to the Great Depression. His comprehensive archives and unmatched theoretical knowledge made him a perfect fit for the DumpsterDiving101 Historian role.
On the weekends, Abner can be found scouring flea markets and estate sales for rare antique finds or dusting off his trombone to perform with a local jazz quartet. His intellectual curiosity and passion for preserving the stories of the dumpster diving community are invaluable to the site.
Linus Merriweather
Dumpster Chef (Born July 7, 1987)
After a series of disappointing careers, Linus found his true calling one fateful night while dumpster diving for sustenance behind a grocery store. Discovering the abundance of perfectly good discarded food shocked him into a new way of living and eating – freeganism.
Linus earned his culinary chops by turning dumpster finds into surprisingly gourmet dishes, documented for years on his YouTube cooking show “Wasted Flavor.” His recipes highlight skills for transforming potential waste into incredible feasts.
Outside the kitchen, Linus leadsforaging tours, participates in Food Not Bombs efforts, and advocates for policies reducing food waste. His creativity, resourcefulness, and upbeat personality make him a fan favorite on the DumpsterDiving101 team.