2026 Board Elections: Candidate Statements
There are two positions open on the Board of Trustees. One incumbent Board member and three member-owners are running for the two open board seats. Candidates were asked to explain why they'd like to serve on our Co-op's Board of Trustees and the skills and experience they'd bring to the position, should they be elected.
You may vote using a paper ballot (available near the ballot box at the front of the store) or online at skagitfoodcoop.com/vote.
Nikki Boyce
Nikki Boyce
Incumbent Candidate
Board Experience
I am a current Skagit Valley Food Co-op Board member—having been appointed to fill a recent vacancy—an opportunity I have found both energizing and meaningful. In this role, I have begun contributing to strategic planning while supporting the leadership transition underway at the Co-op. I previously served on the Washoe County Food Policy Council Board (Nevada), where I worked to network, collaborate, and support a healthy and equitable local food system. These experiences have given me a solid foundation in cooperative governance that I am eager to build on.
Skills/Knowledge
Financial
Facilitation
Farming & food distribution
General management
Existing Community Relationships
I feel very fortunate to be part of a network of people deeply involved in our foodshed and community. In addition to working on a flower farm in West Mount Vernon, I have deep connections with farmers involved with the Puget Sound Food Hub, Viva Farms, and the Organic Seed Alliance, as well as with networks dedicated to supporting other facets of the food system, like Washington State University Skagit County Extension. I’ve also appreciated the opportunity to provide administrative support to the Foothills Food Bank and Co-op facilitation efforts.
Candidate Statement
The Skagit Valley Food Co-op is an inspiring cornerstone of Mount Vernon. Recently, while browsing the pastry case, a fellow member remarked that he had recently moved here and had never felt more welcomed by a community. He visits the Co-op three times a week and wishes he had found it sooner.
That sense of connection between farmers, producers, makers, and community members, all grounded in shared values, is what makes this place so special. It is what I want to help protect and grow, and is proof that there is a cooperative way to run a successful, community-forward business. It is a place I want my kids and future generations to inherit. Our Co-op’s commitment to quality food, emphasizing local and organic, and building healthy communities via a financially stable business model inspire my enthusiasm to contribute even more. As a current Board member, appointed to fill a recent vacancy, I have appreciated the chance to participate in the Board's planning efforts and am invested in supporting the Co-op through its current leadership transition. I look forward to continuing this work. My professional background is rooted in local food systems. I have managed farms, supervised over 100 employees throughout my management tenure, built and led teams for an expanding company focused on local sourcing, and served as a policy developer and environmental educator. As Director of a flower farm and team here in Mount Vernon, I bring experience in strategic planning, financial management, leadership development, and project management to my Board position.
Many hands make our Co-op world go round, and I would be honored for your vote and the opportunity to give back to our community!
Linda Fenstermaker
Linda Fenstermaker
Board Member Candidate
Board Experience
Over the past 10 years, I have worked closely with boards of various non-profits in the arts, education, and farm sectors. In my roles, I consistently collaborated with executive directors to ensure effective communication and strategic alignment between staff and the board. These experiences taught me the important governance role the board plays in guiding and shaping the direction of member-owned businesses like the Skagit Valley Co-op.
Skills/Knowledge
Co-op
Farming & food distribution
Grocery
Existing Community Relationships
My connection to the Co-op community is multifaceted and deeply rooted in the Skagit Valley. I have been a farmer for over a decade. I own and operate First Cut Farm with my husband, Sam, and we sell organic vegetables to the Co-op and other wholesale accounts. I also farmed at Ralph’s Greenhouse for three seasons, where I learned the ins and outs of farming at a larger scale. From 2018-2022, I developed my network within the region’s agricultural community, farm non-profits, and research groups while working at Osborne Quality Seeds. I also worked in the Co-op’s produce department in 2018 when I first moved to the Skagit Valley.
Candidate Statement
The Co-op is a central component of our community in the Skagit Valley, especially within the farming community. My decade-long experience as an organic farmer, coupled with my time working in the produce department, offers a unique, on-the-ground perspective vital for the Board. As the food industry landscape continues to evolve, I am prepared to help the Co-op adapt to these shifts and ensure its continued success, especially alongside our new General Manager. I am deeply committed to stewarding the Co-op's unique qualities and its focus on local produce. Serving on the Board would be an honor, and I look forward to contributing a dedicated farmer's voice and leadership to the Co-op's future direction.
