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Our Contributors
Betsy Goldin Becker
Betsy Goldin Becker is the Online Programs Manager for the Whole Foods Market. She oversees online marketing promotions for Whole Foods’ email newsletters, website and other online channels. Prior to joining Whole Foods, Betsy managed email and online marketing programs for restaurants and food retailers. In her spare time, Betsy enjoys cooking, eating, entertaining, yoga and reading fiction, food blogs and The New York Times. She has a Journalism degree from The University of Texas and a Business degree from The George Washington University.
Paige Brady
Paige Brady joined Whole Foods Market in 1993 and, after working in various other businesses, found that the stakeholder philosophy and commitment to team member excellence allowed her to focus her passion on communication. From internal team member newsletters to editing our website, Paige has spent years immersing herself in what makes Whole Foods Market tick. She doesn’t claim to know all the answers, but she knows the people who do. When she’s not working, Paige is a dedicated mother of a tween daughter and an accomplished home cook – not of dinner party-type food but of the kind that you eat day in and day out.
Jenny Brown
After almost a decade of living in places such as Australia, Costa Rica, California, and Washington, D.C., Jenny Brown returned to her home state of Texas to work on Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer Loan Program. Her varied experience includes traveling and studying on a dance fellowship, teaching English as a Foreign Language, owning and managing a recycled clothing store, and doing research and writing at an environmental non-profit. A fluent Spanish speaker and compulsive reduce/reuse/recycler, Jenny has an M.A. in International Environmental Policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies and a B.A. in English from Rice University.
Carrie Brownstein
As our Seafood Quality Standards Coordinator, Carrie’s work currently focuses on developing and enhancing quality standards for seafood sold at Whole Foods Market. She analyzes critical issues in both ocean fisheries and aquaculture and works with producers to develop solutions that encourage greater sustainability in the seafood marketplace. After getting a Masters degree in Environmental Management from Duke University, where she focused on fisheries management, Carrie worked as an independent consultant for a range of environmental NGOs and for five years as the research and outreach coordinator for the Blue Ocean Institute’s seafood sustainability program. However, her roots in seafood go farther back: her family has been in the seafood business since 1909.
Allison Burch
Allison honed her adventurous palate, appreciation of ethnic cuisine and taste for fresh fruits and veggies in her hometown of Hilo, Hawaii. She considers herself lucky to work for a company that shares her enthusiasm for good food and conscious living. With a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science, Allison gets to combine her love of finding and sharing information with her love of good food as the Content Creator and Administrator for our Integrated Media Team. She enjoys the good life with her family in Austin, Texas – hiking, travelling, scuba diving and, of course, eating!
Karen Christensen
After developing a plethora of usable job skills as a student of painting and drawing, Karen Christensen’s first produce job was unloading a truckload of organic Florida watermelons by hand in 1988. She received a box of organic Haitian mangoes as part payment and has been hooked on produce ever since. Following stints in warehousing and driving produce delivery trucks, Karen came to Whole Foods Market in 1998 as a regional produce buyer in the Northern California region. Since that time, Karen has held a variety of positions including national produce buyer and regional produce and floral coordinator. When she’s not toting watermelons and enjoying mangoes, Karen can be found talking about cherries and berries while scouting for produce and floral in a variety of locations around the globe.
Malia Curran
Malia Curran, MS, MPH is a national and regional nutrition consultant for Whole Foods Market. Malia is the founder of Malia’s Wholesome Health, Nutrition Consulting, and focuses on healthy household makeovers. She holds a Master’s degree in Nutrition Science & Food Policy from The Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University, and a Master’s degree in Public Health from Tufts School of Medicine. As a nutritionist, writer, and health consultant, she lectures and writes on a wide range of natural healthy lifestyle topics.
