Meet our industry’s brightest minds and thought leaders

Dr Aaron Davis is Senior Research Leader of Crops and Global Change at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the United Kingdom. His research is focused on coffee, as documented in a broad range of scientific publications, including those on the naming and classification of coffee species, molecular (DNA) studies, conservation, climate change, agroecology, and sustainable development. He is the leading authority on coffee species and has travelled widely in Africa, Madagascar, and Asia to study coffee plants in the wild and in cultivation. His ongoing work includes the use and development of wild and underutilized coffee species, particularly within the context of climate change adaptation and sensory diversification. Research output includes ~150 peer-reviewed scientific papers and several books, including the Coffee Atlas of Ethiopia, and the naming of more than 35 new coffee species.

Audrey Waldrop is the Global Sustainability Manager for Blue Bottle Coffee, based in Oakland, California. She developed the company’s sustainability strategy and oversees its strategic initiatives, including commitments to emissions and waste reductions as well as sustainable sourcing. Her work centers partnership building, education, and transparency, and since joining Blue Bottle in 2017 as a barista, she has spent time in cafes, the cupping lab, and with producers at Origin.  

Audrey previously worked in international peacebuilding in Washington, D.C., and the Middle East after earning her master’s in conflict resolution at Georgetown University. Audrey lives in San Francisco, California. 

Benjamin C. Brewer is a seasoned specialty coffee professional who has been with Blue Bottle Coffee since 2009. Benjamin has over a decade of experience in coffee quality, sensory analysis, and research and development. From 2013 to 2023, he led coffee quality and R/D at Blue Bottle Coffee, where he played a pivotal role in setting global standards for coffee sourcing and coffee production.  His innovations include the development of all Blue Bottle CPG products- from cold brew to instant coffee and Nespresso capsules, as well as the creation of the immersive STUDIO experience.  With deep expertise in sensory evaluation and a passion for innovation, Benjamin is committed to elevating coffee through thoughtful, quality –driven practices.  Guided by a belief in the purity of coffee, he continues to explore new frontiers in flavor, form, and experience.   

Daniel Rivera has worked at Root Capital since 2007 and currently serves as Head of Programs – Latin America, where he oversees Root Capital’s lending and advisory services in South America, Mexico, and Central America. He is also the Regional Team chair for South America, ensuring the regional team has the right tools and resources to efficiently and effectively execute Root Capital’s mission. 

Daniel came to Root Capital with experience in lending, finance, economic research, and project management across multiple sectors, including a previous role at a Peruvian coffee exporter company. Daniel has a B.A. in Economics from Catholic University in Peru. 

Jorge is the Chief Coffee Officer at Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers. His 30-year career in coffee spans roles with producers, cooperatives, dry mills, exporters and importers. His participation in the coffee industry also includes volunteer roles at CQI, SCA, NCA and Fairtarde International among others. 

Kat Nolte Ferguson is the Managing Director of Sustainable Harvest. She has worked in the coffee industry since 2000. After completing her degree in accounting and music performance, she lived in rural Africa and worked in microfinance. She entered the green side of coffee trading as the financial controller for a specialty importer in 2011. She worked for Twin Trading, developing East African coffee supply chains and helping cooperatives gain sustainable certifications and access international markets. She is a Q-grader and served as chair for the SCA Sustainability Council. Her passion is cultivating greater sustainability in the coffee industry. At Sucafina Specialty, she continues to invest in the success of farmers, roasters and the coffee industry as a whole. Today, she lives in Seattle with her husband, two young daughters and a very big dog.  

Jimmy More is the Country Project Manager for World Coffee Research in Peru, where he leads the implementation and coordination of programs related to coffee breeding, trial networks, quality evaluation, and the development of planting material distribution systems. 

He holds a degree in Agronomy from the Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva in Tingo María, Peru, and a Master’s degree in Environmental Management and Sustainable Development. 

With over 10 years of experience in the coffee sector, Jimmy has contributed to various coffee renovation initiatives, focusing on training farmers to enhance productivity and adopt more sustainable farming practices. His commitment to coffee goes beyond his professional role—he is also a micro coffee farmer, bringing a grounded, hands-on perspective to his work in research and development. 

Michael is from the Chirinos district in Peru and comes from a family with roots in education and coffee farming. His father was a teacher, and his mother was a homemaker and coffee producer. He studied Business Administration at the National University Pedro Ruiz Gallo in Lambayeque. 

