Hello, NASCO Members! My name is Rek Kwawer, and I'll be NASCO's new Director of Operations starting in July! I'll be transitioning in the first few weeks from my position as Madison Community Cooperative's (MCC) Member Services Coordinator. I've been on staff at MCC for almost three years, working with members on leasing, debt, education, and membership process. I've also been sitting on both the NASCO Development Services and NASCO Properties boards, so while I'll be new to staff, I'm not new to NASCO. My previous cooperative experience includes two years as a board member at Boston Community Cooperatives and working to establish and purchase the Seed Pod Co-op, and several semesters in the Oberlin Student Cooperative Association as a missed jobs coordinator and sexual offense policy. In Madison, I've also been actively engaged with Dane Cooperative Alliance, our local cross-sector organization of cooperatives.
As NASCO's Director of Operations, I'll be doing a lot of the behind-the-scenes work of keeping the organization running, and working with active member cooperatives to ensure that they are well-served by our organization. I'll be the staff liaison to the Member Engagement Committee. One of the things I like best about cooperatives is that they offer a more equitable and empowering economic model that can be implemented in the present in order to address many of the needs in our society such as housing, food, and employment. I look forward to getting to know all of you as I start my position.