March 3, 2026
First some background on the Coop’s Board. The Park Slope Food Coop Board of Directors plays a crucial role in running the Coop. Board members make their decisions based on the advice of Coop members who attend the monthly General Meetings. There are five seats on the Board, and each term lasts three years. Members submit their applications to run for open seats in March of each year and candidate statements are published in the Linewaiters’ Gazette. Nominees will have the opportunity to introduce themselves at the March 31 General Meeting. All members can start voting online via a Coop-wide email that will go out in late May, and results will be announced at the Annual Meeting on June 30.
This year there are seven candidates for one open seat. Here are the 2026 candidates and their statements (in alphabetical order):
SERKO ARTINIAN
The Park Slope Food Coop has always believed that access to good food is not a privilege—it’s something earned through shared effort and shared commitment. I believe that same spirit should extend to how we govern ourselves: new voices, not sequels to films we’ve already watched. That’s why I’m running for the Board of Directors.
My name is Serko Artinian. I joined the Coop almost 12 years ago, and it remains one of the best decisions of my life. I’ve maintained a near-perfect attendance record, served in Quick Checkout as my primary work slot, and had the privilege of serving as a Squad Leader in the months before the pandemic. My appreciation for the Coop’s resilience and the extraordinary dedication of our members has deepened over the years.
Growing up in my immigrant family’s Armenian restaurant, I learned early on that food was never just sustenance—it was an act of care, and access to good food was something you never took for granted. That’s why I resonate deeply with the Coop’s mission of bringing good food at an affordable price for working members through cooperation. The cooperative model—where contribution earns access—is both practical and deeply humane, and it is what I want to help protect and strengthen.
When I first ran for the Board of Directors last year, I made it a priority to listen before asking for anything. I met and spoke with over 100 members—literally while standing outside the Coop—to learn what they love about their membership experience, what frustrates them, and what they wish the Board understood better. I also collected structured feedback through a member survey, and what I heard was specific and consistent. Environmental preservation was the top concern members wanted the Coop to address. Product selection and expansion of services followed closely, with many members pointing to gaps in bulk options, variety, and availability as reasons they shop elsewhere—nearly three in four survey respondents said they don’t purchase all of their groceries here. Community engagement and governance transparency rounded out the top concerns, with one member putting it plainly: “Since the pandemic, we’ve lost a sense of community at the Coop. I don’t know anyone on my shift anymore.” That feedback has stayed with me, and it directly informs why I am running again and how I intend to serve.
The skills I would bring to this role reflect both my professional background and my decade of community building. As a technology leader with 10+ years in Product Management—including work with AI tools, digital platforms, and large-scale user communities —I am positioned to help bring the Coop thoughtfully into its next 50 years. I co-lead NYC Apps, a 3,300-member developer and designer community built around the power of collaboration, which is a value the Coop has embodied for over half a century. My professional background in film and video production shapes how I think about the Coop’s digital presence, member communications, and the stories we tell about who we are.
If elected, one of my priorities would be to build more systematic ways of hearing from members—leveraging the data and feedback from our community to surface what members actually want and need from their experience. The concerns members raised with me—around sustainability, product access, community connection, and governance participation—are not abstract. They are solvable, and they deserve to be heard at the Board level. Decisions informed by member input are more durable, more trusted, and more representative of what this community stands for.
The Coop is a second home to me. I think about it every day—not just as a place to shop, but as a community with real stakes and unrealized potential. I would be deeply honored to serve it.
Disclaimer: My candidacy is not endorsed by any Coop member-run groups, and I do not expect to receive any endorsements or organized support from any such groups, including those advocating for or against boycotts.
JOE HOLTZ
I’m a Coop co-founder and helped plan the 1973 opening. I stayed very involved and in 1975 became the first employee, retiring as General Manager in 2025. If elected, my Board term would start this June, a year after my retirement.
This is a critical juncture for the Coop.
Critical Juncture: The Bylaws in Article VI describe the governance system that has served the Coop very well over the years. We have been able to make reasonable, well thought out decisions and avoid paths that would’ve made the Coop’s future success less likely. Now we’re at a critical juncture because the historic governance system is frankly not working well anymore.
The General Meetings have become a war zone. Although under relevant law the Board has the ultimate authority to make decisions, our Bylaws and democratic practices require that the Board receive the advice of the members at the General Meetings and that notice of what will be discussed at the meetings be given to members. However, there are some members of the Board who have acted with disregard for our democratic process. In 2025 three members of the current Board entertained motions and discussions at the end of three General Meetings. Members were not given notice of the topics for these unprecedented “wildcat” Board meetings. The members present at the meeting venue weren’t welcome to join discussions. Members were directed to sit silently. Their advice and votes weren’t welcome.
