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Board of Directors

Election Results:

Our new Board of Directors

Pamela Browne

Catherine Burton

Gloria 'Jayne' Cook

Sheila Devitt

Neil Gray 

Judyth Shamosh

Julian Swain

Thank you to all the members who voted online and in person. 

Neil Gray

With nearly 50 years of experience in holistic living and food cooperatives, Neil brings valuable insight from his involvement with multiple co-ops, including La Montañita, Silver City, and others in California. He has hands-on experience both as a co-op employee and board member at Milpais Street Co-op in Santa Barbara. As a Life Member of the Magdalena Food Co-op, Neil sees significant potential in the store's location and is particularly focused on making the co-op accessible to underserved community members.

Judyth Shamosh

A 25-year resident of Magdalena, Judyth holds a doctorate in Natural Health and brings 30 years of experience as a clinical practitioner of herbal medicine, along with 40 years as a yoga instructor. Her background includes urban farming, with her gardens having been featured in magazines. With 50 years of healthcare experience, Judyth understands the vital connection between quality food and health, and she sees the co-op as an opportunity to enhance the community's quality of life through access to fresh, healthy food.

Julian Swain

A recent transplant from Los Angeles, Julian brings extensive management experience from the advertising and entertainment industry, including roles as VP and SVP. His background includes significant experience in price negotiation, buying, and sales. As a former member of food co-ops in San Francisco, Julian understands cooperative principles and is passionate about bringing healthy food options to the Magdalena community. He sees particular opportunity in the upcoming VLA upgrade and the potential influx of new community members.

Sheila Devitt

A long-time co-op advocate, Sheila has been actively involved with the Magdalena Food Cooperative since April 2023, participating in the Food Coop Initiative's Start-up Support program and contributing to the co-op's bylaws and communication efforts. Her experience includes extensive work in public relations, marketing, and social media management. She brings practical retail experience from La Montanita Co-op and Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, where she contributed to opening eight new store locations. Sheila's background in non-profit arts organizations adds valuable expertise in grant writing and fundraising.

Catherine Burton

An Occupational Therapy Practitioner based in Datil, Catherine brings 25 years of food and beverage industry experience, including 11 years with an international corporation. Her background includes running her own accounting business and serving on two boards. Having moved to the area in 2021, she recognized the challenges of living in a food desert and is passionate about improving access to fresh food. Catherine believes in the co-op's potential to strengthen the local economy and build community trust through education about cooperative business models.

Geneva Saint-Amour

A Pie Town property owner, Geneva brings extensive experience in education and organizational development, including creating and operating a charter high school in Arizona. She currently serves on a 501c3 corporate board and has significant experience in policy writing, budget planning, and program development. Though she travels frequently, Geneva maintains strong connections to the community and envisions the co-op as a hub for community partnerships, education, and sustainable food access. Her experience includes working with state-level committees and managing complex organizational projects.

Gloria "Jayne" Cook

A retired Department of the Army civilian, Jayne brings extensive experience in recreation, logistics, and events management. Her background includes budget management, strategic planning, and grant writing. She holds a certificate from the Army Management Staff College and has managed large-scale community events and logistics operations. Living in Pie Town, Jayne sees the Magdalena Food Co-op as a vital pathway for sustainable economic development in an underserved area and hopes to help create a benchmark for other rural communities.

Rick Lynn

A former university professor and department head, Rick brings valuable administrative and bureaucratic expertise to the co-op board. As a local resident, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service and believes in making quality food readily available to town residents. His academic background and leadership experience position him well to help guide the co-op's continued service to the community.

Basil Leaves

Pamala Browne

A newcomer to Magdalena, Pamala brings extensive experience in grocery retail, including managing a health food store and operating a gallery/gift shop. She believes in making fresh, wholesome food accessible to the entire community and has a talent for big-picture thinking and fostering balanced solutions. Pamala envisions the co-op as a community hub that can bring local producers together while creating awareness about good food. She is committed to ensuring the co-op's success through community outreach and creating a profitable, sustainable business model.

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