ILUW Local 5 Union
Willamette Farm and Food Coalition is a proud part of the ILUW Local 5 Union.

Christie Hill she/her
President 
Human Resource Manager, Mountain Rose Herbs
 

Christie relocated to the Willamette Valley from Seattle’s Central District in the mid-90s. There, she witnessed firsthand how direct relationships between communities and localized food systems shape healthier, more connected environments — and she was fascinated. Making those connections has become a lifelong puzzle she never gets tired of trying to solve.

After spending about six years working across multiple departments at Mountain Rose Herbs, Christie found her home in Human Resources. That experience deepened her understanding of how essential it is to cultivate and maintain relationships with both the land and the people doing the work. She believes that when we dismantle barriers — whether geographic, communication-based, or structural — our communities can thrive and waste is naturally reduced.

Outside of her professional work, Christie is passionate about the performing arts and music in all its forms.

Graham Kroese he/him
Vice-President
Evening Kitchen Supervisor, FOOD For Lane County
 

Graham grew up in the Willamette Valley in a rural farm community, surrounded by food grown and produced close to home. For more than 30 years, he has worked in roles that produce, prepare, and distribute food. Beginning with farm work and growing food, Graham has spent his life moving through nearly every corner of the food world — as a cook, chef, farm hand, teacher, and in many other food-centered roles.

Today, Graham focuses on rescuing food from waste and getting it to the people who need it most in his position as the Evening Kitchen Supervisor at FOOD For Lane County. You can find him in the kitchen working alongside volunteers to save surplus food, leading cooking demos in the community, or advocating for food security from the local to global level.

Sonya Brown she / her
Interim Secretary
Grant Program Coordinator, Lane County Farmer's Market

Sonya moved to the Willamette Valley in 2018 after studying environmental horticulture and quickly immersed herself in the local agricultural community. Over the past several years, she has worked on a variety of small farms throughout the valley, deepening her connection to regional food systems and the resilient people who sustain them.

She currently works behind the scenes at the Lane County Farmers Market, coordinating USDA-funded grant programs that support farmers and vendors through customer education, value-added production, and expanded market access. Her role also includes grant writing, expense tracking, and program administration—skills that she brings to her service on the board of directors at WFFC.

Outside of her food systems work, Sonya is also a professional tattoo artist at a local studio in downtown Eugene, where she explores creativity and community through a different medium. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, yoga, and mushroom foraging in the lush outdoor spaces that Oregon offers.

Kellcie Merchant she/her
Board Member
Program Communications Specialist, Food for Lane County
 

Kellcie works at FOOD For Lane County, where she helps connect community members with essential resources such as food access and nutrition education. Passionate about cultivating healthy, thriving communities, she stays active in local events and loves to volunteer her time where it matters most.

When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her cheering at a sporting event, exploring nearby trails, or strolling through farmers markets with her husband and daughter.

Faye Sofranko she//they
Executive Director

Faye Sofranko is the Executive Director of the Willamette Farm & Food Coalition, where she works to build a more connected, equitable, and resilient local food system rooted in food sovereignty, Indigenous foodways, and community care. Their leadership centers on strengthening farmer viability while expanding meaningful access to fresh, locally grown food for all.

A food sovereignty and Indigenous foodways activist, Faye brings over 15 years of experience as a small business owner, entrepreneur, and grassroots marketing consultant for food and farm producers. Her background in business development and community-centered entrepreneurship informs her approach at WFFC—bridging local economic sustainability with equity-driven food access programs.

Faye is also a culinary educator and certified Master Food Preserver through the Clackamas County Extension Office and University of California, Davis. For more than a decade, she has taught seasonal food preservation, culinary herbalism, and food-as-medicine practices grounded in traditional knowledge, scratch-based cooking, and reciprocal relationships with land and community.

She is the founder of The Urban Canning Co., an award-winning food preservation company that earned national press and multiple awards. Throughout her career, she has led food education initiatives with organizations such as Friends of Zenger Farm and Luscher Farm, and founded the Local Artisan Collective in St. Petersburg, Florida to support small businesses through collaboration and mutual aid.

In addition to her role at WFFC, Faye works on the front lines with Meals on Wheels People as a site coordinator, ensuring elders and community members receive nourishing meals. She continues to teach food sovereignty and preservation at regional farms and volunteers with OSU Extension.

Rooted in ancestral lessons learned through subsistence living—hunting, gardening, foraging, and preserving food with her Mixed Native Appalachian family—Faye believes food is medicine, food is connection, and strong local food systems are essential to collective well-being.

Sachin Bangalore he/him
Food Systems Educator

Sachin Bangalore is a food systems educator, program designer, and advocate for food sovereignty rooted in values of justice, reciprocity, and collective care. Born in Connecticut and raised in India, he was drawn to environmental work early on, inspired by Captain Planet, Jane Goodall, and a formative documentary on farmer suicides in India. That experience catalyzed his lifelong commitment to transforming food systems. Sachin currently serves as the Farm Manager at Rhythm Seed Farm, where he manages 2 urban seed farm sites. He supports the farm's seed sovereignty efforts, seed and urban farming educational offerings, and community-based programming. Over the past decade, he has worked across the food system in both India and the US—including food rescue, beekeeping, and farm and garden-based education for youth and adults. He is an alumnus of the UC-Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology Apprenticeship and holds an M.Ed. in Learning and Design from Vanderbilt University, where his research supported an urban farming education program for Bhutanese and Burmese refugees. He volunteers with the Home Orchard Education Center, serves on the Portland EcoFilm Festival Selection Committee, and is training as a Master Melittologist contributing to native bee research in the Pacific Northwest. Sachin brings contemplative, equity-driven leadership and a long-haul vision for food justice.

Iz Acker she//her
Programs Assistant

Iz Acker is the Programs Assistant at the Willamette Farm and Food Coalition. Born and raised in Eugene, Iz brings a strong background in nonprofit coordination, food systems education, and community engagement.

A 2023 graduate of the University of Oregon, Iz has worked with organizations including Cedar Mill Farmers Market and Positive Community Kitchen, where they supported youth education, local farm sourcing, volunteer coordination, and meal programs serving over 100 community members weekly.

Iz’s commitment to food access is both personal and professional. Having benefited from the Double Up Food Bucks program while shopping at the Lane County Farmers Market during college, they believe nourishing, locally grown food is a right—not a privilege. Iz is passionate about food justice, food sovereignty, and ensuring all people have access to healthy, seasonal food.

When not supporting WFFC’s programs, Iz enjoys cooking, hiking, camping, and spending time with friends and family.

Stacey Ray she/her
Grants Coordinator

Bio coming soon.