Your 2025 Board Candidates
Owners can vote four ways:
- In store: look for the vote kiosk in each store, or ask at Customer Service. The kiosks will have blank ballots, or you can use the one in the printed newsletter.
- Online: we emailed a unique link to each Owner email address; click on the link to get to your ballot.
- Mail: use one of the blank ballots from an in-store vote kiosk or from the printed newsletter and mail it to the address listed on the ballot.
- By phone: you will receive instructions about how to vote by phone on a postcard we mail to you and in an email.
Anthony Hernandez
Summary Statement
I am running for reelection to the Willy Street Co-op Board to continue advancing inclusivity, food accessibility, and community engagement. With years of service on multiple committees, leadership in local initiatives, and dedication to cooperative values, I aim to strengthen our mission and deepen relationships with owners and communities.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any
potential conflicts of interest.)
As a current Board Member, I have a proven record of doing the work. Inspired by activist Jesse Williams’ reminder that commitment is shown through action, I’ve served on several committees—including Diversity, Development, Policy, and the Community Reinvestment Fund—always focused on making healthy, affordable food more accessible to minority and low-income communities.
I’ve authored newsletter pieces on strategic planning and inclusivity, represented Willy Street at the national co-op convening in Duluth, and helped develop the Community Ambassadors Program at our north store to strengthen local relationships. My experience tackling hunger and housing insecurity, combined with my teaching background and community work, informs my thoughtful approach to policy and advocacy.
I have no conflicts of interest and remain committed to representing owners’ values while upholding the Co-op’s mission.
Help the co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local Community?
Beyond the Co-op, I’ve been deeply involved in initiatives focused on equity, education, and civic engagement. I’ve worked with Dreamers of Wisconsin to help undocumented students navigate college and career pathways and co-organized the Latino Youth Summit and Latino Education Summit to prepare middle and high school students for higher education opportunities.
I’ve partnered with Latino and African American youth activists in Wisconsin to build leadership, organizing, and civic skills, and participated in Discussion Project and Deliberation Dinners to foster meaningful community dialogue. My work through the Scholar Strategy Network further connects research with actionable local solutions.
These experiences strengthen my ability to represent diverse voices and advance inclusive policies within the Co-op.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
I will continue leveraging my experience to expand access to healthy, affordable food and build a stronger sense of community among owners, employees, and vendors. Through my work on inclusivity initiatives, the Community Reinvestment Fund, and the emerging Ambassadors Program, I’ve developed strategies to deepen relationships and amplify underrepresented voices.
I also bring strong communication skills—writing op-eds, engaging owners at events, and representing the Co-op locally and nationally. My focus is on strengthening Willy Street’s leadership in employee relations, accessibility, and cooperative innovation while ensuring we remain a democratic institution grounded in our shared values.
Opinion: “There’s Power in the Aisles: Grocery co-ops matter more than ever,” Anthony Hernandez, Duluth News Tribune, (June 9, 2025). https://tinyurl.com/yaz9by49
Aristide Tessitore
Summary Statement
Food is my life – growing, cooking, and sharing it. Wisconsin’s my home, and as a chef and farmer here I know just how much there is to offer. I hope to bring my experience in our local food system to help the Co-Op continue to serve our community.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest.)
As a farmer I know what goes into growing veggies, field crop, grazing livestock, restoring forest / prairie, hunting / foraging my own food, and just how difficult and wonderful it can all be. I believe it is important for growers to be represented here on the Co-Op board as it’s the local farms that make Willy St’s offerings so unique to me as a customer and owner.
I am a fine dining chef who has always valued sourcing from local farms, cooking seasonally and connecting Wisconsin products to my community. Being a farmer in the kitchen I have also created packaged products in order to reduce waste on the farm and give our customers a gourmet product ready to use in their pantry or fridge.
Even with my experience in our local food community – I still think the most important quality I have is that I care. I care so deeply about food and our community, and will do anything to see the two connected and succeed. This is truly why I believe I deserve to represent my fellow owners on the board.
Help the Co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local community.
Four years ago, I started a 430 acre organic farm here in Paoli, WI, that was implementing many regenerative practices. It was here that I finally started putting down roots here in our Wisconsin food community. Whether it was restoring the land or connecting our nutritious veggies and pasture grazed meat to the community – I just want to feed and share what I love with my people.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
As a farmer I understand the difficulties faced by growers, from growing crop or raising animals to making sure products get into the hands of our community. I hope to help educate our Co-Op community, help manage our business so we can continue to support growers, and offer more healthy, organic products to those who deserve it most.
My experience sourcing from local farms has allowed me to build a strong community of farmers and diverse range of products that I would love to share. This knowledge also helps me understand a crucial part of the Co-ops operations. My time creating packaged food products also helped me understand some of the problems farmers face getting their seconds or surplus crop to customers, and also what customers want in ready to use products.
As a board member I will not be managing operations but my experience will allow me to understand the intricacies of these operations. This will help me make decisions that are best for our community – the customers who shop there, the Co-op staff, those who work hardest for all of us everyday, and our local producers.
