Edith "Edie" Burkey (President)
As a shopper at Weaver’s Way Co-op in Chestnut Hill, PA and as someone who almost moved to Brattleboro, Vermont just because they have a terrific food co-op, I am passionate about what a food cooperative can do for a community. I joined Kennett Community Grocer to work diligently to make this place happen. Building community relationships, reaching out to others with a passion for local foods, providing an economic engine for our community members and encouraging the sharing of our rich diversity are what Kennett Community Grocer is all about.
Britton Elwood (Vice-President)
Sometimes you need to start small to make a big impact, and I believe the retail food cooperative is the perfect model to begin healing our national food system, one community at a time. My passion for sustainability, local foods and a desire to improve the food system has led me to earn a Masters in Public Health after 10+ years in the restaurant industry as a pastry chef. My previous experience and current role as Operations Coordinator for the Kennett Food Cupboard (KACS) has taught me how to work diligently in challenging situations while successfully engaging with the community. I hope to use my public health skills to create programs for the co-op that provide local, healthy food for everyone in the community.
My biggest dream for the co-op is to encourage everyone in Kennett to start composting, recycling and buying in bulk! I love being a part of the Kennett community and think Kennett has such an abundance of community spirit and enthusiasm; it is the perfect town for a food co-op.
Erin Selfe (Secretary)
I grew up in Wilkes-Barre, PA, traveled the country, and lived for several years in the Pacific Northwest, Pittsburgh, and Skippack, PA. In 2012, I settled here in the southern tip of West Chester, PA. I've three boys ages 17-23, one very active pug, and an Australian Shepherd. I play the djembe, congas, and love outdoor activities, especially walks in the woods, kayaking, and just sitting and listening to the trees.
I offer my professional and personal skills and resourceful "can-do" attitude to help Kennett Community Grocer establish itself in our local community and economy. I am passionate about educating the general public about the improvements and benefits of a local co-op. I look forward to brainstorming ideas and contributing to decisions that will help keep this goal moving forward and open those doors very soon!
From a career perspective, I am currently an Officer and Vice President of Information Technology at Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company. I held senior leadership roles for several commercial and life insurance companies focused on data solutions and IT strategy. I am on the Board of Directors and a PAC Trustee for PAMIC, an association of small-mid size mutual insurance companies in Pennsylvania and the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Firemans Museum. I previously owned and operated a healthy vending business dedicated to providing nutritional snack alternatives in schools, businesses, and various recreational facilities.
Greg Danchik (Treasurer)
As a graduate of Kennett High School and life-long Kennett resident, I am deeply committed to the families of the communities in the Kennett area. My wife Heather and our son are so proud to call this beautiful community home. I joined Kennett Community Grocer to encourage our community members to join the movement and together build a great local food store providing economic opportunities for farmer producers and food store employees. As Treasurer, I offer my skills and experience in the financial services industry to protect and report on Member-Owner equity which will build the store.
Lindsay Cook (Board Member)
My husband, Nate, and daughter, Zoe, moved to Kennett Square in 2019. I joined Kennett Community Grocer because I have a passion for healthy eating and a strong commitment to helping our farming community. As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a BS in Business Administration and a Masters in Taxation, I love analyzing data and helping people use numbers and finance to better their lives.
I plan to use my skills to further the growth of our movement, protect our Member-Owner equity and be prepared to help us obtain the financial tools needed to open the doors.
Adam Peterson (Board Member)
I joined Kennett Community Grocer to help propel us from a Movement to a future co-op grocery store. I offer 25+ years of experience leading creative teams in a wide range of industries including software, medical/pharma, music and entertainment, direct marketing and health/wellness. I have a passion for creating customer experiences that bring people together through a strong message and compelling brand.
Beth Tumas (Board Member)
I joined Kennett Community Grocer with the goal of sharing the bounty of the farm my husband and I own in Lincoln University. We raise milking goats, pasture-raised pigs, turkeys and chickens. We also have a small apiary producing honey and honey products. I am very involved with our local and state-wide farming community including mentoring 4H youth. I hope to encourage our farming community members to become Member-Owners of KCG and usher them into the store as future producers.
Paige Britton (Board Member)
I am a new attorney working at Lupton Law LLC in West Chester, a small immigration law firm. I have two young adult kids, both in Pittsburgh at school this year. My husband and I live in Quarryville, PA (Lancaster County), but he is from CA and I am from the D.C. area. I used to home school my kids and study legal issues for fun -- now I work full time and sleep for fun. Before my kids were born, I taught elementary school in the Avon Grove and Solanco School Districts. My husband and I were married in Kennett Square!
Tom Sausen (Board Member)
I have lived in the Kennett area for 28 years and currently work for the Consulting company I started, Blue Quartz Group. My family includes my wife Adele, four children ages 25-38 and three grandchildren. I have been active in the Community with a variety of non-profit organizations including Past President of Historic Kennett Square (now Kennett Collaborative), I'm currently on the Board of Family Promise of Southern Chester County, and I occasionally work as a volunteer with Greenmore Farm Animal Rescue located in West Grove, PA. I have strong roots in the Community and would love to see KCG succeed in the near term! A member owned food co-op would fill a defined need in Kennett Square Borough, and I would like to be part of the effort to make it happen!
With 30+ years of experience at a Fortune 100 company and now as an owner of my own business, I have experience starting new businesses from the ground up. My corporate experience was with Abbott Nutrition and although not a clinician, I have a strong understanding of the role nutrition plays in the maintenance of good health. In my current role with Blue Quartz Group, I work daily with start-up companies helping them go from idea to reality. To the KCG Board, I bring real-world experience to the mission of starting a Co-Op as I have experience in Business Planning, Financial Management, Sourcing, and new Business Development.
Tracy Bhalla (Board Member)
My husband, son, and I moved to KSQ in 2015 with my husband's job. My career path has been more unorthodox: I trained as an architect; worked as a teacher for 11 years (in England and Bermuda); ran a haulage company with a truck and a plane for 2 years; owned and rented out 5 properties in Alabama for 10 years; owned, managed and worked in two organic restaurants (simultaneously) for 3 years; have worked with Neal's Yard Remedies as an Ambassador for about 10 years now (love their products); and currently own my own aromatherapy business having accomplished a long-time ambition of becoming an internationally certified aromatherapist three years ago. I think my broad experience and love of good food and education led me to get involved in KCG and I am committed to spreading the word amongst our community about how much more a food co-op is than just a store.
Henry Schlimme (Board Member)
I am honored to serve as a board member for our coop. I have lived in Chester County for my entire life and currently reside in Kennett Township with my wife, Becka, and our three children. I am currently a Senior Vice President in charge of resource and capacity planning for a 6,000 person department with a budget of over $400 million per year. In my professional experience I have gained valuable insights into financial management, risk assessment, and strategic decision-making while partnering with executives in HR, Finance & Risk. My focus on resource optimization and capacity planning allows me to contribute effectively to the co-op's operational efficiency and sustainability. I have previously served several years on the Board of Directors of the Avondale Fire Company where I assisted with budgeting and presenting to local municipalities for funding and was an active volunteer firefighter.
I am deeply committed to supporting our coop's mission of providing local, affordable, high-quality products to our community while fostering a sense of collaboration and shared responsibility. I look forward to working with fellow board members and the coop community to ensure the long-term success and growth of Kennett Community Grocer.