5/1-5/7, Basics Board Election
Your co-op is governed by an elected volunteer board made up of 5 Basics Co-op Owners. Learn about this year’s annual election below.
The Election
The 5-member Basics Board formulates policies that further the mission and objectives of the co-op, encompassing tasks such as long-term financial planning, approval of any significant plans or commitments, and providing vision and direction for the General Manager and staff. Discover more about the board and its roles here.
All active Basics Co-op Owners are encouraged to vote for the board.* This year, 3 seats are up for election, and 6 candidates have applied. Get to know the candidates below.
Owners, come back to vote from May 1 through May 7! Submit an electronic ballot below or fill out a paper copy in-store. Thank you for your participation!
*Active in this case means fully invested or up-to-date on installments.
The Candidates
Candidates answered the following questions in their applications:
1. Why do you shop at Basics? 2. Describe what skills and experience you have that will help you be an effective board member. For example, any skills obtained from working with cooperatives, a non-profit or for-profit business, management experience, positions of leadership in finance, community involvement, other boards, etc. 3. Why would you like to serve on the co-op board?
Click the down arrows in the menu below to read their responses.
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1. Why do you shop at Basics?
I would like to be re-elected to the Basics Cooperative Board because I feel that Basics, as I know it, parallels many of my beliefs and values. I am a lifetime organic gardener and have a “heal thyself” approach to health care. I see my diet, exercise and relationships as playing an extremely important part of very good health throughout my life. I see Basics as supporting these ideals. As a continuing Board member I would be working to further these ideals within our community. Our work on the Board, over the past several years, has focused on establishing a firm financial Basics. After operating on a month-to-month basis for many years, we now have a $70,000 emergency fund. Four years into our 5 Year Vision, we are in the process of looking out another five years. I would like to be a part of our continued growth and development.
Intricately tied to eating and health is the community in which one lives. A Community can feed and nurture the emotional environment in which we live. Basics has been an incredibly important part of my community, since it opened on West Court Street. I have always felt cared about and for at Basics. The people at Basics actually care about how I am and go out of their way to help when I need it. I think the caring and alternative to a “sugar and medicine” approach to living is one of the most valuable contributions to our community. Basics has been a leader in this respect, in a holistic way.
In addition, as our government and its agencies, such as the FDA and the CDC, continue to fail to protect us and offer us informed choices about our food and medicines, the role that Basics plays in providing clean, healthy, unadulterated food and alternatives to drugs and surgery becomes critically important. As a Board member I will continue to help keep Basics a vibrant nourishing organization for the body and soul.
2. Describe what skills and experience you have that will help you be an effective board member.
I have forty-nine years of experience working for and on Boards of nonprofit organizations, in just about every capacity, including Director, Board member, Board Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and communications coordinator. Our current business provides accounting, management and administrative services for nonprofits. I believe my work representing the cooperative members in the purchase of Basics provided a valuable service.
3. Why would you like to serve on the co-op board?
We have created a five-year vision for Basics and I would like to continue to serve on the Board to help fulfill this vision. Most importantly, we need to assure that Basics is profitable to continue its role in our community. I am an independent thinker and am creative in terms of vision and issue resolution. I like working with people to reach the solution that meets the needs of as many people as possible.
We have an incredibly talented and dedicated Board and I would consider it a continued honor to serve on the Basics Board of Directors.
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1. Why do you shop at Basics?
I shop at Basics because of the food quality and the small size of the store! I love the options and the relaxed quiet vibe.
2. Describe what skills and experience you have that will help you be an effective board member.
I’ve owned and operated my own business - Catalyst Wellness - for many years in the world of health and nutrition, and I speak every other month as a service to the public at Basics. Prior to this I was the executive for a nonprofit managing 15 million of business, providing financial analysis and oversight, Human Resources, systems and program development as well as strategic planning. I’m well rooted in the Janesville community and have been here nearly 25 years.
3. Why would you like to serve on the co-op board?
I love making a difference in the community and I’m happy to provide a voice for others in the way of great food and supplement options and community growth.
