Integrity, Care, and Equity Under Pressure
Twin Cities Food Co-op Leaders on Navigating ICE Presence in Their Communities
Friday, May 29, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. PT
Alex Betzenheimer, Operations and Finance Director, Seward Community Co-op
Anne Gazzola, General Manager, Eastside Food Cooperative
Matt Kappra, CEO, Valley Natural Foods
Nick Seeberger, CEO, Twin Cities Co-op Partners
Moderator: Gabby Davis, Equity, Inclusion & Community Engagement Manager, National Co+op Grocers
In the Twin Cities, food cooperatives operate in communities shaped by immigration, cultural diversity, and strong neighborhood ties. In recent months, the area has been the epicenter of a high-profile federal immigration enforcement surge that has dramatically altered daily life in many neighborhoods. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity creates fear, destabilizes families, and deepens collective trauma, particularly in immigrant, native, black and brown, and working-class communities. Food co-ops are often called to respond not only as businesses but as trusted community institutions—frequently without clear guidance or precedent.
This panel brings together general managers from Twin Cities food co-ops that have experienced ICE presence and enforcement in and around their stores. Panelists will share their experiences confronting significant federal enforcement activity directly impacting their communities and the different approaches they have taken to policy and staff support, I-9 audit visits, and leading a cooperative in a politically diverse community.
Rather than offering a crisis response playbook, this session will center lived leadership experience and reflection. Panelists will discuss how they have navigated staff safety and emotional well-being, member communications and accountability, and community expectations during moments of heightened fear, harm, and stress. The conversation will explore broader questions about cooperative values under pressure and how co-ops can prepare emotionally, culturally, and structurally for collective trauma and action. The conversation also looks beyond the moment of crisis to what happens next: how communities process and recover from collective trauma, how trust is rebuilt, and the unique role cooperatives can play as stabilizing, values-driven spaces.
Charting the Next Era of Cooperative Growth
Saturday, May 30, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. PT
In her keynote, Tandy will offer insight into the state of the food co-op sector and share perspectives on leadership, collaboration, and navigating change in a complex and evolving environment. Her remarks will help frame the conference and inspire meaningful conversations throughout CCMA.
Tandy Harvey
Chief Executive Officer
National Co+op Grocers
Tandy S. Harvey is NCG’s Chief Executive Officer with more than 30 years of leadership experience in the wholesale and retail food industry. She began her career at SuperValu, rising from distribution center roles to senior vice president of sales and merchandising for the central region, where she led multi-state operations and major retail partnerships. She later served as president of UNFI’s central region, overseeing conventional and natural retail accounts with full P&L responsibility. A strong advocate for employee engagement and inclusive culture, Tandy champions open communication and community impact. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Southern Illinois University and enjoys reading and cooking in her free time.