Our Board
What does the Board do?
The Board of Directors provides direction to the co-op organization and oversees the operations of the store.
Board members are elected by member-owners using a majority vote as outlined in our bylaws. Board Elections are held once per year for vacant seats after the close of the previous fiscal year.
The KCFC Board of Directors consists of ten (10) Directors, and functions as the entity that is legally responsible for all business and financial decisions of the co-op and its committees, with all committees reporting to the Board. Elections occur at the close of our fiscal year in July for expiring terms, which last three years. Only Members may apply to be on the Board.
Board Meetings are currently held the fourth Wednesday of every month starting at 6:00pm, and member-owners are welcome to attend. Currently all board meetings are held in-person at Ashley's Pub.
Directors
Jeff Allen
President
Term: 2022 - 2025
Jeff grew up in Seattle and has lived in Kitsap County since 1990 when he began his teaching career in the Central Kitsap School District. He now serves as the Director of Youth Services at Olympic ESD where he supports youth and young adults with programs focusing on education, workforce development and juvenile justice reform.
He believes that it is the responsibility everyone to seek out ways in which they can contribute to a community that is welcoming, compassionate and equitable. A community owned grocery store is one element of such a place.
He believes a food cooperative is not solely about accessing quality local food. It is also about improving the community. Through outreach programs, educational opportunities and connecting other like minded organizations, the cooperative can serve as a catalyst for promoting a healthy and equitable life for ALL members of the community.
Jeff previously served as a director from 2012-2015.
David Albright
Vice-President
Term: 2024 - 2027
I've been a Bremerton resident since 2018 and the co-op has been a big part of my Bremerton experience since day one. I was part of the team that helped open the store in 2019, and I served on the board from 2020-2022. My vision for the co-op is that it should serve as a catalyst for a better kind of economic growth for Bremerton. I want to see the big-box stores and mega parking lots stay in the suburbs, while Bremerton charts its own path as a people-centric, mutually supportive community. I have a wide ranging background in media production, communications, journalism and marketing and I look forward to using those skills to help grow the co-op in the coming years.
Ashley Martinez
Clerk
Term: 2022-2025
Hi, my name is Ashley Martinez, owner of Ashley's Pub in Downtown Bremerton, where I also live a few blocks away. When I moved here I had never set foot in WA but had a friend of a friend who needed a roommate. That leap of faith landed me in one of the most beautiful parts of our state and maybe the country! Despite the transient aspect of the Navy here, there is still a great sense of community here.
I want to help the co-op not just survive but thrive. Now that I am starting to have more time to reinvest in my Pub, I also want to make sure that I am re-investing with the community. I believe the world would be better with more servant leaders.
How can I help? Before opening the Pub, I spent 8 years at Keyport doing Admin work. First a year in IT (I consider myself fairly tech savvy), then the next 7 in Human Resources, mainly dealing with Training and New Hires but always learning other aspects. I hope my time & energy can benefit the co-op.
Alison Loris
Director
Term: 2024 - 2025
First, as an elder hippie, I've known, belonged to, and shopped at co-op groceries all over the PNW since the 1970s. I've seen different co-op models in action, and I've seen how they've changed with the times.
I was a member of the Steering Committee which became the first Board of Directors when our Co-op incorporated, and I served on the committee which drew up the membership rules and structure, and signed up the first few dzen member-owners. Later, after stepping back from the Board, I produced the Co-op's email newsletter for several years.
During the Pandemic, I shopped much more at the Co-op than I had before, and in the last two years I have done my best to avoid supermarkets entirely.
As co-owner and co-founder of Vulca's Mediterranean Market (opend April 2022), I have acquired first-hand knowledge of the challenges of running an independent downtown grocery.
Ian Logan, my spouse and business partner, have always seen the Co-op and Vulca's, and also Oriental Food and Gift, not as competitors but as allies in bringing a wide variety of good food to the heart of Bremerton, which for us is the heart of Kitsap.
I lack some skills that the Co-op needs right now, including financial expertise and grant-writing, but I believe my dual perspective as shopper and shopkeeper can be useful to a large and varied Board.
Annette Houchin
Director
Term: 2024 - 2027
I have dedicated 28 years to the non-profit sector. Over this period, I held the position of President for two years at the Terre Haute NAMIC Chapter (National Association of Women in Construction) in Indiana. I served as Treasurer for the Habitat for Humanity Southern California Affiliates Association and was Secretary for Habitat Indiana State Organization. Currently, I am the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap County. My interests include gardening and growing food; I am passionate about transforming more green spaces into community gardens. My expertise encompasses accounting, strategic planning, and fund development. I am interested in serving on the Kitsap Co-op board to assist with your fundraising initiatives and support the growth and expansion of the store.
