Our Team
Get to know the wonderful people who make the magic happen at FEED! From our warehouse team, to our delivery drivers to our sales, purchasing, and marketing teams, building a strong local food system starts with passionate people making it possible at every level. As a cooperative, some of our staff here at FEED are also owners! We believe that supporting local and regional farms is a key to a healthy future and we work towards that future each day here at FEED.
Meet FEED Cooperative’s Staff
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Ian Stake brings deep institutional knowledge to his role at FEED Cooperative, having worn a variety of hats as the food hub has evolved from its Sebastopol warehouse to its current Petaluma location—including a past tenure on the Board of Directors. This multifaceted background gives him an intimate understanding of the cooperative from the ground up and a deep commitment to its mission.
Today, Ian focuses his energy on keeping the Petaluma facility humming, pouring his attention into the daily operations inside the hub. Whether he is overseeing the warehouse floor, running audits/certifications, participating in outreach events, or hiring and supporting the staff, Ian ensures the warehouse feels like a true community. He also tackles the crucial, behind-the-scenes details—like sourcing bulk packaging for cooperative member farms and coordinating with various service providers for the warehouse—making sure FEED has a safe, welcoming, and well-supplied home base to support North Bay agriculture.
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Matt Blank and his wife and daughter moved from the East Bay to Sebastopol in 2012. He met Tim soon after and started working for FEED. FEED has grown a lot since then and he feels fortunate to have been able to witness and assist in that growth. He has grown into the role of Finance and Admin Manager for FEED Cooperative and is currently serving his second term on FEED Co-op’s Board. For many years now, Matt has been putting energy into helping FEED improve and be successful and he plans to continue with these efforts and contribute to integral decisions in FEED’s current trajectory.
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As General Manager of FEED Cooperative since 2014, Bryan Hohnstein has been deeply committed to strengthening the cooperative’s mission of supporting local farmers, increasing market access, and building a resilient regional food system.
His vision is to further solidify FEED’s role as a leader in regional food distribution while ensuring that its values of equity, sustainability, and farmer empowerment remain at the core of its growth.
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Lucy has been working at FEED since July 2024. As Purchasing Manager, she is able to use her ten years of small-scale organic farming experience to support and communicate with the over 80 farms FEED works with. What drives her in this work is the absolute beauty of working within our seasons, strengthening our regional agricultural economies, building the web of cooperatives in California, and connecting with our incredible community of farmers. In her free time she loves to find swimming holes in the summer, garden and cook at home, and is always building a new playlist to share.
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Arabelle was born and raised in the East Bay, and farmed 5 seasons in Sonoma County (for 2 FEED member farms!) before hanging up her boots to pursue food systems work. She joined the FEED staff in 2025 as the program manager for our aggregated CSA box program, lovingly called "the FEED Bin," and supports on both the Purchasing and Sales teams at FEED. She cares deeply about the longevity of North Bay agriculture and believes that FEED has a critical role to play in building a food system that values our producers’ hard work and supports the livelihoods of farmers and farmworkers. Before starting her career in agriculture/food systems, she studied geography and sustainable food systems at Yale University. When not working, you can probably find her watching NBA/WNBA basketball or reading a book next to the Russian River.
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Dylan hails from where the mountains meet the ocean in Vancouver, British Columbia. Prior to joining FEED, he spent a decade working on diversified small-scale farms in Washington, Oregon, and California. His background both inside the farm gate and in food hub operations gives him a deep understanding of the production and distribution sides of agriculture.
At FEED, Dylan oversees wholesale sales to grocers, restaurants, and institutions, building profitable, reliable, and values-aligned markets for member farms. He is deeply committed to strengthening the long-term economic viability of the North Bay food economy. Dylan believes the cooperative model is a powerful tool for shifting power back to workers and producers in a food system often dominated by consolidation.
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Julia Henderson came to know FEED first as a farmer and saw firsthand the impact of a distributor that was so deeply connected to and invested in local farms. Moving on from her farm into a marketing position at FEED felt seamless and she loves lifting up the stories of local farms and why they matter.
Julia grew up in Sonoma County and moved back in 2015 to start a farm and family on the land she grew up on. Even though she no longer farms, she understands deeply how hard farmers work to grow food and brings this awareness and personal experience to her role at FEED. A former baker and pastry chef before farming, food has been at the core of her work for most of her adult life and she loves the way that this simple daily need is also something that connects us all in small and big ways.
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Chelsea Cushman is originally from Napa, but moved to Sonoma County after high school to play soccer at the Junior College. She first connected with FEED while working for Earthworker Farm in 2013. After meeting and working with Tim Page (FEED’s founder) while there, Chelsea started working for FEED in 2015 as a local wholesale driver. She has worn many hats at FEED over the years, including warehouse receiver, the first FEED Bin manager, farm pick up driver, and Bin home delivery driver.
Chelsea loves FEED dearly for many reasons! To help farmers get their product to market is an honor to her, because she feels that farmers are some of the most hardworking and under-appreciated people. She sees this as especially true in a time where there is a huge disconnect between people and their food. She also loves the people she works with at FEED and has always been inspired by Tim Page’s mission to protect our local food system, especially after working for farmer George at Earthworker Farm for 13 years and experiencing the hard work and dedication it takes to grow food. Chelsea has studied holistic nutrition and Ayurvedic medicine and lives a health is wealth lifestyle. She cares about what she puts in and on her body, so having access to some of the freshest, organic food through FEED is an absolute blesssing.
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Andrew Hesla has been with FEED for 7 and a half years. Born in Washington, his roots are in the SF Bay as his family moved back to the North Bay in 1989 and has been here ever since. He was drawn to work at FEED because he has always been a big believer in supporting local and that is one of the main core values that FEED holds as a company. Before working for FEED, he worked for a global courier company. FEED’s mission and ideals have been at the heart of why he has stayed here all these years.
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Elisa grew up in the foothills above the Sacramento Valley, though much of her childhood was spent visiting the Bay Area, where her family is from. A first-generation college student, she graduated from UC Berkeley in 2018 with a B.S. in Society & Environment, focused on the political ecology of agro-food systems.
In the years since, Elisa has lived and worked across the West (including Salt Lake City, San Diego, and Seattle), building a path rooted in food and community. This experience includes two years at Food Lifeline, a Seattle food bank, where she served first in agency relations and later as a food sourcing specialist.
Family eventually brought Elisa back to the Bay Area, where a mix of administrative and food service jobs led her to FEED in 2025, starting as a part-time FEED Bin route delivery driver. Her deep respect for the land, and her belief in connecting people to the food that nourishes and brings them together have carried through her role-transition. Today, Elisa supports marketing and events at FEED, staying curious about agroecological food systems and social change. Beyond work, she finds that same connection to the earth through nature walks and freediving.
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Arturo Rivas has been a professional delivery driver for years and joined the team at FEED 10 months ago. One of his favorite parts about working at FEED is the people! He loves the supportive and encouraging atmosphere and the great relationship he has with the warehouse crew. Arturo grew up in Rohnert Park and is still rooted in Sonoma County. Fun fact: he used to be a semi pro rugby player and recently got back into playing!