As the executive director of North County Community Food Bank in Battle Ground, Elizabeth Cerveny leads a pillar of support for families grappling with food insecurity.
Since taking over, her leadership has expanded the food bank’s reach, resources and impact, making it a lifeline for thousands in the community.
Because of her unwavering dedication to combating hunger and for fostering community growth, Cerveny, of La Center, has been named The Reflector’s Person of the Year for 2025.
Born and raised on a 3,000-acre wheat ranch in eastern Washington, Cerveny’s upbringing instilled in her the values of hard work, community and resilience. Her family raised cows and quarter horses, and Cerveny competed in American Quarter Horse shows and rodeos, a favorite pastime. Cerveny said her experiences cultivated a lifelong dedication to service.
“I think farming teaches us, grounds us to understand the need to help others, and that’s really deeply ingrained in who I am,” Cerveny said. “I’ve always [had] a service background.”
Cerveny went on to graduate from the University of Idaho with a bachelor of arts in business management and pre-law. Early in her career, she worked for an organization that provided nontraditional job opportunities — ranging from manufacturing to farming — for low-income women and later for youth. This experience set the foundation for her career in service-oriented roles.
Afterward, she moved to Olympia, where she worked as a paralegal and later as a management consultant, gaining expertise in grant writing and nonprofit operations. In 1992, Cerveny relocated to La Center, where she began a 20-year tenure as the general manager of TDS Telecom. In this role, she oversaw operations and finances, honing her leadership and management skills, which proved invaluable in her current role at North County Community Food Bank.
When Cerveny saw a job posting for the executive director role, she believed her experience in business management and nonprofit services would be a good fit for the position.
“They were experiencing growth in the area, and the level of need was growing,” Cerveny said. “I thought the combined experience that I could bring to the organization would be helpful, and it was something I could also be really passionate about doing because of the reward you receive on a day-to-day basis: just seeing the smiles and hearing the thank-yous from the families that receive what we’re able to provide.”
Since Cerveny took the helm in 2012, the North County Community Food Bank’s scope of service has grown remarkably. When she started, the food bank served around 200 households each month. Today, it supports more than 850 households monthly. In 2024 alone, the food bank provided over 965,000 pounds of food, along with essential items, to 30,049 individuals across 9,533 households. Notably, 1,461 of those recipients were new clients.
Cerveny has consistently expressed concern about the misconceptions surrounding food bank clients. She believes the stereotype that these individuals are lazy or unwilling to work is both inaccurate and unfair. Many of those seeking assistance are hardworking families, some working two jobs, she pointed out. In addition to these challenges, rising costs of food, rent and medicine — particularly for those with diabetes or special dietary needs — are exacerbating the financial strain on these families. A June 2024 report from the food bank showed that nearly 25% of people receiving help were children from families who had applied for assistance.
Cerveny described food bank operations at the time as somewhat disjointed as she identified areas to improve. Cerveny streamlined the process of storing, labeling and providing food to make the process easier for volunteers.
“Some of the tasks were very labor intensive, I felt,” Cerveny said. “Many hands touched the same thing numerous times, and in my background it’s like, ‘let’s get one item to where it needs to be, and that’s the last time we touch it,’ so you’re not moving heavy things repetitiously. Especially when the majority of our volunteers are older, and we don’t want to injure anybody.”
One of Cerveny’s key initiatives was forging stronger partnerships with local businesses and organizations. Cerveny’s outreach culminated in ongoing partnerships with local organizations like the Washington State University Master Gardeners, who provide workshops teaching locals how to grow food to donate to local food banks.
“We didn’t have anything other than just the local grocery stores [donating], and that’s not enough to fill the need that we have,” Cerveny said. “So building those partnerships and networks in the North County area was a huge goal.”
Cerveny recalled that the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most challenging periods for the food bank. Despite the difficulties, operations continued through a curbside pick-up system to serve clients safely. While pandemic restrictions have eased, the food bank has maintained curbside service due to the limited space in its 1,600-square-foot building, which struggles to accommodate the growing volume of food needed to meet community demand.
Looking ahead, Cerveny’s priority is to secure a new facility for the North County Community Food Bank, ideally exceeding 10,000 square feet. A larger space would include a commercial kitchen and ample room for movement, significantly improving efficiency. Currently, much of the food-moving process is done manually, but a new facility could accommodate bulk storage, pallet systems and streamlined bulk-bagging operations.
“The space that we’re in is extremely challenging… operating more efficiently and effectively would be much safer in a bigger building,” Cerveny said. “A bigger building would also allow us to bring in a broader range [and] a more holistic approach to food bank delivery of services and educational programing. We could set [social service] representatives inside the building instead of tables out in the weather to serve the clients and offer a closer interaction than what we have.”
Cerveny’s leadership is rooted in empowering her volunteers, fostering their where they feel both valued and capable. She takes pride in watching volunteers evolve from their first day to taking ownership of specific roles and eventually mentoring others.
“I’m a giver. I want to see people in an environment that they’re enjoying and that at the same time they’re learning,” Cerveny said. “We’re giving them that knowledge and ability ... [We’re] watching people blossom and helping people grow and feel rewarded at the same time for what they’re doing and how much they’re giving.”
Fostering growth in La Center
Cerveny’s involvement in public service goes beyond her work at the food bank. She joined the La Center City Council in 1992 and served as the city’s mayor after being appointed in 1997 due to a vacancy and was elected from 1998 to 2003. Her mayoral period came at a time of great growth, when at least four subdivisions were under development for La Center.
“The city had grown to a size where it needed someone that [was], you know, business savvy, management savvy ... It couldn’t just be someone that didn’t have that experience, so I ran for the position,” Cerveny explained.
Under Cerveny’s leadership as mayor, La Center hired experienced city staff who specialized in working with developers, helping the city navigate its rapid growth effectively. One of her proudest accomplishments during her tenure was the creation of Sternwheeler Park, a community centerpiece featuring an amphitheater, walking trails and art installations by local artists. The park was officially dedicated in 2004 and has since become a cherished gathering place for residents. Cerveny’s commitment to La Center continues, as she remains an active member of the City Council and has served on the La Center Scholarship Foundation since 1995.
Outside of her professional and community work, Cerveny enjoys long walks, gardening, reading and spending time with her dog, Buddy. She said the Australian shepherd became the unofficial mascot of North County Community Food Bank.
Cerveny described her core values as honesty, integrity, adaptability, humility, gratitude and compassion, reflecting her steadfast dedication to creating solutions and fostering positivity in all aspects of her work.
“I look for challenges and jump at the chance to roll up my sleeves and figure out how to turn it around and make it a positive thing,” Cerveny said.