Heather "Heddy" Pugh
Director
Term: 2024 - 2026
A proud Western Washingtonian, I’ve found my true home in Bremerton, drawn here by the vibrant community and the Kitsap Community Food Co-op, a gem that first caught my eye in 2018. Healthy, local food and creative cooking is my lifestyle. Supporting our co-op means I can invest in the rich Kitsap food system, fuel our local economy, and help build something special right here at home. My former professional background is in multi-channel retail, tech, and independent ventures. Being in Operations roles allowed me to develop expertise in communications, in-store culinary engagement programs, vendor management, project coordination, sales incentive programs, and merchandising/creative. All of these experiences honed my focus on connection, the customer experience, and community-building.
I'm a mom to a lovely grown daughter, a sailor, forager, and an Immersive Coach with a core belief in "being the change you want to see." I volunteer with several regional organizations and founded the Bremerton Marina Tenants group to create a safe, thriving space for its residents. Joining the co-op board feels like a natural step in my journey to expand our co-op, enriching both our local economy and the collective experience we share here in Kitsap.
Gregory Stanek
Director
Term: 2024 - 2027
Gregory (Greg) Stanek grew up in the great state of Ohio, and promptly began a nomadic lifestyle at the age of 18 moving around the east coast. In 2013 he graduated from Penn State University, and moved to Bremerton in August of 2014. He was employed by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for ten years, before resigning in September of 2024 to run F.R.O.G. Soap which he has co-owned with his wife since April of 2023.
Greg believes in supporting and developing sustainable, small businesses that serve the communities in which they operate. Large, conglomerate corporations exploit our communities to drive out competitors before raising prices, lowering quality, and leaving wreckage in their wake. By supporting the Kitsap Community Food Cooperative you, too, can stop the expansion of faceless corporations!
Food cooperatives don't have to just be about food, though. Throughout the twentieth and twenty-first century we've seen the destruction of so-called third places (i.e., a place where communities interact outside of the first place (home) or second place (work place) to broaden connections, share ideas, and socialize). By participating in events (or hosting your own) we can turn the Kitsap Community Food Cooperative into a third place that meets the needs of our community.
Patrick Hickey
Director
Term: 2024 - 2027
Hello! I am Patrick Hickey (he/him) and I've lived in this wonderful community for nine years now with my amazing husband. Like many kids without firm future plans, I enlisted in the military after high school. I spent nearly eleven years as a nuclear-trained submarine mechanic and technical instructor before leaving the Navy for a much more organic path; as a soil and wetlands scientist/chemist. With my BS and MS degrees in hand, I began my civilian federal service focused on protecting and cleaning the environment, culminating with my current role as an EPA Remedial Project Manager; a.k.a. a Superfund site 'cleaner-upper'. Along the way, I've collected vintage film cameras, took thousands of photos, built various gardens, moved to and escaped from Las Vegas, was a cat dad to four amazing fur babies, co-managed a federal LGBTQ+ community group, and have been a supporting member of many libraries and museums, and continued to look for ways to give of myself. Over the my many years on this big blue marble, I've learned that service to the people and institutions of your community is a one of the most notable feathers to place in your cap. Thank you!
James Duffy
Director
Term: 2024 - 2027
Hello, my name is James although most call me Duffy, and I'm a Kitsap Washingtonian born and raised. Growing up around Kitsap Lake, I sought after community-based organizations and local farming opportunities. Now residing in Downtown Bremerton, I appreciate the convenience the Kitsap Community Food Co-op offers, providing healthy and local food options in an area where grocery stores are often distant. I am eager to join the Co-op's board of directors to help guide its future, especially in relocation efforts and research initiatives. My technical expertise in OS troubleshooting, diagnostics, and multisystem app development equips me to contribute effectively to the Co-op's technological needs, ensuring seamless operations and innovative solutions.
With a strong background in Python programming and experience in collaborative projects, I am well-prepared to support the Co-op's strategic goals and enhance its digital presence. My passion for community engagement drives me to serve as a voice for Kitsap's youth, advocating for fresh perspectives and sustainable practices. Additionally, my experience in retail and customer service, coupled with a personal interest in horticulture, aligns with the Co-op's mission to foster community-focused growth. I am excited about the opportunity to leverage my diverse skills and experiences to support the Co-op's impact on the community and contribute to its ongoing success.
Amanda Reynolds
Director
Term: 2024 - 2026
I’m just a regular person and I‘ve wanted a co-op for Bremerton as long as i can remember.
Even though i’m introverted, this co-op is so important to me that i decided to take a huge step outside my comfort zone and join the board.
My focus is on amplifying member owner feedback to create a store that everyone can be proud to call their own.