Meet Our Board Members

Jeff Hubbell grew up in Laramie, Wyoming, and loves it here. He graduated from UW with a Bachelor in Art, with a focus in painting. He has contributed to the Laramie Mural Project, specifically “Prairie Dog Town” and the “Gill Street” murals. He and his wife own Atmosphere Mountainworks, another downtown business focused on locally produced goods. He started at Big Hollow in 2010 and has enjoyed being a part of the Co-op and the Downtown Communities success and growth.

A lifelong Laramie local, Alex started working at Big Hollow in 2010. He’s grateful to be a part of the Co-op and proud to serve the Laramie community by providing access to local, healthy, and sustainable foods. He is a potter and an enjoyer of the outdoors; never more content than when walking in the mountains with his family.

Deb has fond memories of visiting natural food stores while growing up in Austin, the smell of carob chips and wheatgrass takes her back to her roots. A member of the Co-op since she and her sons moved to Laramie 11 years ago, Deb thrives on connection, has a can-do attitude, and is passionate about cooking fresh and healthy meals. As a mental health therapist, Deb is aware of the need for nutrition education and accessibility for all and is researching the intersections of nutrition and its impacts on mental health. She is committed to increasing opportunities for community and connection in Laramie and envisions the underutilized upstairs of the Co-op becoming more of a gathering spot. The bright and beautiful space would be a perfect place for friends and coworkers to meet for a fresh & healthy lunch from an expanded deli case or drinks from a smoothie/juice bar.

For almost 30 years, Mary Katherine Scott has called Laramie home. She attended Laramie High School and completed two degrees at UW (BFA Visual Arts and MA Spanish) before further graduate work in Illinois (MA Art History) and England (PhD World Art Studies). Her passion is the arts, languages, and cultures of Mexico, and she spent many years teaching and mentoring UW students on these topics. Nowadays, she is a consultant for UW’s WORTH Initiative, which serves Wyoming’s outdoor recreation, tourism, and hospitality industries.

She is a practicing artist and avid writer with particular skills in grant research and writing, and is currently working on a novel. She enjoys spending time outdoors and going to UW sporting events with her husband and son to cheer on the Pokes! The Co-op is her family’s primary choice for grocery shopping, and she is eager to serve this incredible local business and the Laramie community!

Laramie has been Reilly’s home for over a decade and she love living here! Connecting with downtown Laramie throughout the year is important to her whole family, even the dog—the last time she got out of the yard, she was found her making new friends in the Laramie Railroad Depot Museum. Serving on the Big Hollow Food Co-op Board is a small but rewarding way for her to contribute to the community; She is enthusiastic about improving access to locally grown food through the Co-op. Reilly cooks predominantly vegan food and has recently expanded her recipes to incorporate more varied dishes than just the lentils she lived on for too many years. Focusing on seasonal produce and local options available at the Co-op and farmers markets keeps things interesting and affordable. Her elk hunter husband seems to enjoy this change, though apparently lentils and elk can also go well together. When not spending time downtown, Reilly enjoys trail running with friends, hiking with her family, and playing in the snow.

A recent Laramie transplant, I arrived in July, 2022 with my partner Marci, to teach anatomy at the University of Wyoming.  Since then, we have fallen in love with the city, its surroundings, and are exceptionally fond of the Co-op!  I grew up in rural Iowa, working extensively on our family’s farm, which continues to be owned and run by my Mother and her siblings.  This experience gave me an unshakeable appreciation for where our food is grown, the effort required, and the ups and downs driven by weather, market forces, and yes, good and bad luck.  Not to be forgotten of course, the pride and dedication shown by local farmers and ranchers in what they produce. In a way, being a board member reconnects me with the experience of working on farms owned by my family and others, and helping the Co-op to connect with and benefit both local producers and customers who depend on Big Hollow for their high-quality produce, meats, bulk goods, and miscellania.

A longtime Laramie resident and culinary professional, Mark brings decades of experience in food service, food safety, and culinary education to the Big Hollow Food Co-op Board. After serving as Kitchen Manager at the University of Wyoming and earning Chef de Cuisine certification through the American Culinary Federation, he continued his commitment to the industry by teaching ServSafe food safety certification and mentoring future food service professionals. Currently, he works with Ark Regional Services, helping clients develop culinary skills and prepare for careers in food service. A dedicated Co-op shopper, he values Big Hollow’s commitment to local foods, specialty products, and sustainable sourcing, which support the diverse needs of Laramie families. When not in the kitchen, he enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, spending time with his family, and exploring Wyoming’s outdoors.

A longtime advocate for cooperative business models and healthy food access, Janel has been involved with food co-ops for more than 30 years, beginning with a grassroots cooperative effort in the mountains of North Carolina. She brings extensive board leadership experience, having served on both advisory and working boards and helping organizations grow and thrive. Most recently, she chaired the board of Relative Theatrics in Laramie before taking time to travel abroad. Passionate about community engagement and collaboration, she is a beekeeper, dog lover, hiker, skier, facilitator of collaborative dialogue, traveler, and lifelong dreamer who is excited to support Big Hollow Food Co-op’s mission and future growth.

I have lived in Laramie/Centennial area for 10 years. I love the community and bounty that the Laramie area offers and I just can’t seem to stay away for too long. I have owned and operated my own small business, Taste of the Wind, as a shepherd, craftsperson, and a local-food grower and vendor since 2019. I also serve as the Executive Director for the Wyoming Food Coalition. I am passionate about local food access and preserving the freedom to source local, high-quality foods to nourish ourselves and our families in Wyoming for generations to come. I am hoping to help make local food more accessible in Laramie and the surrounding areas.

A returning Laramie resident with a distinguished career in agriculture, international trade, and food systems, David brings decades of leadership experience to the Big Hollow Food Co-op Board. After earning graduate degrees in agricultural economics from the University of Wyoming and the University of Minnesota, he spent more than 23 years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving as an agricultural economist and foreign service officer in locations including Brussels, New Delhi, Moscow, and Paris. His expertise spans agricultural trade, food safety, regulatory compliance, marketing, and supply chain management, complemented by board experience overseeing large-scale embassy commissaries. Now retired from federal service and serving as a senior advisor in the animal agriculture sector, he is passionate about supporting local food systems and sustainable communities. Having recently returned to Laramie with his wife, Karin, he is eager to contribute his experience, global perspective, and commitment to community well-being to help advance the Co-Op’s mission.