Christina Hansen
Summary Statement
Few things shape our well-being as much as food. The Co-op makes nourishing choices more accessible while supporting local farmers and producers. I want to contribute my skills and time to energize owner engagement, strengthen community connections, and support the Co-op’s sustainable growth into the future.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest.)
I live just a few blocks from Willy Street East, and the Co-op has become an important part of my life. I want to help ensure its long-term stability while keeping it welcoming and responsive to community needs. People should feel like they have power over what food is available to them, and serving the Co-op is a uniquely valuable way to support that autonomy.
Professionally, I hold a PhD in Genetics with a doctoral minor in Life Sciences Communication from UW-Madison and currently work as a Content Strategy Manager at a digital marketing agency for biotech and pharma companies. I am very comfortable analyzing data, communicating complex information, collaborating with large groups, and helping organizations make informed decisions.
I hope Owners choose me because I bring both practical skills and a strong commitment to the Co-op’s mission. I want to contribute my time and experience to keep it sustainable, value-driven, and energized for the years ahead
Help the Co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local community.
When my husband and I moved here ten years ago, Madison quickly became home. I’ve supported a local farm through a CSA program for several years and volunteered at scientific outreach events through programs like UW-Madison’s Wednesday Nite @ the Lab. I also love participating in neighborhood traditions, especially the Fool’s Flotilla during the Marquette Waterfront Festival.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
In my professional life, I manage large communication projects, organize teams, and help people make sense of complex information. In leadership roles as a student representative and coach, I learned how to bring people together, encourage participation, and create forward momentum.
On the Board, I would focus on energizing Owners, strengthening partnerships with local farmers and producers, and ensuring financial sustainability. My goal is to help the Co-op grow in a way that is vibrant, inclusive, and deeply connected to its Owners and community.
Gigi Godwin
Summary Statement
As a Willy Street Co-op Board member, I want to participate in the daily work that is needed to strengthen our local food system, to make sure that the cooperative model is supported, and to ensure that the Co-op serves the needs of its Owners.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest.)
Hello Willy Street Co-op Owners! After almost six years (two three-year terms) as a Co-op Board of Director, I have decided to run again for a seat. For the past two years, I have been the Board’s Treasurer and have been responsible for drafting Policy Monitoring Report C9: “Board Compensation.” And also for the past two years, I have taken a “deep dive” into the Board’s Policy Governance as Chair of the Policy Committee. Our committee has reviewed almost all of our Board policies through a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Lens. I am proud to say that we have rewritten sections of several policies to incorporate DEI language and these changes have all been approved by the Board of Directors. But I feel that there is more work to be done for the Board to maintain its accountability, to fulfill its fiduciary duties, and to be involved in Owner and community engagement. It would be a privilege to continue to be a part of those efforts.
Help the Co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local community.
My activities and volunteer work in our local community align with key social issues that the Co-op’s Owners deem as important priorities. These issues include “supporting local and sustainable agriculture; supporting efforts to protect the environment; and promoting sustainable food and product packaging and recycling.” In March, I became a part of Olbrich Community Gardens’ Phenology Team. Our team records observations of various plants’ phenology (stages of growth and how they are affected by climate and seasonal changes) using the Nature’s Notebook app which then shares the data with the National Phenology Network. Also at Olbrich Gardens, I have attended Green Team meetings, which is their newest volunteer group that is focused on making Olbrich After Hours events more sustainable through recycling and composting food containers and food scraps. Finally, I recently was elected to serve on FairShare CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Coalition’s Board of Directors.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
Now more than ever, I think that it is crucial for Willy Street Co-op to continue to follow its Global Ends of “being at the forefront of a cooperative and just society,” and to also follow its Mission of being “a local partner that nourishes a sustainable, accessible, and equitable food system.” Through my continued service on the Co-op’s Board of Directors, combined with my outreach and connections within our community, I can help maintain the Co-op’s “culture of respect, generosity, and authenticity.”
James Black
Summary Statement
My interest in being on the board stems from my involvement with Co-ops for many years; working with credit unions in the 80s through employment at CUNA and CUNA Mutual. I did public relations, advertising, promotion, and helped to develop educational materials tied to credit unions and their principles. I have a strong and enduring commitment to the Co-op ideal.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest.)
We live in perilous times politically; a world in which we have a large number of people in power who are uninformed, but opinionated. That is not healthy nor progressive. I would hope we can use the general ideals of a Co-op to help change how we seek ways to solve problems together.
Help the Co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local community.
I have been a psychologist for more than 25 years; working in community-based programs through Dane County Mental Health, The Psychology Clinic, Veteran’s Administration and UW-Madison. I have contributed time and money for political campaigns and causes; on the local level and nationally.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
My work as a psychologist is about helping people grow and find healthy ways to live. My work in public relations and advertising with credit unions helped me to understand how to promote ideas. My work in community-based programs helps me to understand the importance of working together. I also am personally involved in healthy lifestyle efforts; I’m not a vegetarian, but I eat animals who are.