While these board actions aren’t technically illegal, they contradict the Coop’s Bylaws and the democratic principles and traditions of the Coop. Perhaps there’ll be a vote to change Coop governance, but any change in the Coop’s governance should be made by the member/owners rather than through the back door by a renegade Board.
Please note that in the mid-1990’s the Coop Board voted against the advice of the members’ one time. What that Board did was within the governance system. That Board received the advice of the members but exercised what it saw as its legal obligation to act in the best interests of the Coop. What the current Board has done is not within democratic norms and is pointing toward an opaque top-down system that we never opted for. To read the legal guidance from Coop member attorneys about the Board’s responsibility to act in the best interests of the Coop, see this link.
The breach of democratic norms is currently a common federal practice. We should not let that happen in our Coop.
I’m putting myself forward at this critical juncture to become a Board member voice for stabilizing our commitment to democracy, to diversity, to the International Principles of Cooperation and to our Mission Statement. Because of my 50+ years of helping make the Coop a success many may think that I will win this Board seat. But the reality of the matter is that there’s a group that will send emails to 3,000 members urging votes against me. Why? It’s because I’ve advocated for a boycott policy that reflects the need for broad support (Coop boycotts have had nearly 100% support). I’ve put our collective co- ownership as the top priority.
Please feel free to campaign for my candidacy as I’m certain that without the help of many I won’t be elected.
I’m not endorsed by any group.
Cooperatives that don’t welcome all groups that comprise their membership are in jeopardy of failing.
We could be in jeopardy even though the Coop is in many ways in great health.
Great Health: We have many thousands of member/owners who are truly dedicated to their Coop and think of the Coop as “we,” not “they.” The rate of retaining members is high. As a former employee, I know that the employees are inspired and energized by you, the members. The rate of retaining employees is also high. We have a wonderful dedicated hard-working staff that is motivated by the positive picture of the world that the Coop is trying to paint and by the positive impacts the Coop has already accomplished. The Coop continues to be managed in a financially sustainable and responsible way. The financial detail that is provided to all members in monthly all-Coop emails is just one of the examples of our Coop’s transparency. The Coop continues to attract non-members to join.
Please tell every Coop member you know that we cannot just assume that the Coop will be OK.
Don’t take the Coop for granted!
TIM HOSPODAR
I’m excited to introduce myself as a candidate for our Coop’s Board of Directors election in June 2026 in part because of the new application process introduced in the Gazette this cycle.
For prior Board elections, I’ve detailed in the Gazette how my return to active membership after a long-distance LOA inspired me to invest deeper in our community, our meetings, and in any way frankly to support our fragile organization during the pandemic. I’m motivated by a desire to steward our organization responsibly, to support the membership, and to commit to steady governance and respectful, member-led decision-making.
Professionally, I bring experience in leadership, operations, and innovation. At work, I facilitate workshops with clients from complex organizations who need help aligning stakeholders, navigating disruption, and making decisions that require both empathy and rigor. I’m comfortable reading budgets, asking hard questions, and collaborating cross-functionally to reach satisfying outcomes. Outside of work, I serve on the board of a sustainability-focused nonprofit as Treasurer, where I’m responsible for financial review and supporting sound governance. I’ve completed NonprofitReady coursework on board effectiveness, financial health, and committee oversight, and I’m certified through the NYC Compost Project. I also serve my community garden as a lead coordinator. Across these roles, my north star is practical stewardship: keeping the mission clear, the finances transparent, and the processes fair.
Since 2010, I worked FTOP on many different squads, such as Childcare, CHiPS, and Cashiering. Prior to the pandemic I served as a cashier-trainer, responsible for onboarding members and helping new members understand not only the duties but also the “why” behind the procedures. This experience has reinforced that our affordability and quality are not accidental—they are earned through shared labor and cooperation. I’m now a member of the Board of Directors. I was elected to my first term in 2023, and the last three years have proved challenging. In addition to reviewing the pre-read materials, floods of emails, and Gazette communications, I’ve written to the Gazette about elections and processes. I too have had one article held back, submitted the week of the infamous Coop email that may have impacted the fairness of last year’s Board election. My attendance record is impeccable; and I’ve shown up prepared to support the membership’s voices at our meetings.
