Your 2024 Board Candidates
Owners: see ballot in the printed newsleter, PDF, at the link sent to you via email and/or letter, or in-store.
Why four candidates?
One of the current Board members who was serving a two-year term but was not up for reelection this year recently announced that they would be resigning at the end of October. (In a typical year there are three seats open.) The Board member who resigned had one year left in their term, so three elected Board members will have a three-year term, and one will have a one-year term. The top vote-getter will be able to decide if they want the one-year term or the full term; if they choose the full term, the decision goes to the next top vote-getter.
Caryn Murphy
Summary Statement
I have previously served on the
board of directors, and I also chaired the board development committee in 2023. I’m excited about the opportunity to represent owners again. I hope to use my experience with board operations and policy governance to support the continued stability and success of our thriving Co-op.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any
potential conflicts of interest.)
My experience with policy governance shapes my thinking about
the role of a board in steering a large organization like the Co-op. I think the most important qualifications for a WSGC board member are an interest in serving and a commitment to the work that needs to be done.
I think owners should choose me as a representative because I know what this work entails, and I’m dedicated to serving the interests of owners. If you see me shopping (usually at East or North), please feel free to say hi and share your thoughts about our Co-op!
Help the co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local Community?
I’ve been an east-sider for more than twenty years, and I’m a longtime Co-op owner. I was elected to the board in 2020, and I’ve served on both the policy committee and the board development committee (chairing it last year, as an owner-at-large).
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
I’m committed to strengthening Willy North and capitalizing on the Co-op’s strengths as an “employer of choice” in our area, which have both been identified as strategic priorities. I believe the Co-op’s continued success lies in supporting its employees and ensuring healthy and affordable options for everyone in our community.
Debra Shapiro
Summary Statement
I’m running for Willy Street Board because after serving on the Board 2005-2012, I believe I can make a significant contribution to the co-op’s purposes of making local, organic, and natural foods available to the Madison community while providing an inclusive and supportive workplace.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any
potential conflicts of interest.)
I’m a foodie and a cook with a long-standing interest in local & organic foods and where our food comes from – local food systems. I firmly believe that everyone should have access to food that promotes health, at a fair price. I have teaching experience and experience with co-ops, as well as participating in shared governance at UW-Madison. I’m also a librarian who recently retired as non-tenured faculty at the UW-Madison Information School (iSchool) where I taught for 23 years and managed the online Masters degree in Library & Information Studies. In between earning my undergraduate degree in art history and returning to graduate school to become a librarian, I worked at many local restaurants and was the head cook at a co-op women’s dorm on the UW campus for 5 years. I love to develop recipes and since 2022 I’ve written recipes geared to the weekly veggie box contents for my CSA, Tipi Produce. I have a large collection of recipes online (links below), and teach cooking classes at Orange Tree Imports and have taught classes designed to help people use all the vegetables from their CSA boxes for CSA FairShare.
Help the co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local Community?
Many (but not all!) of my volunteer gigs revolve around food. I volunteer at the Goodman Community Center food pantry and at the Dane County Farmers Market. I volunteered for REAP Food Group for several years, and I’ve also served on the boards of a number of local co-ops and organizations including Union Cab and WORT. My UW-Madison shared governance experience includes 7 years on the Academic Staff Executive Committee, a standing committee of the Academic Staff Assembly, similar to a Board of Directors. I began working as an election official for the city of Madison in 2008, and am currently a Chief inspector and an in-person absentee voting hourly employee.
Help the co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local Community?
I will use my past experience on the Board and knowledge of food systems generally and local foods specifically to help promote the co-op’s mission to provide access to organic and local foods. I will also be able to use my teaching and shared governance experience to communicate with others, spread the word about the co-op, and help to develop effective policies to guide co-op activities.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debslunch/
Sarah Larson
Summary Statement
I believe cooperative businesses
and food are central to a thriving local economy. They build and shape community. I love taking my passion, interest and experience working with / in food businesses for the last 20 plus years to help support a thriving Willy Street Co-op.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest.)
Throughout my service, I will strive to center long term sustainability and profitability that aligns with our ownerships and communities needs. 50 years is amazing but the world continues to change and we need to ensure the coop survives the next ten plus. My career has centered on supporting local food and farm businesses – this gives me a rich background and insights into the trends and challenges food businesses in general and those like a grocery coop faces. This context will round out my experience in grassroots board, leadership, and community building to best represent owners while also keeping an eye on the fiduciary governance responsibilities that come with being a board member.
Potential conflicts of interest: my day job involves supporting food and farm businesses through the Food Finance Institute where I work closely with many Wisconsin food and farm businesses and service providers. Conflicts of interest can sometimes arise related to this work in which case I disclose and recuse myself.
Help the co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local Community?
