2026 Board Candidates

Why would you like to serve on the Board? What makes governance meaningful to you and how will your values align with the Co-op's Ends?

As a longtime owner at the Co-op, I would like to give back to the organization and use my previous experience on
boards to better the community. By serving on the Board I hope to make a positive impact. As someone whose
career has been focused on sustainability for growing food, and managing our water and energy resources, I bring
a different perspective to the Board that is fully aligned with the Co-op’s Ends.

We know that potential Board members may have past experiences serving on Boards, in other leadership roles, and within our community. What professional skills will you bring to our Board? Share any relevant leadership experience.

I bring to the Board a varied experience being part of organizations that are responsible for technical advisement,
and making available research and educational opportunities to broad groups of stakeholders. I have held different
positions in these organizations that required developing a range of professional skills and growing them over time.
I value my listening skills, patience, and ability to find compromise within a group. Teamwork is essential in making
positive outcomes.

What do you hope ot get from the experience of being on the Board? What do you hope you will learn about yourself?

Joining the Board, I hope to become a better leader working within a nonprofit organization and discover the
community change that is possible. Furthermore, this will give me the opportunity to share my knowledge and
experiences. I hope to discover a greater capacity for collaborative leadership, active listening, and empathy as I
work with such a diverse board and community.

Imagine the cooperative faces a difficult decision where a financially beneficial opportunity appears to conflict
with one or more of the co-op's Ends or Means policies. How would you evaluate the situation, what factors

would guide your decision-making, and how would you ensure accountability to the co-op's mission, members,
and long-term success?

Being fully transparent and maintain fairness is important. Explaining how the opportunity conflicts with the Co-op's
Ends or Means policies would be a first step making sure it does not compromise the core mission or long-term
reputation of the Co-op. Consult legal and tax experts. Ultimately, to suspend or change the policies would require
a vote of the ownership who would need detailed information about the positive and negatives aspects of the
opportunity to make an informed decision.

Why would you like to serve on the Board? What makes governance meaningful to you and how will your values
align with the Co-op’s Ends?

I would like to serve on the Board because I believe Common Ground is a very important part of the
Champaign-Urbana community and the Board would allow me to help Common Ground in ways beyond what I can do as an employee. I want Common Ground to thrive and continue its legacy of serving our community. The values are what drew me as an employee – Common Ground puts more thought and care into its business decisions and how they affect the community than any other place I’ve worked.

We know that potential Board members may have past experiences serving on Boards, in other leadership roles,
and within our community. What professional skills will you bring to our Board? Share any relevant leadership
experience.

Throughout my life, I’ve gravitated toward roles that provide a way for me to demonstrate my desire and ability to help and lead people. For several years, I taught children with various challenges – from severe mental disabilities to tough home situations – and the patience and empathy I gained from that experience stays with me in
everything I do. As an employee at a large insurance agency, I chaired the Aware Committee, the company’s
employee community outreach committee. There I learned a lot about fundraising and garnering community
enthusiasm and would be valuable experience for a Board member.

What do you hope to get from the experience of being on the Board? What do you hope you will learn about
yourself?

I hope to experience new challenges that take collaboration and creative thinking to solve. The variety of people
and experiences on the Board will inform the Board’s decisions in unique ways and I’m excited to learn all about
them. I also hope to learn about myself in this environment – this will be a new experience for me that will give me
an opportunity to interact with and learn from people I otherwise wouldn’t work with and I can’t wait to find out what we all teach one another.

Imagine the cooperative faces a difficult decision where a financially beneficial opportunity appears to conflict
with one or more of the co-op's Ends or Means policies. How would you evaluate the situation, what factors
would guide your decision-making, and how would you ensure accountability to the co-op's mission, members,
and long-term success?

I would evaluate just how financially beneficial the opportunity would be to Common Ground and how that
compares to the conflict. Is the opportunity a financial game-changer for Common Ground but the conflict is equally as large? In that case, I would suggest pivoting to how we can find an equal, or even better, opportunity that is similar but doesn’t present such a conflict. On the other hand, the conflict may present a reason to re-evaluate the Ends or Means policies that could open the door for future opportunities.

Why would you like to serve on the Board? What makes governance meaningful to you and how will your values align with the Co-op's Ends?

I would like to serve on Common Ground’s Board because I believe deeply in and am committed to the Ends it
seeks to advance — I appreciate and value the role the Co-op plays in our community, especially its efforts to
create something that supports a more just, sustainable, and vibrant local food system.
Governance is meaningful to me because it is a form of stewardship — it asks us to think about what will sustain
an organization and strengthen its values and impact over time. I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to
that work at Common Ground.

We know that potential Board members may have past experiences serving on Boards, in other leadership roles, and within our community. What professional skills will you bring to our Board? Share any relevant leadership experience.

Throughout my thirty-plus year career, I have worked in a variety of positions and environments where thoughtful
governance, collaboration, and accountability were essential. I believe that strong decisions come from asking
good questions, listening carefully to different perspectives, evaluating evidence, and keeping an organization’s
long-term purpose at the center of the discussion.

Many years of administrative experience, teaching, and coaching have strengthened my ability to facilitate

discussion, build consensus, and navigate competing priorities while remaining focused on shared goals. I would
bring that approach to Common Ground’s cooperative culture, while continuing to learn from fellow board
members, staff, and owners.

