Charlie Michel is the Regional Food Systems Program Manager at Mission West Community Development Partners, a non-profit cooperative development center that strengthens local food economies through people-centered, democratic enterprise. Charlie’s role is dedicated to managing the Northwest Food Hub Network, a collective of farmer-owned cooperative food hubs representing more than 200 farmers, ranchers, and value-added food processors across the region. His background includes picking fruit, educating and organizing beginning farmers, and promoting the cooperative business model. Charlie is also a part-time student in the Master of Management in Cooperatives and Credit Unions program at St. Mary’s University (Halifax, Nova Scotia) where his research focuses on cooperative approaches to food production, marketing, and distribution.