2026 Board of Director Candidate

Cat Carter

Incumbent Board Member

Currently serving on Sustainability Committee (Chair), Annual Meeting Committee and GM Search Committee.

Catherine (Cat) Carter is a community-focused leader with a passion for sustainability, equity, and collaboration. She serves as Development Director at Friends of the Rappahannock and is the founder of FXBG Compost.

Cat has served on the Fredericksburg Food Co-op Board for over a year and currently chairs the Sustainability Committee. With a decade of nonprofit and corporate leadership experience, she brings expertise in operations, project management, fundraising, and community engagement. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, biking, paddling, and pottery.

Q&A

Why would you like to serve on the Board?

Over the last year, I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the Board, the Co-op, and our community better. My time chairing the Sustainability Committee has shown me the real impact that a small grocery store can have on how we think about food, community, and sustainability. I’ve seen firsthand the ways the Co-op continues to step up and meet the needs of our community, and I’m genuinely excited to be part of that team moving forward. I want to bring my experience and energy to help deepen that impact.

Have you done any volunteer work or contributed to the Fredericksburg Food Co-op, or another co-op, in the past? If so, please describe.

My involvement with the Food Co-op has been meaningful and multifaceted. I’ve served on the Sustainability Committee and now chair it, and I’m also active on the annual meeting planning committee and the GM search committee. While I haven’t volunteered with other Co-ops specifically, volunteerism is deeply important to me and something I’ve woven throughout my life.

Here in the Fredericksburg region, I’ve volunteered with the food bank, the Rappahannock Education Farm, and the Rapidan equine sanctuary. Before moving here, I worked in various volunteer capacities with The Greening of Detroit, An Amazing Women Foundation, and Wayne County CASA. That consistent commitment to community service has shaped who I am and what I care about, and it’s part of why the Co-op feels like such a natural fit for me.

In your view, how can the Board strengthen connections between the Co-op and the wider community?

I think there are a lot of meaningful ways the Co-op can continue to show up for our community. One of the lowest-hanging fruit, in my opinion, is offering more events at times that work for working people. Right now, a lot of our events happen during the day, which is tough for folks on a traditional nine-to-five schedule. Continuing to open up evening and weekend programming could help us reach so many more people.

I also think we should lean into deeper partnerships with local organizations and nonprofits, perhaps doing school programming, working with community gardeners, and partnering with our growers and producers to bring education to our community. Those kinds of connections help position the Co-op as a real partner in the food and sustainability ecosystem here.

And honestly, I’d love to see us really ramp up our marketing. I’m always surprised by how many people still don’t know what the Co-op is or think they’re not allowed to shop here if they’re not a member. A focused campaign to make sure everyone knows the Co-op is for everyone could be transformative. It’s about visibility and breaking down those misconceptions.

What strengths or skills do you feel you have that would add value to the Board?

I’m generally pretty good at seeing how systems work and how to make them work better. I love thinking creatively about solutions and bringing different parties together around a common goal—that collaborative problem-solving is something I’m genuinely energized by.

I also care deeply about making sure community spaces like the Co-op stay rooted in equity as they continue to grow and evolve. That’s something I think about a lot, and I believe it’s especially essential for cooperatives.

And I’m scrappy! I can do most things to a fair degree, and I’m genuinely happy and enthusiastic about bringing those skills to bear for the Co-op. I’m not someone who’s going to wait around for perfect conditions or sit on the sidelines. If something needs doing, I’m in.

What’s your favorite Co-op product?

Abe’s Cornbread! I picked it up on a whim in the discount cart and am now OBSESSED.