Kate Demase
Three years ago, at a crossroads in her career, Kate Demase asked herself an important question: what am I passionate about? The answer was food! After a brief stint in the advertising industry, Kate earned her MBA, accepted a job with Whole Foods, and two years later became the Store Team Leader of the Prospect Street Store in Cambridge, MA. Kate is currently the Store Team Leader of the Wayland store in Massachusetts, where she is lucky enough to combine her love of food with her passion for helping our team members achieve happiness and excellence. Raised with a proud Italian heritage that has had her cooking since she could reach the counter and led her to spend 6 months living in Florence, Italy, Kate is a compulsive food, book, and shoe shopper. Kate has an M.B.A. from Boston University and a B.A. in English from Wellesley College.
Joe Dickson
Joe started a summer job with Whole Foods Market in Boston ten years ago, got sucked in by the fact that this is one of the most fulfilling companies that one could possibly work for, and never left. He works as part of the company’s Quality Standards Team, which is responsible for developing and maintaining standards for natural food, bodycare and supplement ingredients. He also works on agricultural and food policy issues, including organic agriculture and genetically engineered crops, and works with our stores to maintain our status as the first national certified organic retailer. Joe first fell in love with organic and sustainable agriculture while a student in New York State’s Hudson Valley; he holds a degree in cognitive neuroscience from Vassar College. When not geeking out about food chemistry, Joe’s probably reading, experimenting in the kitchen, finding a newer, colder swimming hole, or learning how to speak Texan. He’s also very excited about fig season.
Bryan Doane
After working in the produce industry in Northern California for about five years, Bryan Doane joined Whole Foods Market in 1998 at our Boulder Store. He’s held a variety of jobs with Whole Foods Market — from store level to global — all focusing on Produce. Bryan first became interested in produce while attending college in Santa Rosa, CA. He loves the connection between the earth and plants that help us survive. Now based in North Carolina, he enjoys spending time at the beach with his family, surfing, playing tennis and buying fruit for our stores!
Mara Fleishman
Approaching 8 years of service at Whole Foods Market, Mara Fleishman has had a strong passion for natural and organic foods since she was young. Her Mother took her every week to the Bread and Circus store in Wellesley, MA; Mara grew up instilled with the importance of good quality food. Mara brings a wide range of marketing experience to her current position having nearly 15 years experience working on regional, national and global brands. She started at Whole Foods Market as the Marketing Director for the North Atlantic Region and now works on Special Projects for the Global Marketing team. Mara has spoken about sustainable business practices on panels at Yale University and has been a guest lecturer at Colorado University, Leeds School of Business.
Chris Ford
Born and raised in Maryland, Chris Ford starting selling musk melons from his grandfather’s garden out of a wheelbarrow on the roadside as a teenager and a passion for produce was born. His natural foods career began in 1993 while working at Alfalfa’s Market in Boulder, CO and after a variety of other positions including purchasing and distribution, migrated further west to California to work on an organic farm. Chris joined the Whole Foods produce purchasing team in 2006 and is driven to seek out the best fruit from around the world for our guests. Chris is a long time supporter of Slow Foods, loves to cook and travel and lives in Seaside, California with his wife Lisa and their 6 month old son Chase.
Winnie Hsia
Armed with an undergraduate from New York University in Marketing & Accounting, and diverse work experience extending from the high-rise kitchen of the German Consulate in New York City to the Infosys Technologies headquarters in Bangalore, India, one thing is for certain – Winnie is never at a loss for something to talk about. In her role as Social Media Specialist, she has found a way to utilize her passion for food, community and technology to connect and engage with customers on Twitter, Facebook and beyond. In her free time, she enjoys aerial dance, hula hooping and competitive cupcake baking.
Chris Jensen
Chris joined Whole Foods Market in 2008, drawn by the company’s mission to provide a great product while maintaining perspective on the importance of the environment and the communities it serves. Born and raised in Colorado, Chris has always been an avid outdoor enthusiast, and so appreciates the importance of taking care of his body through healthy eating and sound bodycare. Chris moved to Texas to get his MBA and synergistically found the chance to join WFM’s National Marketing team in Austin. When not at work, Chris biggest passion is travel, and has visited more than 50 countries around the world.
