afternoon workshops & presenters
cara harshman
housing cooperative co-founder
Cara co-founded a housing co-op in Belfast in 2023 and lives there with her baby Zynnia and partner, Thumbs. She is also a cofounder of Collaborative Living Maine, which has offered events and workshops to foster intentional community since 2022. Cara is a recovering startup tech worker learning how to garden and knit. She’s always lived collaboratively and never relied on cars that aren’t shared vehicles!
chris linder
outreach and loan officer – Cooperative Fund of the Northeast
Chris Linder is a Loan and Outreach Officer for CFNE in Maine. He joined in 2021, supporting borrowers, managing the loan portfolio, and marketing CFNE in the state. Prior to CFNE, Chris directed MaineStream Finance, a nonprofit lender/CDFI focused on mortgage and small business lending. He has led teams on enterprise development, product development, and digital finance in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Chris was introduced to cooperative finance as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali. He has also worked in commercial banking and consulting to secure financing for healthcare institutions and nonprofits. Chris holds an MBA from Babson College.
jamie cermak
marketing manager – Belfast community co-op
Jamie Cermak (he/his) is Belfast Community Co-op’s Marketing Manager. He came to Maine in 2018 following management roles at Middlebury Co-op (VT) and Viroqua Food Co-op (WI). A life-long foodie with an art degree and a deep love for food co-ops, Jamie is honored to serve his community by using his passions for the cooperative movement!
john crane
General manager – portland food co-op
John Crane has been the General Manager of the Portland Food Co-op since 2015 and is devoted to workplace equity, inclusivity, and belonging. He currently serves on the Steering Committee for the Cooperative Maine Business Alliance, serves on the Risk Management Committee for National Co+op Grocers, and is the current Board President of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association.
Larry dansinger
organizer
Larry has been involved with economic issues and cooperatives since 1977. Member of various pre-order food co-ops. Helped to organize Cooperative Maine (now CMBA) in late 2000’s and promoted Co-op Month for several years, from about 2009-2012, while co-organizer Paul Sheridan initiated Principle 6 gatherings at about the same time. Larry now focuses on guaranteed income and a Basic Needs Economy as a way to re-define the economy from a capitalist/individualist model to a collectivist/cooperative model
nick bakelmun
co-founder – coco housing cooperative
What can I say, I like a good co-op. Co-founder of Coco Housing. Also involved with Spoke Folks and the Lewiston/Auburn Community Market. Other interests include pizza and books and most other things.
norman gonsalves
HR & engagement manager – portland food co-op
Norman Gonsalves is the HR & Engagement Manager at the Portland Food Co-op. He has pioneered a new approach to onboarding using the lens of gratitude and appreciation. Prior to his HR role, Norman has serves as department and store managers both here at the PFC as well as the PCC Community Market in Seattle.
thea hart
artist, co-op resident, & co-op developer
Thea (aka Thean) is an artist, co-op resident and co-op developer based in Midcoast Maine. They are a cofounder and former project coordinator of the Norway Equitable Housing Cooperative project, one of the first rural and resident-developed affordable housing cooperative projects in Maine. Thean currently leads a participatory research committee exploring the multi-stakeholder model which would add worker-owners to Maine’s second oldest grocery co-op, Fare Share Food Cooperative.
sarah speare
co-founder, ceo, & worker owner – tootie’s tempeh
Sarah Speare is a co-founder, CEO, and worker-owner at Tootie’s Tempeh, a worker-owned consumer foods cooperative in Biddeford, ME, revolutionizing the tempeh industry. Tootie’s is the first commercial tempeh producer in the US to ferment without plastic bags, producing a premium, next-level tasting tempeh. The company launched in 2022 and is moving toward a regional cooperative/franchise model, supporting local farmers, communities, and workers across the US. Sarah has a background as a food entrepreneur and nonprofit executive and has served on the boards of various organizations, including the Portland YMCA. She is passionate about creating healthy, sustainable, and locally sourced food products.
Thumbs
Housing Cooperative co-founder
We are doing it! After 15 years of living in community projects across North America my family and I are 1.5 years into living in an affordable housing cooperative we cofounded. Everyday I learn more about community and see new levels of transformation it offers me
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