Board Function & Responsibility
In accordance with the cooperative principles, Mississippi Market is run by democratic member control. Mississippi Market’s board of directors consists of seven to nine elected member-owners chosen by the membership who are legally responsible for the overall direction and performance of the co-op. The board carries out this responsibility by establishing broad policy guidelines, recommending updates to our Articles and Bylaws – the legal documents that define and guide the co-op – and monitoring the performance of our general manager. Co-op board members have the same duties as directors of any business. The unique identity of our cooperative also means that the board must act on behalf of our member-owners.
Serve on the Board
One of the perks of co-op membership is the ability to apply to run for an open board seat. Each October, co-op member-owners elect new board members for three-year terms. This is an exciting opportunity to serve your community and lead your co-op in shaping our collective future. Learn more by submitting a board interest request and we’ll get back to you with additional details. The deadline to apply for the 2018 board of directors election has closed as of August 8.
Debbie Brown
President, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Member
Debbie is a safety and health professional who has worked for industry and government for over 25 years. She has a master’s degree in health sciences and passion for preventing illness and injury. Debbie believes good food and exercise are critical for health and is proud that Mississippi Market educates people about wholesome foods. Debbie loves food, enjoys cuisines from around the world, and enjoys experimenting while cooking. She has participated in the board’s Finance and Governance committees; she currently sits on the Executive and Diversity & Inclusion committees.
Heather Haynes
Vice President, Governance Committee Chair, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Member
Heather has a M.A. in Philanthropy & Development and has twenty years of experience with strategic planning, budgeting and financial planning, revenue management, marketing and communications, and program implementation. She currently works as the Senior Director of Development for Planned Parenthood of MN, ND, and SD. Her interests include urban and organic gardening, native habitat, and nutritionally-based healing.
Roy Berger
Finance Committee Member
Roy has a BS degree in Accounting and passed the CPA exam in 1983, though he is no longer a certificate holder. Roy served as the Financial Manager for Mississippi Market for sixteen years, and retired in February 2016. He has served as a director and treasurer of Shared Capital Cooperative (formerly the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund), and represented Mississippi Market in the Selby Avenue Business Association (SABA). Before joining Mississippi Market, he worked in public and private accounting in St. Paul.
Stephen Streng
Treasurer, Finance Committee Member
Stephen is the technical writer and proposal developer at the Food Protection and Defense Institute. He brings to the board management and financial experience as well as expertise in food production and land use issues developed across a career in for-profit companies, nonprofits, and academia.
Hlee Vang
Secretary
Hlee loves St. Paul and the Co-op. Hlee practices Law specializing in providing legal services to Businesses and Health care professionals. Hlee is also committed to public service and works as a Special Assistant Public Defender with the Hennepin County Public Defenders Office. Hlee is focused on social justice, increasing peace and creating positive change through food, art, and law.
Camille Bryant
Finance Committee Member
Camille is a practicing attorney and holds a degree in chemical engineering. She brings a unique skill set from her work as an Assistant Public Defender and experience as an environmental and project engineer. She is active in the Minnesota State Bar Association and currently serves as the community outreach chairperson for the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers. She is a long-time co-op shopper and is excited to contribute beyond her membership.
Katie Colón
Governance Committee Member
Katie has a B.A. in Communications and a Mini MBA in Marketing. She is currently a Vice President of Marketing in the healthcare industry, and has thirty years of combined marketing, product development, and communications experience in healthcare, education, and publishing. She is excited to have the opportunity to help impact the success of the market in its mission to influence the production, distribution and enjoyment of food.
Kate Armstrong
Governance Committee Member
Kate has worked as a public health attorney and a Guardian ad Litem Program Manager for Ramsey County. She has experience with federal and state nutritional policy and the legal issues facing local healthy eating and food access initiatives. Kate has a deep respect for the co-op and a passion for its mission of providing nutritious, locally-grown and -produced food at affordable prices.
Diana Chaman
Diana is Child Hunger Program Specialist for Second Harvest Heartland where she focuses on implementing/monitoring an impact strategy to tackle child hunger in MN. She has a master in public administration (MPA) from the Syracuse University and a B.Sc. in Political Science with a concentration in Comparative Politics from PUCP-Peru. She mentors for the NGO “Dream Refugee” and was selected as a 2017 Fellow by the Minnesota Network of NGOs. Previously, she worked as a Global Food Banking Network consultant and as project manager for the Rural Agroindustry Network of Peru.