Meet Caroline McKinley, ReMA’s New Manager, Federal Government Relations

In October 2025, Caroline McKinley joined the ReMA Advocacy, Safety, and Sustainability team as the new Manager, Federal Government Relations.

ReMA News chatted with McKinley about her background, why she decided to take a job with ReMA, and what she's looking forward to most about working at the association.

Tell me about your position at ReMA.

As ReMA's new Manager, Federal Government Relations, I will work closely with Kristen Hildreth, ReMA's Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy, to advocate for ReMA members' legislative priorities on the Hill and in the federal government. I'm looking forward to learning more about our members' priorities and understanding the recycled materials industry from a legislative standpoint.

Tell me about your background and experience.

Prior to ReMA I was with AmeriCorps, a small federal agency that deploys members to volunteer in communities across the country. While working at AmeriCorps I formulated legislative engagement strategies, advised on congressional and political affairs, and served as the point of contact between the Office of Government Relations and federal, state, and local elected officials.

Before AmeriCorps, I was part of the Federal Government, Law, and Policy Team at Greenberg Traurig where I managed multi-client relationships and advocated for clients spanning multiple industries, including transportation and manufacturing. Before moving to Washington, D.C., I participated in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, volunteering full-time at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore, MD and graduated in 2020 from College of the Holy Cross with a B.A. in Political Science.

How did you decide to apply for the position at ReMA?

I thought it would be interesting to work for a trade association because I have experience in the government and working for a multi-client firm. Since I have experience in government relations, I thought it would be great to take more ownership and responsibility in the work I'm doing while staying in the same field. I feel that recycling impacts everyone's lives, whether they are actively aware of it or not, so I was excited about the prospect of doing work for an industry that I'm interested in and that does important work.

What are you looking forward to at ReMA?

I'm looking forward to getting to know our members better, learning more about what they do, and hopefully getting to tour some of their operations. I'm also looking forward to ReMA's Fly-In in February 2026, which will be a great opportunity for me to meet a lot of members in person and I'm excited to work with Kristen, the advocacy team, and the larger ReMA staff to pull this advocacy day together for members.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love exploring new neighborhoods in D.C. and trying new restaurants. I like running in Rock Creek Park and attending sporting events in D.C., though I cheer for Chicago sports teams. Also, I enjoy playing The New York Times games against my friends and family, everything from Wordle and the Mini Crossword to Connections.

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Photo by Sara Cottle on Unsplash.