Check the following areas which you have experience
| ✅ | Group process and/or group decision-making |
| ✅ | Meeting facilitation |
| ✅ | Public speaking |
| ✅ | Writing newsletter articles |
| ✅ | Strategic planning |
| ✅ | Accounting and/or finance |
| ✅ | Project management |
| ✅ | Online file sharing and calendars (Google) or website editing or management |
| ✅ | Volunteer programs |
| ✅ | Past and/or present participation on a board of directors |
| ✅ | Retail and/or Other Business experience |
| ✅ | Legal training and/or experience |
| ✅ | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion |
| Other |
Present occupation/One's life's Work
I currently work on the food security team at the Montgomery County Food Council, where I help county residents enroll in SNAP and connect them to emergency food resources. In a previous life, I was a pastry chef. And in a life before that, I was an attorney.
Why are you interested in serving on the Board?
I am interested in a second term on the board because I care about the future of the TPSS Co-op and its place in our community. I want to share that enthusiasm with my fellow member-owners. I began my board service during the height of the pandemic, when survival was the primary goal and connections with fellow member-owners were exclusively hosted by zoom. As we emerge from survival mode and begin looking towards exciting opportunities, like the remodel of the store and a potential expansion, I want to focus on engaging with member-owners to ensure these initiatives reflect the TPSS Co-op’s core values and general cooperative principles.
Why are cooperatives in general and TPSS Co-op in particular important to you?
Cooperatives are a critical part of an economy dominated by corporate greed. Supporting the local food system and our community of shoppers means more than just selling organic food, which even Walmart is doing these days. It means investing in workers, creating relationships with local farmers and food entrepreneurs, and providing access to healthy and socially responsible foods for everyone. I am proud of the TPSS Co-op’s support of food assistance organizations, the commitment to a double-up program that helps SNAP dollars go further, the investment in its employees and our robust bulk food section. All of these things are made possible because the TPSS Co-op is more than just a grocery store.
What volunteer or professional experiences have you had with other cooperatives, community groups, or professional organizations that will help you strengthen the TPSS Co-op Board?
Prior to joining the board, I worked and volunteered for organizations dedicated to bringing healthy food to our community, such as the Crossroads Farmers Market and Wellness in the Schools.
In my current position at the Montgomery County Food Council, I have connected with hundreds of county residents experiencing food insecurity, food assistance organizations, government officials, and elected representatives. This experience has helped me better understand and appreciate the interconnected nature of our local food system and the TPSS Co-op’s role in our wider food community.
What is your favorite co-operative principle and why?
My favorite principle is “Concern for the Community” because of the way it transforms the TPSS Co-op from a neighborhood grocery store into a local institution that strengthens and supports its shoppers and the Takoma Park/Silver Spring region as a whole.
Why are diversity and equity important to you, and how do these principles show up in your life?
The TPSS Co-op is fortunate to operate in a richly diverse community. In order to truly serve and represent all members of this community, it is imperative that we examine the history of systematic racism, the impact of white supremacy, and the implicit biases we hold as a result. I believe this is an area where the TPSS Co-op can be a leader and an agent for change. As a board member, I have committed to educating myself and leading others in an exploration of racial equity and social justice in the food system generally and in our own community.