Board 2024 Election Results
Federica Faggioli – 92 + 117 = 209
Dave Toler – 77 + 81 = 158
Bob Marsalli – 51 + 57 = 108
Riley Moody – 39 + 43 = 82
Bob Marsalli Frederica Faggioli Dave Toler Riley Moody
Why do you want to join the board?
Bob Marsalli
To learn and assist in the success of the Co-op.
Dave Toler
I have been serving on the Board since January, 2024 and have truly enjoyed working with Board members and staff. I joined the Board because I absolutely adore the Co-op for so many reasons. We support local organic farmers, we carry the highest quality produce and groceries in Olympia, and we do it all with a worker’s collective that rejects the top-down hierarchy that leaves so many workers feeling empty and exploited.
I believe that in my brief tenure I have seen a significant improvement in Staff/Board relations. I feel it is important to honor the non hierarchical culture that has made the Co-op such a success over the last 45+ years.
As a Board member, I want to do my part to make the Co-op a stronger, more resilient
organization. Our two storefronts are woefully lacking in energy and resource efficiency. I believe our members and staff would like to see our two storefronts become truly Earth-friendly facilities that represent our care for our environment. I am currently working on a proposal to make our Olympia Food Co-op a Climate Change
Resilience Hub that will better prepare our Co-op and our greater community for climate disasters such as heat storms and severe smoke events. Another critical element of the Resilience Hub is to greatly improve our store’s current climate impact. With your support, I will continue to work toward garnering federal and state funding to make our stores truly Earth friendly facilities.
Federica Faggioli
For 20 years I was a member of a family co-op in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, where I grew up, which is a historic center of worker-owned collaboratives. I joined OFC when I was an Evergreen student in 2011 and believe in its social and ecological mission. Joining the Board would be a bridge between my background and becoming more involved as a working member as I return to Olympia.
Riley Moody
I feel compelled to give back and support the fine Olympia community.
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What skills would you bring?
Dave Toler
Over the last 30 years, I have served on approximately 12 nonprofit and governmental Boards. In addition, I have had leadership positions with several nonprofits. This has provided me with many years of experience in nonprofit governance, nonprofit administration, organizational leadership, coalition building, and fundraising.
Since moving to the Olympia area two years ago, I have been involved in the community in other ways as well. I am Campaign Chair of Olympia for All, a grassroots coalition fighting for housing justice for renters. We have won significant rental reforms with the city of Olympia adopting much of our platform to slow the rise of rent and protect tenants from unfair fees.
Bob Marsalli
Twenty-plus years of executive not for profit leadership.
Frederica Faggioli
I ran an agroecological farm and educational B&B for the last several years in Italy, building on my lifetime of experience in rural hospitality and sustainable agriculture. I studied Social and Ecological justice at Evergreen, hold a Dispute Resolution Center professional mediator and facilitation certificate, and a Permaculture Design Certificate through the Earth Activist Training. While running my business, I particularly focused on local networking among women entrepreneurs, promoting inclusive educational opportunities and experimenting with value added production. I worked for several years in conflict zones on a small organizing team, managing a major project budget for a peacebuilding program in an intercultural setting. While not in the field, I also performed outreach and education events in a variety of settings for grassroots
peacebuilding.
Riley Moody
Understanding of leading and managing a business and budgets. My background as an
engineer then leading airplane programs for Boeing responsible for all aspects of multi-million dollar budgets.
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What vision do you have for the co-op?
Bob Marsalli
A well-run community asset.
Dave Toler
The Olympia Food Co-op is truly an inspiration for me. I would love to see our storefronts transform into true models of environmentally friendly facilities. I believe the Co-op now has the capacity to do more for our community, especially our more economically challenged community members. We now have the capacity to make an impact toward social equality and economic justice in our community and I would very much appreciate your support to enable me to make a contribution toward that goal. Thank you.
Frederica Faggioli
I would like to invite members into a closer relationship with their food, not just understanding the ingredients or producers but the larger food system. For example, organic certification is a starting point but I believe building local capacity and demand for food produced ethically in our area strengthens our community and the co-op even more. I’d like to see the co-op become more deeply valued for its approach to People Care, Earth Care and Fair Share, especially among more marginalized members of the community. I speak with people who consider it too expensive to shop at the co-op. My vision as a board member would be to help educate more people about the value of organic, perhaps even more importantly ethical, food and the hidden expense of apparently cheap, exploitative food.
Riley Moody
Continue superlative community support bolstering the suite of products that lead the industry. The co-op’s community leadership during the pandemic was exemplary. It’s hard to maintain this level of leadership for such a long time yet developing metrics that aid in that leadership. In truth, I know little of the co-op mechanics so I would have so much to learn!
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What else would you like to share?
Bob Marsalli
My spouse and I have lived in Olympia for 8 years and the Co-op is where we shop.
Dave Toler
As a volunteer worker, shopper, and Board member, I am so delighted to be a part of this amazing organization we call the Olympia Food Co-op. Regardless of whether I am re-elected or not, I appreciate that the Co-op is part of my community!
Federica Faggioli
I just moved back to this community. I share common values with the Co-op and as a mom of two kids I’d love to get more involved in serving and supporting local businesses and the food system. I can offer a unique immigrant perspective drawing from my experience as a business owner, a cooperative member, a mediator and an activist for social justice.
Riley Moody
(No answer.)
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CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTES!
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The Board of Directors is elected by the membership to serve a three year term for the Olympia Food Co-op. Elections typically run October 15- November 15 and all members are encouraged to vote. The Board establishes policies, oversees the operating and capital budgets, approves plans and recommendations, and sets general guidelines for staff and working members. They hold ultimate legal responsibility for the operations and actions of the Co-op.
Board members also serve on various committees, such as finance, member relations, and expansion. Other responsibilities are listed in the bylaws, which the Board is responsible to uphold.
Board members receive working member credit for their time spent in Board and committee meetings. The monthly commitment ranges between 10 to 20 hours.