Matt Wechsler
Board Member
[email protected]

Matt believes that the co-op is entering a unique phase where maintaining focus on the mission statement is critical. The areas of ethical food production and social justice are particularly important to Matt and have been the topics of his last two films as a documentarian. His first film, Sustainable, explored the dichotomy between small sustainable farms and the industrialized food system. His most recent film, Right to Harm, exposes the public health impact of factory farming on rural communities. Matt believes that this social justice issue is completely disregarded at the grocery store level, but that doesn’t have to be the case.

Aside from Matt’s passion to expose issues related to our food system, he is an avid gardener. His family’s tiny 25x150 lot in Evanston includes a 500 square foot garden where Matt and his wife grow over 75 varieties of edible plants.

Through his work making films, Matt has worked closely with numerous non-profits: Slow Foods, Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, ASPCA, Grace Communications, Resource Media, One Earth Film Festival, Food and Water Watch, Spence Farm Foundation, Family Farmed and Frontera Farmers Foundation. He also participated in Key Club in high school and Alpha Phi Omega in college- community service organizations. There is alignment and crossover between the groups Matt has worked with and the work he will do on the Board of the Rogers Park Food Co-op.

Matt has a wealth of experience working collaboratively and working in team environments. He brings leadership, creativity, solution-based thinking and expert communication skills to his work on the Board of the Rogers Park Food Co-op.

Brooke Langton
Board Member
[email protected]

Brooke has been working with the Co- Op on the Community Engagement and Social Media Team as well as volunteering for about 2 years. She loves our mission and thinks that she would be able to bring a lot of what she has learned from these experiences as well as her grocery background to the Board.

Brooke’s passion is the Natural Product Community. she worked in Natural Grocers for nearly a decade, she held many positions from Apothecary Buyer to Florist. She has supported store openings in both Michigan and Illinois. She was able to make many lasting relationships with colleagues and suppliers that she can now call friends in this process.

Brooke is constantly trying new products, researching new trends and keeping up with what is going on in the local community. She is specifically interested in the Social Justice stance that is largely taken within the industry, which she thinks is supported in the work that the RPFC does.

Largely, Brooke’s volunteer work has been through the Rogers Park Food Co- Op with Community Engagement and Social Media Teams. In her professional life, she has been involved with Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Advocacy Teams. She has assisted in curating an empowerment Instagram called Lady Pit Hair. She worked briefly with Food Not Bombs in Pilsen. She has also been involved with Girl Scouts USA and a Therapeutic Riding Stable called Pretty Pony Pastures. Brooke credits a lot of her work ethic to Girl Scouts, preparing her for leadership roles within the volunteer sector from an early age. Working with larger businesses has also inspired her to take on the role as a Board member of the Rogers Park Food Co-op. She has been able to engage with a diverse group of colleagues on social impacts made as an organization. When assisting in opening the Detroit Grocer, Brooke was a part of another suburban location. She attended Town Halls with Residents, participated in Community Outreach and trained folks that were 85% within the community with limited Natural Food knowledge to prepare for opening. She worked overtime for about 6 months while the store grew faster than anyone had anticipated. She held training on products; ethics, practices and procedures within the Natural Food Industry. Her role was largely receiving new- hires to train due to need, while operating an over performing store. 

 
Brooke’s involvement with Corporate Social Responsibility has challenged her to come up with more conscious solutions for operating a business with social responsibilities in mind. Her engagement with a diverse group of colleagues on social impacts made as an organization, her relationship building skills in addition to her volunteer work with the RPFC has ultimately prepared her for her role on the Rogers Park Board of Directors.

Candidate Questionnaire

Michelle Parker-Katz

Why do you want to serve on the Board of Directors for the RPFC?

In what I heard and saw at the first RFPC event I attended and in subsequent times with RFPC members, community seems key. I like the inclusive nature of the RFPC mission and how the wide array of activities fits with that. Becoming a part of helping support growth for RFPC, which I perceive as part of the Board participation, touches upon a personal life goal for me at this point in my life. For a while, I have sought ways to participate in community engagement in my personal life, outside my work spaces in which community engagement is also pivotal.  “Engagement” is key to me because I truly believe that by working together in communities, we can make changes that can promote equity and justice for all persons. Through a cooperative venture that is non-profit and focused on health, I truly see possibilities for community organization and changes in resource allocation.  Moreover, in the Rogers Park area we see wide diversity in terms of social class, race, language and ethnicity. That could invite robust opportunities for diverse viewpoints, foods and greater community connection. I would like to be a part of supporting that.

