This episode will spotlight four Co-op Leaders and Scholars attending the 2025 IMPACT Conference. Vernon will engage them in a discussion about the diverse cooperative sectors they represent and the unique perspectives they bring to the movement.
The Cooperative Leaders and Scholars (CLS) program is an opportunity for employees, board members, and post-secondary students working for cooperatives and others interested in working for a cooperative or cooperative organization to participate in multi-sector programming and events and engage with co-op industry thought leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The program is administered by the Cooperative Development Foundation. The interviewees are listed below.
Sonia Erika is the daughter of formerly undocumented laborers. From weed to music, Sonia’s journey into the cooperative movement has been shaped by a deep commitment to economic justice, community resilience, and collective care. Although there are challenges, cooperatives are Sonia Erika’s ideal economic future.
While at Harvard University, Sonia co-founded two groundbreaking cooperatives: The Massachusetts Recreational Consumer Council, and EatMe.Land. These ventures served as collaborative artistic statements, each emphasizing equity and systemic change. Sonia’s endeavors have led to the development of cooperative policy as well as the strengthening of artists and cooperatives through digital storytelling.
Nicole Borner is a co-owner and consultant with Trillium Cooperative, a woman-owned, Native-led cooperative dedicated to reclaiming power, strengthening connections, and building sustainable democratic economies. Trillium provides consulting, cooperative development, education, grant writing, and community engagement services rooted in trust and shared leadership.
A lifelong Montanan, Nicole brings over a decade of experience in economic development and four years focused on cooperative models. She has guided communities through every stage of cooperative formation—from visioning and education to incorporation and governance. Formerly a small business owner and local official in Roundup, she champions rural resilience and collective action, grounded in her belief that cooperation strengthens and sustains communities.
Naomi Thompkins is the Senior Cooperative Development Fellow at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, a nonprofit supporting Black farmers, landowners, and cooperatives across the rural South since 1967. In her role, Naomi focuses on cooperative education, governance, and advocacy—helping communities build stronger, member-led businesses. She holds a degree in Black Political Economy from New York University and recently earned a Certificate in Cooperative Management from Saint Mary’s University.
Dre Chiriboga-Flor is the Executive Director of Justice for the People Legal Center, a nonprofit law firm advancing transformative justice, liberation, and collective self-determination through education, community organizing, and impact litigation. She was politicized by time spent in her mother country of Ecuador, where she was influenced by Latin American social movements, and deepened while interning with women-led labor organizers in the Dominican Republic. After college, she organized childcare workers in Boston for better pay and benefits, then joined 9to5, where she helped build its housing justice program and co-founded Colorado Homes for All in 2016. After nine years with 9to5 Colorado—four as Executive Director—she launched her work with Justice for the People. Dre’s leadership is shaped by fellowships with Power 50, Transformative Leadership for Change, and Common Future Accelerator.
