Owner: 793

Why are you interested in serving on the Prairie Food Board of Directors?

I care deeply about the role PFC plays in shaping our community and defining what makes it special for both current and future neighbors. As PFC grows and navigates the challenges of a physical store, I want to contribute my experience in operations leadership.

In my professional role at a major utility, I lead a statewide team to maintain mission-critical infrastructure in a 24/7 environment. This has taught me how to be strategic and disciplined with resources and long-term planning. Success in my field requires more than technical focus; it demands the ability to foster a positive culture and build strong partnerships across diverse networks—skills I am eager to bring to the PFC Board.

I’m not just passionate about our community’s identity; I am committed to the 'behind-the-scenes' work required to keep an organization strong. I would be proud to apply my leadership experience to help PFC thrive through its next chapter and beyond.

What Does Prairie Food Co-op Mean to You?

I align with the mission of PFC and feel obligated to do my part to support the mission. My Family shops, volunteers, and is an investor in PFC.

Employment: Please tell us about your Past or Present Employment 

As a leader within a large-scale utility, I manage the maintenance of large outside plant assets through a statewide team of over 100. Operating within a 24/7/365 environment, I specialize in navigating resource constraints and adverse conditions to deliver rapid, mission-critical solutions. Success in this role hinges on my ability to cultivate strong partnerships across a diverse network of leaders and individual contributors. I am deeply committed to fostering a positive employee culture, recognizing that high morale is the engine behind our successful response to emergency escalations. I maintain a deep technical focus, balancing the logistical complexities of legacy infrastructure with the integration of new technologies.

Volunteer: Please tell us about any past or present volunteer membership/affiliation/leadership

I have previously and currently serve as the Board President for our neighborhood York Center Community. The neighborhood board is the phoenix of the former York Center Community Coop and while the new organization is primarily social in nature, we do try to keep the spirit of the former group alive. I've also served as a board member at-large. I support with scheduling/volunteering/coordinating events, membership committee, communications, and other aspects.

Which of the following areas do you have expertise?

Management, Technology

What experience, education, and skills do you have that you feel will contribute to your effectiveness as a Prairie Food Director? 

I believe my personal ethical compass combined with my professional experience will prove to be valuable for building the sustainability of PFC.

What are your personal goals for Prairie Food Co-op?

I'd like to see PFC be my primary grocery store and be a hub of shared community values.

What experiences have you had with cooperatives, food or otherwise?

My experience with coops is primarily though shopping. Additionally the neighborhood I'm in was built as a coop, now dissolved. While I was not able to participate in the coop, I do get to enjoy some of the lingering benefits and have gained perspective from folks about how it was unfortunately unable to sustain itself after 50+ years.