BriarPatch Food Co-op

I love that BriarPatch is not just a grocery store but a community hub. Weare able to get beautiful foods from near and far to nourish our bodies, and we see our favorite people who nourish our souls. The way BriarPatch strives to do business seeks to keep as many dollars flowing through our local economy as possible. To me, we are like a mycelial network working goodness through our little part of the world.

I have been on the board for many years now and have a deep understanding of why and how the BriarPatch works and the impact that we can have on our community. The work that we do on the Board is visionary and I understand my role as a board member and a community member.

I am a good director because I continue to educate myself on the variety of subjects necessary to be a good director. We strive to be aware of the grocery industry, the local economy, and the reasons our customers keep coming through the doors. I also care deeply about our staff and our community at large.

What I love about our BriarPatch Food Co-op is the commitment to bring the highest quality produce and products to our community, the dedication to supporting our community’s local food producers, and the co-op’s dedication in promoting a healthy and peaceful society.

I am running to give back in service to the Co-op I have been supported by since its location on Joerschke Drive. As a happily married father of two I am motivated to be a good example to my children by investing my time in our local co-op.

My commitment and dedication to pursuing what is best for the Co-op is why I will make a good Board Directory. I am a whole-foods advocate who pursues life with equanimity, peacefulness and joy. I am a peacemaker and solution finder.

What I love most is the palpable sense of community that greets you at the door. It’s more than just a grocery store; it’s the heart of the neighborhood. This feeling comes from the genuinely caring staff, of course, but also from the little extras that define BriarPatch’s spirit: the impromptu jam sessions out front, the community event notices, the helpful newsletters. It’s a place that proves a business can be both successful and soulful. That, and the fact that BriarPatch sells, without a doubt, the best peanut butter cookie in the county!

Since moving to Grass Valley, I’ve sought a meaningful way to invest my energy and skills back into the community I now call home. I am running for the Board because I deeply admire BriarPatch’s commitment to being a model of a successful, equitable, and community-minded business. I want to be part of the leadership that safeguards these values. With my extensive background in strategic communications and community building, I am confident I can help the Board guide the Co-op’s long-term vision and ensure it continues to thrive for years to come.

My experience on both local and state-level boards has taught me that a good director provides diligent strategic oversight and is a passionate community advocate. As a board member for Senior Coastsiders in Half Moon Bay, I didn’t just organize fundraisers — I helped secure the capital to build a vital new senior center for the community. While on the executive board of the California News Publishers Association, I helped shape policy for an entire industry. I bring proven experience in fiscal stewardship and a deep understanding of what it takes to guide an organization successfully.

“Let food be thy medicine”

I love the availability of high-quality products that are naturally produced and sustainably sourced. From local and organic produce to restaurant-quality meat and seafood, I can confidently buy high-quality ingredients that meet the expectations of the food I prepare. I also love the co-op’s commitment to the community. Their support of local farmers and producers allows customers to experience farm-to-fork living. Finally, and possibly most importantly, I love the staff. These people are the face of the co-op, and the diversity of the staff makes the Patch a fun place to shop as well as a business I want to support. Beyond buying high-quality food, I also socialize with great people every time I shop.

My wife and I have been co-op owners for 10 years. When we moved from Grass Valley to Auburn in 2020, we continued to drive to the Sierra College store because we loved the products and people at the store. When we found out a new location would be opening in Auburn, we were ecstatic! Seeing the new store’s positive impact on the community has been very satisfying, and I would be grateful to represent my neighbors and the Auburn area with a seat on the Board.

I am committed to the success of BriarPatch. Our family spends 90% of our food dollars there. I respect the core values of the co-op. I can assist the co-op in finding local growers and producers whose products meet the demands of the customers. I want to support BriarPatch’s goal in supporting the employees who strive to provide excellent service to customers. As a passionate cook, I have high expectations for the quality of the food I prepare, so I am committed to the co-op’s goal of providing quality products at competitive prices.

I will bring perspective to the board. I have a deep knowledge of food, prior retail grocery experience, and sound business knowledge. I understand financials, governance, and best practices. I am confident in my ability to work towards common goals, unafraid to question, and respectful of other opinions.

I love that BriarPatch is a community gathering place—friendly smiles, quick conversations, and a hello or hug. It’s still a place where people genuinely connect. We stay committed to our values. Our Ends Policies keeps us focused on social good, environmental care, future generations, and financial health in every decision, and we keep working to live up to them. We support local small farmers and food makers in meaningful ways, and the Auburn store has opened new opportunities to strengthen regional food resilience. Our staff is remarkable: consistently kind and capable. Competitive wages, solid benefits, and open-book management let them help shape and improve the co-op that’s earned national recognition. We keep giving meaningful support to local nonprofits working on equity, food access, the arts, and planetary health. And at the core, I love that it’s ours—we own it, we steward it, we make it what it is.