What is your passion? How could we see that passion in action in your day-to-day life?

I am passionate about being “aware” of myself in relation to others, and being part of a collective. I have become more and more passionate about the ways those ideas fit together; that is, a state of mindfulness while being a part of a joint mission. In my daily life, I aim to practice awareness through regularly exercising, doing yoga at home and eat with intention (even when I cheat! I aim to stay calm and problem-solve in challenging situations by gathering information, weighing it all together and checking with other people who can advise and make suggestions. The give and take, so to speak, of self-awareness and being part of a group is exhilarating in the sense that individuals can care for themselves - but also mindful about how that might affect others. “It takes a village” to create and sustain caring. I am passionate about ways we can better our world through that focus.

List some of the organizations, causes, initiatives, and groups of which you have been a part. How do you believe you involvement with these groups have prepared you to serve on the RPFC Board of Directors?

In my professional work as an educator committed to urban public schooling, I am in spaces where I can work with others to interrupt and disrupt the disparity of resources that too often plague Chicago communities. As part of that, I engage with many Chicago public school (CPS) educators in elementary and high schools to support individual students, teachers and families.  That work is focused on students with disabilities gaining specialized services, and preparing educators to provide leadership in enabling change. I work with CPS to craft and support new teachers to grow and sustain commitment to Chicago students. I also am part of research projects and community engagement related to that. I have been active at the state of IL level by serving on the Executive Board of the IL Teacher Education Division of the Council of Exceptional Children. I also provide workshops to After School Matters in Chicago.  Aside from the professional and service commitments, I am a member of Indivisible Evanston and participated in postcard writing and canvassing for the 2018 national elections.

Describe an experience in which you worked on a team.

I truly enjoy working collaboratively through work and in my personal life. Through work, I engage with persons across many different organizations to form partnerships (several described in #3). I like to design and conduct research in teams, and that also includes collaboratively writing grants, presentations and professional publications.  

Most recently, I found the election work with Indivisible Evanston to be very rewarding.  In addition to postcard writing, I canvassed from door to door. I went out with a group to our particular region, did the training, and then asked one experienced person to go with me for the first 20 minutes. I watched; I rehearsed with his guidance; I went on my own. I appreciated gaining from my “guide”, gaining a lot from his critique, too.

Briefly describe two or three possible ways you could handle the following situation. How you would ultimately act?

You've recently been elected to the RPFC Board. A close friend and local food producer privately asks you to help her business by having the Board publicly denounce the alleged unethical business practices of her closest competitor, whose products are already sold at RPFC. The business owner says she will deeply discount RPFC orders for her product for a year if you help her.

I would see any connection with that person related to anything that is part of RPFC work as a conflict of interest and also ethically quite wrong. I would talk with my friend and likely tell her I am uncomfortable with her suggestion because I see it as a conflict of my interests and as a kind of revenge using parties and entities that are not to be used in that way. I would say I will talk with my Board colleagues. Ultimately, I would ask my Board colleagues about best next steps to explain the situation to my friend and exit the conflict. At this point, I see absolutely no circumstances in which such a deal could be made.

Could you share with us some ideas you may have for owner recruitment to the co-op?

I have been thinking about ways we might recruit from the university communities nearby. A lower rate for students might make joining more appealing and possible.  They could also add innovative ideas that could help us grow. I could imagine that the lower rate might help more join, and thus make up the difference.

Candidate Questionnaire

Mary Meyer

Why do you want to serve on the Board of Directors for the RPFC?

I have served on the Board for the past 3 years and I want to provide continuity of leadership by running for a current Board Position. I am very excited to help move the co-op forward to site selection and opening of the store.

In this past year I had the opportunity to spend a month on an Eco-Farm in Ireland as a WWOOFer. That experience only increased my desire to work toward a community owned grocery store which will work with small farmers to provide the healthiest and freshest food to all in our community.

During this upcoming term I plan to apply my networking and organizing skills to make deeper connections in the community and reach out all of our neighbors from many parts of the world. I plan to apply my financial planning and strategic skills to the development of a business plan for the Co-op.  I am looking forward to the opening of a co-operative international fresh market which will build bridges in our community and celebrate food from all corners of the world.

What is your passion? How could we see that passion in action in your day-to-day life?

