PCC Purpose Stars
Two PCC staff members were honored by Progressive Grocer magazine for their groundbreaking work and community contributions.
Rachel Tefft
Senior manager, community food systems
Rachel Tefft was named a 2023 rising star for the publication’s Top Women in Grocery award, which honors “the integral role women play across all segments of the North American food retail and grocery industries.” Tefft was cited for her stewardship of the Growing for Good hunger relief program, advocating “for hunger relief organizations and farmers to cultivate a future for Pacific Northwest food security.” (Click here for more on that program, a collaboration between PCC, Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets and Harvest for Hunger, bringing fresh produce from local farms to hunger relief agencies.) Tefft also drove statewide expansion of PCC’s nutrition security initiative, Friends of PCC, helping food bank partners buy nutritious food that meets the needs of their clients (read more about it here). The award also noted her contributions to Sound Consumer, which is dedicated “to informing and inspiring the cooperative grocer’s community through a vision of advancing the health and well-being of people, their neighborhoods and the planet.”
Rebecca Robinson
PCC’s quality standards manager
Rebecca Robinson was named a 2023 GenNext winner by the magazine, celebrating individuals aged 40 and under who are “exceptional innovators who are taking the lead in their companies and their communities, and using their skills to transform the grocery industry.”
Robinson manages the responsible sourcing program at PCC, with a focus on sustainability and public health. She oversees the development and management of product standards while developing educational resources for suppliers and staff. Additionally, she provides support for PCC’s advocacy work and uses her expertise to help PCC make needle-moving policy recommendations.
Among her achievements were leading the standards codification project overhauling decades of old standards, co-authoring PCC’s new Inclusive Trade Standard, and advocating that PCC stop selling colloidal silver after extensive research confirming there is no scientific evidence that colloidal silver is beneficial to humans and could even cause harm if used improperly.