I hope to join the Co-op Board because PFC sits at the intersection of several values that matter to me. It is a community resource that supports local producers, serves the community in tangible ways, and gives members a shared stake in this important work.

In my professional life, I spend a great deal of time thinking about how institutions remain steady, responsive, and trusted over time. While the Co-op operates in a very different space, I see many of the same principles at work: collaboration, resilience, and a responsibility to serve people well.

I would be honored to support the Co-op’s continued strength, and contribute to a community resource that does so much good for Portland.

I come with leadership experience from a career primarily organized around healthcare and emergency response management. I know how to meet people where they are, how to listen, and am happiest when I can support calm when things are complicated. I currently serve as a Director of Emergency Management in the Boston area, and much of my work revolves around building relationships and helping people come together around shared goals. I also have prior board experience with an international professional organization supporting the disaster response community.Because so much of my experience has been in public-facing and service-oriented roles, I believe leadership at its best is practical, and people-centered. I would be glad to bring that mindset to the board.

I'd hope to explain that the Co-op is a community-owned space that gives people a more direct connection to where their food comes from, and who it supports. It's not just a place to shop for groceries, it's also a reflection of the shared values of member-owners, and a commitment to local investment. 

I have watched the Coop grow in the 10, or so, years that I have been a member. I have enjoyed seeing the changes instituted, such as non-profit round up, $5 member reward and pay-it-forward. I often think about what shopper/member enhancements I might add. Being on the Board, would give me a little more latitude to advocate for creative ways to engage members or potential members. Additionally, it seems that the Coop is in a new transition phase, perhaps, outgrowing its current location. To me, it is an exciting time, but one that may change the Coop I have grown to know and depend on. In my career, I have mostly worked for new small non-profits, and despite the upheaval of growth, it is very exciting to have input and be a part of it. I would very much like to be a part of that with the Coop.

Early in my professional career, I started a non-profit organization in the Baltimore-Washington area to promote and train organizations and people in response to the new (at the time) Americans with Disabilities Act. As part of that work, I participated in regular non-profit and Board trainings through Leadership Maryland. As my career shifted into community art, I created and organized free community art programs city-wide in Baltimore and Portland, which I have been doing for over 20 years. In addition, I have developed, organized and taught art programming for all ages from pre-school to adult, including at Portland Adult Ed, Mayo Street Arts, Maine College of Art and Design, as well as overseas. The work I did overseas was the most DIY community experience I have had. I was living in various countries where my husband was working on construction projects. I had no connection to anyone. No resources. No organization to support me. I started stitching in public. In developing countries, or countries where there is very little contact with Americans, it is a big curiosity that an older American white woman can actually do her own sewing. As a result, small crowds gathered, I showed up regularly with supplies, and we stitched together for the months I was in country. I was no longer spending my days alone. I learned some rudimentary language. And they got to know an American, who was different than their preconceived notions. It became my community. For the past several months, I have also been a regular classroom substitute in the Portland Public School system, which entails utilizing all of the above skills, and then some!

That is a challenging question, so I phoned a family member, who has never heard of the Coop concept, to practice on them. And then I went to our website to see what the answer was! On the website, I learned that a Coop also does education and training for its member/owners, and since that is my forte, it might be a good jumping off point for me if I am voted on to the Board. Anyway, how I explained a Coop to my family member is that it is kind of the opposite of a corporate structure, where the members have an equal say and the focus is to support the local community, in our case, local farms and other community organizations.

Serving as a Portland Food Coop Board Member is an opportunity to utilize my leadership experience and background in food retail, wholesale, as well as my deep passion for food and people to help support a sustainable future for the Coop’s mission.

Nurturing healthy, resilient communities has been my life’s mission for over 40 years. By supporting access to healthy, natural and organic foods and creating welcoming spaces where people can come together and share their experiences, I have seen communities that my teams I have worked with blossom and thrive.

The Portland Food Coop is a vibrant, member-owned marketplace that nourishes the health and well-being of the community by cultivating relationships within the local food economy thereby supporting small business growth. The Coop partners with local organizations like Maine Needs, Portland Outright, and others that align with the Coop’s values and mission, strengthening the fabric that holds the community together.

This is exciting to me because even now, in retirement, I continue to support the local food economy. I am an active mentor with the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs where I work directly with local business like Crooked Face Creamery and Battambang Bistro, a BIPOC, women-owned Cambodian food business.

