I believe that having a Co-op that support local businesses and economic development is very important to our community and I want to be a part in shaping the future of what makes that a success.  As we navigate through a sea of uncertainty, it is always a good idea to shore up your community and make positive influence where you can at a local level. I am thrilled at the idea to serve on the board of directors in hopes that our board reflects member owner's values and diverse needs.

Because of my background in the Maritime industry I think I work well on teams. Boat work needs clear communication and strong leadership. In all of the work I have done on vessels I understand that we are asking each other to ensure our safety and to ask for help when you need it.
My young adult life was heavily influenced by the 90's world of DIY. My relationship with my community was that we could do anything with the help and support of each other. I value these lessons I learned in those foundational years. Participating in non violent communication trainings, being one of 5,000 cyclists to celebrate 10 years of critical mass in S.F. and in Portland we organized ourselves to self publish a newspaper not using a computer but type set and hand drawn illustrations.
With a real love for community, I want our Co-op to be a place where people feel welcome, they thrive through economic initiatives that our Co-op offers and our annual financial growth matches member needs for affordable groceries.

The board's role is to support and evaluate the GM. The board also needs to review and update policies, mission and value statements, financial reports and listen to the members who influence these revisions. The board occasionally updates the Co-op's Ends which allows a framework in which the GM can write the strategic plan for a specific period of time.

I have worked in a leadership role while creating and working with the Girl's Boat Project. Several women organized ourselves and created a mentorship program that serves high school students and young women with learning skills through wood working. I worked in my leadership role for three years. This project had a huge impact on myself and those involved. I am happy to say it is still a program offered today.

The Code of Conduct means I will have the Co-op members best interest in mind with all of my dealings concerning my work on the board. I will be objective and work as part of a whole which means we will speak with one voice. 

I do not believe I have to be right, I am open to understanding other peoples views, lived experiences and creating an atmosphere of learning. As a new board member I am excited at the idea of having a lot to learn from others and working on establishing trust so we can be a cohesive working group.

I cycled from San Diego to Florida in 2015. Along the way my friend and I had many disagreements and made lots of mistakes. Most of those mistakes were about directions. One of those mistakes took us 18 miles down the wrong road and we had to turn around and cycle back. A total of 36 miles out of the way. I found that being patient and allowing mistakes to happen just made my experience so much more enjoyable. I hoped we could learn from our mistakes and try not to make them again.

I worked in a group that had a communication breakdown. I was the person that was a go between when the two other people were unable to talk face to face. I think that I am good at acting as a bridge, helping through tough times and ultimately work towards the goals of the original project. These two individuals disagreed but in the end we compromised and we were able to make things work for everyone.
In regards to making decisions related to the board, I think I would be challenged if I knew there was a lack of transparency and not everyone involved was given the same information to make informed decisions.

I think when it comes to challenging decisions we should hear all the voices and have equal time to be heard. If we can not come to a majority understanding and decision on a subject then there should be an outside objective voice to reason through more options to come to an agreement. If the decision being made fell under the vision and values of the Co-op and was in the best interest of it's members I think I would be understanding, even if I disagreed with the decision.

I was part of a sailing team crossing the Pacific to Hawaii in a race. I was tasked with finding a solution to a total system failure. What would we do if we loss the use of our refrigeration and stove. I had to come up with a plan that the rest of my team could get behind. Because there were so many decisions to make before the crossing we divided most tasks up and then as we found solutions we would report back to the team for approval. My decision was to stock a prepared foods, dry goods pantry and buy a camping stove with propane canisters. My team easily supported this decision.

The board has set up a series of checks and balances that include a spectrum of reports that the GM has to fulfill. These reports give a clear understanding of the Co-op's financial stability which can look like; multi-year financial projections, clearly understanding the risks and threats in the market for future forecasting and having a clear vision on capital expenditures. And much more! The board reviews these reports and assess the decisions made by the GM. We hope that these decisions keep us on track to grow financially the coming year and prepare for any unexpected costs like a cooler being down or losing product.