I’m running for re-election to help keep BriarPatch thriving as a community hub—one of the few places where people gather, connect, and feel part of something meaningful. We face real challenges: rising costs, wage commitments, competition, and the need to make healthy food more accessible. With nine years on the board, I’ve seen how our strong management team, and clear strategic plan have guided us through uncertainty. I want to keep contributing to that steady, values-driven stewardship. We’ve preserved our legacy—supporting local farmers, building community ties, partnering with nonprofits, and educating about planetary health. The Auburn store has expanded our reach; now we must find new ways to deepen our impact, broaden access, and strengthen regional resilience.
BriarPatch remains one of our region’s most influential organizations. I care deeply about it and want to help ensure it thrives for the people and causes we serve.

I’ll make a good Board Director because I bring nine years of direct experience on this board, providing a clear understanding of our people, processes, strategic direction, and momentum. That tenure lets me offer thoughtful perspective, maintain continuity, and support careful evolution. As a strategic business consultant, I bring a practical lens to decisions—asking good questions and grounding discussions in both our mission and financial viability. My long history of community advocacy—serving on boards and committees like Nevada County Grown, the Food Policy Council, the Arts Council, the Cannabis Alliance, and others—has connected me to diverse voices across the region. That insight helps us consider how BriarPatch can best serve and collaborate with the broader community. Above all, I genuinely care about the dedicated staff, the farmers we support, the members we serve, and the community we strengthen. That commitment keeps me fully engaged and dedicated to our shared future.

I love that BriarPatch is both a grocery store and a community institution -and a habit, as I’m often in the store multiple times per week. BriarPatch provides access to high-quality, ethically produced food while actively supporting local farmers, producers, and workers. Having worked as a farmworker on farms that sold through BriarPatch, and previously as a produce buyer for Wheatsville Food Co-op during a period of store expansion, I have seen firsthand how cooperatives can anchor local food economies while navigating growth. BriarPatch reflects the values of cooperation, transparency, and long-term investment in a resilient local food system that I care deeply about.

I am running for re-election because I believe that continuity, institutional memory, and steady leadership matter during times of change. Serving on the Board over the past term, including my current role as Vice Chair, has deepened my understanding of the Co-op’s operations, financial responsibilities, and long-term strategic goals. I want to continue contributing that experience while supporting staff leadership, strengthening governance practices, and helping BriarPatch successfully steward its growth while remaining accountable to member-owners.

I bring a systems-level understanding of food and agriculture, paired withhands-on farm, grocery, cooperative, and governance experience, whichtogether give me a practical understanding of the many facets of supplychains and what it takes to get food to your plate. I spent over 11 yearsworking in grocery and produce departments, including produce purchasingfor a multi-store food co-op, in addition to nonprofit leadership and othercommunity board service. I am comfortable balancing big-picture strategywith operational realities, financial stewardship, and accountability. I value
collaboration and bring a steady, thoughtful approach to complex decisions,grounded in BriarPatch’s mission and Ends.

The community. From abundant local produce to bumping into friends in theaisles, BriarPatch feels like a true town square. I trust the standards—careful sourcing, clean ingredients, and a consistently great selection thatsupports local farms and makers. I also appreciate the staff:knowledgeable, friendly, and steady even when the store is busy. For me,the Co-op is more than a place to shop; it’s where neighbors cross paths,conversations happen, and everyday choices can reinforce health, dignity,and a resilient local economy.

BriarPatch is one of the strongest tools we have for shaping a resilient local food economy. As a local chef and former organic farmer, I’ve seen firsthand how much a co-op’s purchasing choices and standards determine what farms survive, what producers can scale, and what quality becomes “normal” in a community. I want to help protect and strengthen that role—keeping BriarPatch financially solid while staying deeply committed to local growers and makers. I’m ready to do the real board work: show up prepared, serve on a committee, and help guide long-term decisions that hold up in a tough grocery landscape.

I’m a connector. I know many of the region’s farms and food businesses, and I also know how to build trust across generations—longtime owners, newer members, staff, and vendors. I’m good at listening for what matters beneath people’s opinions, then translating that into clear priorities and workable decisions. I’ll bring consistent preparation and follow-through, plus a strong sense of mission: keeping BriarPatch a financially sound, values-led, community-rooted co-op. I can help strengthen relationships, widen participation, and keep the Co-op future-facing without chasing trends.