2025 Board Election

August 25, 2025

Every fall, Twin Cities Co-op Partners holds a Board Election. Being an owner at the Wedge is a direct investment in the future of local farming and building thriving communities. You help shape this by voting in our Board Election, and by choosing the candidates who will determine our next fifty years at the co-op. Thank you for your engagement in this election, you have a voice and vote!

How to Vote:

You may cast your vote online, or fill out a ballot in store at Customer Service. In-store voting closes at 4:00 pm on Monday, October 20 by paper ballot, online voting closes at 6:10pm on Tuesday, October 21.

Voting opens September 22, check back soon!

annual meeting & Celebration:

Join us at Glass House Minneapolis at 5:30pm for our Annual Owner Meeting and celebrate 50 years of Wedge Community Co-ops with the community that built it! Enjoy a full catered dinner, live music by David Huckfelt, kids activities, a co-op business meeting, guest speaking by Chef Yia Vang and announcement of election results. All owners are welcome to join us! Our Annual Meeting is free to attend, registration required.

Registration opens September 22, check back soon!

eligible voters:

Must have joined the co-op on or before August 23, 2025 and must be considered active (made at least one purchase in the last 12 months).

A Note From The Board on the candidates:

The Board of Directors recommends these candidates without reservation. We are very excited to introduce this year’s candidates for the Board of Directors. Each candidate has experience developing healthy and productive group process and has demonstrated leadership abilities. All understand the fiduciary responsibility of the Board, its central role in relation to the CEO, and its responsibility to sustain the co-op’s service to its member owners. You will notice a variety of characteristics and backgrounds among the candidates. Each has a unique passion for co-ops and dedication to the cooperative business model.

why voting is important:

As an owner, your vote can support the future of the co-op! Cooperative Principle #2, Democratic Member Control, ensures that you have a real voice in the governance and direction of your co-op. Participating in the election process is a tangible reminder that Wedge Community Co-ops are more than just great places to shop. We hope that you will take the time to learn more about the board candidates and make your voice heard.

open seats:

There are four (4) Board seats open, so you may vote for up to four (4) candidates. Of these, three will serve a 3-year term, and one will serve a 1-year term.

date of record:

Date of record for the 2025 election is August 23, 2025. New owners who joined after this date are not eligible to vote in this election. For more details, visit article 1.4 in our Bylaws.

MEET YOUR BOARD CANDIDATES

There are eight (8) candidates running for four (4) open seats. Of these, three will serve a 3-year term, and one will serve a 1-year term. We asked our 2025 Board Candidates to write a short statement to our owners. Learn more about them below:

lisa fittipaldi INCUMBENT

As a proud co-op member for 30 years, I’m honored to seek a third and final term on the board. During my tenure, I’ve served in several leadership roles—including treasurer, vice president, and president—helping guide our co-op through both challenging and rewarding times. I’m inspired by how far we’ve come. After facing financial headwinds, we now have a thriving organization led by a strong CEO. This year we’ve experienced unprecedented membership growth, increased sales, a return to profitability at our warehouse, have delivered profit-sharing to our staff, and have a robust long-range plan in place which includes store reinvestment and a plan for growth.

I’m running for a final term because I believe in the co-op’s mission and the power of our community to make a difference—through the natural and organic food we sell, our unwavering commitment to sustainability, and our dedication to ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion. I’m proud of the values we uphold and cherish our sense of community.

As a board member, I bring experience, historical perspective, and leadership. But I also bring a collaborative spirit, a deep respect for my fellow board members, and honoring the voices of our co-op members, farmers, vendors and dedicated staff.

TCCP is a jewel to be treasured. I feel so fortunate to be part of this community. I appreciate the trust you’ve placed in me. I would be honored to help steward the next chapter of TCCP’s journey and finish the work we’ve begun.

Steve share incumbent

I’m seeking election to a third three-year term on TCCP’s board. During my time on the board, I believe I’ve offered a valuable perspective as a longtime co-op member of 40-some years and as a communications professional in the non-profit sector. We’ve seen a lot of turnover on the board during the past six years as TCCP navigated operating during the pandemic, closing the Nicollet location, hiring a new CEO, and supporting staff as the warehouse operation worked to recover from a difficult transition to new software. Throughout this time, I’ve tried to advocate not just for the best interests of the co-op and our member-owners but also for the best interests of our employees. If re-elected, I would be one of the most senior board members and I believe that experience will be valuable in helping to move the co-op forward. The co-op continues to face an increasingly competitive marketplace with corporate chains selling many of the same natural and organic products.

