Village Goods is run by a volunteer Board of Directors - meet some of them below!
The Board
Adrienne Wiebe: I have been involved as a volunteer and board member of Village Goods since the start, and currently serve as Chair of the Board. I am an applied anthropologist who has worked for decades in international development and community engagement, with organizations such as Mennonite Central Committee, Oxfam, and Change for Children. Supporting a fair trade store in Edmonton, enables me to directly connect local action to global issues such as poverty, inequality, and the climate crisis by building equitable global relationships, encouraging sustainable development, and fostering local awareness of fair trade values.
Diane Reddekopp: I have been involved in Village Goods for many years. I have an interest in fair trade as I believe it is a human right for all people to be paid fairly no matter where they live and what they do for a living. I was involved in Ten Thousand Villages (another fair trade organization of the past). I was able to visit some artisans in Peru and Columbia and saw first hand the positive impact being paid fairly has on people's lives! Also the products we sell are amazing and people here benefit greatly as well!
Barbara Verstraeten: I became a volunteer at Village Goods in 2021, shortly after moving to Edmonton, and a Board member in 2023. The fair trade principles support wholistic well-being for the artisans involved, which aligns with my research with Indigenous communities of Alberta. I have been (part of) the Fair Trade Committee and now, I am Secretary of the Board.
Staff
Conor Hildebrandt: I've been the Store Manager at Village goods since April 2025. Born and raised in Edmonton I've been involved with many beloved restaurants and retail spaces for the past 15 years. Ethical consumerism and paying artists fairly for their work have always been values of mine and when I learned Village Goods was looking for a new manager I jumped on the opportunity to be part of a business I can feel good about supporting. It's fulfilling to know my work has an impact on the lives of real people and that we are contributing to our local economy as well as many around the world and not into a billionaires pocket.
Carly M: I’ve been with Village Goods as the Assistant Manager since September 2022 - during that time I’ve been privileged to work alongside a dedicated team of volunteers and help bring Fair Trade products to Edmonton. I’ve been working in the retail space for a decade now, and I’m honoured to be a part of a business that focuses on fairness and equity for everyone, at every step of the supply chain.
Jan P: I have been a staff member at Village Goods since summer 2021. My interests in community building and fighting for equity fit perfectly together with Village Goods’ mission. I also have a background in residential interior design, so I’m the perfect person to chat with about our hand-knotted rugs! In my spare time, you can find me working in the garden, hiking in the mountains, or cycling in Edmonton’s river valley.
More bios to be added!
