Work
Coordinator, Data Commons Project, January 2011 to the present
Organizational development, feasibility study, business planning, and incorporation for startup software cooperative.
Organizer, Arizmendi Development and Support Cooperative, December 2006 to January 2011
Organized startup of two worker-owned cooperative bakeries, including site search, financial projections, $900k capitalization, hiring, construction oversight, establishing vendor relationships, and organizational and production training of 12-15 founders each, as part of a four person team. San Francisco Mayor proclaimed an Arizmendi Bakery Day at the opening of the second store. Stores are on track for $600k and $900k sales in first year, respectively. Provided ongoing technical support for network of six member cooperatives though quarterly financial reporting, candidate orientations, and communications. Served as board secretary for 150-worker democratic bakery association. Wrote on the development process for industry journal, and presented it to national cooperative associations.
Worker-Owner, Arizmendi Bakery 9th Avenue, May 2003 to August 2004, September 2005 to May 2010
Baked pastries, sourdough breads, and pizzas for retail cooperative repeatedly named “best bakery” in San Francisco by local press and lauded for labor and environmental standards. Facilitated 20-member democratic meetings. Coordinated hiring and training of new candidates and regular peer evaluations of members. During ownership period store grew from $1.2 to $1.8 million in annual sales.
Office Assistant, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Occupational and Environmental Medicine, October 2004 to July 2005
Supported first year medical students' multi-media educational platform and Superfund community outreach program.
Co-founder, SOL Urban Farm Project, April 2003 to August 2004
Founded urban food education center in low-income urban neighborhood in Oakland, CA. Strategized and helped launched three programs, including children's food education outreach, and plant nursery business.
Environmental Educator, Slide Ranch, March 2002 to October 2002
Taught outdoor ecology and organic agriculture curriculum to over 400 students. Served low-income, multi-cultural, and physically and developmentally disabled populations.
Business Manager, Small Press Distribution, November 1998 to July 2000
Managed nonprofit’s finances for $1 million annual budget. Kept payable accounts for 500 independent publishers and receivable accounts for several thousand national booksellers.
Board and Network Memberships
Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives Board, June 2006 to November 2010
Two years as secretary of 10-member board of directors of 150-worker democratic bakery association. Three years as board treasurer producing quarterly financial reports.
California Center for Cooperative Development Board, March 2009 to December 2010
Network of Bay Area Worker Cooperatives Board, January 2006 to December 2006
Member of first elected board in transition to formal governance.
U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives Peer Technical Assistance Network, June 2009 to the present
Founding member of network which became the Democracy at Work Network.
Grassroots Economic Organizing Collective, November 2010 to the present
Website Development and Management
Drupal-based web design and launch for organizational and personal websites.
- datacommons.find.coop, information and marketing website for the Data Commons Project
- arizmendi.coop, website of the Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives
- american.coop, American Worker Cooperative blog
Presentations and Articles
- "Cooperative Startups: Project Management and Staging," Democracy at Work Network, September 2010.
- “Democratic Leadership,” “Cooperative History,” “Effective Communication,” Democratic Meeting Facilitation," Arizmendi Association 2007-2010
- “The Replication of Arizmendi Bakery: a Model of the Democratic Worker Cooperative Movement,” Grassroots Economic Organizing, June 2009
- "A Brief History of Cooperative Home Care Associates," "The O&O Supermarkets of Philadelphia," "The Cooperative Cooperages of Minneapolis," "The Federation for Economic Democracy," American Worker Cooperative, 2009-2010
- “Effective Communication and Conflict Resolution,” California Cooperative Conference, August 2009
- “Introduction to Worker Cooperatives,” National Worker Cooperative Conference, June 2008
Education
MA, Culture, Ecology, and Sustainable Communities, New College of California. 2006
Studies in environmental justice, urban ecology, sustainable agriculture, and environmental anthropology. Thesis on environmental history and indigenous community organizing in Quebec water conflicts.
BA, Literature and Creative Writing, Binghamton University. 1998
Concentrated in playwriting and performance in public space.
The Art and Science of Cooperative Development, CooperationWorks. October 2008, July 2009
Wetlands and Constructed Wetlands, UC Berkeley Extension Center. July 2003