NWCDC has a strong team of Cooperative Development Practitioners ready to assist you and your cooperative. Skills specific to start-up and organizational business development include feasibility research, business planning, financial management, dynamic governance (Sociocracy), accountability models, governance training, communications, strategic planning, and group facilitation.
All Center work is guided by the Madison Principles, professional standards set and agreed upon by co-op development leaders. Since 2023, NWCDC has Co-Directors that share the duties of an Executive Director with specific areas of work for Housing, Education, Cooperative Development, and the NW Cooperative Fund.
Sam Green: Co-Director
Sam joined NWCDC in 2014 as a volunteer becoming a staff with the Resident Owned Community program in 2015. After several years as a marketing and acquisition specialist, Sam moved into his current position as Financial Officer. He manages grant applications, the center’s bookkeeping, and efforts to establish NWCDC as a Community Development Financial Institution. Sam is a graduate of The Evergreen State College and Western Governors University. He is currently working towards becoming a CPA. As Co-Director, Sam heads up the housing programs (including ROC Northwest) and grants team for NWCDC as well as the NW Cooperative Fund, a revolving loan program providing support to cooperatives in the Pacific Northwest.
Dr. John A. McNamara: Co-Director
John joined NWCDC in the Spring of 2014. John has 26 years of practical experience in the worker cooperative world with Union Cab of Madison. John holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration and a Masters in Management: Cooperative and Credit Unions from Saint Mary’s University (Halifax) and now teaches in the Master’s program as part-time faculty. John participated in the development of the Co-op Index Tool and has taught at The Evergreen State College and Presidio Graduate School. He co-edited a collection of essays on measuring co-operatives available as an e-book at no cost from the Cooperative Difference and has a chapter in Humanistic Governance in Democratic Organizations (2022). John serves on the Board of Directors for CooperationWorks!, is Chair of the Union-Coops Council of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, and is on the Steering Committee for Oregon New Economy Project. As Co-Director, John heads up the Education and General Cooperative Development programs along with the communications and networking teams for NWCDC.
Victoria O’Banion: Marketing and Acquisitions Specialist
Victoria recently joined Northwest Cooperative Development Center and serves as the marketing and acquisitions specialist for ROC Northwest. Victoria brings with her nearly seven years of project and program management experience with Rebuilding Together, most recently as the Senior Director, National Programs and Strategic Partnerships. Victoria is well versed in the affordable housing arena and has experience in worker and consumer cooperatives. She lives in Spokane with her husband, two dogs, and six chickens.
Diane Gasaway: Cooperative Development Specialist
Diane joined the Center in 2003 and together with the NWCDC Board of Directors has been responsible for building the Center into what it is today. Her specialty is in strategic planning, co-op education, co-op development, grant administration, and budget management for a multitude of projects. Diane has 13 years of experience in the financial services industry. She received a Master of Public Administration (with a co-op emphasis) from The Evergreen State College. She served on the board of the National Cooperative Business Association/Cooperative League: USA. After 20 years of service as the Executive Director of NWCDC, Diane stepped back to focus entirely on cooperative development both as a co-op developer and member of Dumpster Values, a worker-owned retail store in Olympia, WA.
Deborah Craig: Cooperative Development Specialist
Deborah Craig joined the NWCDC in the Spring of 2014. Deborah has over 20 years of experience in cooperative management, specializing in Human Resources in the Food Co-op and Home Care Co-op industries. She has a Master’s degree from Western Washington University. In addition to working with NWCDC, Deborah serves as a peer adviser with the Democracy at Work Network. Deborah is also part of the first cohort of Democracy at Work Institute’s Fellows. Deborah specializes in-home care/caregiver cooperatives as well as working with the ROC Northwest program.
Cristina Klatovsky: Cooperative Development Specialist
Critstina joined NWCDC at the beginning of March 2018. She works out of Yakima, WA, and primarily covers the Eastern Washington service area for the ROCNW program. She brings to NWCDC over 20 years of experience training diverse groups in shared governance, and program management, and conducting extensive community outreach throughout the area. Cristina is passionate about community engagement and facilitating training and presentations. As a certified Spanish/English Interpreter, she is committed to assuring the opportunity to participate for all regardless of language. Cristina has hit the ground running, falling in love with every community she visits, and looks forward to every bit of it.
Fred Medlicott: Cooperative Development Specialist
Fred volunteered for NWCDC as an intern in the fall of 2017 and joined the staff in June 2018. Fred finished his Bachelor’s at The Evergreen State College and is near completion of a Masters in Management: Cooperatives and Credit Unions program at Saint Mary’s University through the International Centre for Cooperative Management. He works in the ROC NW program, oversees the Co-op Academy, and provides other cooperative development support as needed.