I love centering purpose while
organizing people – I find myself in a variety of leadership roles in our community because I am energized by people aligning around a mission. I believe I have a unique ability to activate and empower people towards a unified goal. And to shift between strategic thinking and tactical planning to respond to the most emergent needs of an organization. Currently, I am the executive director of Madison roller derby, the treasurer of FairShare CSA Coalition, and serve on the board of the Madison Public Market Foundation and Seven Acre Dairy.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
I will use my experience and background in the food industry to build upon our strategic planning work to help ensure we have a long-term
vision that center a unique competitive advantage / value proposition for the coop. I will use my leadership and financial governance skills to step into whatever roles I can be most helpful in keeping an eye towards profitability and sustainability. I will center equity diversity including belonging accessibility in my thought processes and considerations for decision makings. I appreciate the opportunity to be considered for
another term of board service to
continue to help further the mission and vision of the Co-op.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-larson-14328b34/
Tatiana Dennis
Summary Statement
I grew up with Willy Street Co-op, a cornerstone of the Madison community. After three years on the board, I’ve found my voice and rhythm. I’m running again to continue contributing to this space, ensuring it is equitable and inclusive for everyone who calls this place home.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any
potential conflicts of interest.)
As a lifelong East Sider, the Co-op has always been a part of me. Now, I’ve had the privilege of being a part of it. Over the past three years, I’ve helped push for a more equitable and inclusive Co-op that better reflects the diverse community it serves. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’m committed to continuing that work.
Help the co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local Community?
After graduating from UW-Madison in 2018, I spent two years working and traveling globally before returning to Madison in 2020. Since then, I’ve been deeply involved with the community, working at a local nonprofit and joining the Co-op board.
My time on the board has been a rewarding journey of growth and commitment. Now, as a grant writer for Centro Hispano and a member of the Co-op’s DEI committee, I look forward to continuing to help guide the Co-op towards a more sustainable future. In my passtime I teach yoga at a local studio, tend to my small garden, and love spending time outdoors.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
I will continue to bring my perspective as a Black Madisonian and non-profit professional to the board, using my experiences to bring new perspectives and foster community. By applying my skills in community engagement, I will work to further the Co-op’s mission of sustainability and health, helping ensure it keeps growing while still remaining the co-op we all know and love.
Dan Streit
Summary Statement
Building local food systems is important to me as I work toward strengthening sustainability in my community. The Co-op is a keystone in fostering Wisconsin’s food community. I am excited to use my skills and experiences to ensure that the co-op continues its vital role in the local food community.
Full Statement
In my professional life, I work for a Madison-based non-profit organization that is committed to advancing equitable initiatives to mitigate, and adapt to, climate change. This work aligns my professional goals with my personal beliefs about the urgency of accelerating environmentally sustainable behaviors and technologies.
Extending from these beliefs, community and local, sustainable foods are two of my core values. I understand that my community extends from the neighbors on my street to the residents of southern Wisconsin, who include a diverse mix of backgrounds, identities, and income levels. All levels of community are important to me.
I commit my time to building up my communities and to supporting local food systems. For example, I have served on boards of directors for my faith community and for Dane Buy Local. I am also an active member of the Dane County Food Collective and I regularly volunteer at my local food pantry.
I believe that continuing to strengthen Dane County’s local food communities is essential to the health and wellbeing of residents and is also an important strategy in fighting against climate change.
I am eager to bring both my professional background related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as my personal convictions and experiences in supporting local foods to my service on the Willy Street Co-op Board of Directors.
Willy Street Co-op is a cornerstone of the region’s food growers and processors. The Co-op has made strong environmental commitments and is clearly grounded in the communities that it serves.
As a Board member, I would add my analytical and facilitative background to the amazing expertise that is already offered by the other board members. I would ask new questions; I offer new insights; and strive to help the Co-op further align its policies to reduce GHG emissions and fight food insecurity in the community.
I do not have any conflicts of interest related to my position as a board member of the Co-op.
Jenny Wraalstad
Summary Statement
I appreciate that within our community there’s a place where you can regularly see local, organic options available to consumers. I had some health issues which lead me to look to food and supplements as “medicine” and was happy to find that Willy Street Co-op had what I needed.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any
potential conflicts of interest.)
I worked for this great think tank for a few years. Several departments and managers had to come together and move the organization we were launching forward into a new market. That was a deeply collaborative experience that was ultimately focused on long term sustainability, which is what I understand the Co-op board aims to achieve.
Help the co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local Community?
I moved to a neighborhood that
I love a few years ago and wanted to find ways to support that community. I volunteer doing homeless outreach and the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. I was a troop leader for my adult child’s girl scout’s troop. I have also volunteered with the Literacy Network here in Madison and wrapped Christmas gifts for Santa’s Without Chimneys..
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
I have worked for organizations where we collaborated to achieve larger institutional goals. I’ve written and discussed new policies and policy changes. I can take information in and make fair decisions that benefit the whole, while maintaining integrity. My analytical skills from years of being an accountant allow me to cut through unnecessary details to the heart of the matter, while holding several viewpoints in mind to make group decisions that have an impact.
