The Bethlehem Food Co-Op board is elected at the annual membership meeting on the first Monday of October per our bylaws (this year: Monday, October 5).

We will be electing three new board members at that gathering; meet them here.

The following individuals are the current team of leaders working hard to bring a full-service, community-owned grocery store to our community.

Kelly Allen - Board Chair

Kelly is a Professor of English at Northampton Community College and Coordinator of the NCC East 40 Community Garden. In addition to his faculty and administrative roles, he is also the the co-founder and manager of the Farm Market at NCC, the 2014–2015 chair of the NCC National Endowment for the Humanities Agriculture and the American Identity, and Project Director of Food in the Public Square, which was an examination of food culture in the Lehigh Valley.

Presently he is working on the development and growth of the Bethlehem Food Co-Op's Community Hubs Program. The line that divides his personal and professional interests is often blurred. He has a deep commitment to social, agricultural, and environmental justice, all of which he tries to address in the classroom and in his day-to-day life.

Arlene Clendenning - Board Treasurer

Arlene joined the co-op as member #15 and works as the Office & Finance Manager at WDIY 88.1 FM. She enjoys gardening, an eclectic variety of music, and dog training.

Writes Arlene: "Food is nourishment. Food is life. Food is love. It is incomprehensible to me to know that, around the world, around the US and yes, even in Bethlehem, PA, people have no or very little food. I felt compelled to do whatever I could do to make sure that people are able to put food on their tables. When I came to know that sections of Bethlehem were/are a 'food desert', I was determined and inspired to learn more and to do more. This is why I am passionate about the Bethlehem Food Co-Op."

Kathy Fox

Kathy has resided in Bethlehem since 2010 and has been a member of the co-op since 2014. Besides joining the BFC, her passion for the environment has also led her to joining or starting other organizations which believe in sustainable living and protecting the earth for future generations. She is a former member of the City of Bethlehem’s Environmental Advisory Council and current co-chair of the Northampton County Council of Democratic Women’s Environmental Committee.

She believes food is our first medicine and makes an effort to shop at farmer’s markets, organic farms, local health food stores, and grows her own organic vegetables and fruit in her yard. She looks forward to shopping at a community-owned, full-service grocery store in downtown Bethlehem. Kathy also has a passion for swing dancing, specifically the Lindy Hop, and is always looking forward to the next dance.

Deb Fritz

Deb is a retired National Service Representative, having traveled around the country training volunteer leaders in her work for the National PTA for 13 years; previously she had been a volunteer for the PTA for 30 years. She has lived in West Bethlehem for almost nine years and has five grandchildren. She is also active in her church, where she has been a choir member and served as a trustee. Deb enjoys her flower gardens, yoga, motorcycle riding and spending time with her family.

Says Deb: "I am an avid conservationist with a strong belief in protecting the environment. I became a member of the co-op because I have seen the critical need to promote healthy lifestyles utilizing locally grown products, as I view my community as part of a larger family. I look forward to working with the board to create a healthy, sustainable grocery which will enhance the nutritional needs of our community, while developing an educational/ informational platform to support future generations." 

Cindy Glick

Cindy grew up in Bethlehem, attended local schools and graduated from Moravian College. She is a retired corporate affairs manager, experienced in corporate communications, community relations and grant making. Cindy continues to be active in the community, currently serving as vice president of Touchstone Theatre, and as a member of the Investment Committee at the United Way and of the Rotary Club of Bethlehem.

Cindy became a member of the Bethlehem Food Co-Op because of her interest in locally grown food, strong belief in the importance of farmland preservation and strengthening the local economy. She loves to garden, enjoys participating in community events and relaxing with a good book. She has two grown children and cherishes time with her twin grandsons and visiting her two grandchildren in Arizona whenever she can.