Amber Robinson
Amber Robinson
Board Member Candidate
Board Experience
I have served on two boards – the Edison Farmer’s Market and Burlington Little School, each for over a year, but at separate intervals. I participated on both boards as an at-large member and temporarily filled in the BLS president position for a brief period. The Edison Farmer’s Market was a non-profit organization working to launch a Sunday market in downtown Edison. Burlington Little School is an early childhood education center and a registered non-profit, with a board made up of parents and community members.
Skills/Knowledge
Facilitation
Farming & food distribution
Grocery
Administrative
Existing Community Relationships
My participation in courses such as Cultivating Success for beginning farmers through WSU-Extension, completion of the Leadership Skagit program in 2017, and work experience as an Administrative Specialist at the City of Burlington have equipped me with a variety of knowledge and skills specific to our region. I’ve also had the opportunity to develop connections to the Skagit Valley community food systems through my previous roles as an intern at the Northwest Agricultural Business Center and as a part-time Farm-to-School Coordinator at Viva Farms. Lastly, my family has a very humble “farmette”, Plein Air Acres, that explores growing specialty flowers for direct market sales.
Candidate Statement
I am running for the Skagit Valley Food Co‑op Board of Trustees because I care deeply about regional food systems and the role cooperatives play in supporting farmers, community members, local economy, and a healthy environment. As a long‑time member‑owner, I value the Co‑op not just as a grocery store but as a connective hub for agriculture producers, food sovereignty efforts, non-profit organizations, and the daily exchanges between employees and patrons.
My background includes work in the outdoor apparel industry, nonprofit organizations, and municipal government. At Patagonia, I learned about environmental grantmaking and grassroots activism. Later, my roles at Viva Farms and the Northwest Agriculture Business Center connected me directly with small-scale and minority farm owners and local food distribution in Skagit Valley. Today, I continue to stay involved in agriculture systems and land stewardship through my small farmstead, Plein Air Acres, and as a foodie interested in farm-to-table cuisine.
I currently work as an Administrative Specialist for the City of Burlington, where I support City Council meetings, hiring processes, and day‑to‑day administrative operations. This experience has strengthened my skills in communication, organization, and collaboration. I have served on two nonprofit boards and completed the Leadership Skagit program, along with academic studies in Leadership & Sustainable Business and Urban Ecology at Antioch University. This exposure to diverse perspectives has shaped my belief that strong communities are built through thoughtful leadership, well-developed policies, and inclusive decision‑making.
I would be honored to bring my administrative skills, creative thinking, and commitment to community-based agriculture to the Skagit Valley Co‑op Board. I believe in the Co‑op’s mission and bylaws, especially the support of “a stronger local food system through partnerships, information, advocacy, and direct assistance” and would enjoy contributing to its continued legacy of success and purpose in Skagit Valley.
Brian Zinke
Brian Zinke
Board Member Candidate
Board Experience
I have served on the Board of several wildlife conservation nonprofits over the years, at local, regional, and national levels, including:
The Wildlife Society (Editorial Advisory Board Member, The Wildlife Professional magazine)
Wyoming Chapter of The Wildlife Society (Communications Committee Chair/Newsletter Editor)
Society for Range Management (Secretary/Treasurer, Kansas Chapter)
Central Plains Society of Mammalogists (Student Board Member-at-large)
Skills/Knowledge
General Management
Nonprofit Management
Existing Community Relationships
Through my employment with Pilchuck Audubon Society, I have relationships with Skagit Audubon Society and Be Bird Wise (Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland).
Candidate Statement
The Skagit Valley Co-op is a cornerstone in the community and a place I have come to love since moving to Mount Vernon in 2023. I believe in the mission of the Co-op, have a desire to become more involved in my community, and believe my experience and skills would be beneficial to the Board of Trustees.
As Executive Director of the Pilchuck Audubon Society, I am responsible for ensuring successful fundraising, program administration, and compliance of an environmental nonprofit in western Washington. Through this position, as well as my experience serving on other wildlife conservation nonprofits' boards, I have developed the skills necessary to be effective amongst a group of leaders while also being respectful of different viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds.
As a relatively new resident of Mount Vernon, I want to get involved and become more immersed in my local community. I want to serve the Co-op members and the broader Mount Vernon community, and also develop relationships and friendships with others doing the same. The current and previous leadership has built the Co-op into a wonderful community hub and, arguably, the heart of downtown Mount Vernon. I would like to help continue that vision and contribute to this community of which I’m proud to be a part.