Position: Vice President

I have been a member of the Potsdam Food Co-op since approximately 2005. 

When my children were very young, I volunteered at the Potsdam Co-op and between 2015 and 2017, I was employed as the Co-op’s “Packaging Supervisor”. In addition to assisting customers and keeping the shelves stocked and attractive, I was in charge of organizing and overseeing volunteers as they packaged food. It was a great opportunity for me to meet a wide variety of people and make some lasting friendships, as well as, learn how a food co-operative operates. The connections I made with the staff, volunteers, wholesale and local delivery people, and shoppers made my job a socially-rich experience every single day. 

There are many things I appreciate about the Co-op a major one is how it serves as a hub for people with interests in the areas of health, cooking, fitness and the environment. People who care about these kinds of issues are interesting and inspiring…and you can often find them at the Co-op. The Potsdam Co-op also serves as a landing place for new residents. While working there, I met many folks who started volunteering at the Co-op immediately upon moving to Potsdam, or the surrounding area. They were trying to get connected to their new community and they chose to begin making those connections at the Potsdam Co-op. I believe the Potsdam Food Co-op serves a vital role in the community that could not be easily replaced. 

Currently I am employed at Norwood-Norfolk CS as their 8th grade science teacher. With my husband, Dan, we own and operate Kent Family Growers organic produce farm in Lisbon. In my non-working time, I enjoy running, drawing/illustration, reading and SCUBA diving. I believe that with my background and skill-set, I would make a valuable Board Member for the Potsdam Co-op. I want to help further the mission of the Co-op while working with other like-minded people. 

Looking to the future, I hope that we can educate students and other newcomers to our region, about the Potsdam Food Co-op and what it has to offer. I feel that more advertising and community outreach has to be conducted in order to let people know what makes the Co-op a special place. With that said, I applaud the new changes, signage and other marketing efforts the staff and general manager have been implementing.