We need to continue to emphasize our unique status as a community-owned cooperative business where shoppers can trust that the dollars they spend support our mission of building a strong local food system as well as providing good jobs.

I retired earlier this year after 21 years as editor of the “Minneapolis Labor Review,” a labor union newspaper. I’m also a past editor of “Co-op Consumer News,” produced by Twin Cities Natural Food Co-ops, and a past editor of “Rollin’ Oats Journal,” the Linden Hills Co-op newsletter. I recently took a break from my corporate career to gain formal education in Sustainable Business. I have a special interest in the Zero Waste movement and in reducing plastic waste especially. I am an avid participant in my local Buy Nothing Group and I frequent the Wedge Lyndale where I often shop the bulk section and participate in the community compost program.

I love the Wedge Co-op. For me, shopping there is not just shopping – it is a way to live my values and feel part of the local community.  Serving on the TCCP Board would allow me to deepen my service and commitment to those values while making my time, skills and experience useful in the service of the TCCP mission and to the community it serves. I humbly ask for your permission to do so. 

marie monter

Marie is passionate about investing in her community and building connections through food. She first learned about the economic and environmental benefits of the local food system in Athens, Ohio. She continued to value a local food system when she lived in Chicago, and then in Minnesota. As a resident of Minneapolis, Marie makes connections and builds friendships through food. She enjoys cooking and sharing meals, using ingredients from The Wedge, her Community Supported Agriculture box, her local bakery bread share, and pairing meals with some of her favorite local craft beers. TCCP became Marie’s primary store over three years ago because she believes they have some of the best-tasting produce available and the cooperative model aligns with her values. In addition to her passion for the local food system, Marie is a dog mom and bicycle enthusiast.

Currently, Marie is the Associate Director for the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards at the University of Minnesota where she manages a portfolio of over 30 awards that support graduate student education and research across the Twin Cities, Duluth, and Rochester campuses. In this role, Marie leads the office in financial oversight and strategic initiatives, and she fosters collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, university leadership, students, and external colleagues.

Marie is grateful to be considered for TCCP Board Candidacy and looks forward to the opportunity to serve the local food community and build connections with TCCP staff, leadership, growers, producers, and community members.

Daleana Phillips

With deep roots in a Midwestern farming family shaped by co-op values, I believe organizations like TCCP are essential drivers of the sustainable, community-based systems I am committed to promoting. Growing up around cooperative farming instilled in me a strong appreciation for mutual support, equity, and resilience, which I continue to uphold today.

As Uptown residents, my wife and I walk or bike to the Wedge regularly, not only to shop, but also to support the co-op’s mission. We love cooking with healthy, local ingredients and appreciate how TCCP connects consumers to responsible producers, thereby strengthening our local food system. I believe that everyone should have access to local, healthy, and affordable food choices.

Alongside my agricultural and grocery retail background, I bring over a decade of experience in program leadership, strategic communication, and community development. I’ve secured millions in federal funding to expand access and opportunity for underserved populations, managed multi-million-dollar budgets, and led initiatives that improved performance, advanced equity, and deepened engagement.

I believe TCCP is a critical anchor in Minnesota’s food landscape by supporting local farmers, investing in sustainable practices, and building vibrant, connected communities. If elected to the Board, I will bring thoughtful leadership, a collaborative spirit, and a deep commitment to advancing our cooperative values.

I hold a Ph.D. in Communication, an MBA from the University of Southern Mississippi (Candidate 2025), and both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. I am also a proud dog mom to my Welsh Corgi, Simon.

anthonette sims

Owners should choose me because I live at the intersection of strategy, service, and community. With 12+ years in Human Resources and operations leadership—and a lifelong passion for wellness and food justice—I bring both professional expertise and a deep personal commitment to ensuring the co-op grows with integrity. Having seen the impact of limited access to healthy food in marginalized communities, I know how vital it is to break down those barriers so every family can thrive.

Over the next five years, I believe the board must focus on expanding access—geographically, economically, and culturally. That means investing in mobile markets, scaling equity initiatives, and building deeper partnerships with underserved neighborhoods. It also means supporting staff, strengthening internal culture, and future-proofing the co-op’s business model without losing sight of its mission.