Lucas Bleyle
Summary Statement
As a co-op employee, I believe that workers should have a voice in the strategic direction of Willy Street. My academic background in sustainability equips me with the skills and vision to help Willy Street achieve economic, environmental and social sustainability.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest.)
I work for the co-op, which means I spend over 2000 hours a year in the store—stocking shelves, ringing up customers, and receiving deliveries. This direct experience should be an essential part of any process shaping the co-op’s future. My academic background is in sustainable agriculture, English literature, and creative writing, with a particular focus on community-based solutions to climate change. As a board member, I would help Willy Street advance the economic, environmental, and social pillars of sustainability. I disclose my direct employment by Willy Street East and will recuse myself of board decisions that represent a conflict of interest.
Help the Co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local community.
My wife and I moved to Madison while she pursues her PhD in Mathematics, and over the past two years we’ve seen how the Williamson Street community prioritizes a thriving local economy and a vibrant, connected community. It is a place we feel inspired to contribute to. While still new to Madison, I have served in various nonprofit roles in my hometown of Ames, Iowa, including nearly a decade on nonprofit boards related to environmental education and climate change. Augmenting my degrees is direct operational expertise from my decade of working on small farms across the midwest. As an employee, I help provide the labor that forms the backbone of the local economy. Without the work of co-op employees, Madison would lose a key player in the local supply chain.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
Financial sustainability: Willy Street’s financial resources are produced by the labor of its workers and must be stewarded. No decision involving the use of funds should be made lightly, because any business inefficiency directly affects the financial security of hundreds of families who depend on the co-op for their income. Within the framework of conflict-of-interest guidelines, I would dedicate myself to safeguarding the co-op’s financial resources on behalf of its workers and members.
Environmental sustainability: My sustainability background positions me to be an advocate for environmental justice. I support a clear, benchmark-driven approach to sustainability that aligns the co-op’s values with its operational impact. In particular, I support measuring our climate impact and developing a strategic plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.
Social sustainability: My position at the co-op brings me into direct contact with the wealth inequality in our community. Systemic solutions are needed—including those that originate from our cooperative. As a board member, I would help develop strategies that empower both customers and staff to meet the needs of all community members.
Rebecca Snowhite
Summary Statement
One of my first trips to Madison included a visit to Willy Street Co-op on Willy Street. When I walked in, I felt welcomed, and as I strolled through the aisles, I knew I had found my grocery home.
Since childhood, my meals have been farm-to-table. Growing up on a farm, I enjoyed fresh vegetables, chickens, dairy, and fields of herbs and flowers. I am a strong advocate for affordable food for everyone and education on using local ingredients to prepare meals.
Why do you believe Owners should choose you to represent them? (Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest.)
My formative years were spent on my grandparents’ farm. I learned about the soil, the impact it has on vegetables & the nutritional benefits of eating healthy foods daily – long before the farm-to-table trend. For over ten years I belonged to a great community co-op in Bloomington, Indiana where we had access to fresh vegetables, herbs and seeds, etc. for the healthy meals I prepared for my family. Raising five children (two boys, three girls), I prioritized the nutrition of our meals and local food sources were top of mind. I am passionate about ensuring affordable local organic food is available for everyone, and I believe having a trusted local source is crucial for the community.
My career started as a CPA, working with executives of companies & getting a close look at the trials and rewards of growing companies. I served on various boards where I learned to serve from the planning & governing side of the business. I am grateful for these experiences & the knowledge I gained.
Help the Co-op’s Owners get to know you by describing how you have been active in our local community.
I support Tandem Press and local artists’ gallery exhibitions. I attend the MMoCA Gallery Nights, and you’ll find me at Saturday Farmers Market on the Square, and the various local summer festivals.
How will you use your skills and experience to further the mission and vision of the Co-op?
From 2009 to 2024, I immersed myself into grocery retail industry while working for two companies that collect grocery retail transactional data. I learned how the analysis of the data is crucial to understanding shopper habits, prioritizing product mix, and how the ‘share of wallet’ of the shopper pushes the growth of the retailer. A key to retaining a shopper is to listen to their basket.
I understand the vital role Willy Street Co-op has in our local community bringing local vendors to the grocery shelves, cooking lessons & workshops to the community, and being active in many community events/festivals etc. I believe working with a team of like-minded members is key to keeping Willy Street Co-op on the growth path for our local community.
Examples of how I would use my skills & experience as a Board member on the Willy Street Co-op BOD:
A strong BODs is crucial to ensure the Co-op’s policies are up-to-date for stability and growth – my prior board experience is strong
I’m excited about using my prior industry experience to support Willy Street Co-op’s growth in providing quality food sources to the community and ensuring the health of the Co-op now and into the future
I champion the mission of being a cornerstone to our vibrant community providing fairly-priced goods and services while supporting local and organic suppliers
I’m eager to assist Willy Street Co-op in continuing its vision to be a local community partner that nourishes a sustainable, accessible, and equitable food system where everyone can participate