What do you hope to get from the experience of being on the Board? What do you hope you will learn about yourself?

I think serving on the Board would give me the opportunity to better understand how a cooperative translates its
values into governance and decision-making. In this context, I look forward to learning how experienced board
members balance mission, financial stewardship, and the diverse perspectives of the co-op's owners while keeping
the organization's long-term health at the center of their work. I also hope to learn how the skills I have developed and bring can contribute to this collaborative space.

Imagine the cooperative faces a difficult decision where a financially beneficial opportunity appears to conflict
with one or more of the co-op's Ends or Means policies. How would you evaluate the situation, what factors
would guide your decision-making, and how would you ensure accountability to the co-op's mission, members,
and long-term success? 
Of course, financial strength enables the co-op to fulfill its mission, but financial opportunities should be evaluated
through the lens of its values and long-term purpose. My starting point would be whether an opportunity advances
Common Ground’s Ends and is consistent with its policies. I would ask questions to understand the benefits, risks,
and alternatives, while listening carefully to the board’s perspectives on potential impacts on the co-op, its
members, and the broader community. I would value a transparent, thoughtful process that balances financial
responsibility with the co-op’s mission and ensures that today’s decisions strengthen both the organization and the
community it serves.

Why would you like to serve on the Board? What makes governance meaningful to you and how will your values
align with the Co-op’s Ends?
I have enjoyed my past two years serving on the board and feel we are in the midst of important work. I am eager
to continue my efforts on ensuring our co-op has a sustainable path toward meeting our values and goals. I think
the word "serve" is key when discussing serving on a board - this is an act of generosity toward our community.
The co-op exists to ensure we have access to healthy, quality food and are connected with our local food
producers. It takes real work to maintain that function, and I am ready to do the work.

We know that potential Board members may have past experiences serving on Boards, in other leadership roles,
and within our community. What professional skills will you bring to our Board? Share any relevant leadership
experience.

I have served on the board of Common Ground Food Co-Op for two years, serving as chair of the policy committee
and, as of this year, board secretary and a member of the GM Search Committee. I am also the elected staff
liaison of Urbana-Champaign Books to Prisoners.

What do you hope to get from the experience of being on the Board? What do you hope you will learn about
yourself?
In the past two years, I have learned a lot about basic board operations, as well as budget and financial
accountability, board policy and procedure, and the role our GM plays in keeping the store afloat. I look forward to
gaining a deeper understanding of how our store works and what we can improve to ensure a long, successful
future for this community institution.

Our co-op is in a period of transition with the impending retirement of our GM. I want to continue my service to help act as a bridge while we move the store into its next phase.

Imagine the cooperative faces a difficult decision where a financially beneficial opportunity appears to conflict
with one or more of the co-op's Ends or Means policies. How would you evaluate the situation, what factors
would guide your decision-making, and how would you ensure accountability to the co-op's mission, members,
and long-term success?

Our ends are the guideposts of all that we do. Some of our ends point to ensuring the sustainability and economic
stability of the store, so it is our mandate to not financially jeopardize the store. That said, all financial decisions
must be weighed fairly to ensure they do not violate our other values. Through a thoughtful and in-depth discussion among the board and, if it reaches that level, among our owners, we can reach the right decision to protect our co-op and its values.

Why would you like to serve on the Board? What makes governance meaningful to you and how will your values
align with the Co-op’s Ends?
The co-op's underlying values make connecting with local producers and sustainable foodways part of everyday
life. Through classes, newsletters, art installations, etc. community members can learn about about new
ingredients, recipes, and also other cultures. Also, I love food! I firmly believe everybody should have access to
quality, fresh, ethically-sourced food for themselves and their families.

We know that potential Board members may have past experiences serving on Boards, in other leadership roles,
and within our community. What professional skills will you bring to our Board? Share any relevant leadership
experience.
I have board experience from my work with an animal shelter in Mississippi prior to moving back to Urbana in 2024, and I currently serve on the CGFC Board of Directors. Prior to that, I have been active in the community off and on since first moving here in 2001 and was a long-time contributor to the IMC's Public i newspaper. I've held academic and administrative leadership positions throughout my career, and I have also worked outside of academia as a legal assistant.

What do you hope to get from the experience of being on the Board? What do you hope you will learn about
yourself?
My scholarly background in communication, along with lots of lived experience in professional and community
organizations, informs how I collaborate in groups. I prioritize listening for the quieter and more nuanced voices
and perspectives to make sure they are heard and represented. In this way, I continue to learn about and offer
opinions that are careful and considerate of context.

Imagine the cooperative faces a difficult decision where a financially beneficial opportunity appears to conflict
with one or more of the co-op's Ends or Means policies. How would you evaluate the situation, what factors
would guide your decision-making, and how would you ensure accountability to the co-op's mission, members,
and long-term success?

It's important to come back to the touchstones of the core values and mission of an organization in solving
problems and planning for the future. The structure of the CGFC Board and emphasis on the missions/Ends
provides a sound foundational framework for decision-making. A co-op thrives when there is a strong sense of
community, inclusivity, and transparency about financial decisions.