The Board of Directors
SLO Food Co-op is owned by our membership and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Kellye Grayson, Board President
While I have lived all over the country, there is no place that tops the Central Coast! I grew up in Denver, went to college in Boston, received a law degree at UCLA, and raised my kids in East Hampton, NY where I had a successful career in real estate. When I discovered the Central Coast, I knew I had found my home and have set about rebuilding my real estate business here at The Avenue Central Coast Realty.
Part of what makes this area such a fantastic place to live is the wide variety of local, healthy food options. Eating wholesome, nourishing foods is a big priority for me, and I am so delighted to pursue this priority, not just for me, but for the entire community by serving on the SLO Food Co-op Board of Directors.
Robert Hyde,
Board Treasurer
Unlike the other Board Members, my passion for food is mostly around consuming it! However, I am very passionate about seeing small businesses thrive in our community, and that was my reason for joining the Board. I have had 25 years of experience in the corporate arena where I served as a C-Level executive of four environmental equipment companies, the largest of which had over 1000 employees.
For 15 years I have been involved in coaching business owners to improve results as well as placing candidates into small business ownership through franchise purchases. While I’m still am active in my own business, I volunteer as much of my time as I possibly can. I truly enjoy helping other business owners or prospective business owners achieve their dreams. For two years I have had the honor of being a Certified Mentor for SCORE. SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship. I also support the SCORE mission by being the fundraising liaison for our banking sponsors.
Cheryl Vines,
Board Member
I am a native Californian and has lived on the Central Coast most of my life.
I grew up in Nipomo, and still live there with my husband of thirty-nine years. I am the Owner/Interior Designer of Mesa Design Group, a full service interior and landscape design firm since 2008 (Black owned and operated) and I received my formal education in Interior Design from UC Riverside.
I am an active member in my community and one of the founders and a charter member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) SLO County. I also am a lifetime member and currently serve as secretary, chair of WIN (Women in the NAACP) and the Juneteenth Chairperson.
Peter Sterios,
Board Member
I'm a local Architect & Yoga Teacher with interests in Health & Wellness, Travel, and parenting my 15 year old. I'm excited for the opportunity to serve the Co-op community and support it's growth, providing health and wellness to the greater SLO community. As an architect, I can assist and support the Co-op in planning of facilities as we grow.
I believe building strong community is essential for the success of the Co-op, and any business these days. Exceptional service is what sets us apart, and I feel I can offer tools to support that.
Jenne Hiigel,
Board Member
Having been on the board of our Homeowners Assn for several decades, I fully understand the support and participation an organization like the Co-op needs from its owner members to maintain established standards, achieve future goals, and thrive.
My two main “grocery stores” are the Saturday SLO Farmers Market and the Co-op, with the produce section at the Co-op attracting most of my attention. Connecting our community to local farmers is something the Co-op already does well and can work to expand upon, giving farmers more market opportunities and Co-op customers more selection.
Bookkeeping through financial statements has been my trade since 1983, giving me the ability to understand the financial side of a business. As a board member, I am able to contribute on issues related to ensuring the financial security and stability of the Co-op. I am currently the bookkeeper at Taco Works, and previously at Central Coast Surfboards.
The Co-op is giving the community a reliable source of quality goods and fresh produce, all provided by a cheerful and incredibly helpful staff. I want to help maintain all of that and to expand the business, as appropriate, to give a larger segment of our community access to this wonderful resource.
Rebecca Mailloux, Board Vice President
I became a member of the Co-op in 1993 upon moving to SLO. Raised by hippies, I've been a lifelong vegetarian and natural living has always been the way. I enjoy the outdoors and all the beautiful Central Coast has to offer with my husband and our grown children. Traveling between the west and east coasts supporting Farmers' Markets and Co-ops has been great exposure to various area’s natural food scene. I look forward to continuing to grow the Co-op’s community outreach mission and member base in a meaningful way!
With a unique background in pathology and lymphology, I’ve operated as a healthcare executive as well as a healthcare provider. I served on the Executive Committee of the Santa Barbara Consortium for Continuing Medical Education – who provides CMEs to healthcare professionals and hospitals in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. My expertise is in education, leadership, and practical execution in being of service. I recently became an EMT with my husband in support of global humanitarian efforts.
I am passionate about and embedded in the community with a deep commitment to ensuring quality health options are accessible to all.
Jeff Jamieson,
Board Secretary
I have a small furniture business here in SLO that mainly fabricated Donald Judd's furniture. I taught art and design at both Cuesta and Cal Poly over the years and have traveled widely installing artwork. I love to cook and bake. I play a lot of 'old people' soccer. I love architecture and design. The Co-op is important to me; I agree with the concept of small local stakeholders operating a grocery store so they can be able to make local decisions and have the best interests in mind for shoppers, workers, and the entire community.
Seeing the store's qualities in person day to day, such as helpful staff, quality produce and overall calm vibe (even during the pandemic) is something I want to nurture and help with. I enjoy people and projects. Talking through ideas and executing a concept. I have been involved in many large projects over the years and have design experience, building experience, along with many years of
working with people toward a common goal.
Eric Michielssen, Board Member
The Organic foods movement led to my involvement with the Co-op first as a farmer supplying eggs and produce and later as an investor through Slow Money SLO to help move the store to it’s current location.
I grew up in a food and farm family in the Pajaro Valley in Santa Cruz County, picking and packing ollalieberries, plums, and apples. After high school, I moved to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly on a football scholarship. Later, I taught and coached high school tennis. In the late 70’s, when real estate was booming, I jumped in head-first and eventually owned franchises of both Coldwell Banker and Better Homes & Gardens. I also developed sma+ll subdivisions and townhome projects in Atascadero.
The Cooperative business model provides an alternative to the basic profit-motivated economic system. As members of the Co-op, we own the store and keep any profits local, re-distributing throughout the community rather than in some hedge-fund in Manhattan. As a Director of SLO Food Co-op, I want to continue to contribute to our success and have a voice in plans for our future.
Greg Giauque,
Board Member
Hello. My name is Greg Giauque (pronounced ‘Juke’ like Jukebox (no relation :-0 ). My family and I are 13 year residents of the area, currently living in SLO. We have always focused on the outdoors and healthy eating and living.
I bring to the Board over 25 years of finance experience. As far as my most recent roles, I’m currently a partner and portfolio manager at a boutique investment management firm (SFE Investment Counsel).
Prior to this role, I spent 8 years as the Investment Officer for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. And before that I worked as an Investment Portfolio Manager for the local MidState Bank (which became Rabo Bank and is currently Mechanics Bank).
My passion for healthy living, socially responsible investing, and the impact a business like the Co-op can have on its customers and the community is what draws me to the Board. The Co-op is a remarkable business for the community: a business with a conscience and purpose greater than the bottom line –providing real food (food as it’s grown), the healthiest, highest and best quality ingredient products, while also focusing on local and sustainable. All this can have sizable, positive consequences across a community – it’s a great example of a sustainable-economy business … forward-thinking labor practices, diversity and inclusion, and where the majority of every dollar spent at the Co-op stays and recirculates locally – I welcome contributing my time, skills and experience to see the Co-op and the community flourish well into the future. Thank you!