I can neither confirm nor deny any endorsement of my candidacy. I can neither confirm nor deny any opposition to my candidacy. I am familiar with the practice seen in the last two years, while I was already on the Board, that include paid sponsored ads in Instagram that resort to name calling. I’m hopeful this election is different and fair, and I’ll be surprised if staff mass-email our members and name-drop me in either an endorsement or condemnation. This year’s application steps, nevertheless, worry me given its focus on boycotts. Recognizing our Coop adheres to the Cooperative Principles—and this application stresses the importance of Board members following said principles—does this process hinder democratic member control without gender, social, racial, political, or religious discrimination? It will be very disconcerting if the applicant pool is limited because a member was intimidated by this process.
The application process also asks nominating candidates to interpret a revised statement that riffs on an early era mission statement. “Low prices” removed from the quote, and “an affordable price” is added to the motto that otherwise remains the same—except it isn’t. The emphasis on “Good Food” remains, as does the connection to working together. To consider what this new statement means to me is an inquiry into what the changes mean to me. Acknowledging that “affordability” is a key area of concern, it is more relative than a set of prices that are required to reflect a low mark-up. Low prices enable food availability for those who could not afford it otherwise, while a smaller elite population will find expensive food barely marked up affordable in any case. Does this application’s quotation indicate change is here?
Why has this mission statement changed, why require candidate statements address exact questions—is a mystery. By whose design necessitates a candidate dedicate their 750 words without independence? Elsewhere in the Gazette, messaging authored by the Editors is denoted as such. Similarly, contributions from other authors (who aren’t editors) specify the authorship. Although Gazette guidelines typically prohibit Anonymity, we may not learn who decided these five questions are most critical. I hope my responses have earned your vote – I’m grateful for your consideration.
REX LEDESMA
My name is Rex Ledesma and I’m running to be your Park Slope Food Coop board member.
When I moved to New York City in October 2022, I was fortunate to join the Coop that same month. Since then, I’ve gained so much from my time at the Coop while working and shopping in cooperation. I’ve experienced the joy of cooking with fresh produce and an incredible stock of groceries, all at affordable prices. When I work in produce processing or at the checkout, I feel happy to learn something new about the produce or recipes fellow members are planning. I am grateful to share this community with you all.
My background is in software engineering. Recently, I’ve drawn inspiration from past grassroots efforts to give back to the Coop. I look up to Jonah Burke, who built the unofficial Foodcoop iOS app in 2017 to help members explore the Coop’s local produce inventory.
Building off of Burke’s legacy and as a way to contribute back to the Coop, I created foodcoop.news as a convenient way to stay in the loop with the Park Slope Food Coop.
During an especially snowy weekend in January 2026, I began developing the site. Since then, I’ve added a number of expanded features. You can browse an assortment of news sources related to the Coop all in one place. You can search the Coop’s produce selection alongside historical price information. You can add your Coop membership card to your Apple or Google Wallet. Finally, you can sync your favorite available work shifts to Google, Outlook, or Apple Calendar.
The site aggregates public news across multiple sources, like the official Coop announcements, Coop Bluesky, Linewaiters’ Gazette, and committees like Foodcoop Cooks, Foodcoop Wordsprouts, and Foodcoop Concerts. You can also view upcoming Coop events and stay connected to fellow members. All this news is accessible in one single feed.
The site also displays the Coop’s public produce selection alongside historical price information. You can search the produce inventory, track new produce arrivals, receive notifications when items go out of stock, and monitor price changes over time.
With the contribution of a dataset collected by John Resig, a former member of the Coop Web Committee, foodcoop.news proudly displays the evolution of Coop produce prices from 2013 to the present. This wealth of information is now accessible to all fellow members.
For Park Slope Food Coop to have “good food at an affordable price for working members through cooperation,” I believe its inventory and prices must be more discoverable. Member-owners should be able to find deals, uncover newly arrived items, and plan meals using up-to-date inventory and pricing information.
Cooperation thrives on shared transparency and accessibility. With that goal in mind, foodcoop.news is one step in that direction, beginning with transparency around our produce inventory.
In the spirit of accessibility, all members can access foodcoop.news on web, Android, iOS, or whatever device. It is completely free, and account sign-up is optional. The implementation of the site is also open-source for members to inspect, report issues, and contribute functionality.
I believe we can build the future that we want as member-owners of the Coop. We don’t have to keep dreaming about change! I hope my current work so far serves as a tangible example of the modern conveniences that are possible for members to enjoy at the Coop.
For my fellow member-owners, I will work to bring transparency and accessibility not only produce, but for the rest of the Coop’s inventory, its committees, and its governance. I am running for the board of directors to further this vision. I currently do not have any endorsement from any Coop member-run group, nor am I an active member of any Coop member-run group.
