Vote for the Board!

Learn more about the Board Candidates below! Cast your vote through mail, online, or drop off in store for the 2026 Board of Directors.

To contact the Board, please email the board administrator at boardadmin@weaversway.coop, or write to: WW Board of Directors, 559 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119

How to Vote

To vote online: Log into members.weaversway.coop and select “Weavers Way Elections” under “My Co-op.” Or check your email with a custom link so no login is needed. Note that the order of the candidates in the online ballot is randomized, rather than alphabetical, as in the paper ballot. Online voting will end at 5 p.m., Thursday, May 7.

To vote by mail: Ballots will be accepted by mail if received by Wednesday, May 6, at the Leadership Committee mailbox. Mail to: Leadership Committee, Weavers Way Co-op, 559 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119.

To vote in stores: Place ballots in the ballot box at the Ambler store, 217 E. Butler Ave.; the Chestnut Hill store, 8424 Germantown Ave.; the Mt. Airy store, 559 Carpenter Lane; the Germantown store, 328 W. Chelten Ave.; or Farm Market, 7095 Henry Ave. Paper ballot voting will end at 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 6.

Candidates 

Candidates were asked to provide written answers to the following four questions. Responses were limited to 250 words.

  1. Why are you a member of Weavers Way?
  2. Describe your experience with overseeing a business or organization’s budget and financial performance.
  3. What are the long and short-term challenges facing Weavers Way?
  4. What relevant cooperative and professional experience do you have?

For their video statements, candidates were asked:

  1. Why do you want to be on the Weavers Way Board of Directors?
  2. How would you apply your skills, knowledge, and experience to your time on the governing body of the Co-op?
  3. What is your favorite item to purchase at our stores? Please have fun with this question!

Kacy Manahan
Vice President
2023-2026

  1. I am a member of Weavers Way because I want to support the local economy and be closer to my neighbors. I also love that cooperatives offer an alternative to the for-profit model by allowing the needs and desires of members to be the driving force in all business decisions.
  2. All of my experience in this area has been earned while serving on the board the past three years. I continue to learn as I go and educate myself outside of regular board meetings.
  3. A long-term challenge for Weavers Way is the education and recruitment of involved members. We have a professional and capable management team, but I don’t think many members are plugged into what’s going on at the Co-op. For Weavers Way to be more than just a local small business, it needs energy, ideas and input from its members.A short-term challenge facing the Co-op is prioritizing the many opportunities and obligations we have, including the need to renovate the Chestnut Hill store.
  4. This year, I’ve moved into a leadership role on the board as vice President and chair of the Leadership Committee. In my day job as a litigator at an environmental nonprofit, I lead a small team of lawyers and manage the organization’s caseload. I hope to continue my leadership role at Weavers Way if elected for another term

Maci Kociszewski
Produce Manager at Weavers Way Germantown

  1. I am a member of Weavers Way because I am the manager of the floral and produce departments in Germantown. I shop at Germantown for my regular groceries, at Across the Way for my pet supplies and at Mt. Airy for specialty cheese. I also host community-based events through the outreach department.
  2. My daily duties as manager involve purchasing, inventory, backstock maintenance, shrink reporting and labor scheduling. I participate in quarterly inventories, attend the general manager’s meetings and run reports on weekly and year-over-year sales. I align my labor and purchasing budgets, keep my margin in good standing and regularly adjust the prices of my products to reflect the cost in a manner that is sustainable for both the department and shoppers.
  3. Short-term challenges are outlined well in the Co-op’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan; addressing them requires follow-through and reprioritization. For the long term, we can look at the broader picture: How do we address systemic issues within the larger food system and innovate and problem-solve for major questions like climate change impacts on produce, labor conditions in the seafood industry and education initiatives for supporting conscientious consumers?
  4. Being in leadership at Weavers Way gives me essential experience for the board. I get valuable feedback daily from employee members, working members, shopping members and prospective members. People involved in the Co-op ask thoughtful questions, give personal insight and desire a strong future for the Co-op. Paying attention to those interactions can help us best serve our community.