Michael began his career in 2012 as an Administrative Assistant at Tumbas Reales S.R.L. In 2014, he joined the Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera La Prosperidad de Chirinos, initially as Head of Administration and Production, and later as the leader of the Finance and Administration Department. Since January 2019, he has been the General Manager, and in 2023, under his leadership, the cooperative became the first in Peru to achieve Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC). 

Since June 2023, he has served as the Producer Director on the boards of Cafédirect (UK) and NGO Producers Direct, advocating for smallholder farmers and promoting social responsibility in coffee-growing communities. 

Michael Sheridan is the CEO of Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), a pioneer in fine Robusta whose mission is to improve the quality of coffee and the lives of the people who produce it. Before joining CQI, Michael led green coffee sourcing at the U.S.-based roaster Intelligentsia Coffee in Chicago  (2016-2023) and coffee programming for the international development agency Catholic Relief Services, mostly in Central and South America (2004-2016). He has written and spoken widely on issues related to sustainability and social inclusion in the coffee trade. In 2021, SCA recognized Michael for his work with its annual Sustainability Award. 

T.J. Ryan is the Director of Mission Engagement at the Coffee Quality Institute, with over 35 years of experience in international development across Africa, South America, and Asia. Over the last 24 years, he has focused on agribusiness development in the coffee and cocoa sectors, providing technical oversight and managing projects and partnerships with public, private, and civil society entities throughout these value chains. Mr. Ryan has supervised and contributed to projects at the design, implementation, and evaluation stages. He has employed a market systems approach in the coffee and cocoa sectors with businesses ranging from farmer cooperatives to multinational corporations. He recently completed five years as the project director for ACDI/VOCA on the USDA-funded PhilCAFE project, which successfully strengthened the coffee sector throughout the Philippines. Mr. Ryan holds an MBA in International Business from Johns Hopkins University and is fluent in English and Spanish, as well as proficient in French. 

Al Liu joined the Sustainable Harvest team at the beginning of 2024 to maintain the legacy of the “Let’s Talk Coffee” event as well as develop new opportunities for the program. He has spent 25 years in both the roaster/retailer and importer sectors of the coffee industry, possessing extensive experience working with producers and exporters in Latin America, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. Al served for two terms on the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s board of directors and was a member of the SCAA Sustainability Council for many years. He holds an MA in environmental policy from Tufts and a BSFS in international politics from Georgetown. Prior to starting in the coffee industry, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in eastern Bolivia, working on regional ecotourism development.

Adam is a husband, father of two girls, and loves working in the world of specialty coffee. He is the Director of Coffee, Sourcing, and Innovation with Upcountry Coffee in Maui, HI. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The Chain Collaborative, a next-generation non-profit that supports community-led change in the coffee sector. With a diverse professional background spanning nearly two decades, Adam’s experience includes co-founding a coffee roasting business in Southern California, developing and building multi-family affordable housing, managing urban infrastructure reconstruction projects in Afghanistan, co-founding and leading a non-profit start-up in Nicaragua, and serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras. Adam is a fluent Spanish speaker with a BA in Theology from Boston College and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA. 

Paul Alvarez has served as Program Director at the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) since 2022, spearheading initiatives to promote regenerative organic agriculture on a global scale. With 25 years of experience, Paul specializes in strategy design, project management, and stakeholder engagement, focusing on merging environmental sustainability with social responsibility in both food and non-food industries. 

His professional journey includes extensive experience working with small producer organizations across various supply chain landscapes, including the coffee sector. Paul has collaborated with farmers and cooperatives in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and Southeast Asia, emphasizing increased productivity, ensuring fair labor practices, and advocating for sustainable farming techniques. 

Paul brings a cross-cultural perspective to his work, having engaged with varied international contexts. His efforts have led to the development of standards that promote regenerative practices and social equity in the agricultural sector. 

Based in Northern California, Paul resides with his family, where he continues to champion practices that restore soil health, enhance biodiversity, and promote fair labor conditions in both the food and non-food sectors. 

Jay Kling is a professional green coffee buyer and the founder of www.efficiency.coffee. Jay’s mission is to increase the sustainability of the specialty coffee industry by helping coffee roasters improve their supply chain management. Jay holds a degree in Supply Chain Management from Syracuse University and has been working in the specialty coffee industry since 2015. Jay has been the Director of Coffee for Irving Farm Coffee Roasters in New York City since 2019, and founded www.efficiency.coffee in 2023. 

