Meet the Co-op’s Marketing and Merchandising Teams

Signs Signs, Everywhere a Sign!

BriarPatch is bursting at the seams with creativity and thinking outside of the box. But who’s behind the scenes posting on Facebook, creating beautiful displays, working with our volunteers and answering owners’ questions… and making all of those signs?

Meet the Co-op’s Marketing and Merchandising Teams!

1. Describe the purpose of your job to someone from another planet.

2. What is your favorite travel destination?

3. If you were in a salad, what ingredient would you be?

4. You’re shipwrecked on a deserted island: what two items do you bring with you?

5. Dog or cat person?

Rebecca Torpie | Marketing Manager

1. I help humans find food they like and help them have fun while they find it.

2. Amsterdam, NL

3. Radish. You don’t always see them in salads, but when you do, they’re quite crunchy- it’s the extroverted introvert ingredient.

4. My pug and my copy of Man’s Search for Meaning

5. I think that question has been answered.

Carly Davenport | Merchandiser

1. I bring products into our store and organize them in a way that makes them easier to find and purchase.

2. Norway…even though I have never been there…lol

3. Maters. They make the salad colorful and a little bit sweet!

4. A water filtration straw and a really big knife

5. Dog

Michelle Peregroy | Merchandising Manager

1. I work with an amazing team of humans to coordinate displays, promotions and product selection that reflect BriarPatch’s values and meet our customers’ needs.

2. Eastern Sierras in the fall time.

3. An avocado. They are delicious and packed full of nutritious goodness.

4. A pot to boil water and an even bigger knife than Carly’s.

5. Dog of course!

Seanan Maher | Marketing Assistant

1. Okay so I’m what you call a “Marketing Assistant”. Wait no, let’s go back a little farther, this won’t make sense. Okay so, on Earth we have these things called “stores”, wait no hang on... Alright, so have you heard of “money”? What about “goods and services”? Um... This is going to be harder than I thought...

2. I would give a great deal to visit New Mexico currently, but anywhere that has the promise of aliens or other unexplainable phenomena is fine by me!

3. The many many identical human teeth

4. Um... two more boats?

5. I love cats! Their cute little claws, their hard exoskeletons, their mandibles, their hundreds upon hundreds of legs... all wrapped up in a 7 ft. bundle of love! EDIT: I have been informed that what I have been caring for is in fact, NOT a cat, and that I am no longer allowed to bring pets into the office.

Holly Pesta | Graphic Designer

1. Dear ET, my job is to help persuade fellow earthlings to desire, consume and enjoy more of what my organization is selling through clever words and pretty pictures.

2. Any tropical island that has beautiful beaches, lots of great snorkeling and very few people

3. Blue cheese dressing; though it’s aged, it makes everything else in the salad taste a little better.

4. Snorkel gear and a spear gun. Why let good snorkeling and sushi go to waste?

5. Cat! Dogs are great but I absolutely adore cats, plus they generally smell better.

Paula O’Brien | Editor, The Vine

1. I’d cook them a meal using wonderful, fresh ingredients like what we have at the store. I’d explain that, through writing, I offer people ideas and recipes that hopefully get them excited about nourishing themselves and those around them with good food, and have fun in the process. Hopefully somewhere between my enthusiasm, gestures, yummy food and showing them The Vine, my message would be received.

2. The great outdoors, with my sweetie and my kitty

3. Microgreens! Amazing versatility, flavor and nutrition…and a little goes a long way.

4. My yarn and a crochet hook. I'll make the biggest, most beautiful and snuggly S-O-S sign you've ever seen.

5. Cat

Patti Glenn | Brand Coordinator

1. I make sure all the pretty signs and symbols that help people recognize BriarPatch are used in a consistent way, and I help my marketing team with processes to make it easier to coordinate with other teams and each other.

2. Morocco

3. Pomegranate seeds — a little sweet/sour, a bit weird, a bit crunchy but you’ll like it!

4. My iPhone and a solar charger

5. Cat person (but I’m Year of the Dog so I totally relate to dog people!)

Jason Patton | Community Engagement Coordinator

1. As the coffee mug on my desk says, I’m a Chaos Coordinator! As part of the outreach team in the marketing department, I help run special events and the PatchWorks Volunteer Program and also coordinate all of our donations.

It’s organized chaos, I swear.

2. I’ve always loved San Francisco for a weekend getaway, but I wouldn’t say no to going back to Paris!

3. An olive — I’m refreshingly salty!

4. Prepper's Survivalist Handbook and a volleyball. The latter seemed to make a good friend to Tom Hanks.

5. Yes

Laura Petersen | Communications Specialist

1. My job is to share the stories of humans and the foods they eat with other humans who live on our planet.

2. Sierra Nevada mountains

3. Beets — I’m rooting for you!

4. A knife and sleeping bag.

5. Meow…

Chelle Wheatley | Owner Relationship Coordinator

1. My job is to help you all you lovely aliens understand how much you want to shop at our store! Shop local, you cheeky aliens!

2. Milliways — The Restaurant at the Edge of the Universe. No COVID! No election! Great Pan Galactic Garble Blasters! No Hangover!

3. The ham

4. Sushi rice and a hammock

5. DOG!