BARBARA MAZOR
My husband and I joined the Coop in 1989. We worked on the same Sunday morning shopping squad for many years. I worked mostly as a cashier and suggested several improvements to the cashier systems. I also stocked shelves, worked at checkout, and did bulk processing. When scanners were introduced, I trained members on the new system. In later years, I worked in the membership office. I am now a retired member.
When we joined, the variety of “health foods” was nothing like it is today. You could not find tofu at ShopRite. The Coop provided hard-to-find items at good prices. Even today, we carry produce—like red daikon and red mustard greens—that are unavailable elsewhere. As a bonus, we formed many friendships, especially with our Sunday morning squad and the many staff members we had the pleasure of getting to know over the years.
When we joined, there were about 2,000 members and five General Coordinators. We saw the Coop shopping floor expand four-fold. We are now more than 16,000 members, $60 million in annual sales, and over 75 employees. Extraordinary success and enormous responsibility. Today we operate in a far more competitive and regulated environment.
The Coop provides stability for families and individuals who face financial challenges. In the last two years, food costs alone within the New York City metropolitan area have increased by more than 5%. In a time when each dollar is pinched by our economy, the Coop has a duty to its members to keep costs as low as possible.
In any corporation, directors are responsible for preserving and strengthening the institution. They are legally and ethically obligated to act carefully, loyally, lawfully, and prudently. Our governance structure—in which directors accept advice from members at General Meetings—in a sense extends those fiduciary responsibilities to all of us.
For more than two years, the Coop governance has been held hostage by a well-organized, well-funded, and self-righteous group that prioritizes promotion of its ideology over the well-being of the Coop. Countless staff hours and much energy is being expended on this group. This group calls itself PSFC 4 Palestine and continues its unauthorized use the Coop’s name despite requests to cease using it.
I am running to ensure there is at least one candidate who is independent of that group, who is not fooled by their language, who is unafraid to name it and call it out for what it is, who will stand against their takeover and destruction of the Coop. I want to the Coop to refocus on our community’s needs: Sustainable goods for all.
Supporters of PSFC 4 Palestine now sit on key committees—including the Gazette, Chair, Agenda Committee, EAC, and DRC—and three serve as directors. They have publicly announced their intention to make the Coop a base for their activism.
In their ideology, anyone who disagrees is branded an enemy and vilified. Their pamphlets, social media posts, Gazette letters, and statements at General Meetings are filled with factually wrong assertions and unsubstantiated accusations. Members have reported being harassed by them while inside the Coop. Several have told me they are shopping less—myself included—because they no longer feel comfortable.
Our commitment to diversity, equality, and welcoming all—as stated in the Coop mission statement—is the formula for building a community based on trust, concern, and respect, which are essential to the successful operation of our business.
When a group tries to impose support for its ideology on the entire membership, that is not diversity.
When a group—because of its ideology—refuses to engage in serious conversation with those who disagree, that is not equality.
When a group promotes an ideology that has incited violence—graffiti, vandalism, arson, stabbings, car rammings, murders, and mass shootings targeting Jews—that is not welcoming.
I call that a toxic hate movement.
I helped form the Coop 4 Unity email list and WhatsApp group to keep the Coop focused on its mission. Please vote for me, and vote “NO” on any BDS candidates. Let’s keep hate out of the Coop and refocus on financially sustainable practices to ensure the longevity of the Coop.
TAYLOR PATE
As a member of multiple food coops in NYC, former non-profit and housing coop board member, food policy council member, and food policy/food procurement professional, I feel qualified and motivated to contribute to the Coop community as a board member. My interest in running and serving on the board of PSFC stems from my commitment to building and creating resources for communities that I’m part of. Worker coops are a critical part of the solidarity economy that can be used to build community power. And I believe that “good food at an affordable price for working members through cooperation” means that we use our shared resources and member labor to build a democratically run grocery store that allows members to have access to high quality and affordable food.
When I moved to NYC eight years ago, I knew that I wanted to become a member of a food coop as a way to create community and connect with where my food was being sourced. I first joined the Greene Hill Food Coop and volunteered my member labor by purchasing cheese and other dairy products from local producers. After learning about the Central Brooklyn Food Coop, I joined because I was interested in organizing with other black folks around creating a grocery store that was built for those that have historically lacked access to fresh and affordable food in Central Brooklyn. At the PSFC, I mostly take on stocking shifts, which I enjoy because I get to connect with lots of members, staff, and discover new products. I believe that building relationships and making decisions together about the types of food our community supports is incredibly important, and that cooperative decision making builds stronger participatory democracies.
