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Meet Our Directors
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Founding members of our amazing Board of Directors began discussing the idea of a food cooperative grocery store in late 2022. There had previously been two other grocery stores in Magdalena. The Salome Store (closed in the early 2000s) and Trail's End (closed around 2012). The first community meeting to discuss a food co-op grocery store was on February 20, 2023. There was a great turnout. It's good business when community input leads to what's on the shelves in the store. It was then that the work and collaboration for a food co-op in Magdalena truly began. MFC directors, members, producers, and volunteers are the life force behind our work. They demonstrate the importance of coming together to achieve something truly great for the community: Healthy food access.
Laurie Ware
President 2023-2025
Laurie brings over two decades of organic gardening experience to the board. Laurie and her family moved to Magdalena in 2005 when they soon realized the healthy food access elusiveness and disparity in the community and wanted to help. Laurie and Andre built a raised bed garden at their property and began growing vegetables to supplement food at home and within the community through the local farmers markets in Magdalena and Socorro. The health of the environment and education has always been a priority for Laurie. She began a recycling program at Cottonwood Valley Charter School, a K- 8 school in Socorro. She and Andre have been recycling plastic, glass, and paper products since 2007, driving to the recycling center in Albuquerque each month. Minimal packaging is a prerequisite as it is for many former steering committee members, current directors, and community members.
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Laurie hopes that the food cooperative can be a model corporation that puts the community's health, needs, food access, ease of online orders, and local economic development first - with education and regional partnerships with food producers foremost. She understands that it can take 18 years to change our food purchasing habits, but hopes that with the participation and support from all of us, this community grocery store will not only thrive but support our healthy food availability, access, and culture in Magdalena, Alamo, and Socorro county for decades to come.
Laurie is a K-12 teacher in Socorro County and graduated with a Bachelor in Science, MAT in Reading, and an EDL certification from Western New Mexico University. Laurie was also Director of New Mexico Tech Children's Center.
Carol Brackman
Treasurer, 2023 - 2026
Carol moved to Magdalena three years ago and quickly discovered what a wonderful place it is to live. Recognizing the need for a nearby source of fresh, local food, she was excited to meet Laurie and learn about her vision for a food coop in Magdalena. Enthusiastically joining the board, she has been dedicated to learning everything possible about creating a community-owned grocery store.
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In addition to her involvement with the food coop, Carol is a proud veteran, a local businesswoman, and the owner of a hotel. A passionate advocate for plant-based eating and good food, she is committed to fostering community growth and ensuring access to healthy, local food for all residents.
Sheila M. Devitt
Director, 2023 - 2027
Sheila M. Devitt has been involved with natural foods co-op groceries as long as she can remember! She grew up valuing affordable health food that tastes good and is good for the planet. She loves organic, local, sustainable, plastic-free, zero-waste, environmentally responsible food options.
Sheila is a graduate of Santa Fe High School and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of New Mexico. After college, while working in local theatre and film, she began studying herbal medicine as a way to maintain health as a performer. This led to a dual career in the performing arts and the healing arts. She completed a 3-year Professional Herbalist Certificate at the East West School, where she is currently on faculty.
Sheila’s comprehensive work history includes small business ownership, integrative health clinic management, non-profit management, retail management, dietary supplements manufacturing and regulatory compliance, restaurant service, education (kindergarten through college), gardening, xeriscape & permaculture landscape design, as well as an international performance career that includes stage, screen, audio and print work.
She is a lifetime member of La Montanita Co-op, NM, since 1994, and a lifetime member of Ashland Food Co-op, OR since 2014. She wholeheartedly believes in the cooperative principle that we are Stronger Together. She is excited to bring her skills and experience to launching the Magdalena Food Coop.
Osiris Navarro
Secretary 2023 - 2027
Osiris Navarro has been living in Magdalena, New Mexico. She moved to the area in 2020 with her husband Michal where they opened Tumbleweeds Diner. Prior to owning a restaurant Osiris and Michal had an event planning and catering company in Seattle, WA. Osiris has a background in marketing, PR and has worked with several restaurant groups and bars in the Greater Seattle area where she would focus on community events, pop ups, and community engagement. She went to school at The University of Washington with a degree in Political Science and Graphic Design.
Holly Hagy
Director 2023 - 2025
Holly Hagy moved to Magdalena in 2016 from the East Coast to work in a rural community as a nurse. She is the school nurse for Magdalena and teaches Health to the 9th and 6th Grade students as well as a college course to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, for students looking to go into the health field. She also works at the hospital in Socorro. She feels like Magdalena is where she was always meant to live.
After spending nearly 30 years doing marketing and advertising for the art material industry, she decided to go back to school to become a nurse. She graduated with high honors from Drexel University in Philadelphia.
During her off hours she explores the surrounding lands while walking her dog, knits with beautiful wools from around the world, and makes good food for her friends.
"We are proud to be part of a movement that proves respecting people is good for business. Food co-ops are changing the food system, enhancing local economies, building sustainable agriculture networks, offering healthy food choices, and proving that ordinary people can reap the benefits of a communityowned business. By starting a food co-op, you will be joining other people and communities that are using cooperation to create a vibrant hub for local food and neighborhood development."