Board Candidate
& Election Information
2024 Board of Directors Election
Election Opens August 26 and Closes Sept. 24
Announcement: Our 2024 Board of Directors Election will be fully electronic this year. All voting will take place online. Paper ballots will only be available by request from the Customer Service Desk.
Some important things for members to know about our upcoming election:
- August 12, 2024 is the deadline for members to be current in their member investment and have shopped in the last 12 months to be eligible to vote. If you are unsure of your status, please contact membership@sac.coop.
- Voting for the election is open for members from August 26th to September 24
- 2024 Co-op Election Ballots will be sent by email only. Update your email in the Member Portal to receive your digital ballot and vote.
- If you have any issues with online voting please see the Customer Service Desk for help.
- Paper ballots are available at the customer service desk if needed.
2024 Candidates for the Board of Directors
Kelsey Brewer
Dr. Kelsey Brewer is an agroecologist with over a decade of experience as a small-scale, organic farmer. He holds a B.S. in Plant Science with a minor in Soil Science, as well as a Ph.D. in Soils and Biogeochemistry, both from UC Davis. Kelsey has worked as a farmer and agricultural researcher, studying organic, agroecological and regenerative farming, and small-farming communities. He also has a background as an educator, including university instruction for classes related to agroecology and fundamental soil science, as well as technical farmer support roles with Resource Conservation Districts, the University of California, and multiple agricultural non-profit organizations.
Kelsey grew up in Amador County, a local rural mountain community, and has lived in the Sacramento region for 16 years. He is the co-founder of two local urban farming non-profits – Seeds of Solidarity and Three Sisters Garden – producing and freely distributing fresh and culturally-appropriate food to Sacramento-area communities with need. Dr. Brewer also serves on the City of Sacramento’s Food Justice Task Force and is a Food Access advisor for Sacramento County’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).
Kelsey believes in empowering our communities as active participants in the local food system through creating collaborative opportunities, identifying our shared values, and implementing community-owned projects like the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op. He believes that democratic engagement is critical toward building community-level food sovereignty – control over determining the types, quality, and accessibility of our food – through enfranchising all communities in decision-making processes. Kelsey’s goal in running for the SNFC Board is to develop opportunities for a more equitable, accessible, and resilient local food system that provides meaningful and dignified livelihoods for local farmers and food workers.
Nathaniel Brown
Nathaniel Brown is a Sacramento native who found a passion for locally and sustainably grown food. He started out gardening in his grandmother’s backyard while he was at his first “natural job” as a stock guy at a natural food store where he had been dreaming of turning gardening into farming. He then got his first farmers market job and was eager to start growing food for the market. Brown started by working at a wide range of farms and farmers markets in 2016. Nathaniel started Brown Sugar Farm in 2019, an urban farm in Citrus Heights on the north side of Sacramento County, dedicated to connecting the community with hard-to-find herbs, fruits, flowers, and vegetables. In 2021 he started working as a produce clerk at SNFC and was ultimately inspired to keep pursuing his farm dreams and mission to get produce and flowers in the Co-Op.
Serving as the Development Manager and Co-Founder at Ujamaa Farmer Collective, Nathaniel has been able to dive deep into cooperative structures over the last two years. Ujamaa Farmer Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to securing resources for black farmers in the greater Sacramento Region, is rooted in cooperative economics and much of Nathaniel’s work is spent on how to use and distribute resources. He has also been recognized to be on the California Equity Task Force to help the strategic growth council shape policy reform for BIPOC farmers in California.
Amanda Buckingham
I am interested in running for the board because I believe in the principles the co-op was founded on and I would like to offer my perspective as both front end staff and a member. I value diversity, equity, and inclusion, and, if elected, I would continue to promote these values by engaging with members of the community, establishing open communication, and planning new events.
