VOTE IN OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Please visit this link to elect two new prospective board members: Leah Guadagnoli and Tyler Robbins, and re-elect Karine Bouis-Towe for another one-year term.

View the minutes from our 2026 Annual Meeting.

BECOME A BOARD MEMBER

A Board of at least 5 Directors is required for our co-op. Members are voted in at our Annual Member’s Meeting for 2 year terms to govern and oversee the health and wellbeing of the co-op. Speak to one of our current Board Members if you are interested in joining the Board.

Board Meetings

Board meetings are held monthly and are open to any member who would like to attend. Currently, Directors review co-op business, collectively develop operations, vote on important issues, and provide vital direction and advice for Growing Our Co-op Together.

Officers - 2026

• President – Shawn Grider (2024)

• Treasurer – Alton Earnhart (2025)

• Secretary – Leah Guadagnoli (2026, to be confirmed)

Directors - 2026

• Karine Bouis-Towe (2023)

• Tyler Robbins (2026, to be confirmed)

Thank you to our former Board Members!

• Lucy O’Leary (Chair 2024)

• Vice-President - Nikki Needham (2024)

• Catherine Dodge Smith (2024)

• Dan McManus (2018-2024)

• Erin Henley (2023)

• Danette Koke (2023)

• Marc Clifton (2023)

• Elizabeth Angelo (2012)

• Jennifer Shiffman (since 2020)

• Gabriel Zeltzter (since 2020)

• Mayor Clarence Speed (2012)

• Jim Cashen (2012)

• Jeff French (2012 - 2013)

• Laura Summer (2014 - 2015)

• Irene Young (2014 - 2016)

• Charlie Doheny (2015 - 2017)

• Linda Van der Muelen (since 2018)

• Abby Laufer (since 2015)

• Michelle Koch Botta (2019)

• Lynda Akerman (since 2015)

• Bambi Bishop (since 2017)

• Eileen Ordu (2019)

• Elizabeth Angello (2012)

• Erin Corrigan (2023)

• Roxanne Wilkes (2023)

Thank you to our owner-members who formed the Collaboration Team to develop the Philmont Cooperative and its business plan.

• Kathy Abeyatunge

• Elizabeth Angello

• Sally Baker, Philmont Beautification, Inc.

• Faith Benson

• Sheri Bolevice

• Irene Young

Board Member Bios:

Board President - Shawn Grider

I am the owner/president of Regeneration Contracting LTD, a residential remodeling and construction company. I am expert in all phases of remodeling ,renovation and restoration. I have been a resident of Philmont since 2018 and a member of the Philmont Coop since 2020. I have a long and strong interest in healthy, local, natural food and nutrition. I am passionate about cooking and eating an organic and whole foods diet sourced as locally as possible. I am currently perusing a certificate in permaculture design and permaculture education. Locally one of the projects I am most proud of is the Giving Garden at Free Columbia located at 11 Maple Ave. The giving Garden is a cooperative gardening project focused on Healthy Biodynamic food, organic gardening education and local food security. Our goal is to cooperatively raise abundant vegetables for ourselves and to share with our neighbors. I believe in living a principle centered life based on honesty and integrity that embraces community and finds the best in all of us.

Treasurer - Alton Earnhart

Secretary - Leah Guadagnoli

Director - Karine Bouis-Towe

Karine has been passionate and a dedicated cooperative market shopper since her first days on her own in Asheville, NC and continuing in Washington, DC where there are several cooperatives to choose from.  She spent a few years working as a Project Manager trying to help a community group create a new food co-op in the H Street, NE DC neighborhood, this cooperative did not come to fruition but gave her experience in forming food co-op feasibility studies, business plans and cooperative business grants.

Karine is a part-time farmer, she owns and manages Retrograss Farm on Rigor Hill Rd. about 10 minutes from Philmont.  In addition, she works part-time in the IT profession and has worked as administrative support and developing new initiatives at the Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School.  She has also held the position of Board Treasurer for other community initiatives over the past few years.

Director - Tyler Robbins

Tyler Robbins has been an active member in various Hudson Valley communities since moving to the area ten years ago. He spearheaded a relief cooking program during the pandemic, making, serving, and delivering over 6,000 meals. Professionally, Tyler co-founded a concrete technology company where he has developed skills to solve problems when there is no obvious solution. He is looking forward to bringing his expertise to the Philmont Cooperative, where he will listen to what is needed, and do his best to satisfy those needs. He is a carpenter and cook by trade, having made items for fortune 500 companies and cooked in restaurants in NYC, Hudson, and Italy. He is ready to fix what needs fixing and cook what needs cooking for the co-op and larger Philmont community area!

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PROGRAMMING

Philmont Beautification, Inc., provides ongoing grant writing & administration, and technical assistance and program development continuing our long-term collaboration with the not-for-profit community development organization who funded the re-adapt renovations of the co-op building and site, equipped the kitchen and market, and was a member of the Collaboration Team. To make a donation to support ongoing technical assistance and educational programs for the Philmont Cooperative contact PBI at info@pbinc.org.