Employee Spotlight

If you shop at the Co-op regularly, you probably know Alexander Leahy. Herb Specialist by his own design, Alexander is often either found filling the bulk herb canisters with fragrant herbs and spices, putting together one of his many unique tea blends, or giving advice to grateful customers.

Alexander has been working at the Co-op for about 3 years. He started out as cashier, but was then promoted to Bulk Herb and Spice Purchaser. Since then, Alexander has helped to expand the department to include more than 450 herb and tea varieties.

When I asked him how he came to be interested in herbs and supplements, he had a tough time identifying one person or event that influenced him. He simply discovered that he enjoyed reading “geeky pharmacognosy” journals and books. I had to have him spell that one for me, and then I looked it up: the American Society of Pharmacognosy defines pharmacognosy as “the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs, drug substances or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin as well as the search for new drugs from natural sources.”

Early on in his journey of discovering herbs and supplements, Alexander could easily explain everything about Diplopterys cabrerana, but had little to offer on Ginkgo biloba. In other words, he was fascinated by the very rare esoteric herbs, and focussed his learning on them. After meeting someone as knowledgeable as Alexander, who is virtually 100% self-taught, I began to question why our society demands diplomas on the wall.

In addition to his job at the Co-op, Alexander is a producer and radio host at WCRS (Community Radio for Columbus, 102.1 FM and 98.3FM). His show, “Urban Herbalist” airs Tuesdays from 4:30-5:00 pm. This pre-recorded show addresses current health fads and trends and has included such topics as weight loss, natural aphrodisiacs, and current law when it comes to recommending or prescribing herbs and supplements. He jokes (a little uneasily) that part of his job at the Co-op involves conveying information to customers in an honest and concise manner without violating the law. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 made it illegal to market a dietary supplement product as a treatment or cure for a specific disease or condition, so he has to be cautious of what he advises.

When he is not providing advanced customer service at the Co-op or working on his radio show, Alex enjoys cycling, painting, and sculpting. He’s also very involved in Native American activism, and attended the Red Valley Sundance in Arizona last June. He would like for you to know that in order to continue to grow and experience exciting changes in the Herb and Supplement Department, he needs your continued support as customers. “Folks come in here for everything from allergies to menopause, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to help them find what they need.”