About The Board

We’re a member-elected, volunteer working board of 5 to 12 directors. We come from varied backgrounds, with diverse interests and skills including computer science, community health, collective cooking, research ethics, public policy and administration, education, nursing, fitness, and retail. Furthermore, we share a commitment to caring for the Earth, supporting our local food economy, and working together to ensure that Steep Hill continues to thrive and meet its members’ needs.

board@steephillfood.ca

Board of Directors

board member photo
Cathy Holtslander
  • President
  • Term: interim
  • Bio I have been serving as Steep Hill's President on the Interim Board since April. Throughout my life I have been active in cooperatives and non-profit organizations that work for a more democratic society and a more ecologically sound food system. In these roles I have gained many years of experience with board governance, organizing, communications, and non-profit administration. I currently work as a policy analyst and researcher at the National Farmers Union, and I farm certified organic grain with my partner near Mont Nebo. I would like to continue serving on Steep Hill's board because I believe that as we strengthen our co-op we build Food Sovereignty - people democratically controlling their local food system. Steep Hill is needed now more than ever as we deal with climate change, increasing corporate concentration, food deserts in older neighborhoods, and the challenges of recovering from disruptions brought on by the pandemic. I have already seen Steep Hill members rise to the occasion, and I look forward to working with the Board and our members to make Steep Hill a strong, sustainable, vibrant organization.
board member photo
JoAnn Jaffe
  • Vice President
  • Term: interim
  • Bio JoAnn is a willful optimist who moved to Saskatchewan 30+ years ago, intrigued by its history of co-operation and its (then) potential for meaningful, emancipatory politics. She's a rural development sociologist working at the University of Regina, teaching and researching the sociology of agriculture, environment, rural societies, and alternative, eco-social development, and a scholar with the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives. She's also a partner in a small, certified organic farm, run in informal co-operation with neighbours. With members working together, Steep Hill Co-op can help to build community and a more just and sustainable food system in Saskatoon. Steep Hill needs to do more, not less, and can't be allowed to die!
board member photo
Gary Wilson
  • Treasurer
  • Term: interim
  • Bio Gary has over 35 years of experience working collaboratively with community, business, industry, and government across a broad range of initiatives to achieve strategic social, environmental, economic, and community development outcomes. Gary has been involved in a variety of projects over the years where success was ensured through working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders in the development of long-term sustainable solutions. Gary has effectively facilitated and led numerous feasibility studies, business plans, and planning processes. Gary is entrepreneurial by nature and has applied these skills throughout his career. Gary was born and raised in Kindersley, Saskatchewan and attended the University of Saskatchewan. Although Gary has lived and worked in several places during his career, he and his partner have recently moved back to Saskatoon, and they are very happy to be surrounded by family and close friends. Gary brings a depth of experience, a life-long commitment to community, and immense passion to serve Steep Hill in this time of rebuilding.
board member photo
Louise Ranger
  • Director
  • Term: interim
  • Bio Having moved to Saskatoon in August 2022 with my Yukon-met and Kindersley-born husband, I have been welcomed to this most amazing community of Steep Hill Food Co-op. At the centre of Steep Hill is the great community, the great membership, the great products, the great producers, and a great vision that is in the process of renewing itself. And all while maintaining the unique history of the organisation. While it has been a couple of months of steep climbing, I am eager to move into this next period of greater stability and support the membership and the co-op in areas related to membership and volunteer development, human resource management, planning and policy development.
board member photo
Reuben Kellen
  • Director
  • Term: interim
  • Bio

    Reuben Kellen was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved with his parents to Canada in the late 1980s. Originally landing in Saskatoon, Reuben and his family relocated in 1991 to Winnipeg, where he grew up and received a BA in Philosophy and a JD from the University of Manitoba. After exploring a range of career possibilities, he found his calling doing union-side work in the post-secondary sector and spent eight years working for the University of Victoria Faculty Association.

    Since July 2023 Reuben has been serving as the Professional Officer with the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association (USFA). Reuben is a strong proponent of negotiated resolutions of labour-management disputes as opposed to adversarial contests over right and wrong. His commitment, however, is to support the less powerful in conflict, and he still believes in a better world where the workers own the means of production. The co-operative model of organization is one that resonates with his personal values, and as a happy member and customer at Steep Hill he is looking forward to contributing to its ongoing presence in the community. In his spare time Reuben enjoys cooking, kickboxing and quality time with his feline companion Chase.