Kristina Gomez

Kristina has lived in Bethlehem for over 30 years. She is originally from the Hudson Highlands of N.Y. She works as an Occupational Therapist and primarily provide services to young children with Autism. With a love of organic gardening, farm to table cooking and concern for the environment, becoming a member of the co-op was a natural choice. Her seasonal jobs take her on the Lehigh River where she works for the Lehighton Outdoor Center as a whitewater rafting guide and for Wildlands Conservancy (the Lehigh Valley's premier land trust organization) as a safety guide for their Bike and Boat program.

She has two adult children: a daughter, who now has her own organic garden in New Jersey and a son, who helps maintain Kris's garden in Bethlehem Township. She is lucky enough to have an amazing companion... "The Frenchman" who also believes in locally sourced food and does a lot of the cooking in their household.

Elliot Nolter - Board Secretary

Elliot is a registered architect and Certified Passive House Consultant. He is the owner of East Spruce Design/Build, an architecture, fabrication, and construction management practice based out of his home in Bethlehem. Through his work and in his personal life, Elliot promotes environmental responsibility and a sustainable, healthy lifestyle whenever possible. He believes we can do more with less, and that a self-sufficient community is a strong community, even in the world-wide economy in which we exist. His interest in the Bethlehem Food Co-Op stems from these values, and a yearning for healthy, local food options that support Lehigh Valley farmers, businesses, and neighbors.

He currently serves on the Negotiations Committee and strives to translate his and the co-op's core values into a brick and mortar grocery store, we can all be proud to call our own.

Carol Ritter - Board Vice Chair

A lifelong organic gardener, Carol has a special interest in a community-owned grocery store in downtown Bethlehem with many healthy options for all. She is enthusiastic about supporting local providers and educating the community about sustainability and local impact.

Carol was born and raised in Bethlehem and is the co-founder of Caroltalks.com. She is an award-winning professional speaker, fundraising strategist, executive coach, featured writer and small business and non-profit consultant. Carol has presented to over half a million educational, non-profit, and small business leaders nationwide. Her team has raised millions of dollars for Lehigh Valley non-profits and has developed strong, innovative boards and committed volunteer teams.

Carol currently serves on the Board of Directors for Lehigh Valley Reads and the Zoning Board for the City of Bethlehem. Formerly, she served as President of the National Speakers Association in Philadelphia and as board chair for St. Lukes Hospital VNA and Hospice. Her awards include: Pennsylvania’s Speaker of the Year, Most Likely to Succeed in the Speaking Business and recently the "Good Scout" award given by the Boy Scouts of America.

Heather Terrible

Heather and her family have lived in the City of Bethlehem for the past 12 years and are pioneering members of the Bethlehem Food Co-Op since its incorporation in 2013. She is the Executive Director of a local healthcare organization, promotes organic gardening at home, and recently expanded gardening into her work-life by encouraging her employees to build several raised vegetable and flower beds.

Heather earned her Real Estate license six years ago and enjoys helping first-time home buyers in making their home ownership dreams a reality. She believes in supporting local farmers and businesses in order to strengthen the community and is passionate about opening a food co-op in her hometown of Bethlehem. Her first co-op experience occurred years ago when she visited Ithaca, New York's GreenStar Natural Foods Market, witnessing the similarities between the cities of Ithaca and Bethlehem. Throughout the years and weekend trips to Ithaca, Heather dreamed of being a member-owner of her own food co-op.

Heather previously served on the Bethlehem Food Co-Op's Real Estate Committee in an effort to research properties for the future co-op home. She is interested in the physical plant location in order to bring food to local residents who may not have the means to easily access quality food. Heather enjoys spending time in the great outdoors with her family, specifically hiking, kayaking, biking and gardening.

Former Directors

Nick Blankenberg

Tracey Werner

Colleen Marsh

Jennifer Dize

Dr. Keisha Thorpe

Javier Toro

Laura Penske

Emily Hoffert

Kelly Allen

Gary Warren

Heather Manning

Deb Fritz

Joseph Amedeo

Andrew Bench

Matt Hengeveld

Jon Soden

Varee Var

Santiago Rivera

Cathy Reuscher

Jaime Karpovich

Matty Sarro

Amber Ott