Leadership

Nick is an engineering manager at Wistia by day, and by night a budding food co-operator based in Watertown. Nick has long been a leader in the open-source community and ran a coworking space in Buffalo, NY from 2013-2018. Nick is a proud member of Lexington Co-op Market and Assabet Co-op Market, as well as a shareholder at worker-owned co-operative bakery Breadhive.

Melissa had been a third generation Russo’s shopper and is still an avid consumer of fruits and vegetables. When she’s not helping to start a food co-op, she is an Associate Director of Product Management in warehousing technology at Wayfair. She has been doing product management for 20 years, which means that she is well versed in user experience design, product strategy, project management, market research, and asking good questions. She has professional experience in supply chain, including in the grocery industry, and has previous board experience with the Boston Product Management Association.

MSE in Computer Science from Penn. Retired after 46 years of working with computers large and small. Involved with consumer cooperatives since 1970:

Co-Founded and operated a natural food coop in Sarasota, Florida, 1971-72.
Member and on the Board of Directors of Ecology Food Coop in Philadelphia, 1973-78.
Founder, publisher of a regional Consumer Cooperative Viewpoint newspaper 1977-78.
Member and on the Finance Committee of the Boston Food Coop, 1978-82.
Member of the Rutland Area Food Co-op, in Rutland, Vermont, 2004-2016.
Member of the Shrewsbury Co-op at Pierce’s Store in Shrewsbury, Vermont 2008-2016.

Kathryn moved to Watertown in 2020, after living throughout the Boston area for many years. She brings extensive experience in finance and nonprofit operations to the board. She is a lifelong volunteer in community-oriented organizations, and has long been interested in food equity. When she's not working on co-op matters, you'll find her exploring art and local nature, traveling, and appreciating great food. Kathryn is also a member of the Dorchester Food Co-op.

Term: 2023-2026

Scott has lived in Waltham since 1985. His interest in food production and distribution began in 1990, and he was involved in starting the Waltham Farmers' Market and the GROW community gardens. Scott sits on CRFC's marketing committee, serving as a writer for our monthly newsletter.

Term: 2023-2025

Ally first moved to Boston in 2018 but her family's roots in the area go back 100+ years when her great-great-grandfather was a farmer in Newburyport. She is an avid foodie and loves grocery stores in all forms. She also has a Social Impact MBA, and is interested in alternative business structures like coops that diversify business goals and align them with community goals. Professionally, she works in IT strategy and governance at Harvard Business School.

Term: 2023-2026

Rachel is a scientist by training and has been involved in the Cambridge biotech scene for many years. While she was a frequent shopper at Harvest, the local Cambridge food co-op, it was really her travels to visit her daughter in the pacific northwest, that shaped her interest. Having an opportunity to shop at a number of thoughtfully stocked and staffed, community-oriented local co-ops across WA state was really eye opening. Her entrepreneurial spirit combined with those positive experiences led her to jump into the CRFC family and lend a hand.

With over 20 years of experience in marketing, corporate partnerships, and event planning, Julie is dedicated to empowering others through her work. She has a proven track record in managing high-profile events, including the World Series and the Super Bowl, where she demonstrated expertise in athlete and celebrity relations, as well as creating unforgettable VIP experiences. Julie is deeply passionate about supporting locally sourced food, incorporating sustainable and regional ingredients into her events to create authentic and meaningful dining experiences. Known for her collaborative approach, Julie thrives on working closely with teams, partners, and clients to bring visions to life and deliver exceptional results. Her commitment to quality, community, and teamwork has made her a trusted leader in the event planning and marketing industries.

Chanthal leads Waltham Black Future Fund, a collective hub for efforts to eradicate poverty, build generational wealth, preserve Black Culture, and celebrate the incredible resilience of the Black community in Waltham.

Waltham Black Future Fund centers work around uniting across movements and multiracial strategy, encouraging youth led mass engagement, abolishing mass incarceration, and addressing economic disparities and factors that allow the school to prison pipeline to exist.

Jacob is the Charles River Food Co-op’s Brand Designer. He is also one of our first member-owners, and a Visual & Interaction designer specializing in brand design & experience.

JQ is the Assistant Director of the Food Co-op Initiative and specializes in the development of training and content to empower startup food co-op organizers to lead in their communities.

Bonnie leads Co-operative Development for the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA), a co-operative federation of more than 45 food co-ops and startup initiatives with a combined membership of more than 150,000 people across New England and New York.