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1. Why do you shop at Basics?
Having been on the board here at Basics for the past two years I have learned so much and am now even more proud to be a member of this cooperative. By shopping at Basics and serving on the board I am able to provide my family with high quality, nutritious food, support local, sustainable and regenerative practices and serve my community and the wonderful people in it.
2. Describe what skills and experience you have that will help you be an effective board member.
As a Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Yoga Instructor, health is of the upmost importance to me and my family. My now three-year-old daughter is learning the value of nutrition and caring for people and nature in the way that her parents do and Basics has been a huge part of that. Aside from serving on the Basics Cooperative board, I am also the treasurer for Unity Onstage Theatre Company.
3. Why would you like to serve on the co-op board?
I would be honored to serve another term on the board here at Basics so that I may continue to learn and contribute to this community in a positive way that will inspire my daughter to pursue and uphold her own values as she grows up.
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1. Why do you shop at Basics?
I’ve shopped at Basics for over four years because I care deeply about what I put in my body. As someone focused on health, strength training, and whole-food nutrition, Basics offers products that align with how I actually want to eat and live. As a Janesville resident who works in social services, I also value supporting businesses that reflect community-centered values, and Basics does that every day.
2. Describe what skills and experience you have that will help you be an effective board member.
I’ve worked in child protective services in Wisconsin for nearly four years. That role has strengthened skills that translate directly to board service, including drafting and applying policy, navigating complex ethical decisions with accountability to the community, and collaborating across agencies to achieve long-term outcomes with limited resources. I’m also comfortable analyzing data, reading reports, and contributing to structured decision-making. My goal would be to help the co-op remain financially sustainable while staying true to its mission. As a longtime shopper, I also bring a strong personal interest in ingredient quality, food sourcing, and continued learning about nutrition and wellness.
3. Why would you like to serve on the co-op board?
I became a co-op Owner because I believe in investing in health and in the community. I want to contribute to the co-op by bringing a grounded, values-driven perspective to the board. It’s meaningful to me to see people take an informed approach to what they put in their bodies, regardless of what that looks like for each person, and I hope to help ensure Basics remains a thriving resource for Janesville for years to come.
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1. Why do you shop at Basics?
I shop at Basics because the atmosphere is unmatched when compared to any other store in the area. The staff is some of the most helpful staff you will find anywhere, and will go entirely out of their way to do everything they can to make sure you leave happy, and that you receive exactly what you were looking for to the best of their ability.
2. Describe what skills and experience you have that will help you be an effective board member.
I was a Basics employee for 6 years. I started as a Cafe employee, and worked my way up to become a Customer Service Manager. I have worked almost every position there is to work, and have a very good understanding of the inner workings of a Cooperative based on that experience. I also have roughly 10 years of management experience elsewhere, so I understand what it takes to operate a business functionally on a deep level.
3. Why would you like to serve on the co-op board?
I would like to serve on the Basics Co-op Board of Directors because I feel like my experience working for the company for many years gives me a deeper understanding of what the Co-op needs than the average person. I think that going forward, I am an ideal candidate for the role and would love to give back to the Co-op in this capacity.
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1. Why do you shop at Basics?
I shop at Basics because I’m passionate about putting things in my body that are clean. I love that I can come to one store and shop for food, oral hygiene products, skin care and even get a nice set of mixing bowls- not to mention a hot latte while shopping.
2. Describe what skills and experience you have that will help you be an effective board member.
I am a very detail-oriented person and bring a wide range of clerical, administrative, problem-solving, organizational, customer service, and data analyzing skills from previous positions that I have held. I am currently the Facilities Data Coordinator across five locations/warehouses where I utilize software to streamline new processes for better record keeping of parts, PO’s and work orders.
3. Why would you like to serve on the co-op board?
I would like to serve on the Basics board because I have many ideas that could improve the “Basics experience” along with wanting to put my skills to good use by improving the quality of the co-op and ensuring its longevity.