Faye Sofranko
Vice President & Acting President
Farm Educator at Friends of Zenger Farm

She brings deep roots and experienced entrepreneurship to the many community-focused roles she’s played along her journey toward decolonized food systems, including the launch of the Local Artisan Collective in St. Petersburg, Florida, to encourage local small businesses to cross-promote each other.

Raised in St. Petersburg, she called the city home until moving to Eugene in 2022. During her time in St. Pete, she explored culturally-diverse foods and blended that curiosity with her passion for canning and farming – bringing both to the community to connect people and places for the greater good.

Faye earned multiple Best of the Bay Awards in the Tampa Bay area, as well as national press, upon founding and operating The Urban Canning Co. The brick-and-mortar location sold her jams, pickles, beer mustards, and ferments and offered space to share her love of good food and education about natural food preservation. Today, Faye focuses on her love for teaching, using her collective experience to make tangible change in her community.

Nick Meltzer
Treasurer
Transportation Programs Manager at Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG).

I grew up on a farm in Maine, where my parents were part of the first back to the land movement in the 70s. They grew and raised all the food we ate when I was a kid, and it wasn't until much later in life that I realized that isn't particularly normal. After college I lived in Vermont and quickly got hooked on the abundant availability of local food. Around the same time I got into baking and have been teaching myself about bread and grain for the last 15 or so years. As my wife and I have created a life in Eugene, we've been slowly teaching ourselves how to grow, preserve and cook all of the wonderful food available here in Oregon (to the point where she sometimes calls me a prepper and I remind her the correct term is urban homesteader). The lessons we've learned and perspective we've gained is what I look forward to sharing with the larger WFFC community. Other than that, I love riding bikes, baking bread, and sharing home cooked meals with friends.
 

Christie Hill
Secretary
Human Resources, Mountain Rose Herbs

Christie relocated to the Willamette Valley from the Central District of Seattle in the mid-90s. There, she saw first-hand how direct relationships between communities and localized food systems play a role in cultivating an amicable environment, and she was fascinated. Connecting those dots, is a puzzle she'll never get tired of trying to solve.

About six years of working in multiple departments for Mountain Rose Herbs and finding a home in Human Resources has given me so much insight into the importance of cultivating and maintaining relationships with the land and people to dismantle barriers. With those barriers dismantled, whether they're geographic or communications based, we can create thriving communities and reduce overall waste. 

Aside from this work, Christie is very passionate about performing arts and music in general. 

Graham Kroese
Board Member
Evening Kitchen Supervisor at FOOD For Lane County

Graham grew up in the Willamette Valley in a home abundant with food grown and produced locally. For more than 30 years, Graham has worked in positions that produce, prepare and distribute food. Beginning with farm work and growing food, Graham has worked all over the food world as a cook, chef, farm hand, teacher, and numerous other food centered roles.

Currently, Graham focuses on rescuing food from being wasted and getting food to the folks who need it the most in his position as Evening Kitchen Supervisor at FOOD For Lane County. You can find him at FOOD For Lane County working with volunteers to rescue food, leading cooking demos in the community, or advocating for food security from the local to global level.
 

Patrick Newson
Farm to School Procurement Hub Consultant

Patrick grew up in Pleasant Hill, and there has rarely been a year in the past twenty where he wasn't doing some sort of farm or food project. After nearly a decade working in viticulture and wine distribution, Patrick now works on a fruit and nut orchard and is also pursuing berry farming and cider-making along with teaching, writing, and community organizing. As the leader of our Farm to School Procurement Hub work, he is eager to help children get better access to healthy, local food.

 

Saoirse Scott (/sear-sha/)
Outreach and Event Coordinator

I grew up on a small farm nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina where we raised our own cows, chickens, produce, and goats. Through my work with Willamette Farm and Food Coalition and in my role as Market Director for the Whiteaker Community Market, I've had the distinct delight of reconnecting with small farmers and the communities they support.

I’ve always been interested in what brings people together, ignites joy in them, and adds meaning to their lives. WFFC, like Farmers Markets, accomplishes this by investing in our local food economy, nurturing families, and reminding folks of the importance of being connected to the land, seasons, and food. I’m extremely excited to continue working with the WFFC team to sustain the vibrant tradition of Fill Your Pantry while strengthening our local communities. 

In my free time, you can find me at the bouldering gym, adventuring outside, doing garden and yard work, or working on one of my many half-finished home and art projects.