JOBIN KADAPURATH incumbent

When I moved to Minneapolis more than 18 years ago, my roommate, now one of my closest friends, introduced me to The Wedge. What began as my neighborhood grocery store has become an important part of my family’s life. From cooking meals as a single person to raising a family, TCCP has been where we’ve discovered new foods and supported local producers.  

Growing up, visits to my grandparents’ farm meant being put to work alongside them. Those experiences taught me the value of local farmers and strong food systems. My family cultivated crops, raised animals, and sold harvest locally, while my father’s work supporting agricultural research to combat malnutrition reinforced the importance of innovation, sustainability and community. 

Serving on the TCCP Board over the past three years has been a privilege. During a pivotal time for our co-op, I worked with fellow board members, staff, and leadership, including serving on the CEO search committee and helping guide our transition beyond CPW’s challenges. 

Professionally, I’m a consultant specializing in retail and supply chain. Combined with my lifelong connection to agriculture, this experience helps me bring strategic thinking, practical problem-solving, and a collaborative approach to board service. 

I’m seeking a second term because I believe TCCP is much more than a grocery store—it’s a community where neighbors connect, local farmers thrive, and shared values come to life. It would be an honor to continue serving our members and helping ensure TCCP remains a vibrant, welcoming co-op for generations to come. 

bao vang incumbent

I have been honored to serve the past three years on the Twin Cities Co-op Partners Board and I am seeking a second term to continue contributing during an important period of growth and transformation. 

Together, we’ve navigated significant milestones, including the search for a new CEO, the impact of Operation Metro Surge, rising food costs, and the successful rebuilding of the co-op warehouse to profitability. Looking ahead, important work remains as we navigate multi-year construction projects, address the needs of our unhoused neighbors with compassion, ensure our stores remain safe and welcoming, and position the co-op for continued growth. 

The cooperative model has always been part of my story. In the 1980s, my parents and their Hmong relatives founded and operated neighborhood co-ops in Minneapolis and later St. Paul, providing familiar Asian groceries while serving as gathering places for a growing immigrant community. 

Professionally, I serve as Vice President of Communications for BBB, Minnesota & North Dakota, where I am a senior leader and spokesperson for a nonprofit serving 7,100 Accredited Businesses. My team develops communication strategies that promote trust, integrity, and transparency. 

Before joining BBB, I was a television news anchor and reporter in Wisconsin and among the first Hmong on-air journalists in the United States. I hold bachelor’s degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish, along with an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. 

I would be honored to earn your support for a second term as we continue building a stronger, more resilient co-op together.

claire deberg

Love is a strong word which is why I declare: I love The Wedge! That seed of love started while growing up in Ham Lake, Minnesota where there were three sources of food: the family-owned Soderquist’s Market, our vegetable garden and a little store my dad would visit called The Wedge. When I turned 30 in 2009, I gave myself the gift of membership. Like the best gifts, it keeps on giving.

Now is my opportunity to nurture those gifts in a more tangible way. I believe my aptitude for thoughtful strategy, deft communication, quiet listening and creative compassion will be welcome additions to the Board of Directors. I hope to inspire more people to gift themselves membership which provides access to this special community.

I began my career as a professor of English before launching my writing agency which shifted to my current role: Director of Creative and Marketing. I partner with businesses helping them reach marketing goals through my work on branding, copywriting, design, advertising campaigns and social acuity. Discerning the heart of a mission and translating it into measurable initiatives is a talent I’m thrilled to bring to board service.

I’m your typical Wedge shopper gathering my 14 year-old son’s favorite Cadia maple leaf cookies, my 23 year-old daughter’s beloved Thomasina’s cashew brittle (which I mail to her in NYC), organic celery for my husband and I’m partial to the meditation that comes from filling a jar with bulk local honey (another reason to love The Wedge).

ericka mitchell-okatah

A Commitment to Community, Stewardship, and the Cooperative Spirit

As a longtime Twin Cities community leader and Wedge owner, I am honored to be a candidate for the Twin Cities Co-op Partners Board of Directors. I believe cooperatives strengthen communities by giving owners a meaningful voice while supporting local producers, advancing sustainability, and expanding access to healthy, high-quality food.

My professional background spans education, business development, strategic partnerships, and community engagement. I currently serve as Vice President of the Field Regina Northrop Neighborhood Group (FRNNG) and as a Board Member of Friendship Academy of the Arts, where I have strengthened my commitment to collaborative governance, thoughtful decision-making, and long-term organizational stewardship.

Through my work with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, I have built partnerships that connect businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations to opportunities for growth and lasting impact. If elected, I will approach every decision with integrity, curiosity, and a commitment to listening.

I believe effective board members ask thoughtful questions, respect diverse perspectives, and keep the cooperative’s mission at the center of every decision. As our communities continue to evolve, I want to help ensure Wedge remains financially strong, environmentally responsible , welcoming to all, and responsive to the needs of its owners.

Together, we can continue strengthening our local food system, supporting local farmers and producers, and ensuring that Wedge remains a thriving community-owned cooperative for generations to come. I look forward to earning your vote and serving our cooperative community.

cameron reeves

I’m honored to be on the ballot for the Twin Cities Co-op Board of Directors.

As a member-owner, I’ve developed a strong connection to the Co-op. When friends or family visit from out of town, it’s one of my favorite places to bring them because it reflects so much of what makes our community special: a commitment to local producers, quality products, sustainability, and a welcoming environment.

Professionally, I lead talent acquisition for a private philanthropic organization, where I work closely with senior leaders on strategic hiring and organizational planning. In that role, I’ve learned how important it is to understand context, surface tradeoffs clearly, and support decisions that strengthen an organization over time.

For me, that translates into board service as a focus on good process and good judgment. An effective board member should be prepared, ask thoughtful and sometimes difficult questions, and contribute to open, respectful discussion that helps leadership stay grounded in the organization’s mission and long-term direction.

If elected, I would bring that mindset to the Board and work collaboratively with fellow directors and leadership to help ensure the Co-op remains financially strong, responsive to its member-owners, and true to the values that make it such a vital part of our community.

Thank you for your consideration. I hope to earn your vote.

Thank you! Cameron

charlie sellars

Hello neighbors! I am honored to be a candidate for the board of my favorite co-op. I believe my professional expertise as a sustainability leader, coupled with my commitment to our community, will help ensure the Wedge continues to live out its vision of creating a more sustainable and equitable food system. 

I am a director of sustainability at Microsoft. Over my six years there, I have worked on everything from launching environmentally-friendly products and packaging, to decarbonizing supply chains, and leading water stewardship efforts in our operations – all experiences relevant to our food systems. 

I am no stranger to board and community work. In my 20s, I served on the board of The $100 Solution, a nonprofit focused on community engagement. Now, in my 30s, I serve on the governing body of the iMasons Climate Accord, which brings together the world’s largest tech companies to collaborate on fighting climate change. 

These experiences inspired me to write an award-winning book called What We Can Do: A Climate Optimist’s Guide to Sustainable Living. After writing part of my book about food, and partnering with a local publisher to manufacture the book with pollinator-friendly solar energy, I became even more interested in getting involved at the co-op.  

But why now and not later? As a South Minneapolis resident, Metro Surge reinforced that serving our community can’t wait. Since then, I have fundraised over $40,000 for local nonprofits, and – hopefully with your vote! – aspire to serve Minnesota’s best co-op too.