Jessica Johnson
In 2006, after four years in the grocery industry, Jessica Johnson joined Whole Foods Market. The standards, mission and values drew her in, and, inevitably, keeps her coming back every day. After spending her childhood in both Honduras and Texas, Jessica realized her passion was in promoting the ambitions, successes and strengths of the under-privileged producers in Third World countries. In 2008, Jessica found her dream position as the Whole Trade Guarantee Specialist, which enables her to cultivate and fulfill her passion each day. Before joining Whole Foods Market, Jessica studied, worked and lived in Honduras, Switzerland, Brazil and Mexico, and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. She has a B.A. in International Business from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas.
Jaye Joseph
Growing up in a family of foodies, it is only natural that Jaye would end up combining her visual creativity and passion for food at Whole Foods Market as an Art Director. She is also the author of thefoodieblog.blogspot.com, as well as a frequent contributor to yelp.com/Austin, with over 350 reviews of mostly restaurants. Working for Whole Foods Market has allowed her to connect with others who share her passion for food. Jaye holds a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Oklahoma, but doesn’t care about football unless chicken wings or pigs-in-a-blanket are being served.
Ha Lam
Ha Lam is the National Projects Photographer for Whole Foods Market. She is responsible for creating images for print and web. She also works with the Whole Planet Foundation to document their work in developing-world communities. Outside of her work with Whole Foods Market and the Whole Planet Foundation, Ha does freelance work for clients that include newspapers and magazines worldwide. Her specialization is in editorial portraiture and food. She enjoys coffee, beer and BBQ. She studied journalism at the University of Texas in Austin.
Josiah Leet
Josiah Leet started with Whole Foods Market in 1993 and has been a Quality Assurance Field Inspector since 2001. “Stationed” on the Eastern seaboard for the winter off-shore-vessel season, every May he begins his “road season.” He covers various commodities grown and packed in South Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, New York State, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. Raised on the family farm in Pennsylvania where he first learned to drive on a tractor (a 1949 Ford 8N), Josiah has spent time on both coasts and is an avid (though admittedly amateur) surfer and a fairly decent fisherman. He also enjoys “the grilling arts” and a long weekend on the Harley. “Good food is best when served to good friends” is his motto.
Anna Madrona
Former park ranger Anna Madrona helped open the fourth Whole Foods Market store in Texas in 1985, leaving after a few years for, literally, greener pastures. After working in the environmental field as a cartographer, GIS specialist, archeological dig bum, and historic preservation professional, Ms. Madrona returned to Whole Foods Market in the late ‘90s on the start-up team for Whole Foods Market’s dotcom experiment. In her third incarnation at Whole Foods Market, the ever-curious Anna works as a writer and researcher in Austin. She has degrees in agriculture & resources management, geography, and public history. Her current enthusiasms include permaculture and authoring the first book in her koan mystery series.
Jeremiah McElwee
Jeremiah McElwee started his career in the natural food/lifestyle industry at a small herbal apothecary in Harvard Square and has been with Whole Foods Market since 1997. He spent 6 years traveling the country conducting training sessions on the quality and efficacy of Whole Foods Market and 365 Everyday Value Private Label products and Whole Body programs. He works diligently to deliver value to all Whole Foods Market stakeholders through his passion, innovation, and love for all things Whole Body. McElwee worked as a brand manager for Weil Nutritional supplements and was involved in countless product developments and launches. McElwee continues to study all aspects of integrative health care, herbalism, nutrition, and personal care.
James Parker
Born in Mississippi and raised in the South (mainly Texas), James Parker’s first produce job was at 16 in a supermarket in Dallas where he trimmed corn, made orange juice, and put strawberries in plastic containers for 4 hours every day after school. James joined Whole Foods Market in 1986 where he initially focused on retail department design and merchandising- helping open more than 60 stores throughout the US. He has since expanded his interests to include the production and purchasing side of the business for fresh produce and floral. For James, produce is “still life- a physical manifestation of our seasonal cycles. Fresh fruits and vegetables connect us to our world in a way that is dynamic and ever changing. It is a way for us to celebrate the changing seasons and our changing world in a positive way every day.” James is also a painter, fresh food chef and advocate, sometimes successful gardener, avid sand castle builder and pumpkin carver. He lives in Aptos, California with his wife Erin, son Aidan, daughter Delilah, and cat Harry.
