Bethel Erickson
Market Director
Originally from the Midwest, Bethel professionally dabbled in social work and politics in big cities and small towns across the country, before moving to Texas to work at the World Hunger Relief Farm in 2008. Seeing a need for more outlets for local agricultural producers, she worked with a handful of other community members to launch the Waco Downtown Farmers Market in 2011.
Bethel is passionate about building community food security through local food production. She has two sons – Jasper Jack and Angus Augustus.
Contact Bethel: WDFM.Director@gmail.com
Rachel Velasco
Saturday Market Manager
As a local businesswoman, educator, and yoga instructor, Rachel has been part of the Waco community since 2005. She has focused on educating and building strong communities through her various channels of service: as a facilitator of life skills training for at-risk youth, a public-school teacher and a homeschool tutor, and the owner of Pinwheel Kids, a children’s store focused on educating parents and providing sustainable products. For the past 5 years, Rachel has offered yoga, breathwork, and meditation instruction with a focus on making these healing modalities accessible to all.
Rachel’s passion is growing strong communities through access to education and resources. When she is not teaching or volunteering, she can be found in her garden tending her herbs and roses. She has four nearly grown kids- Kalena, Isaac, Adam and Rowan.
Contact Rachel: WDFM.Manager@gmail.com
Chisa Brigham
Community Engagement Manager
Chisa Brigham, a former Educator, transitioned into an Urban Farmer with a desire to feed her family fresh clean food. Together with her Veteran Husband, LaTrael Brigham, has expanded their enterprise to cater to the needs of the local community, as many lack access to fresh food. H.A.D. Land Farms offers, organically grown, fresh produce, chicken eggs, and health and wellness products. With a strong investment in her local community Chisa is spearheading a variety of initiatives to educate and empower, beginning urban farmers with the LIFTS project, veterans through the Farmer Veteran Coalition, and youth through the nonprofit Sankofa Way Inc. By fostering a sense of community around agriculture, Chisa is making a significant impact on the local food system.
Contact Chisa: WDFM.Community@gmail.com
Kirsten Schubel
Assistant Market Manager
Kirsten grew up in France and became a medical doctor, tending to the life and death of her patients with lung cancer and other lung diseases. She met her lovely American husband in France. He told her he needed to "go home" and is now teaching mathematics at Baylor, so she followed him.
In the USA for 9 years including in Waco for 8 years, she has been looking to make a difference and be a part of her new community. She started making cheese during the Covid 19 pandemic. She is transforming her backyard into a food forest. She is still dreaming of opening a cheese making workshop one day. But for now, she accepted the invitation from the Waco Downtown Farmers Market to help give access to fresh, local, good food to our community.
Contact Kirsten: WDFM.Assistant@gmail.com
2024-25 Board Members
Carmen Massey (President), Devin Li (Vice President), Veronicka Thompson (Secretary), Ashley Young (Treasurer),
Eric Linares, Chris McGowan, Darius Ewing, Africa Tarver, Jenna Swanson, Eric Terrazas, Suzanne Hack, Jamie Wong Baesa