This week, Vernon will interview Hether Jonna a member of Columinate’s Co-op Cafe, along with Lanay Gilbert-Williams and Akil Talley, the Board President and General Manager of the Detroit People’s Food Co-op. They will discuss cooperative food enterprises and share their cooperative journeys.
Lanay Gilbert-Williams is a native Detroiter, who has over 20 years of experience serving Detroit families with compassion and dedication. Her background includes more than a decade coordinating volunteers at a free medical clinic, mentoring parents involved in child abuse and neglect cases, founding and leading her neighborhood association, and establishing a nonprofit organization to support and connect Black mothers. She is currently in her second year of service as a Youth Program Coordinator through AmeriCorps. Passionate about creating culturally relevant solutions and empowering underserved communities, Lanay—a devoted wife and proud mother of six—continues to lead with purpose and vision, making a lasting impact in Detroit and beyond.
Hether Jonna is a seasoned facilitator, planner, and passionate co-op enthusiast who believes in the transformative power of people coming together around the cooperative principles and values. A member of Columinate, a shared services cooperative, Hether supports mission-driven organizations—nonprofits, co-ops, and social enterprises—through governance training, leadership development, board orientation, retreat facilitation, and equity-focused work. She has also spent the past five years helping shape conversations with cooperators all over the country as a member of Columinate’s Co-op Cafe planning team. Heather thrives on creating spaces for open dialogue, where ideas flow and learning is shared. She believes that collective wisdom yields the best solutions.
Akil Talley is the General Manager of the Detroit People’s Food Co-op. Akil has over 20 years of experience in the grocery retail industry, spending over 17 of those years in the natural and organic grocery world with Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme Markets. Akil got his start in the culinary arts field, working in the West Bloomfield Henry Ford Hospital main kitchen, where he learned under a Michelin star tested chef. Akil is a father of four and loves spending his downtime with his family outdoors or vacationing out of the country. His ultimate goal is to help facilitate the opening of multiple food co-ops throughout the city of Detroit.