Kate Rowe
From haute cuisine to collard greens, Kate is eager to discuss the latest trends in the food world. Kate joined Whole Foods Market in 2005 and now serves as senior editor for the website and email newsletters. After graduating from the University of Virginia, she worked for a French wine importer in Napa Valley, California, before moving to France to pursue her passion for French language, culture and cuisine. Kate taught English at a high school in Burgundy for a year and then landed a spot as an intern at nearby La Varenne cooking school. She stayed on for three years as associate course director for La Varenne and editorial assistant to the school’s founder, cookbook author Anne Willan. Now based in Austin, Kate enjoys the challenge of mastering the art of backyard vegetable gardening.
Dan Schaeffer
Dan Schaeffer knew he had found his passion for wine while spending a semester in Grenoble, France while in college. After graduating from Boston University with a degree in Hospitality Administration, Dan moved to New York City and quickly enrolled in Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World Wine School. Dan has worked as the Beverage Purchasing Manager at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and as the Purchasing Manager at Morrell & Company, one of New York City’s leading wine merchants. He moved to Austin, Texas to escape the cold New York winters and after getting his MBA at the University of Texas at Austin joined Whole Foods Market. He spent two years working as a Private Label Product Manager and is currently working on the Global Wine & Beer Purchasing team. In addition to wine, he loves collecting record albums, classic novels and films, traveling in France, and playing with his four month old daughter. Dan’s favorite wine regions include Germany, Alsace and Burgundy, though it was drinking a 1989 Chateau Haut Brion that changed his life.
Errol Schweizer
Errol Schweizer is the national grocery buyer for Whole Foods Market. He has been with us for seven years and has been active in the natural foods industry for over 15 years. He is passionate about organic and locally grown foods, ethical/fair trade sourcing and creating win-win partnerships with vendors. Grocery retail must be in his blood, as his grandparents owned a couple of bodegas in New York City. Errol has done a lot in the industry, from coordinating a CSA and a Co-op market to managing overnight stock crews. Previously, Errol was the Senior Grocery Coordinator for our Northeast Region. His favorite quote: “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”-Ben Franklin.
Susannah Simone
Susannah grew up eating loads of gulf-coast seafood her father received in trade for ads placed in his small-town newspaper. Summers with Yankee grandmothers-one from an eastern European immigrant family and one a Julia Child fan-taught her both thriftiness in the kitchen and the pleasure of herbs and vegetables grown right outside the back door. Add years of fast-paced restaurant work and Whole Foods Market experience and you get Susannah’s quick, experimental style in the kitchen with Slow Food-style enjoyment at the table. Aside from food and cooking, Susannah also devours novels and her passions range from playing basketball to performing punk rock, getting lost in museums or in the wild, doing art or doing yoga.
Cathy Strange
Cathy Strange joined Whole Foods Market in 1990 and has a wealth of food industry experience and expertise. As the global cheese buyer, she has become an authority at detecting international food trends during her travels around the world while seeking out vendor partners that meet Whole Foods Market’s strict Quality Standards. She is a member of the American Cheese Society and the Cheese of Choice Coalition and the Cheese Importers Association. Strange works with small producers helping them sustain a profitable business. She was recently inducted into the distinguished international Guilde des Fromagers de Saint-Uguzon, the most celebrated association of cheese mongers and specialists in France. Strange is one of very few Americans inducted into the prestigious guild of cheese trade professionals, recognized for comprehensive knowledge and attention to the merits of French cheese.
Adesina Stewart
With a B.A. in sociology and training as a Certified Nutrition Educator, Adesina explored other industries before finding her niche with Whole Foods Market. She excelled at many roles, from cashier to Whole Body team member and now as the Northern California Green Mission Specialist. All along, Adesina has immersed herself in the healing powers of food and the social connection it creates in communities. Her passion for food led her to an interest in organics and an understanding of how our food and lifestyle choices affect the environment and our global community. When she’s not working on our behalf, Adesina enjoys casual bike rides, cooking, gardening, raising chickens, making wine, and canning seasonal fruits & vegetables.
