Diane Sokolofski | President

Diane Sokolofski is a recipe developer, food writer, and cooking teacher.  She is also certified in Whole Food Plant Based Education. She’s been in the food business for over 30 years including 18 years in the Kraft Heinz Test Kitchens. Currently she provides culinary services to non-profits.  She’s a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, an philanthropic organization of women in food, beverage, and hospitality that supports the next generation of female leaders in the industry.

As a former Board member of Green City Farmer Market and a Green City Market Club Sprouts volunteer, Diane believes in the importance of educating children and adults about the environment and the health benefits of eating fresh, locally and sustainably grown food, and making it available for all. She practices and advocates eating a variety of fresh, organic, seasonal fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Nancy Graham | Vice President

Nancy Graham believes that everyone in the world has the right to have access to nutritiously dense food. For the last four decades she has been involved with all aspects of food, sometimes concurrently. She knows about food policy and government policies toward farmers. She’s been an active owner-volunteer working to open a food co-op in Rogers Park called Wild Onion Market. She is a devoted gardener of herbs and vegetables, a creative cook, a collector of cookbooks, and an enthusiastic eater who is slowly becoming vegan-ish. One high point was taking the Garden to Table course offered by the Ridgeville Park District. Nancy’s involvement with the Friends of the Evanston Farmers Markets board is a natural step in her food evolution.  

Emily Guthrie | Secretary

Emily Guthrie, a retired attorney, enjoys the Evanston farmers market as much for its produce as for the opportunity to socialize there. In 2010, when the organization was founded, she helped file the incorporation papers with the State of Illinois and secure its nonprofit 501c(3) status.

Emily has always been active in Evanston organizations: she was the Third Ward Alderman from 1993-1997 and served two terms on the Preservation Commission. For the past 40 years she has volunteered with Evanston Safety Town and was active for many years in First Night Evanston. Emily renewed her real estate license in 2000 and currently serves as president of both the Evanston Community Lakehouse and Gardens and the Preservation League of Evanston. When she is not busy with her volunteer work, she’s teaching yoga at the Levy Senior Center.

Vikki Proctor | President Emeritus & Advisor

Vikki Proctor got involved in Friends of Farmers Markets because of situations young people brought to her attention. In 1985, she and her middle school students were alarmed reading a series in the Chicago Tribune about America’s vanishing farmland and the importance of supporting local farms. Another student’s essay opened her eyes to widespread hunger among the urban poor. Since then, Vikki has volunteered to support Link market shoppers and to support local farms through the Evanston Farmers Markets community. She relishes the social connections and healthy local food she finds there.

Cindee Bath

Cindee Bath was on a serendipitous trip east down Dempster St. whe she landed in Evanston and fell in love with its lakefront, trees, energy, and the pre-July Fourth territory settlements on Central St.  She always loved to cook and entertain, so she pursued a degree from  Kendall College’s culinary school when it was still in Evanston. That degree, and her love of food and wine, propelled her to many happy years working in commercial kitchens of restaurants, gourmet shops, a seafood market, and caterers. In 2002 she made a career switch and is now Associate Program Director for Executive Education programs at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, focusing on multi-generational family businesses. It is a position she describes as catering with people and paper instead of people and food.  Cindee also is involved with The Ted Fund.

Damita Cravens

Damita Cravens is a mental health therapist who works for the City of Evanston as an outreach worker. She works with adults and children who have severe and persistent mental health illnesses such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and substance use disorders. In addition to her full-time position, Damita is working towards her licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) degree. She considers herself a liaison between community activities and her neighbors in the 5^th ward. She is on the board of Children’s Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County, Black Women of Evanston, National Alliance of Mental Illness North Chicago (NAMI), and Friends of Evanston Farmers Markets. Damita loves the farmers market because of the fresh foods available there and the sense of community she feels whenever she’s there.