My motivation to serve on the Viroqua Food Co-op Board comes from a long and meaningful relationship with the co-op and the community it anchors. I first worked at the co-op during a difficult period in my life, when my consulting work had dried up and we were living paycheck to paycheck. From 2017 to 2018, I worked as a cashier and later as the front end manager. Those years grounded me in a way corporate work never did. I learned how the co-op operates as a true community institution, where people know one another, where local producers succeed, and where the values of the Driftless region are reflected in everyday interactions.

Last year I returned for six months as a part time stocker. I was no longer dependent on the income, and that allowed me to see the work differently. I valued the connection with coworkers who have been there for decades and with customers whose children I have watched grow up. I also saw how important the co-op is for working families who are trying to stay rooted in a community where housing pressures continue to rise. That experience reminded me how deeply the co-op shapes the social fabric of Viroqua.

Serving on the board is a way to continue contributing to that fabric. I bring corporate experience and hands on co-op experience, and I hope to use both to support the organization through a period of transition as the board hires a new general manager. I also hope to strengthen my ties to the community as my family works to build a sustainable income stream through our farm. That effort will depend on strong relationships with local businesses, producers, and customers, and board service is one way to deepen those connections.

What I hope to gain is a closer relationship with the people and place that helped stabilize my life at a critical moment. I also hope to help steward an institution that has consistently exceeded expectations in financial performance, customer loyalty, and community impact. The co-op has given me a great deal over the years. Serving on the board is a way to give back.

I bring a mix of professional communications experience and direct, hands on knowledge of the Viroqua Food Co-op that I believe will help me be an effective director. For most of my career I worked in internal and executive communications, helping large organizations explain strategy clearly, support leaders during periods of change, and maintain trust with employees. The work often involved translating complex plans into straightforward language and helping leadership teams stay aligned during transitions.

I mention this not because the co-op needs corporate polish, but because clear communication and steady leadership matter in any organization, especially during a change in general manager. My background has taught me how to listen carefully, ask good questions, and help groups stay focused on shared goals. Those skills translate well to board work, particularly in a cooperative where transparency and member trust are central.

I also bring experience from inside the co-op itself. I worked here as a cashier, front end manager, and most recently as a part time stocker. I understand the culture, the pace of the store, and the relationships that make it work. My goal is to contribute in a steady, practical way: to listen, support good governance, and help the co-op continue to thrive as a community institution.

The Viroqua Food Co-op has a quality that is hard to describe but easy to feel. From my first visit more than 20 years ago, the store brought a sense of joy and welcome. I have seen that same reaction in friends visiting from out of town and in newcomers during tourist season. The produce displays, the cheese and meat selection, the focus on local beer, the layout, and most of all the staff create an experience that reflects the character of the Driftless region.

A primary challenge ahead is maintaining that feeling as the co-op transitions to a new general manager. Much of what makes the store special has been shaped over many years of leadership. The opportunity is to choose and support a leader who understands the co-op’s role in the community and can build trust with staff, members, and customers. My background in internal and executive communications can help the board support a thoughtful transition.

Another challenge is hiring and retaining staff in a competitive environment. The co-op needs a stable workforce to maintain its character. Clear communication, competitive wages, and a constructive relationship with the union will be important. My goal is to help the board articulate what makes the co-op special and ensure staff feel valued and heard.

My vision for the future of the Viroqua Food Co-op begins with preserving the feeling people experience the moment they walk in the door. The co-op has a kind of everyday magic that comes from the staff, the food, the layout, and the sense of welcome that defines the store. I have seen it in visitors from out of town, in friends we bring in from other states, and in newcomers during tourist season. That feeling reflects the values of the Driftless region and the mission expressed in the co-op’s Ends statement.

Looking ahead, I want the co-op to continue being a place where local food, local producers, and local relationships thrive, while navigating a thoughtful transition to new leadership. The future depends on choosing and supporting a general manager who understands the co-op’s role in the community and can build trust with staff, members, and customers. My vision is a co-op that remains joyful, grounded, and community centered.

Hard to have just one. My current favorite thing to buy at the co-op is the La Reyna queso from Iowa. It’s really good. Goes well with Late July lime and salt tortilla chips, the thin ones. Also, Bobo’s strawberry PB&J crustless oat cakes, fresh salmon that is consistently the best in town, the farmers cheese in the top left of the fancy cheese cooler, local salad greens, Hermitage green beans and apple cider, Organic Valley butter and milk, Midwesty Pilsner, Athletic N/A Run Wild IPA, and Jenny’s Splendid Toasted Almond Toffee, which is Janet’s favorite.