Our Team
Meet Our Board of Directors
Jill Liska
President
Growing up in a farming community in Wisconsin, Jill is interested in bringing the community access to good, local food options. After waiting 10 years for the co-op to become a reality, Jill is dedicated to making it a success. She brings experience as a corporate attorney to the board and leads the Evaluation Committee. She lives in Rogers Park with her family, many pets, and beehives!
Mary Meyer
Vice President & Founder
Mary is the co-op’s Founder. She brings a wealth of experience centered in community organizing in the Financial and International Fair-Trade sectors. Her passion for the co-op is unmatched as she turns out for every co-op event, and will happily meet any interested party for coffee to discuss Wild Onion Market at length. This passion is also expressed through her leadership on the Board.
Stephen Johnson
Treasurer
Stephen retired to Chicago in 2011 following careers in academia, public accounting, and manufacturing to live within 1/2 mile of his two sons and their families. He brings to the board experience in financial and managerial accounting, corporate governance, and strategic planning.
Michelle Oxman
Secretary
Erica Williams
Board Member
Joe Spevacek
Board Member
I am a lifelong resident of the Chicagoland area. I have lived in Chicago since 2013. I’ve been living in Rogers Park since May, 2022. As a teenager I was a bagger and stocker at a family owned grocery store. I’ve worked in manufacturing, education and now with the Federal government at the Department of Labor. I look forward to my term as a board member to assist in initiating the store opening and success.
Meet Our Staff
Matt Wechsler
General Manager
Matt is an award-winning filmmaker, grocery entrepreneur, and avid gardener with extensive knowledge of the local Midwest food system. He has produced three documentary films on food and agriculture that focus on sustainability, environmental injustice, worker rights, and anti-trust concerns. During the pandemic In 2020, Matt founded Village Farmstand in Evanston, Illinois as an outlet for local farms who were struggling to reach consumers. Matt served on the board of Wild Onion Market from 2018 – 2020 and helped construct the mission and values carried out by the store today.