I have volunteered at my former church as chairman of the missions board, a committee of the church board. In this role, I communicated with organizations, planned events, and focused on outreach and donating to nonprofits every month. Although I don’t work with religious organizations anymore, I learned from that role and feel more equipped because of it. My career prior to the co-op was teaching. I taught for 8 years in Massachusetts, where I grew up and earned my bachelor’s degree in English and my master’s in Teacher Leadership. As a teacher, I rewrote the curriculum with my department and was a teacher coach for 4 years, objectively observing and offering feedback to teachers. I advised the student council for 6 years, where we planned fundraisers, dances, field day, the 8th grade transition ceremony, and worked with the principal for teacher appreciation week. I served on multiple committees too, such as PBIS (positive behavior inclusion support), where we promoted positive school culture, and the Instructional Leadership Team, where we analyzed data to create and work towards district goals.
With my past experience and commitment to SNFC, I am prepared for the board and am thankful for this opportunity to serve our membership. See you at the co-op!
Alex Jang
I’m Alex Jang, a proud Sacramento native and currently the Vice Chair of the Board at SNFC. Over the past two years as an appointed board member, I’ve had the chance to serve as Co-Chair of both the Nominations Committee and the Member Engagement and Education Committee, plus I’ve been a member of the Policy Committee. These roles have given me tons of experience and a deep understanding of how our co-op and policy governance works.
My health journey started 12 years ago when I switched to a natural and whole-foods lifestyle, shedding 80 lbs and overcoming some chronic illnesses. This change sparked my passion for high-quality, nutritious foods and supporting local farmers and producers. At first, I thought the Co-op wasn’t for me, but then I discovered how valuable and inclusive it truly is. I want to help others see that too.
Encouraged by Prasanna, I joined the Board to represent members like me and give back to our awesome community. My work in local family entertainment businesses and as a project specialist at National Co-op Grocers has only deepened my commitment to the co-op movement.
I’m all about sharing what I’ve learned and using my experience to support the Co-op’s mission. My goals? Promote nutritious foods, support local farmers and producers, and grow our community. If elected, I’ll keep working hard to ensure our Co-op stays a social and economic leader. I’m excited about the chance to give back to the community that’s given me so much.
Prasanna Regmi
I am thrilled to announce my candidacy for a second term on our board. After celebrating our 50th anniversary last year, it’s reassuring to see that our organization continues to thrive. This success has resulted in significant financial growth, positively impacting our membership, suppliers and staff.
We’ve been able to pay out patronage dividends, which is a strong indication of our organization’s financial stability and growth. Our newest annual report notes that we increased our community discounts by 11% over the last year, donated over $140K to our local charity and partnered with over 800 local farmers, producers, and vendors. Our actions have allowed the co-op to make a meaningful impact resulting in growth of local sales of 7% compared to the previous year.
Internally staff turnover is lower than in the previous year, and while it’s a cause for celebration, our GM, Brian, has identified strategies to drive more engagement and retention, ensuring that our staff continues to feel valued and heard.
Over the past three years, serving on the Finance, Nominations and Member Engagement Committee has helped me solidify my own understanding and has created a base to build on for the upcoming term. I’ve participated in board discussions to refine our it’s processes and have advocated for standardized processes to provide a solid foundation for our operations.
Looking ahead, we’re working on drafting a strategic plan for our co-op, which will incorporate input from multiple stakeholders. I am committed to being involved in this process and look forward to the opportunity to serve our co-op.
In gratitude,
~Prasanna Regmi
Virginia Thompson
I am proud to be a 12-year member of the SNFC that supports local farmers, producers, and our local community, and I am excited to run for the Board of Directors. I grew up farming, which gave me a deep appreciation for fresh food and the dedication required to grow local. I’m an avid gardener today, and my spouse and I are backyard Beekeepers.
