Meet Our Staff

Brad Alstrom
General Manager

Prior to moving to Orange County to manage the Lost River Market & Deli venture and other activities of the Co-op, Brad was the finance manager for the Astoria co-operative in Astoria, Oregon. Brad and wife, Anne Brookhyser, have a four- year-old son, Anton.

Esprí
Bender-
Beauregard
Graphic Artist

Esprí was born and raised in Paoli. She owns and operates Brambleberry Farm with husband, Darren. She has a BA in Art and Interdisciplinary Studies from Goshen College and applies her education to a myriad of projects and economic pursuits around the farm. From designing and engineering Esprí and Darren's own straw-bale home to baking bread for the Orleans Farmers Market, Esprí manages to keep herself entertained.

Andrew Gilleo
Grocery Assistant

Andrew was born and raised on a 180 acre grain farm in Celina, OH, and has spent most of his working career on small farms. Andrew is not new to the natural foods world - he has almost six years of experience working at Three Rivers Food Co-op and Deli in Fort Wayne, IN.

Shannon Cheek
Grocery Assistant

Shannon has lived in the Paoli area for four years.

Becky Gardner
Bookkeeper

Becky, a native Orange Countian, moved back home after retiring six years ago with 30 years of accounting experience. She volunteers her skills at the Paoli Friends Church, crochets and enjoys needlework. She is proud owner and housemate to five cats. Becky knows just about everyone.

Linda Boswell
Deli Coordinator

Linda has lived in Southern Indiana for 15 years on a farm with 15 cows, her husband and two sons. She divides her time between the deli and her artistic side - making pots.

Melinda Skeeto
Deli Assistant

Cooking is only one of Melinda's many talents. Many of you already know her for her great music as well

Lost River Community Co-op
Board of Directors

Carol Anderson –  Term: 2008-2010

Pertinent experience:  Degrees in Sociology and English. Worked at the Melton Public Library in French Lick for 19 years, first as head of Youth Services and currently as library director. Served on the Orange County 4-H Council, the SOAR board, as treasurer of the Springs Valley Booster Club and President of the Springs Valley PTSO. Experience developing programs, long range plans, policy writing and working with boards as a member and a manager.

Jim Beachy – Term: 2008-2010

Pertinent experience:  Graduated from Goshen College.  Started a (still-thriving) chimney cleaning business in Virginia. Worked with computer software at Kimball for the past 18 years. Studied Information Technology and has computer, fiscal and organizational skills. Served on the Lotus Dickey Festival Committee and the Leadership group at the Paoli Mennonite Fellowship.

Karen James – Term: 2009-2011

Pertinent experience:  Retired librarian with a Masters Degree, worked as Manager of Children’s Services and Manager of Collection Development for an urban library system. As Manager of Children’s Services, was responsible for developing library programs for children, and for hiring, training and evaluating children’s librarians throughout the library system. As Manager of Collection Development, was responsible for a five million dollar materials budget, negotiating purchasing contracts, and selecting all books and other materials for the library system.  

After retirement employed as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for the Louisville Free Public Library Foundation  Extensive experience in developing policy and procedures. Extensive experience in public speaking and developing and presenting training workshops. Training and experience in grant writing and developing fund raising letters.

Rod Kahl – Term: 2009-2011

Rod holds a BA in English Literature and has put this education to practical use for 15 years in the field of Information Security.  He has worked in support and management capacities in the public and private sector and is currently employed by Humana as a Technical Architect.   He recently returned to his native Southern Indiana from Virginia where he fulfilled the role of Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for a network security company; in addition to duties with Lost River, he currently serves as the Director of Member Relations on the Board of Directors of the Kentuckiana ISSA.   Rod, his wife Merri-Ann and their five children live on a small farm on the top of a ridge in Washington County.

Andy Mahler - Term: 2008-2010

Pertinent experience:  Chairperson for Orange County Homegrown. Past vice-president Bloomington Cooperative Services. 1991-1999 Executive Director, Heartwood, a regional cooperative forest protection network active in 18 states. 1985-1991 President, Protect Our Woods, a landowners conservation organization based in Southern Indiana. Director for Shagbark, an Indiana non-profit corporation that operates the Lazy Black Bear as a center for renewal, reunion and education.

Consultant/trainer for non-profit organizations.  Event planning, mediation and facilitation services. Twenty years experience with non-profit organizations with board service for numerous organizations.

Janabai Raymundo- Term: 2009-2011

Pertinent Experience:  Interviewed, trained and supervised full- and part-time employees for public service at Indiana University Graduate Library, Bloomington. Designed, wrote, and implemented policies, procedures, evaluations, and schedules for Volunteer Services Dept, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Organized operational components,  trained and supervised staff for Software Upgrade Fulfillment Services, Lotus Development Corp, Cambridge, MA. Designed MS PowerPoint presentations for CFOs for Fidelity Investments business units, and created and maintained MS Excel spreadsheets with corresponding graph analyses for finance groups, Fidelity Investments, Boston, MA. Designed and created marketing materials for a successful private practice as alternative health practitioner, Boston, MA.  Currently practicing in Salem, IN. BA Social Services. MA Graduate Studies. Both at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.

Debbie Turner – Term: 2008-2010

Pertinent experience:  Recently retired as publisher and editor of the Bedford Times-Mail newspaper.  Experience in project management, human resource issues, strategic planning and marketing.  Community involvement includes six years on Lawrence County Community Foundation board, two years as president, member of executive committee of Lawrence County Economic Growth Council and current volunteer for Orange County Homegrown activities including the Farmers Market in Orleans.  Spent five years as traveling faculty member for the National Issues Forum, Kettering Foundation training moderators on how to discuss issues in diverse groups.

Bernard Weesner – Term: 2008-2010

Pertinent experience: Farmed in Miami County for 16 years. Learned organic methods from his grandmother and continues this tradition. Retired from Chrysler Corp.  Moved to Washington County in 2006.  Raises goats, chickens, ducks and geese.

Randy Young – Term: 2009-2011

Robin R. Young – Term: 2008-2010

Pertinent experience: Local producer involved in the Lost River Market and Deli and a part of many grassroots actions that involve environmental and economic sustainability.  Seventeen years experience in customer service and six y ears supervisory experience. Volunteer for the Room Parent Organization.  Advocate for fairness in decision making while preserving the concept and integrity of a cooperative.