My passion is connecting with people and creating community where I live. The co-operative model of development is based on a community of people who come together to create a grocery store. I have been reaching out to the community of Rogers Park to introduce the co-op since we held the first meeting in December 2012. I have a passion for fresh, local and healthy food. I express that in my curiosity about trying new recipes and shopping at the Glenwood Sunday Market.

I was raised on a small farm in Ireland where we grew most of our own food. I feel a strong connection with small farmers and want to help them take care of the land and prosper.

List some of the organizations, causes, initiatives, and groups of which you have been a part. How do you believe you involvement with these groups have prepared you to serve on the RPFC Board of Directors?

Prior to co-founding the Rogers Park Food Co-op, I served on the Board of Chicago Fair Trade for 3 years when CFT was a start-up. I learned firsthand the amount of work it takes to establish an organization. I also saw the difference that Fair Trade made in the lives of the co-operatives of small farmers in Africa, South and Central America as well as Asia by providing a fair price for their products. I see a similar benefit to our local small farmers in selling their products to a food co-operative such as Rogers Park Food Co-op.

Describe an experience in which you worked on a team.

I have served on the Founders Group of the Rogers Park Food from December 2012 until June 2015 when I began to serve on the Interim Board and was elected president by the interim Directors. This has been a great experience in team building for me and an opportunity for personal growth. I am very grateful for the team building training I received from the Food Co-op Initiative in August 2015.

Briefly describe two or three possible ways you could handle the following situation. How you would ultimately act?

You've recently been elected to the RPFC Board. A close friend and local food producer privately asks you to help her business by having the Board publicly denounce the alleged unethical business practices of her closest competitor, whose products are already sold at RPFC. The business owner says she will deeply discount RPFC orders for her product for a year if you help her.

As a Board member I do not have the authority to make a decision about any proposal that is brought to me, whether by a friend or stranger. The first step would be to inform the person that I do not have authority to act on their behalf whether the proposal is sound or is of an unethical nature. I would offer to take the proposal to the Board for consideration by the whole Board. I would only have authority to act if given to me by the Board.

I have been researching best practices for establishing co-operative grocery stores for 4 years. I have attended the Start-up training conferences for the last 3 years as well as the CCMA conference in 2014.

Candidate Questionnaire

David Mark

Why do you want to serve on the Board of Directors for the RPFC?

I am interested in lending my talents to an organization committed to providing quality food and neighborly assistance in the community. I also realize that our Food Coop is not going to develop itself, it will take the efforts of friends and neighbors working toward that common goal.

What is your passion? How could we see that passion in action in your day-to-day life?

I am passionate about developing my skills and being of service to others. Developing my professional skills is important to me because I think Ray Crock had a point when he said “…when you are green you are growing, when you are ripe you rot.”  So seeking out change and new challenges is important to me.  Service is something that I think is important and I truly believe that every profession is a service profession.

List some of the organizations, causes, initiatives, and groups of which you have been a part. How do you believe you involvement with these groups have prepared you to serve on the RPFC Board of Directors?

I must confess that I feel a little guilty in the lack of charitable work that is on my resume. I did volunteer for the Center on Halsted and I have been on the Board for our homeowners association for 10 years but I feel that I should contribute more time to the welfare of others and our community.  I think working for the Center on Halsted taught me what is possible with the commitment of a core group of people and a community that supports them and working with he HOA has provided a basic understanding of how boards function.

Describe an experience in which you worked on a team.

I think most of us work with a team on a daily basis.  For me that means, under the direction of a group of leaders an organization works toward a common goal.  That does not mean that we all work on the same thing but rather that we work together lending our strengths to compliment others weaknesses.  I tend to be good at teaching and explaining things to other and I have a depth of patience that is often needed.

Briefly describe two or three possible ways you could handle the following situation. How you would ultimately act?

You've recently been elected to the RPFC Board. A close friend and local food producer privately asks you to help her business by having the Board publicly denounce the alleged unethical business practices of her closest competitor, whose products are already sold at RPFC. The business owner says she will deeply discount RPFC orders for her product for a year if you help her.

The first way is simply to decline. Another approach would be to arrange or facilitate a private meeting with the competitor to determine if there is a legitimate grievance and if there is work toward a solution. Third would be listen to my friend and research the complaint and if true stop supporting the vendor.  I would personally prefer to have a private meeting to discuss the business practices with the vendor to see if a solution could be reached and if the complaint was true and they were not willing change I would recommend quietly removing their products.  Under no circumstance would I want to take a public position on the vendors business practices unless it was unavoidable.