The Co-op has supported me for many years, and I am looking forward to giving back to the organization and to its member-owners. I bring a wealth of experience in business, board service, strategic planning, management, and small business ownership that I hope will serve this role well. My experience includes serving on the Board of Directors of a non-profit organization where I am responsible for strategic planning, member value, growth, and financial stability. I work well with my fellow Board members to execute the organization’s mission. I am also part owner of vegan cheese business in the Pacific Northwest, where I participate in decisions about new products, capital expenditures, expansion opportunities, and financial performance. In my primary career, I lead a team of employees who are dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I also work with farmers, landowners, local jurisdictions, and with communities at large. I am responsible for managing performance, controlling costs,
and ensuring performance aligns with corporate goals. Finally, in both my undergraduate and graduate studies, I completed a rigorous set of finance, management, marketing, and ethics classes, including group projects requiring successful coordination with other students or professionals.
I hope my experience and desire to help the SNFC continue to thrive and positively impact our members, partners, and the broader community will earn your vote!
Apply to Run for the Board of Directors by April 14
Applications are open until April 14th, so don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to become an integral part of our cooperative's decision-making process.
Learn more about our upcoming election and what it means to be a part of the Board by clicking the link below.
Running for the Board
There are a few basic things Co-op Members should know before deciding to run for the Board of Directors.
The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op is governed by a 9-member Board of Directors. Directors are elected to 3-year terms.
A member must be current in their Equity Investment 6 months prior to board service. New directors are seated at the October Board Meeting so each year the deadline will be be determined by that date. A member that is elected to the Board must keep their Equity Investment current for the length of their term. A member that is fully invested is always current.
The Board of Directors uses a Policy Governance™ model to govern the affairs of the Co-op. Policy Governance™ uses policy language developed and voted on by the board to set out the goals of the organization (Ends Policy), to limit the actions of the general manager (Limitations Policies) and to outline the board’s work and process (Board Process policies and Board-Management Relationship policies). These policies can be found on the Co-op website here.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Creating and sustaining a transparent and accountable relationship with the membership.
- Hiring, compensating, delegating responsibility, and holding accountable a general manager.
- Having expectations in the form of written governing policies that realistically address the broadest levels of all organizational decisions and situations.
- Regularly monitoring operational performance in the areas of Ends and Executive Limitations, and board performance in the areas of Board Process and Board- Management Relationship.
- Perpetuating the board’s leadership capacity using ongoing education, training and recruitment.
The Board of Directors does not make decisions about, become involved with, or take part in any of the day-to-day activities or decisions regarding the operations of the Co-op. The board’s sole official connection to the operations of the cooperative is through the General Manager.
The Board of Directors holds monthly business meetings, an annual meeting and 3 member engagement meetings in the calendar year. A member of the board should expect to devote several hours per month to review the monthly board packet and at least two hours per month for the business meetings. Additional time may be required for training, conferences, committee meetings and for day-to-day board communications. New board members should also plan to set aside time for the onboarding process.
The job description of a general member of the board can be found here.
Fill out this Candidate Statement of Interest form. Complete by April 14. The Nominations Committee will review and schedule interviews in the month of April.
The Nominating Committee is charged with the responsibility of selecting the best candidates for the Board of Directors and making a recommendation to the board. Not all interested candidates may be recommended by the Nominating Committee. At the June board meeting, the Nominating Committee will declare approved candidates for final approval by the board.
Candidates not recommended by the Nominating Committee may still run by petition. To run by petition a member must obtain signatures from 5% of active members. Due dates for petition signatures and all other deadlines may be requested from the Board Administrator.
Once candidates have been nominated or have gathered the required signatures to run by petition, all candidates are then required to fill out and sign a Declaration of Candidacy form, and the Board Code of Conduct form. Candidates should then become familiar with the Election Policy and the Election Information Packet to understand the rules for campaigning, the timelines for submitting statements and photos, and the dates and expectations for any candidate events.
Additional things to become familiar with are the Co-op’s Ends Policy, the Co-op’s Bylaws, the Board Governance Policies, and the general workings of Policy Governance.