Hello! My name is Amber Schlater (she/her) and I serve on the board of directors at the Whole Foods Coop in Duluth, MN. While I live in Duluth presently, my pathway up to Northern Minnesota was a bit of a journey; originally from Pittsburgh, PA, I have also lived in Fort Collins, CO and Hamilton, ON before settling in the northwoods. Professionally, I am an associate professor at The College of St. Scholastica (a small, liberal arts college), where I teach in the biology department and study comparative physiology in a broad range of models, including cells, muscles, rodents, and even seals. Personally, I am interested in doing just about anything outside with my family, including running, cycling, hiking, camping, canoeing, skiing, snowboarding, and curling. When we’re not busy playing, we enjoy food; I love to cook, and happily cater to the wide breadth of lifestyle choices that reside in my household (having vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore diets all under one roof keeps things interesting!). My initial attraction to our local food co-op was actually two fold: 1) availability of a broad range of healthy, local foods, and 2) large bulk section for zero-waste/plastic-free shopping. Since having joined the board, my commitment to the cooperative community has only increased; our coop’s commitment to sustainable local food, environmental nourishment, equity, diversity, inclusion, community, and shared ownership resonates deep with me, and I look forward to meeting and working with the broader cooperative community at this year’s CCMA!