Could you share with us some ideas you may have for owner recruitment to the co-op?

Recruitment is not my strong suit, but I think an outreach to churches and community organizations would be a good start.  I think talking with business leaders to see if they are willing to help advertise or promote the Food Coop might also produce fruit.

Candidate Questionnaire

Kristin Alexander

Why do you want to serve on the Board of Directors for the RPFC?

First of all, I am passionate about healthy eating and about bringing quality, ethically grown food to our community. I love RPFC’s mission to have the coop be representative of the diverse population it serves and it’s goal to bring people together at a time when our country is so divided.

I also love Rogers Park and south Evanston and am committed to improving the quality of life for it’s residents and I believe strongly that having a locally owned food co-op will accomplish this. I am at point in my life where I have the time and energy to become actively involved in a movement that I am excited about.

What is your passion? How could we see that passion in action in your day-to-day life?

I believe strongly that being part of a community provides a sense of belonging and social connectedness, which then leads to improved mental health and well being. I am naturally drawn to people, to hearing their story and to connecting them to others, which I do daily both personally and professionally. This is one reason why I love working at Heartland Health
Center, because it allows me the opportunity to run groups that do just this. So many people in the city, especially those with mental health issues, lead isolated lives and we offer a safe place for them to feel welcomed and valued. I believe the co-op can also provide this for the community members.

List some of the organizations, causes, initiatives, and groups of which you have been a part. How do you believe you involvement with these groups have prepared you to serve on the RPFC Board of Directors?

Heartland Health Center, Chicago
Evanston Hospital, Evanston
Illinois Masonic Hospital Emergency Room, Chicago
C4, Chicago
iSellMyPlace Real Estate Company, Owner and Broker
Cradle to Career Initiative, Evanston
Washington School basketball and football coach, Evanston
Washington School Garden, Evanston
The Talking Farm, Evanston/Skokie
Boys and Girls Club, Chicago
Jane Adams Community Center, Chicago
Peterson Garden Project, Chicago

I am a connector and get people involved in issues and projects that I am passionate about. I am able to see the big picture and then bring others with the skills, talent and knowledge to work together for a common goal. In many of these positions, I was faced with challenges and limited resources to find solutions. It required resourcefulness, creative problem solving,
collaboration and engaging of community members to be successful.

I also intimately know the communities RPFC hopes to serve through years of service. I am a behavioral health consultant at Heartland Health Center’s clinic on Devon. In this position, I work with patients 1:1 to help them improve their physical and mental health. I also lead a knitting and gardening group and partner with other Rogers Park-area organizations. In this role, I
also worked closely with in a childhood obesity study that focused on Rogers Park and Evanston.

Describe an experience in which you worked on a team.

I was one of the co-founders of the Washington School garden in Evanston. In this role, I worked with a small group of equally committed volunteers who shared my passion to educate our children about where their food comes from and the importance of healthy eating.

I was one of the co-leaders and my role was to support the teachers and volunteers and to create a sense of vision and excitement around what we were doing. When we started the project I knew nothing about growing food, but was able to engage parents and community members who were willing to offer their guidance, skills and talents. My role was to make the volunteers and school staff feel valued, to listen to their recommendations and ideas and to show ongoing appreciation for their contributions. Our garden became a model for future school gardens in Evanston and we happily shared our successes and challenges.

Briefly describe two or three possible ways you could handle the following situation. How you would ultimately act?

You've recently been elected to the RPFC Board. A close friend and local food producer privately asks you to help her business by having the Board publicly denounce the alleged unethical business practices of her closest competitor, whose products are already sold at RPFC. The business owner says she will deeply discount RPFC orders for her product for a year if you help her.

It would not be ethical to do what this person is asking plus I feel it is an operations issue. If I were faced with this situation, I would talk with my friend, allow them to feel heard and supported but at the same time I would make it very clear this is not a board issue and would direct them to the appropriate staff member. If after learning more about the allegations the staff member decides to bring it to the Board, it may be necessary to recuse myself from the discussion and vote on this issue because of my personal relationship with the food producer.

Could you share with us some ideas you may have for owner recruitment to the co-op?

To start, I would ask current members to share their excitement about the co-op by encouraging others to join via school and neighborhood list serves. It’s free advertisement and an easy way to reach a large group of people. I also think it would be helpful to reach out to other organizations in the area who share in the Co-op’s passion, such as the Talking Farm in Evanston/
Skokie, to see how we can collaborate and to also ask them to tell their volunteers and donators about the Co-op.