Leon Sanchez is the Head of Agronomy at Sucafina, where he leads and drives Agronomy across various coffee regions and countries, with a special focus on agricultural projects and Regen Ag interventions to deliver carbon reduction, climate adaptation, and farm efficiency and resilience. In Regen Ag (a key area within the IMPACT program of Sucafina), he has led and delivered the Regen Ag framework and methodology to the company, setting baselines and tracking progress to guide Regen Ag interventions. Apart from project design and management, agricultural innovation and best practices sharing, creating continuous value for farmers and customers is key in his day-to-day work at Sucafina.

Leon is a Spanish Agricultural Engineer with over 25 years of international experience in the agri-food sector, managing sustainable agricultural programs for both large and small-scale farmers across various geographies and commodities. His experience outside coffee is an added value, as this brings new approaches and ways of working to the coffee sector.

Danna Wasserman is a Brooklyn-based coffee trader with nearly a decade of experience in specialty coffee and sustainable sourcing. She manages East African supply chains and North American client relationships at Sucafina, leading initiatives that drive transparency and impact. Danna holds a B.A. from Tulane.  Outside of work, she loves to be outside —mainly walking, running, and playing tennis. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Emma Taylor is a Relationship Coffee Trader at Sustainable Harvest. She has worked in specialty coffee for over ten years, starting off in the retail sector as a barista, café manager, and production roaster. She entered the green coffee sector in 2020 as a QC Assistant, where she developed an interest in sensory analysis and became a licensed Q Grader and Quality Control Manager. Today, she is passionate about fostering relationships between growers and roasters, increasing market access for women coffee farmers, and collaborating with our incredible global team of experts to disrupt the traditional trading model. When she’s not trading coffee, talking about coffee, or thinking about coffee, she enjoys hiking and beach-combing with her wife in Seattle.

Doris Quijivix is Relationship Coffee Manager at Sustainable Harvest, with nearly two decades of experience in coffee. She began her journey at Anacafé (Guatemala’s National Coffee Association) in 2005, where she spent 10 years working in training, international promotion, and the Cup of Excellence program, connecting producers with roasters worldwide.

After 2014, Doris worked as a consultant, supporting producer groups and participating in international fairs. In 2018, she joined Sustainable Harvest, where she has led projects, supported origin teams, and coordinated major industry events like Let’s Talk Coffee.

In 2025, Doris took on her current role as Relationship Coffee Manager, bringing her experience, dedication, and passion for strengthening relationships across the supply chain.

Jordan began his coffee career at the end of a two-year volunteer stint in Central America. He has always worked in the trade, starting in the cupping lab of a specialty importer, prior to gaining experience in trading and managing both commercial and specialty trading businesses. He’s currently the Head of Green Coffee Trading for Sucafina, a company that aspires to be the leading sustainable farm-to-roaster coffee company in the world. He tries hard and gives a damn.

Carl is the Global Head of Tech Innovation for Sucafina, working with Sucafina’s Agritech investments to support the development of these companies and the successful deployment of their technologies across Sucafina’s various operations. Carls’s professional background has evolved over more than 25 years in coffee, owning cafes, being a National Barista Champion, Roastery Owner and 15 years as a coffee trader, including Managing Director for Sucafina China until 2025 and still for New Zealand. In the development of Sucafina China, Carl led the development of both upstream and downstream operations, including two dry mills and a large Wet Mill, which featured innovations such as a discharge water treatment system.

Lucía Álvarez is a coffee producer from the village of Santa Marta, Garzón, Huila, Colombia, and a mother of two. She has led her farm, La Herencia, with dedication and passion, standing out for her work in sustainable agriculture, agroecological practices, and women’s empowerment.

Through her participation in technical and business training programs, she has diversified her production to include vegetable gardens, laying hens, and specialty coffee.

Lucía has strengthened her skills in leadership, marketing, financial analysis, and digital technologies—sharing what she’s learned with other rural women. In 2022, she achieved a major milestone: 100% of her family’s coffee production was classified as specialty, resulting in improved economic outcomes and recognition within her community.

Today, she is a symbol of rural transformation with a gender perspective, and her story inspires new generations of women coffee farmers to dream, grow, and thrive in the countryside.

Juan José Ariano is an agronomist, passionate about coffee, service, and purpose. He currently serves as Production Manager at Vides58 Coffees, where he leads agricultural operations, the development of specialty coffees, and the implementation of sustainable practices with social and environmental impact.