I want owners to know this: I’m not here just to sit in a seat—I’m here to serve. I believe food is a birthright, not a luxury. And I believe this co-op has the power to lead that movement—boldly, creatively, and with shared ownership.

kate welshons

It’s an honor to be considered to serve on the Twin Cities Co-op Partners Board of Directors. My professional expertise, personal values, and commitment to community align closely with TCCP’s mission. In my current role within the University of Minnesota Extension’s Department of Family, Health and Wellbeing, I support programs focused on diet-related chronic disease prevention, nutrition security, and social determinants of health. My work prioritizes culturally responsive, community-driven strategies to help create lasting impact. I have contributed thoughtfully to mission-driven governance through my previous board and committee service at the University of Minnesota and with other organizations that advance public health initiatives.

I am deeply committed to equitable food access, especially as changes in federal policy threaten critical programs that support health, such as SNAP, SNAP-Ed, and Medicaid. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to TCCP’s strategic direction, enhance its community partnerships, and support our local food system. With more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of public health, food systems, and equity, I bring expertise in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. I would be honored to help guide the co-op’s growth in ways that reflect the diverse needs of owners, employees, farmers and vendors, while simultaneously supporting community wellbeing and ensuring financial sustainability.

eduardo barrera

Dear Wedge member owner:

My name is Eduardo Barrera and I would like to introduce myself to you and share why I am running for one of the four open seats for the Wedge Board of Directors. As a community-oriented individual, I truly believe in the philosophy of cooperatives—that we are stronger together. I am a thirty-year member of food co-ops and credit unions. I believe that cooperatives have the power to create change in our lives through members having economic power as well as shaping choices of organizations.

Professionally, I have had the opportunity to work with community members to take control of their housing through cooperative financing at Shared Capital. I also directed Mercado Central, a Latino owned commercial cooperative organization in Minneapolis, where I worked with members to reorganize governance and development. My educational and professional background includes embracing skills I brought from my life in Mexico and furthering those with a master’s in public affairs from the University of Minnesota. I have excelled at working in and with state and local governments and non-profit organizations’ boards to address affordable housing, economic and small-business development in the Twin Cities. Currently, I work as the Senior Equitable Real Estate Development Lead planning and financing affordable housing at Project for Pride in Living.

I hope you will allow me to bring my passion and experience to our Wedge community. Thank you.

aaron jones

I am honored to be considered for the TCCP Board of Directors. As both a neighbor and longtime co-op member, I believe deeply in our shared mission: creating access to healthy, sustainable food while strengthening community well-being.

Professionally, I have spent two decades working across healthcare, financial services, and technology, always focused on improving lives through strategic innovation. Much of my work centers on the intersection of longevity, health equity, and aging in place. I have led national innovation initiatives at Allianz and helped launch new ventures in health and elder care. These experiences have deepened my belief that community-rooted systems play a vital role in helping people age well, live fully, and stay connected.

Personally, I am passionate about food as medicine. As someone managing a chronic kidney condition, I understand firsthand how essential fresh, nourishing, and culturally meaningful food is to healing and daily vitality. I believe Wedge can be a national leader in aligning cooperative values with integrative health, preventive care, and nutrition access, especially for aging and underserved populations.

I bring board experience, strategic and financial expertise, and a collaborative mindset grounded in equity and inclusion. If elected, I will work hard to steward our co-op’s mission while expanding its impact so that everyone, at every stage of life, can thrive. Thank you for your consideration.

DECEMBER CHANGE MATTERS ORGANIZATIONS

Co-op owners are invited to help choose our December 2025 Change Matters recipient! Our Change Matters program generates an average of $10,000 each month by shoppers rounding up their change at the register. These organizations were selected by an internal committee and TCCP leadership. The organization that receives the highest number of votes will be December’s sole partner and will be announced at the annual meeting.

agate housing and services

In 2021, House of Charity and St. Stephen’s Human Services merged and became Agate Housing and Services. Agate’s vision is to ensure that every person and family has a stable place to live, with their basic human needs met, and a hopeful path ahead. They offer a broad range of services, including street outreach, emergency shelter, temporary and permanent housing, and birth certificate and ID support.

division of indian work

For over 70 years, the Division of Indian Work (DIW) has worked to support and strengthen urban American Indian people through culturally-based education, traditional healing approaches, and leadership development. Examples of their community-based programming include after-school tutoring and cultural enrichment, foster care-based services, offering a culturally-specific food shelf, in-home parenting support, and more.

the aliveness project

The Aliveness Project provides HIV support and prevention, as well as local, community-minded care. Through early prevention, free testing, and lifelong support, participants get the resources they need to live well with HIV. Aliveness Project does this by providing free healthy meals, a choice-model food shelf, medical nutrition therapy, case management and housing help, HIV resources, and hosting peer-led support groups.