Board of Directors

Kelly Hilton

President

I was born and raised in Salem. We moved to Silverton 23 years ago to raise our two boys. My ex-husband is from Silverton and he made a great choice in bringing us all here.

I worked at Silverton Hospital for 16 years and an additional 2 years when it converted to Legacy Silverton Health. My career was in hospital IT. I am now a Certified International Health Coach. I help people achieve their health and lifestyle goals and work to educate our community in the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle.

I am owner #36. I became an owner at the first pop-up because I believe eating local and supporting local is always the right thing to do. I started volunteering in the summer of 2018. As an above average healthy person, I was having a difficult time finding good, healthy food in our grocery stores. I thought if I was having a difficult time then how will my clients navigate it. That is when I made the decision to become more involved with the co-op and get a store opened that I could call home and my clients would feel successful when shopping.

I love this community and the people in it. Bringing this co-op to life will benefit so many of us in so many ways. I am excited to part of this movement that is going to make this community that I love more connected. Thank you for allowing me to serve you.

Cayla Catino

Vice-President

I arrived in the Willamette Valley in 2012 as an intern at GeerCrest Farm & Historical Society which is an educational homestead five miles south of Silverton. What started as a dream to experience living off the land, has turned into a life-long passion for sustainability, organic food (or what our grandparents used to call – food), connecting with the rhythms of the Earth, and being involved in the great community of Silverton. With a background in nonprofit management & leadership, I have held various leadership roles at GeerCrest Farm, North Willamette Valley Habitat for Humanity, and Silverton Toastmasters. In my job at GiGi’s Playhouse Down syndrome Achievement Centers, I currently oversee training for staff and volunteers within the fast-growing company and formerly coached startup teams in opening their brick and mortar location. The more I learn about how co-ops provide an alternative to big companies, the more excited I get to be a part of an organization that is dedicated to nutrition, local economic systems, and energizing citizens to be change makers. Co-ops are all about power to the people and it is time for our money, resources, energy, and food to unite! Together we can create a more resilient community for years to come and that starts with one of our basic human needs – Food.

Marc van Anda

Treasurer

I joined the Co-op in July 2017. You can, too! Let's open the doors to a really cool community-owned grocery store. Silverton people share a strong civic spirit and an interest in growing, eating, and having year-round access to real food. What a great place for a food co-op! For 20 years I helped run a worker-owned co-op retail bicycle shop, and I saw what co-op economic and organizational principles bring to a business and to a community. When I’m not working (paralegal now) or updating Co-op spreadsheets, I’m off digging in the garden or riding my bike.

Flora Houzvicka

Secretary

I was born and raised in Southern California and moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon, over 20 years ago. I have been in the administrative field for my entire career, holding such positions as: Office Manager, Executive Assistant, Rent Assistance Analyst, and most recently, Corporate Performance Specialist. I am currently taking a career break to renovate my “old” new home here in Silverton. I am an apprentice-level beekeeper and have two cats, Charles and Frankie, and a life partner, Mike Martin. I also have two grown daughters, Donna and Desi, a granddaughter, Jocelyn, and a grandson, Wyatt.

I am a SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) volunteer (since 2014) and have served on two boards, Lake Oswego Toastmasters (Treasurer 2006 – 2008) and Evergreen Housing, Inc. (Secretary 2001 – 2004).

Becky Gilliam

Board Director

I grew up in Silverton and moved back home in 2016. My husband Sam and I recently built our own house, and we've been enjoying living close to family and getting to know our hometown in new ways. That includes the Co-op! I became an owner (#205) as a way of recommitting myself to the community and to supporting local farming. I enjoy growing food and flowers, and I feel extremely fortunate to live in a place where I can "leave it to the pros" and simply supplement the goodies from our CSA and farmer's market.

I have a background in linguistics and teaching ESL, and professional experience working in the Oregon legislative and regulatory arenas, political campaigning and community engagement. I currently work as a Policy Manager with the Safe Routes Partnership, a national nonprofit organization working to advance safe, healthy, and thriving communities. Being engaged with the Co-op is a chance to support OUR community's vitality and sustainability, and I'm excited to be a part of it!

Micole Olivas-Leyva

Board Director

My roots in Silverton are strong. My great grandmother came here from Kentucky in around 1960 to work in the fields and my family has been here ever since. We now have three generations all born in the Silverton hospital. My husband was born and raised in Northern Mexico and also came to Silverton to work in agriculture. Together we decided to stay and raise our children in this community. We are a beautiful small town farming community and I love our town. While working on some health issues and seeking healing, my health journey led me to the co-op. I have a strong interest in nutrition, local food, natural medicine, sustainable farming, and community. I see the Silverton food co-op as such an incredible asset to our community and I cannot wait to have our store. My educational background is in business. After college I went into finance, but later found that my heart was in non-profit work. Currently I am working for a non-profit organization doing financial crisis counseling. I would love the opportunity to use my skills, knowledge, and perspective to help the co-op fulfill it's goals and get the store up and running.