Melissa is the current President of the Long Beach grocery co-op. As a Long Beach resident, her family is active in the Long Beach school district and supports our Long Beach community through volunteering and in business. Melissa is a Chef and owner of a Long Beach based catering company and has opened a restaurant in Belmont Shore.

Community is everything for me and my family and I want my children to be involved and understand the importance of a co-op for their future.

Levi Curtis-Switzer has lived in the Long Beach area since 2014 and has always loved the diversity, community, growth, and progress of the city. He currently works in the grocery industry, having built a career over the past 8 years after stepping away from his time in entertainment.

With several years spent working directly with the teams at independent grocery stores across southern California, the opportunity to help build and open a Co-Op in his favorite city was a no brainer! Levi looks forward to growing the community and access to healthy food options for the residents of Long Beach and can’t wait to see the success of our store!

Dr. Kelly Whitten is a long-time resident of Long Beach, has lived in myriad neighborhoods, and loves them all. She grew up around agriculture in California's Central Valley, where her mother's side of the family had a dairy that was run by her grandpa and his brothers, and then her padrinho, who now crops pistachios. Her father's side of the family had a successful machine shop that worked with numerous agricultural and industrial businesses such as Haagen Dazs, Anheuser Busch, and Gilroy Foods, as well as several local farmers, individuals, and small businesses.

It was ingrained early on that service and helping our neighbors was the job of all good community members, and Kelly has chosen to be involved in multiple volunteer opportunities aimed at improving the lives of those in need of connection. Kelly has worked in education for over 20 years, and has had multiple side hustles such as private chef, bartender, party planner, and pet sitter. She loves running, cooking, politics, wine/spirits, food, traveling, and sports. During football season, you can find her with her friends, leading the "Bear Down" for anyone who wants to join in, so feel free to say hi and sing along!

Dodie Reddington is a long-time resident in Long Beach, CA sharing her home with family and three cats. She generously volunteers for several non-profit organizations, is an active member of numerous museums and cultural centers and enjoys nurturing and harvesting her “mini farm” of fruit bearing trees and vegetable garden.

Currently, Dodie is the Director of Finance for an AV integrator with an extensive background that includes experience in operations, event planning, project management, and business administration. She loves Long Beach for its rich history, diversity, culture, and sense of community. Having the grocery co-op will make all of those things even stronger.

Denise believes LBGCo-op can bring a unique presence that will enrich the Long Beach Community and beyond. Not only providing local produce, vendors, goods and services, but thru community outreach as well. In building a solid business and marketing strategy, the store will become a staple store opening the door to launch other coop stores. Denise has worked in Advertising Sales and Marketing for over 20 years, consulting businesses which include Supermarkets and National Brands. Previous board experience includes Soul Food for Your Baby and Lancaster Education Fund.

Arthur Flores is a local resident with over 15 years of business and finance experience. He is the founder of a Los Angeles-based distribution company specializing in healthier snacks and beverages. He has worked with various grocery stores, retailers, and beverage companies of all shapes and sizes. The opening of the Long Beach Co-op will be a great addition to the Long Beach community and he is honored to be a part of it.

Damon Lawrence is a 32 year veteran of the Los Angeles City Fire Department and is an avid organic gardener. He has been the president of the LBGCo-op since the very beginning. He became interested in cooperatives when he stumbled into the Alberta Food Co-op while on a family trip to Portland, OR. Damon has been the driving force behind LBGCo-op and will continue to do as we all work to get the doors open to Long Beach and neighboring communities.