There are nine seats on our Co-op’s Board of Directors, with each director serving a three-year term, with the exception of a tenth 1-year term that is filled by a member of staff and elected only by staff. There is no limit on the number of terms a director may serve, but they must run and be re-elected at the end of each term. Learn more about the experience of each of our current directors below.
Have a thought you’d like to share with the board? Email boardofdirectors@eastendfood.coop.
Ariel is a user experience & community building strategist, a creative liberation STEAM teacher, an artist, community organizer, and an entrepreneur. For the last couple of years, she has been focusing on building 3D websites and digital community spaces, as well as Indigenous American land stewardship. She’s spoken regularly at anti-racism, decolonization, and anti-oppression conferences and seminars, such as the Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit 2021. As well as facilitated dozens of classes, workshops, youth camps, trainings, playshops, and other community experiences for grassroots collectives, non-profits, schools, corporations, and organizations.
Laura has been a Co-op member since childhood and was elected to the Board in 2019. They hold an MS in Sustainable Food Systems from Green Mountain College (now the Green Mountain Center for Sustainability at Prescott College), where they did their graduate work on food systems monitoring and evaluation. They volunteer with Penn State Extension, are a member of the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, and coordinate food systems data for the Center for Regional Agriculture, Food, and Transformation (CRAFT) at Chatham University. They bring a focus on appropriate monitoring, urban-rural connections, and the western Pennsylvania food system to the Board.
Tom has been a co-op enthusiast since 1979, when he joined a food-buying club in Ithaca, NY. After moving to Pittsburgh to attend law school in 1989, his family joined the EEFC, and, alongside many other volunteers, he helped start the Co-op’s credit union, which was federally chartered in 1993. He currently sits as its president. He was elected to the Board in 2019 after serving for one year in 2016. Tom sees our Co-op corporation and its community of member-owners as offering a democratic alternative to the economic powerlessness most people experience. He sees our work in stewardship of this Co-op, keeping it member-driven and activist as a responsible regional economic force, as vital to a better future for all.
As a long-time Co-op member, Marty is excited to take an active role on our Co-op board. He hopes to enhance our community by advocating for current member-owners to be more engaged. Making our membership better reflect the diversity of surrounding communities is another one of his goals. He retired from Metro Community Health Center in 2019 after a medical career focusing on caring for underserved populations with a special interest in nutritional and herbal approaches to health. In his new-found leisure, he spends time playing with grandchildren, walking in Frick Park, birding, mushrooming, reading, practicing Tai Chi, meditating, and learning to play guitar.
Brian has been a member of the Co-op since early 2020. He is the owner and principal consultant of no-code software development firm Lost Sheep Advisory. As a home cook, climate solutions advocate, and vegetable enthusiast, Brian is excited about food and the potential for regional food systems to play an increasingly important role. He holds a degree in Mathematics and Drama Production Technology & Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Carlos inherited a joy food from his family. His father and mother ran factory restaurants. One of his fondest memories is shopping with them in the Mexico City market. As a new immigrant to Canada, he joined the Calgary Food Co-op, and upon arrival in Pittsburgh, he became a member of our Co-op. He volunteers his time on our Board to contribute towards a strong locally owned food system anchored by a community of Natural Food lovers. He hopes that by participating in our Co-op’s Board we can find the means to establish a local food entrepreneurship membership in our Co-op. Carlos enjoys cooking fresh food, nature, art & design, and making sculptures and music. He is a father to two young sons and two daughters and recently became a grandfather.
Tyleda is so excited to be a part of the Board of her favorite health food store, and she looks forward to working with everyone to keep the East End Food Co-op the place to be! She is a local small business owner of 360 Cafe LLC, — an online alternative health and wellness spa — 360 Urban Homestead, and 360 Notary & Signing Service LLC. She has a passion for gardening; she and her family sell fresh produce at farmers’ stands during the growing season, along with fresh eggs from their hens. She would love to teach food preservation and chicken keeping to our member-owners because learning survival and self-sustainability is important to her.