He sees every step of his professional journey as an opportunity to serve with integrity and to reflect the values he believes in. His faith in God is the foundation of his life, and he is deeply grateful for the privilege of being part of the coffee industry—surrounded by leaders who inspire him to grow with humility, responsibility, and vision.

Outside of coffee, sports are an essential part of his life. He is committed to maintaining a consistent discipline that strengthens him physically, mentally, and spiritually, enabling him to give his best in everything he pursues.

Conor Campbell is the Head of Finance Americas for Sucafina, based in Bogota, Colombia. Conor has worked in the agri-business industry since 2016 and has been with Sucafina since 2019. Originally from Northern Ireland, Conor worked with EY (previously Ernst & Young) in the UK and Colombia. His main function is ensuring the liquidity and profitability of the businesses. Conor graduated in Economics from the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom and holds an Executive MBA from IE University, Spain. In addition, he is a Chartered Accountant.

Conor is also a coffee farmer, with a small farm based in Cundinamarca close to Bogota where he enjoys getting muddy and making mistakes trying to make natural and honey coffees.

Román Irurre Wolfisberg is of Swiss-Spanish nationality. He is currently the Managing Director of the Coffee, Food & Beverages Businesses at Nestlé Peru, responsible for the strategy, and value creation across the supply chain of global brands such as NESCAFÉ, MILO, Starbucks at Home and Maggi. 

Román began his career with Nestlé in 1999 at Nestlé Germany. After holding various commercial positions in the coffee & beverages divisions in Germany and the Caribbean Region, he joined the regional Management Team of the Caribbean Region to lead the GLOBE- implementation, a major business excellence transformation and change management initiative, which ultimately led to the implementation of SAP. Then, in 2008, moved to Colombia to lead the coffee and beverages businesses. Building upon his strong stakeholder engagement and rural development work in Colombia, he moved to Nestlé Vevey Head Office in 2012 to lead the global ESG agenda of the NESCAFÉ brand with a focus on the NESCAFÉ plan, a responsible sourcing initiative spanning across 3 continents and 13 countries. This engagement lead to his next appointment in 2015, Managing Director for the Coffee Business in Central West Africa, based in Ghana. In 2018 he moved back to the Head Offices to join the Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa Coffee team and work mainly on the Starbucks at Home Licensing Deal and Partnership, which he was then able to implement as Managing Director Coffee at Nestlé Korea from mid 2019 onwards. He successfully launched the partnership and rapidly extended the range of products. All this apart from managing the NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto business and  

launching the first Blue Bottle CPG products outside of the USA. In 2023 he moved to his current role in the Peru-Bolivia Region. Román holds degrees in Business Administration and a Master of Organizational Analysis and Behaviour from the Lancaster University/ Management School. The professional challenges that he enjoys the most: managing for results, building teams and developing individuals. 

He enjoys spending time with his family, art, traveling, reading and soccer. 

Mauricio Chiaravalli Vegas is Deputy Director and Senior Officer of Economic Cooperation at SECO (Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs), based at the Embassy of Switzerland in Peru.

He previously held various positions within key public sector institutions, including: Senior Analyst at the National Council for Competitiveness of the Ministry of Economy and Finance; Sector Specialist at the Directorate for the Development of Exportable Supply within the National Directorate of Foreign Trade Development at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism; Sector Specialist in International Cooperation at the Coordination Unit for Sectoral Loans of the Ministry of Economy and Finance; and Analyst at the Center for the Promotion of Small and Micro Enterprises.

With over 20 years of experience, his professional background spans international cooperation and public management, with a focus on the design and implementation of policies aimed at private sector development and the promotion of international trade.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universidad del Pacífico, a Master’s in Business Administration from Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, and an International MBA from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Consorcio de Investigación Económica y Social (CIES).

Yimara Martinez Agudelo is the Manager of the Post-Harvest Processing (PHP) Program at the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) and a member of its Education team. Originally from Tunía, Cauca, Colombia, she comes from a family of smallholder coffee producers and is also a coffee farmer herself, cultivating organic coffee in Cauca. She is currently based in Olympia, Washington.

With over 15 years of experience in the coffee sector, Yimara has worked across the entire value chain, with a focus on quality control, post-harvest practices, and education. She has trained producers in multiple countries, bringing technical expertise and a strong commitment to empowerment and sustainability.

