It’s almost time to start voting for 3 board members, 1 brand new and 2 running again. Read their statements and get ready to vote in April. All three seats are open, so these folks are not competing against each other—rather there is room for all three.
Meet Jane Dobson.
I live in High Falls and feel deeply connected to this community. As the Co-op continues to grow into a vital hub in our community, I’ve felt increasingly inspired to become more involved. The Co-op’s commitment to supporting local businesses, expanding access to healthy food, and protecting the planet strongly aligns with my personal values. I believe I can meaningfully contribute as a Board member and welcome the opportunity to give back to my community.
Professionally, I bring 30 years of legal and business experience, primarily as in-house counsel for a publicly traded water technology company addressing global water issues. More recently, I practice law on a part-time basis supporting a diverse range of clients in the renewable energy sector, as well as the consumer packaged goods sector in the food products space. My expertise includes commercial transactions, ethics and compliance, corporate governance, and Board service. More broadly, I consider myself a critical thinker skilled in identifying complex problems, building consensus and implementing effective solutions—all skills essential for effective Board participation.
In addition, I am a local Forest Bathing guide. Through my group Mind The Forest, I lead Forest Bathing programs to share my passion for nature connection, and my belief that nature connection is essential for our well-being and the planet’s well-being. I knew I wanted to balance my law career with more heart-based work focused on the innate wisdom we all connect with through nature. I provide Forest Bathing programs at local parks, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, and local eco-resorts.
Meet Amie Worley. Amie has been on the co-op board for three years and her term is up in April. But she’s still willing to continue. And we’re thrilled. Here is her statement.
I arrived in the Hudson Valley in the early 2000’s, when lured here by endangered turtle landings. I connected with the High Falls Food Co-op before I even made my home here, and I have been an employee, a working member, a non-working member and a shopper. Food, food access, and connection to the land our food comes from are on my mind every time I make a meal. I have been a CSA member for over 25 years. An active community volunteer, I was an organizer and wrestler of B.R.A.W.L. (broads regional arm wrestling league), a volunteer with the DEC amphibian crossing project for a number of years, and presently I am a member of the Rosendale Environmental Commission. A high school biology teacher in the Newburgh school district, I am a full time teacher, student, and activist.
Meet Jan Melchior. Jan has been on the co-op board for three years and her term is up in April. But she very much wishes to stay for another three years. Here is her statement.
In addition to being a board member, I am also the Marketing and Membership Coordinator at the Co-op. My relationship with High Falls Food Co-op has been in a variety of roles. I’ve been a member, a cashier, and a long time fan. Other favorite organizations I works for locally include the Bluestone Press and the Rosendale Theatre. As the lone employee on the board, I am in awe of our amazing board members, and so appreciate the time I get to work with and become friends with them.
My first co-op was the Cambridge Food Co-op in 1977. If I’d been living in the Hudson Valley then, it would have been the High Falls Food Co-op.
I am a graphic designer by trade, but I can often be found trying to spend as much time as possible as an amateur writer, painter, crocheter, actor, and gardener. I am most proud of my status as mother, grandmother, and pet parent.