And so, I see the opportunity to serve on the Portland Food Coop’s board as a natural extension of my life’s purpose. The Coop’s mission to nourish the community, to model a democratic approach to business, and focus on growing a healthier environment deeply aligns with my own values. Having the opportunity to partner with the Portland Food Coop Board and Member-Owners offers a unique match, not just to my passion and values, but also opportunity for the Coop to take advantage of my experience and leadership skills.

I offer broad business leadership experience as well as experience with for-profit and non-profit boards of directors.

My work at Whole Foods Market from store leadership to global executive, and my work as a CEO, both of a for-profit and a non-profit grocery organization. has provided me with a broad skill set that has sharpened my strategic perspective on how to grow and develop businesses and organizations. It has also given me valuable experience working with people of diverse backgrounds- ethnically, economically, and culturally. My work at Daily Table, for instance, exposed me to the all-too-prevalent issue of food insecurity and the inequity of food access in the US, while leading stores for Whole Foods Market in New York City allowed me the privilege of working with immigrant communities representing over 35 different countries and 20 different languages.

I have managed small and large projects alike, set strategic vision and goals, projected financial forecasts, effectively managed budgets and selected and developed new store sites.

Some of the most rewarding leadership roles I have had have been serving directly in communities. Some of the boards I have served on include; The Mondavi Institute for Food and Wine Science Executive Board, The UC Davis- Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Primed & Prepped/YMCA Board of Directors, an at-risk youth culinary training program in Hunter’s Point, San Francisco, and The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Board of Directors. Currently I serve as a mentor for The Maine Center for Entrepreneurs (a non-profit organization) where I support start-up and early-stage food businesses with their organizational development, budgeting and cash-flow forecasting, packaging and design, and go-to-market strategy.

The Portland Food Coop is a member-owned grocery organization that provides a welcoming, marketplace, accessible to all. It supports and cultivates relationships with local suppliers, farmers, and producers, and nurtures the health and well-being of the local community.

Because the Coop is member-owned, it is not beholden to private-equity, or corporate interests. It is designed to serve the community and form mutually beneficial relationships between member-owners, the community and the business.

At the Coop, you will find a unique and organic-forward selection of produce, meats, seafood, dry grocery, bulk, dairy, and general merchandise.

Our staff is diverse, friendly, and accommodating.

I’m interested in serving on the Portland Food Co-op Board because I’m strongly aligned with its mission to build a healthier community and support a more sustainable food system. As a Member-Owner for the past several years, I’ve seen firsthand how the Co-op elevates farmers, bakers, and artisans, and introduces customers to small businesses they might not otherwise discover. I value the Co-op’s commitment to supporting a diverse range of producers, including those from BIPOC, Indigenous, and immigrant communities, and its role in fostering a more inclusive and representative marketplace. For me, the Co-op is more than a place to shop; it’s a meaningful way to invest in the local economy, help grow a healthier environment, and participate in a cooperative model rooted in member ownership rather than shareholder profit.

Professionally, I bring a background in communications and marketing leadership, with several years of experience helping nonprofit organizations engage their audiences and clearly articulate their impact. I’ve led initiatives that strengthen visibility, build trust, and deepen connections, all directly relevant to the Co-op’s continued growth.

As a board member, I would be a thoughtful and collaborative contributor, with a particular interest in strengthening awareness of the Co-op’s impact and expanding member engagement. I’m motivated by the opportunity to support long-term sustainability while helping ensure the Co-op remains accessible, welcoming, and reflective of the community it serves.

I bring a strong background in communications and marketing leadership, along with experience in community engagement, to the Co-op’s board. I’ve held roles in both nonprofit and private sector organizations, working closely with executive teams and cross-functional colleagues to guide strategy and advance organizational goals.

A central focus of my work has been helping organizations connect more effectively with the people they serve. Over the past 18 years, I’ve led initiatives to improve communication, strengthen storytelling, and expand outreach. This has included developing campaigns, building partnerships, and creating opportunities for meaningful engagement across diverse audiences.

I’ve also supported board-level communications, including preparing and refining materials, which has given me insight into how boards operate and make decisions. I understand the importance of clear information, thoughtful discussion, and alignment in effective governance.

On the board, I would take a thoughtful, collaborative approach, focusing on strengthening communication and deepening member engagement to support the Co-op’s continued impact.

I would describe the Portland Food Co-op as a mission-driven, community-owned grocery store focused on sustainably sourced food. It’s owned by the people who shop there, rather than shareholders, and is grounded in a commitment to support a healthier food system. Anyone is welcome, and customers can become Member-Owners through a one-time equity investment. With its focus on products from nearby farms and producers, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility, the Co-op offers a way to participate in a system that reflects your values.