Candidate Questionnaire

Rachel Rosner

Why do you want to serve on the Board of Directors for the RPFC?

I have long dreamed of a Food Co-op on the northside of Chicago. I grew up in Evanston and lived in Rogers Park for many years. I have visited co-ops in many other cities and revelled in the opportunity to shop in accordance with my values. Rogers Park’s outstanding level of cultural and economic diversity presents a unique opportunity to create a space where the community can connect around food. I have much to bring to the table and would love to be part of manifesting this vision.

What is your passion? How could we see that passion in action in your day-to-day life?

How could we see that passion in action in your day-to-day life? Environmental Education is my passion. That is connecting kids (especially kids of color) and nature, pedagogy and ecology, and by necessity, addressing the climate crisis Any friend or family member would tell you that I frequently engage them in conversation about nature, policy, pedagogy, climate change and related topics. I see food as part of an ecological and social system, and make choices accordingly. I am also known for engaging people in actions to mend the world, in terms of social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. Hosting meetings, bringing friends to events. I am a Home and Hospital Tutor for Evanston School District 65, and these themes infuse my daily work with young people as well.

List some of the organizations, causes, initiatives, and groups of which you have been a part. How do you believe you involvement with these groups have prepared you to serve on the RPFC Board of Directors?

• Climate Reality Project Chicago Chapter - I am leading a North Suburban Branch of the Chapter
• Democratic Party of Iowa - Regional Director for Get Out the Vote for Hillary
• Schools are Gardening in Evanston (SAGE) Steering Committee - Instrumental in establishing edible gardens at all Evanston Schools
• Alliance for the Great Lakes - Adopt-a-Beach Captain
• Seeking Excellence in Educational Diversity (SEED) I am currently in a cohort of this group.
• Citizens Climate Lobby, Citizens Greener Evanston - building a coalition between these organizations and Climate Reality Project
• North Branch Restoration Project - long-time habitat restoration volunteer
• Democratic Party of Evanston - Phone Bank Captain Sister District- organized a successful fundraiser for Berta Griffin, a first-time candidate for State Rep in Michigan.

I am a passionate and experienced activist, organizer and educator who brings a green lens to everything I do. I have strong leadership skills and a great ability to connect with and motivate individuals about what matters. My background in education has infused my work in all arenas.

Describe an experience in which you worked on a team.

I am currently working on a Climate Reality presentation with two other leaders, who happen to be a couple. They have given one such presentation before. I have not. Our audience is a High School Human Rights and Environmental Club. In their previous presentation, they opened with a little skit about how they came to be trained as Climate Reality Leaders which I find quite corny and fear that high school students might really roll their eyes at. However they are clearly excited and proud of it. I made a few suggestions about how we might open the presentation and they kept returning to this one, and so, for the sake of the team, I’ve been written into the corny skit and the kids might roll their eyes, but we will draw them in one way or another.

Briefly describe two or three possible ways you could handle the following situation. How you would ultimately act?

You've recently been elected to the RPFC Board. A close friend and local food producer privately asks you to help her business by having the Board publicly denounce the alleged unethical business practices of her closest competitor, whose products are already sold at RPFC. The business owner says she will deeply discount RPFC orders for her product for a year if you help her.

My immediate response to this is that no friend of mine would put me in this situation. Their behavior is unethical. I would however, call the board’s attention to the allegations and suggest that the issue be investigated.

If the allegations prove true, I would likely be inclined to stop business with the producer, however I might be open to more of a restorative justice approach in which they find a way to make amends that works for the co-op and the public. If the practice is egregious, and the producer unrepentant, I would certainly urge the board to discontinue working with them, and possibly seek to spread the word so that other businesses are not duped by this practice.

As for my “friend,” I would be inclined to let the board know about the conversation we had, so that they can weigh in on the ethical boundaries crossed there. Again, it’s possible that we would discontinue doing business with her. Hopefully, there would be constructive conversation in which she sees what she did wrong and seeks to remedy the situation.

It’s also possible that the allegations are false, in which case my friend would also owe the other producer an apology at the very least.

Could you share with us some ideas you may have for owner recruitment to the co-op?

I could see replicating the Climate Reality Project model of training volunteers to present a short slide deck to various organizations to get the word out. As an Evanston resident and activist, I am tapped into several fresh audiences who would be receptive, and even excited about Rogers Park Food Co-op. I could even see organizing a canvass, knocking doors of neighbors to spread the word.