Here are the candidates for our 2025 Board of Directors election! Every Member-Owner household gets one vote to elect the candidate they believe will serve the Co-Op & community best! Voting begins May 7th and concludes May 21st with our General Membership Meeting.

The election of the Board of Directors will take place virtually this year via Helios, a secure online voting tool. Voting will be open leading up to and during our Spring General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, May 21nd from 6:30-8:30 pm.

In our 2025 Board election, we must elect between four (4) and six (6) Directors to remain in compliance with our bylaws. Below, you may read about our six (6) declared candidates.

If you are unable to vote using our electronic voting tool, please email the Governance Committee at [email protected]. We will send you a ballot which you can print and drop off at the store. You may also choose to mail in your ballot to the Governance Committee at 2031 S Juniper St, Philadelphia, PA 19148. In order to be counted, all paper ballots need to be received by 8 pm on Wednesday, May 21st, 2025. Drop off or mail in ballots received after this deadline will not be counted in the election.

FAQs

Who is eligible to vote for the Board of Directors?

According to Articles 1 and 4 in Section 2 of the bylaws, each member-owner household in good standing shall have only one vote on any single matter.

What does "good standing" mean?

Good standing means you've either invested your entire $300 member-owner equity already, or you're reliably making scheduled investments on a payment plan.

How do I know if I’m a member-owner in good standing?

You can check your member-owner equity on our website at www.southphillyfood.coop/current-member-owners. You may also choose to email [email protected] to ask about your eligibility to vote.

How does the online voting process work?

Online voting will take place from Wednesday, May 7, 2025 to Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 8 pm. An email containing online voting instructions, as well as the User ID and Password needed to access the online ballot, will be sent to the primary contact of each member-owner household in good standing. If the primary contact of your household does not receive this email or you are unsure who is listed as your household's primary contact, you may contact us for assistance at [email protected]. Learn more about Helios, our online voting platform, and how it is designed to secure the privacy of your vote.

If there are multiple people in my member-owner household, do we each get a vote?

Nope. Only one vote per member-owner household. You can talk it over as a household and make selections that everyone agrees to, or just designate the primary member-owner to make the decision on everyone's behalf. Whatever works for you!

If you receive multiple votes from the same member-owner household, what will happen?

The only way the Co-op would receive multiple votes from one household is if a given household votes via Helios *and* mails in a ballot. Should this happen, the Governance Committee will only count the vote submitted via Helios, as there is no way for a Helios election administrator to know who voted for whom.

Sharon Ulak

I have been lucky enough to serve on the board for the past four years, and I'd love the opportunity to continue serving. SPFC is more than a store--it's a community. The store provides connections between neighbors and numerous local businesses. At a time when small businesses are struggling and there is economic uncertainty, the co-op continues to be a place where we can support each other in South Philly. The co-op is a store that reflects my values, and I remain fully committed to its mission.

Since joining the Board I have watched the store flourish and grow. I am hoping to be part of the store's next steps as it continues to be a focal point in South Philly. Serving on the Board gives me the opportunity to serve my community. As always, I appreciate the opportunity to serve on this Board.

Ryan Moran

A year and a half ago I was searching for a home in a few Philly neighborhoods. Checking out a place on Snyder Ave, I was pleasantly surprised to find this co-op three blocks away. Walking around the side streets, I was already falling in love with the neighborhood and finding the co-op solidified my decision. Since then my girlfriend and I have discovered our favorite store-bought ice cream at the co-op (Tillamook), grabbed buttermilk to try a homemade biscuits recipe, and purchased local art and candles. This shop is a fresh contradiction to the large corporatized grocery stores with endless aisles, over-processed products, and computerized customer interactions. I find it so valuable for people to be able to shop at the co-op and know that all the products are quality, local whenever possible, and from sources that value sustainability.

This shop has provided me with quality food, community, and joy, and I want to be a part of the team that continues to provide these same experiences to others in South Philly. I am currently a Director of Finance with 10+ years experience and 3 of those years at a national sushi provider. I feel that my combination of business experience, along with a desire to ensure access to high quality food and contribute to community improvement, will make me a valuable member of the co-op team. Thank you for your consideration and I will see you in the cheese section!

Colin Mendoza

My partner and I recently moved to the neighborhood, and one of the first places that made us feel at home was the co-op. We’ve both been struck by the care that goes into offering food that’s affordable, ethically sourced, and rooted in community values. It’s the kind of place we’re proud to support, and I’d love to contribute more directly by serving on the board.

I bring experience in media, business operations, and community-focused projects—working with both startups and more established organizations. I’ve helped build programs, manage teams, run events, and solve unexpected challenges along the way. I pay close attention to detail, think strategically, and genuinely enjoy working with people from all walks of life. I’m especially interested in supporting the board’s work around volunteer management, community outreach, and events. I’ve also been involved in professional development and training, and I’m always happy to share what I know while continuing to learn from others.

Joining the board would be a way for me to give back to a place that already feels like an important part of our daily lives. I believe in the co-op’s mission and would welcome the opportunity to help it thrive and grow.

Wedge Wegman

I was a founding member of the Co-op, waiting for years for the storefront to open…then I moved out of South Philly! I’m back in Pennsport and I really want to be more involved in the immediate community.

I want to be a more active member of the community where I live, especially now when it feels like I’m helpless while watching this administration demolish federal programs. If I can help this co-op at all, I’d love to give it a shot.

Nora Bryne

Once upon a time, I worked at Willy Street Food Co-op in college. Since then I have been an owner in Minneapolis and Chicago. I served for a year on the Dill Pickle Food Co-op board in Chicago before moving back to Philly last year. I believe food cooperatives are vital business structures and networks within the larger food justice movement. South Philly Food Co-op not only generates monetary and social capital for the surrounding neighborhoods, but also the local businesses and farms it partners with.

I look forward to developing relationships with new and fellow owners. As a Board member, I want to deepen my impact in South Philly and continue to build community-driven power in the local food justice movement. I hope to practice cooperative values and structures alongside Board members, staff, partners, and consumers with care, intentionality, and laughter.