Alana Sugar
Alana Sugar is a Certified Nutritionist with many years experience as a Dietary Consultant. She resides in Alexandria, Virginia where she works teaching classes, facilitating seminars, consulting with individual clients, writing articles, and creating healthy, all-natural recipes. Alana’s currently works with The American Institute for Cancer Research, Whole Foods Market, The United States Federal Government, the City of Alexandria, VA, and the City of Rockville, MD. She has been working with Whole Foods Market for 25 years.
Jill Velez
Jill began her career with Whole Foods in 1997 and is currently the Project Manager of the Whole Foods Market University Team. But that is not the only job she has at global headquarters…she is also the Team Leader for the volunteer Green Mission Team, whose responsibility is to implement as many environmentally-sound practices in the office as possible. She is extremely passionate about protecting our environment and is thrilled to be a part of the company’s green mission efforts. She fully embraces the Whole Foods “lifestyle” and enjoys yoga and meditation, and has been a vegetarian for 23 years. She loves working for a company that supports sustainable agriculture, organic and local food, community outreach, and best of all, the well-being of their Team Members.
Jody Villecco
Jody Villecco holds a degree in nutrition from Cornell University and has been with Whole Foods Market since 1997. As Quality Standards Coordinator, Jody is responsible for developing and communicating the company’s Quality Standards and keeping the company current on nutritional issues. She is also the Company’s top nutritionist. Previously, Jody was a nutritionist in private practice where she counseled patients and taught nutrition classes to children, adults and new moms. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree in nutritional anthropology at the University of Colorado. In her spare time, Jody enjoys ballet dancing, learning Italian and French, cooking with fresh, seasonal foods and continuing to learn more about her passions: food, nutrition, and most recently, natural personal care.
Steve Wanta
Steve is the Executive Program Director for the Whole Planet Foundation. He oversees the existing portfolio of microfinance programs and analyzes new projects for funding. Prior to his work with the Foundation, Steve spent time in business development with a technology company and later became a rural development volunteer in the Peace Corps. He is excited to be part of a team that is affecting positive change in the world and redefining corporate consciousness. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with degrees in Business and Spanish. Steve is proud to be a retired rugby player and an owner of the Green Bay Packers.
Theo Weening
Theo Weening, our Global Meat Coordinator, was born – literally – into the meat business; entering the world in his father’s Holland meat shop. “My dad ran an old-style shop, and his number one focus was quality,” said Weening, whose family’s liverwurst entry won a silver medal in the 1987 international meat show. “He bought the cattle direct from the farmers to ensure the best quality and everything was processed in-store.” Theo brings that same level of dedication to his work here. Theo’s passion for quality meats; intricate knowledge of raising practices, cuts and preparation techniques; and his dedication to the art of a centuries-old craft has made him a highly-sought national expert.
Our Wine Guys – Geof Ryan and Doug Bell
Whole Foods national wine program was awarded Wine Enthusiast magazine’s “retailer of the year” award in 2008. Geof and Doug make it happen.
Geof Ryan: A California native, Geof has lived in Southern California most of his life. He developed a passion for wine early in life,and started working in wine stores before he was of legal drinking age (we hope the statute of limitations is up on that!), moving from box boy to manager within five years. Geof joined Whole Foods Market in 1996 and has held several positions, including wine buyer, specialty team leader, national all-star regional specialty coordinator, and is now global co-wine buyer with Doug Bell. Geof has two children and his hobbies include reading, music and late night television.
Doug Bell: Atlanta native Doug Bell is a graduate of University of Georgia. He got his start in the wine business while in college during summer and holiday breaks and continued in the biz, eventually becoming the corporate wine buyer for Harry’s Farmers Markets. When Harry’s became part of Whole Foods Market, Doug’s fate was sealed (and our fortunes enhanced!) when he became our global co-wine buyer with Geof Ryan. Doug and his life partner of 19 years reside on Fightingtown Creek, Blue Ridge, GA. His hobbies include cooking and EATING…reading, hiking, surfing the web and, when forced, home renovating.
