Serving since 2015; Term ends in 2025

I first visited Port Townsend in 1994 and moved here three years later; PT offered relief from city traffic and prices with an urban level of culture. I soon left my software career and have since tried my hand at teaching Italian, arts administration, and literary translation. I’ve studied everything from systems design and cognitive science to comparative literature and crossword puzzles, and my current roles in community organizations bring together a surprising number of those threads. I’ve been involved with local cultural institutions for many years, and I’m honored to serve on the board of the Food Co-op. It’s a cultural institution, too, both in the way it champions our local collaborative spirit and in the access it provides to local cuisine and agriculture.

Serving since 2023; Term ends in 2026

My journey with the Port Townsend Food Co-op Board began in an unexpected way — with a single beet, back in 2006, shortly after I graduated high school. Growing up in a military family I’ve lived in various regions - from the Midwest to the deep south- of the United States, and was exposed to the profound disparities in food access, particularly in areas grappling with food apartheid.
That moment of tasting a single, un-canned beet from the Co-op's shelves was a first step on my journey to the transformative potential of fresh, locally sourced food. Since becoming a permanent resident in 2013, I’ve continued to develop my understanding of accessible and equitable food systems.
I also work as an anti-racist literacy consultant, am a community organizer, advocate for racial equity, and yoga facilitator. In my spare time, I enjoy time in my garden, playing video games and am a sucker for a good anime.

Serving since 2017; Term ends in 2024

I have been exposed to both American and Japanese cultures since childhood, having lived in both countries back and forth over time. Through this upbringing, I have experienced the difficulties and joys of learning two distinctly different languages and cultures. This journey has taught me that the future belongs to tight communities. I would like to dedicate my time on the Co-op board to taking part in and extending the positive vibes throughout our incredible community. In my free time, I like to bike, go to the beach, practice yoga, and tend to the garden.

Serving since 2021; Term ends in 2024

I have a long-standing interest in the intersection of environmental stewardship, food systems, health, and issues of food justice and security. And I think of the co-op as a hub where these intersections occur on a daily basis, through the provision of high quality products, vetted with an eye to sustainability and social and economic justice, with an emphasis on small regional farms and businesses, all within the context of a business model where staff can grow and prosper. I worked as a psychotherapist and teacher in Seattle for over three decades. After retiring, my wife and I moved across the country to an intentional community that was centered around organic farming. Following that, I worked in a thriving food co-op for several years, before returning to the Pacific Northwest.

Serving since 2020; Term ends in 2025

I was born on a large farm in rural Georgia outside of a small town called Zebulon. I grew up moving around a bunch and ended up in Colorado as a young adult in the early 90s. I stayed in Colorado until my wife and I decided to move “somewhere” in Washington State and accidentally found Port Townsend. Of course, we only found PT once we stopped actively searching for where we wanted to move to - you know how it goes. Once here, my wife and I immediately applied for and got jobs at the Food Co-op; so, being a part of the Co-op was really an integral part of our move here and becoming part of the community. The Co-op is really an extension of our amazing community and I am stoked to be a part of it.

Serving since 2023; Term ends in 2026

I have been in love with Port Townsend since 1981 when my husband and I spent our honeymoon here. We vowed to move here one day and finally did thirty-six years later. My life has evolved around food, whether growing it, preparing it and/or taking an active role in nurturing people’s bellies. Growing up in New England in the sixties and seventies, I ate a meat-and-potatoes diet with a limited variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. When I moved west in 1978, choices were vast compared to what I knew in the East. I embraced growing some of my own food, joining my first co-op and exploring international cuisines.
I spent three years on the board of the Jefferson County Farmer’s Market and have volunteered for the Jefferson County Food Bank for the past six years. My work on the Food Co-op’s board has included in-store demonstrations to introduce our members to new local products and local produce from farm vendors, and cooking simple dishes, hoping to expand our members’ kitchen repertoire with new ideas to cook at home.

Serving since 2013; Currently an emeritus board member (non-voting); Term ends in 2024

I grew up in Redmond when it was a one-stoplight town known for its bike derby instead of for Microsoft. Much later, after living for ten years in Virginia, where you park at the top of the Shenandoah Mountains and walk down, John and I moved back home to our much wilder Olympics and Cascades. We love hiking, food, music, and nice people, so Port Townsend is the perfect town for us. I joined the Co-op board because I treasured our extraordinary store, and I’ve stayed on because I’ve come to appreciate the importance of cooperatives in our flawed economic system and because I think a strong community is essential.