In my professional life, I work in food policy and food procurement where I’ve built many relationships with farmers and producers, some of which we carry at the Coop (Lancaster Farm Fresh Coop, Blue Moon Acres, and Hepworth Farms). I have managed large budgets and procurement projects for e-commerce grocery store Farm to People and restaurant group Dig. Additionally, I’ve participated in hiring processes and managed employees of my housing coop. I’ve learned about the importance of supporting sustainable and small-scale producers for building resilient supply chains. By spending our dollars on value-aligned producers, we are contributing to sustaining our local economies and enabling small farmers to develop the infrastructure necessary to feed our communities. This has a direct impact on the quality of the food we eat, the climate, and the prices that we pay at the coop. It is crucial to keep the Coop affordable and for members to have access to information about the food supply chains that impact the food that we buy every day.
Four years ago, I joined the PSFC because many of my friends shared how much they loved the values-aligned food, as well as the importance of the Coop as a space to build community. Several years later, I moved into a housing coop, where I served as the Vice President. Beyond my experience with food and housing coops, I’ve also held leadership roles on the boards of Slow Food NYC and Slow Food USA, a global organization that works towards good, clean, and fair food for all. These experiences have given me the financial literacy and community building skills necessary to serve as a board member at the coop. My participation in various cooperative communities has given me the experience of developing values-aligned policies in community with other members and shareholders, and amongst those with varying opinions.
As a member of the PSFC board, my job would be to represent the voice of other Coop members. I’ve made many friends at the Coop and I’ve gotten the opportunity to learn about what matters to them most, whether it be prices, sourcing, or using their voice to speak out about important issues such as boycotts. I have used my own voice at the coop to organize with the Park Slope Food Coop Members for Palestine campaign and I support a boycott of Israeli products. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the staff at the coop, as well as learning more about coop operations through working various shifts. I plan to use that same sense of curiosity as a board member and to actively listen to what Coop members are most excited and passionate about. It’s more important than ever for us to gather as a community and strengthen this institution that has fed us for so long.
RALPH YOZZO
Membership Tenure: 20 Years
Experience and Dedication
For two decades, the Park Slope Food Co-op has been a constant in my life. I have seen our community navigate periods of immense growth, external economic shifts, and internal debates that test the very fabric of our cooperative principles. I am not just a member who shops here; I am a member who believes that the Co-op is one of the few remaining spaces where participatory democracy truly functions.
My twenty years of membership have given me a deep institutional memory. I remember the Co-op as it was, I appreciate what it is today, and I am deeply invested in what it must become to remain sustainable for the next generation.
A Commitment to Listening
The role of a Director is often misunderstood as a position of unilateral power. I view it differently. A Director is a fiduciary and a facilitator. My primary goal is to ensure that the will of the membership—as expressed through our democratic processes—is upheld with integrity and transparency.
If elected, my platform is built on three pillars:
- Active Listening: I will prioritize the concerns of the “quiet majority” alongside those who are most vocal at General Meetings. Every member’s investment of time and labor deserves a seat at the table.
- Constituent Advocacy: I believe the Board’s duty is to reflect the membership’s diversity of thought. I am not running to implement a personal agenda; I am running to ensure your voice is heard in every financial and operational decision we face.
- Operational Stability: With twenty years of perspective, I understand the delicate balance between our low prices and our labor model. I will work to protect the cooperative spirit that keeps our shelves stocked and our community thriving.
The Power of the “One-Term” Pledge
I am making a firm, public commitment: I will serve only one term.
The Co-op thrives on fresh energy and rotating perspectives. While my twenty years of experience provide a stable foundation, I believe that leadership should not be a permanent fixture. By pledging to step down after one term, I aim to:
- Lower the Barrier to Entry: I want to prove that you don’t need to be a career politician to serve the Co-op effectively.
- Encourage New Leadership: I will use my time on the Board to mentor and encourage other members—particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds—to consider running for future seats.
- Ensure Accountability: Knowing my time is limited, I will work with a sense of urgency to address our most pressing issues without the distraction of “re-election” optics.
Closing Reflection
The Park Slope Food Co-op is more than a grocery store; it is a laboratory for how we want the world to work. It requires leaders who are grounded in its history but unburdened by the desire to hold onto power. I offer you my experience, my ears, and—eventually—my seat, so that the cycle of cooperative leadership can continue to evolve.
I respectfully ask for your vote to serve as your representative on the Board of Directors.