We practice culture making by integrating skills building and organizing tactics with joyful strategies, art, community care and celebration.
We value food sovereignty, solidarity, inclusiveness, cooperation and egalitarian decision making and anti-racist participatory governance.
We value democratic worker led projects and policies, created by listening to and including community voices in decision making.
We value the local network of people working toward this shared purpose. We look to state, national and regional level solutions, and build partnerships and alliances with organizations succeeding in what we are striving for.
Ander Russell
Co-Director
Ander Russell (they/them) is the Co-Executive Director of Resources For Sustainable Communities and oversees all aspects of the organization’s advocacy, science and education work. They hold a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and an M.S. from the Environmental College at WWU. They have over 20 years of experience in wildlife and land conservation, coalition-building, and natural resource social science research. Ander has a strong interest in applying conflict resolution and collaboration skills to complex environmental issues such as water quantity and quality. Their work is always community-based and strongly focused on social and environmental justice. “We all do better when we all do better.” -Paul Wellstone
Rhys-Thorvald Hansen
Co-Director
Rhys-Thorvald Hansen (they/them) is an artist, facilitator, and consultant working in the intersections of food systems, land justice, and creative arts for social transformation. Their work at Whatcom Food Network is informed by their experience in cooperatives, rural economic development, and movements to de-commodify land tenure. Rhys serves as the Chair of Whatcom County Food Systems Committee, where they have been the Whatcom Food Network’s representative since 2022. Outside their food systems work, Rhys is a textile artist and enthusiastic non-fiction reader.
Rosalinda Guillen
Co-Director
Rosalinda Guillen (she/her) is the founder, visionary and lead strategist of Community to Community Development, within the ecofeminist leadership circle. Her perspective is influenced by the multi-racial, working-class community organizing model of the Rainbow Coalition, the Cesar Chavez house meeting model, The World Social Forum, the Landless Workers Movement (MST) of Brazil and growing up a farmworker in La Conner, WA. Rosalinda has organized farmworkers in WA State and the strawberry fields of Salinas CA. She has represented farmworkers in the Legislatures of California and Washington State and in ongoing policy and Movement building dialogues on immigration issues, climate change, labor rights, trade agreements, ecofeminism and strengthening the food sovereignty movement towards a Solidarity Economy.
Laura M. Ridenour
Co-Founder & Co-Director
Laura M. Ridenour (she/they) is a mother, entrepreneur, facilitator, and a capacity building coach with 20+ years experience in the nonprofit sector and social science. Laura holds a B.A. in Food Systems and Social Change and an M.A. in Sociology of Food and Agriculture, as well as a certificate in Ecological Horticulture from the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS). She has facilitated many dozens of workshops, conferences and the creation of three food policy councils. Laura is the co-author of the 8th edition of the 196-page Washington State Small Farm Direct Marketing Guide, co-creator of the Whatcom Food Network, and original designer of the Eat Local First campaign, which became EatLocalFirst.org. Laura has a private practice as an Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, helping people befriend their body’s natural ability to heal stress and be creatively responsive to the present poly crisis.
