Board of Directors

The board meets the 4th Wednesday of every month. Any changes due to holidays or other accommodations will be listed here!

Upcoming Board Meetings: 2/28/24, 3/27/24, 4/24/24 from 6pm-7:30pm. Email board@springfieldfood.coop for a zoom link.

Jack Hurley – President

A few years ago, I moved to Claremont, NH from Rochester, NY where I was a practicing attorney and ran a law-related education program for the Rochester City School District. In addition, I served on the board of directors of Abundance Food Co-op. I appreciate Springfield Food Co-op’s focus on good health, the environment, and social justice through, for example, our offering of local, organically grown food and fair trade products. I also support our Change for Change program in which co-op members may make donations to local groups focused on improving life in our community. I enjoy working with the co-op board of directors and co-op members in continuing our good work. In addition to being a co-op director, I am a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children, serve on the Claremont Conservation Commission, and am a trustee of Claremont’s Fiske Free Library.


Why I Serve: “The Springfield Co-op is the only store in the area that offers healthy, organic, cruelty-free, and local food and other products. I want to help the Co-op’s ethical practices prosper and grow.”

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Rhona Lofton – Vice President

I was born in Mississippi. I was raised on a farm. I have been around farm vegetables, animals, and fruits all my life. I moved to Vermont in March 2020 when my daughter asked me to move with them. We used to grow cucumbers for the pickling plant in Mississippi to make all kinds of pickles. We also sold vegetables and fruits from our farm or at the farmer’s markets. We also raised animals for our meat. I serve on the Springfield Co-op Board So that I can be community-related and have a place where I can buy local food and food that is helping feed others in the community by supporting community farmers.

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Will Mitchell – Treasurer

I was born and raised in Washington DC, and though I didn’t get into my chosen industry – niche meat and specifically grass fed beef – until my early 20s, I’ve always held an appreciation for sharing good meals with family and friends. Understanding where my food comes from has been an amazing journey that has been enriched by my time serving on the board for the co-op. It always fascinates me to see all that goes into getting good food to people. I serve on the Board so that I can learn from and help build a strong organization that can continue to bring good food to the community for years to come. Ensuring more and more people of all walks of life have consistent access to good food is a guiding force for me. I’m thankful for the opportunity to help make that a reality by serving on the Springfield Food Co-op Board of Directors!

Why I Serve: “Joining the board of the co-op has been a way for me to get involved in the exciting efforts of the community focused on local resilience and healthy living. I feel lucky to be a part of this caring and knowledgeable group whose job it is to support the team at the co-op, the community we serve, and the network of food partners, all of which work together to make access to good food possible. As we continue to uphold the mission and values of the co-op, I am hopeful for the future and the positive contributions the co-op will continue to bring to the community.”

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Lee Trapeni – Secretary

“I was born in Clarendon Springs, VT and part of my family has been in VT since the 1800s, as a result I have always been locally focused and connected to our local community. Some of my earliest shopping memories are of going with my mother to Sunshine Natural Foods in Rutland, Vermont.  I feel like those, and other natural food stores, like this were the predecessors to the co-ops of today, or at least they had a similar smell and feel, with the bulk items and natural products.  I actively seek out the co-op wherever I travel and shop at our co-op multiple times a week. After switching jobs in 2018 I was thrilled to find that the former little Springfield coop was an option. I became a member soon after.   I am so excited for what this downtown location means to ALL of Springfield.”

Why I Serve: ” I joined the Springfield Co-op board after shopping and interacting with staff for the last 3 years.  It was easy to see the passion, excitement, and energy that they were bringing to our community and I wanted to be part of that.  I hope that my almost 20 years of working with non-profit social service agencies will carry over and help to inform the Coop board.”

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Sarah Bolaski – Director

Sarah came to the Co-op in March 2018. She decided to join the board because of her passion for local foods and wanting to be involved in her new community. Having worked on organic vegetable farms for a few years, she realized how important the local food web is. Moving on to a full-time career meant that she had to give up farm days, and she wanted to make sure she was still doing her part. That is when she decided to join the board. She manages the front end of an Environmental Laboratory in Lebanon, NH named Endyne. She graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. In their free time, Husband Ben and Sarah love to kayak, swim and hike, and they also love good VT beer.

Why I Serve: “I serve on the board because I love being a part of our community. I have a real passion for local, healthy foods and want to be sure that it is also accessible for everyone. The Co-op has been a part of Springfield’s identity for over 25 years and I feel honored to serve as the Board President. The Co-op has always been a safe space for me, especially during the pandemic. No matter where I am I will find the nearest Co-op.”

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Mike Huffmyer – Director

“As a passionate advocate for supporting local food systems, I hope to use my experience working for start-up organic and natural food brands to support the fiscal, social, andvenvironmental goals of the Springfield Co-op. Outside of work, you’ll find me working on one of the numerous projects around my 10-acre homestead in Chester, VT. I share my life with my
partner, Nicky, and Bernese Mountain Dog, Aven where we grow herbal teas in our medicine garden, tap 25 maple trees, forage mushrooms, raise layer hens, and grow a wide variety of common and uncommon fruits and vegetables.”

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Renee Nied – Director

“One of the first things I did upon moving to Chester in 2017 was become a member of the Coop. Previously, I worked at a non-profit organization for 10+ years where I was responsible for budget management and community outreach while operating an organic market garden and orchard in upstate NY. Having worked at the Coop since 2020, I enjoy meeting and helping everyone who enters the store as well as the conversations I have with my coworkers and vendors. My vision for the Coop is one where the Board is responsive, active and involved in: overseeing co-op operations to ensure good conditions of employment, expanding our ongoing engagement with growers, makers and the community while offering sustainable, organic, local, fair-trade and eco-friendly goods at affordable prices.”


Email a Board Member

6 Main Street, Springfield, VT 05156, (802) 885-3363

HOURS: Monday - Friday: 7AM-7PM · Saturday: 8AM-7PM · Sunday 9AM-6PM