Bill Kasenchar

  1. Weavers Way is our family’s go-to grocery store. We primarily shop at the Ambler location and appreciate its fresh produce, excellent bulk selection, ready-made lunch options, and consistently strong service. Even when it’s busy, the store is well-managed and welcoming. As our household purchases grew, becoming members was a natural step. But Weavers Way’s community-centered mission is what really sets it apart; it just feels better to shop there. I greatly value what the Co-op adds to the community and want to help ensure it remains sustainable for decades to come. Serving on the board is a way to support that mission thoughtfully and strategically.
  2. I work professionally at the intersection of finance and technology, helping organizations measure outcomes and align spending to strategy. I have served as treasurer of The Montessori School in Dresher and have overseen financial stewardship of an $85 million IT budget at the University of Pennsylvania. My experience includes budget planning, financial controls, cost optimization and long-term financial modeling.
  3. Grocery retail is highly competitive, low margin and increasingly consolidated. For a mission-driven co-op, balancing community values with financial discipline is critical. Long-term, brand differentiation and sustainable growth will be essential. In the near term, operational efficiency through smart use of technology can increase margins and member value.
  4. I have served as treasurer of The Montessori School, vice president of the Ambler Area Running Club and president of the Norm Kulig 2Young2Go Foundation. In those roles, I’ve delivered governance, financial oversight and mission-driven leadership

Benjamin Bartlet
At-Large Director
2023-2026

  1. I am a Weavers Way member because I believe strongly in the cooperative model and its ability to strengthen local economies, support workers and provide access to good food. I shop at the Germantown store and have served on the Co-op’s board since 2023. In this capacity, I value the opportunity to support management, responsibly steward the Co-op’s resources, and help ensure that Weavers Way continues to thrive as a values-based, community-owned grocery.
  2. I bring extensive experience with financial oversight in both cooperative and nonprofit settings. I currently serve on the Weavers Way Board and review monthly financials and key performance indicators. I also serve on the Weavers Way Community Fund board and am treasurer of Not Our Farm, a farmworker-led nonprofit. Previously, I served on the board of La Montañita Co-op (another multi-store grocery cooperative), including its finance committee. Professionally, I have managed large grant portfolios, administered project budgets and earned an MBA.
  3. In the short term, Weavers Way faces pressures around inflation and affordability. Longer term, the Co-op must navigate increased competition from corporate consolidation, climate and supply-chain disruptions, and evolving member expectations while continuing to invest in staff, infrastructure and community impact.
  4. My career spans food retail and distribution, launching a food access nonprofit, and climate strategy in the food sector. I currently work at UNFI, a distributor to Weavers Way, where I lead responsible procurement and climate initiatives. This perspective, combined with cooperative governance experience, enables me to contribute practical, values-aligned leadership to the board.

Mia Ormes

  1. I am a member of Weavers Way because I believe food is a shared responsibility, not just a transaction. As an almost daily shopper, I take pride in the fact that 90-95% of my grocery shopping can be done at the Co-op. The cooperative model reflects my values of transparency, local sourcing and collective care. As someone rooted in nourishment work, I value participating in a community-owned food system that prioritizes people, land and long-term well-being over profit. I shop in all the Weavers Way stores and know all of them well; however, I most frequently shop at the Germantown location. I had the privilege of being involved in the plastic reduction initiative in exchange for working member hours.
  2. As the founder of a food-based business, I oversee budgeting, pricing and revenue tracking across product sales and educational programs. I monitor expenses, analyze margins and make informed financial decisions to maintain sustainability. My approach balances fiscal responsibility with mission alignment, ensuring long-term stability while remaining accessible to the community.
  3. In the short term, co-ops, like all types of markets, face rising food costs, supply chain disruptions and the challenge of maintaining affordability for members. Long-term challenges include attracting and deepening member engagement, strengthening financial resilience and adapting to shifting consumer habits. Sustaining cooperative values while remaining competitive in a changing retail landscape will require thoughtful governance and strategic planning.
  4. As a longtime working member of Park Slope Food Co-op in Brooklyn before moving back to my hometown, and founder of a mission-driven food business, I bring experience in cooperative accountability, budgeting oversight and community engagement. I understand operational realities and values-based governance. I am prepared to contribute thoughtfully, strategically and collaboratively to strengthen the board.