Luis Sierra: Cooperative Development Specialist
Luis joined NWCDC in 2021 and serves a cooperative development specialist for ROC Northwest. Luis brings a dozen years of experience in limited-equity housing cooperatives- as an educator and technical assistance provider for boards, and as a member, director, and treasurer of the cooperative he lived for 11 years. Luis‘s experience also includes agricultural cooperative development in fresh fruit and vegetable distribution and meat processing. Luis‘s first cooperative experience was in college as a member of the UC Berkeley’s Composting Collective.
Janett Morell: Cooperative Development Specialist
.Janet joined NWCDC at the end of March 2022. She works out of Kitsap County, WA , and primarily covers the Western Washington service area. Janet moved from Arizona to WA state in 2019. Janet worked in early childhood education for 10 years. In WA Janet has worked with Kitsap Community Resources as well as Turning Pointe advocacy center working directly with youth and families. Janet is bilingual and enjoys working with diverse communities
Rebecca Cienfuegos: Cooperative Development Specialist
Rebecca joined NWCDC in late 2021 and lives in Granger, Washington. She will be working with ROCs and other co-ops on the east side of Washington state. She graduated from Central Washington University and has worked most of her career in Early Childhood Education. Rebecca served as Center Director/Manager of Head Start for over 17 years and with the University of Washington for 3 years as Quality Recognition Specialist.
Rebecca grew up in a migrant setting moving to many states during her childhood. She was ten years old when her parents decided to buy a home in Granger and make it their forever place. She loves her small town and knowing the community. Rebecca has three wonderful daughters and two Goldendoodles.
Annie Hoy: Cooperative Development Specialist
Annie joined NWCDC in the fall of 2021 and is a native of El Paso, TX, but has lived in Oregon since 1972, currently residing in Ashland, OR. She is a graduate of the University of Oregon. After a career teaching broadcast news at Southern Oregon University as Jefferson Public Radio’s first News Director, Annie joined the staff at Ashland Community Food Store in 1994 and led the drive to convert the natural foods retailer to a consumer-owned food co-op. That is when she caught the “co-op bug.” After retiring in 2019, Annie recently joins the staff at NW Co-op Development Center to foster growth in the co-op sector in southern Oregon. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you she is a real co-op geek.
Nora Edge: Cooperative Development Specialist
Nora joined the NWCDC in 2022 as a housing cooperative specialist with the Resident Owned Community(ROC) program. Prior to joining, Nora was the executive director, as well as a founding member, of Capital Homecare Cooperative in Olympia WA. At Capital Homecare Nora gained a working knowledge of the benefits of a democratically controlled workplace, of having workers serve as the decision-makers, and of the cooperative mission toward community care and building equity in the local economy. She is excited to continue her work with the ROC Northwest program and continue to provide support to the home care cooperative economy both locally and nationally. Nora is a graduate of the St. John’s College great books program, where she earned a BA in philosophy and literature
Jadira Amaya: Cooperative Development Specialist
Jadira joined NWCDC in January of 2023 as a Housing Cooperative Specialist and Technical Assistant for ROC USA. Born in Los Angeles California, Jadira lived in Jalisco Mexico for a portion of her childhood and grew up in Salem Oregon before residing in Yakima Washington for the past 17 years. Jadira recently moved to Spokane Washington where she’ll be working with ROCs in the Eastern Washington area.
Jadira had worked in the government sector for 16 years; working for the Oregon Youth Authority/MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, Yakima County Courthouse/District Court, and the Washington State Department Social and Health Services. Prior to joining NWCDC, Jadira operated her own clothing business for 7 years, passing it down to her daughter Jasmine, before relocating to Spokane to live with her life partner Leticia and 7-year-old son.
In her Yakima community, she was an active member of the Junior League of Yakima, and volunteered at Rod’s House, Casa Hogar, and the Madison House. She was a member of the Juvenile Court’s CAB and Truancy programs, a mentor for the YWCA middle school girl’s iMentor program, and a mentor for students at Washington Middle School.
Jadira’s personal, business, and professional background experience has provided her with the tools, knowledge, and compassion to work with diversified communities. She’s excited to be a part of the NWCDC Team.
David Sanchez: Cooperative Development Specialist
David recently joined Northwest Cooperative Development Center and serves as a Cooperative Development Specialist. David brings several years of non-profit experience in housing and community development. David enjoys spending time with his dog and cat.
Emanuel Peña: ROC NW Resoure Coordinator
Emanuel Peña joins the staff of NWCDC as our ROC NW Resource Coordinator. Emanuel will be working with individual members of the Washington Resident Owned Cooperatives to connect them to community resources such as medical and social services, weatherization programs, and more. Emanuel has twelve years of experience in working with Early Childhood Education. From preschool teacher to center director, he has served a wide range of families. Emanuel also served his local community at a high school as a wrestling coach. He looks forward to helping the communities alongside the Northwest Cooperative development.