John Tanis
Why would you like to serve on the City Market Board? What excites you about becoming a Board Member?
What draws me to continue serving another term on the Board is my belief that good
representation is both important and quite difficult to achieve in practice. I’ve always felt that governance should reflect the perspectives of those it represents. I feel energized when I get to engage with COOP members and seek ways to incorporate their perspectives into board decision-making.
I want to help the Board hold both sides of our responsibility: listening to and elevating the perspectives of our members, while also ensuring financial health for the Co-op. I think thriving Co-op depends on that balance — staying true to our Ends of community, equity, and local food, while making the practical decisions that keep our stores sustainable for the long term.
The Board seeks candidates who are dedicated, cooperative, committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and willing to participate in group discussions ranging from financial oversight to support of management, staff and Members. Please describe the skills and experiences you have that will help you be an effective Board Member in these regards. How would you use your skills and experiences to help the Board understand and use data as part of the decision-making process of our community-owned cooperative?
Question 4 covers DEI. See response to question 4.
Data in Decision Making: At GAO, my work has focused on program evaluation—building and applying frameworks to ensure programs collect and use data effectively to understand their impact. This has included projects like mapping climate change risks to federal infrastructure, where the challenge was not just analyzing the data but making sure it was accessible and relevant for decision-makers. I believe data should inform, not dictate, decisions; evidence provides clarity, but it must be weighed alongside lived experiences and community priorities. Using data in this way can help identify and counteract biases that can otherwise shape decisions.
Describe your prior involvement with community organizations and/or cooperatives. What did you learn from these experiences?
Community spaces is critical for building trust and getting any change to happen. I enjoy connecting with people and building bridges. I think that skill is useful for the board and may enable us to find some solutions to board challenges.
Learnings from Past Community Engagements My work on food policy research with partners like Feeding America, Sustainable America, and the Food Rescue Alliance taught me the value of cross-sector collaboration in strengthening food access. Also, through the Cornell Business School’s Social Enterprise Certificate Program, I learned how organizations weigh financial sustainability against social good. These experiences taught me how social good and profitability may coexist, and the challenges that come along with this.
The Board collaborates with the General Manager to support inclusion, diversity, equity, access and social justice (IDEAS) at City Market. How would you ensure that the Board's work is grounded in these principles? How would you help point City Market in the right direction when it comes to IDEAS? Please describe any prior involvement in IDEAS work either personally or professionally?
I have brought and continue to bring to the board a formalized background in DEIA and evidence-based decision-making. I’ve helped to design federal agency-wide DEIA initiatives focused on identity and inclusion, hold a Cornell University certificate in DEIA, and have spent three years working directly with migrant communities abroad through the Peace Corps and nonprofit sector. Those experiences, alongside four years at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) - where I engage locally with all kinds of communities across the U.S. - have taught me how to listen across differences and elevate voices often underrepresented in governance.
What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future of City Market?
1. Member Engagement: The biggest opportunity I see is deepening member engagement. The Co-op’s strength comes from its member-owners, and I think the Board could do more to create structured feedback loops so their voices directly shape priorities. More active listening sessions, online forms, or other forums could help ensure governance stays grounded in member perspectives. Attracting new members also remains critical — it can strengthen our base and help counterbalance some of the challenges facing our downtown store.
2. Downtown Store Vitality: The downtown store continues to face headwinds as local businesses navigate turbulent times. I believe the Board can play a role in supporting strategies that stabilize and grow downtown operations, including more deliberate engagement with anchor institutions like UVM and the hospital. As a UVM coach, I hear how other local businesses engage students, and I see real potential for City Market to better connect with those networks.
3. Equity and Access: Finally, the Co-op must remain committed to equity and access. Not all Burlington residents feel equally included in or able to benefit from the Co-op. I’m not sure what the solutions look like here, but some might not be profitable.