Yimara is a certified Q Grader, Q Processing Expert, and instructor for CQI’s Q Processing program, through which she delivers Arabica and Robusta processing courses around the world.

Daniela Marin is an economist from the Toulouse School of Economics with over seven years of experience in commodities and agri-business. She currently serves as Risk & Compliance Manager at Sucafina Americas, where she supports commercial strategies by connecting the dots between finance, risk, and coffee trading. 

Before joining Sucafina, Daniela worked in private equity and investment banking, with a focus on agribusiness investments across Latin America. She brings a strong analytical mindset to her work, especially in assessing counterparties, identifying market risks, and designing recovery strategies. Daniela believes that financial sustainability is the key driver of inclusivity and resilience within the coffee supply chain. 

Fátima is a 63-year-old Agronomist Engineer, with 42 years of experience working with cooperative organizations of producers in Nicaragua.

Since 1999, she has worked for UCA SOPPEXCCA, an organization of smallholder producers that operates as a team to build an integrated organizational model based on a vision of family unit inclusion. This foundation enables progress toward equity, social justice, and fair resource distribution, along with the implementation of educational, environmental, and social programs that promote human development in rural areas, as part of a strategy to empower producers in their own development.

Since the founding of UCA SOPPEXCCA R.L, she has championed the sustainable, high-quality coffee program, focused on the entire production-export value chain and the establishment of long-term relationships with exporters and roasters.

She led the design and implementation of the organization’s first gender policy, which five years later was shared through an experience exchange process and scaled to 32 cooperatives in Nicaragua with the support of FLO Central America.

She has promoted and positioned the first coffee brand produced by women, CAFÉ LAS HERMANAS, which for the past fifteen years, through a partnership with Sustainable Harvest, Peet’s Coffee, and Café Moto, has developed a strong market presence. This has inspired other cooperatives to promote gender equity and highlight the production of high-quality coffee by women.

UCA SOPPEXCCA also proposed the idea of forming an international women’s alliance, giving rise—through a meeting of women producers and the industry—to the dream of what is now known as the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), active in many coffee-producing countries.

Ana Claudia Silva is the Head of Impact at Sancoffee, a Brazilian specialty coffee cooperative with a strong focus on sustainability and community development. She has been deeply involved in impact initiatives, leading key projects like the Bio Recovery initiative, focused on land restoration, and the Nascentes Women Coffee program, which supports female producers in improving coffee quality and achieving greater independence. Her work emphasizes practical approaches to sustainability, combining environmental leadership with tangible benefits for farmers and their communities.  

Felipe Arbelaez Jaramillo holds a degree in Business Administration with postgraduate studies in Project Economic Evaluation, Leadership, and Management, as well as an MBA. He currently serves as Country Manager of the Starbucks Farmer Support Center in Colombia and Peru.

With over 12 years of experience in project management and sustainability, Felipe has led high-impact teams, programs, and initiatives that benefit coffee-growing communities both nationally and internationally. His career combines strong academic training with a deep understanding of the coffee sector, enabling him to drive innovative and sustainable strategies across the entire value chain.

Peter is Professor of Organization & Management at Emory University and Academic Director of their Business & Society Institute. Over the past several years, he has focused most of his research efforts on the global specialty coffee industry. These efforts include a recently accepted World Development article called Is the Rising Tide of Specialty Coffee Lifting All Boats? and a book project provisionally titled Confronting the Commodification of Specialty Coffee Producers. Peter also works on programs that aspire to make coffee markets work for more people, in more places, and in more ways. These include the Specialty Coffee Transaction Guide and a series of Storytelling Workshops that support producers transitioning into specialty coffee production.

Suzanne Uittenbogaard is a Sustainability Program Manager at Sucafina with over 10 years of experience in agricultural sustainability. She currently oversees the company’s strategy and implementation for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), working closely with origin teams, suppliers, and clients to ensure compliance and drive impact on the ground. Suzanne also drives broader sustainability initiatives, including human rights, carbon, and farmer resilience as part of the IMPACT program.

Prior to joining Sucafina, Suzanne worked at Cargill in Cocoa & Chocolate, in roles related to sustainable sourcing and supply chain management. Suzanne enjoys creating practical, scalable solutions that benefit both farmers and buyers, and believes strong partnerships are key to lasting change.

Khanh Trang co-founded Greater Goods Coffee Co. in Austin, Texas, in 2015 with a mission to
source and share exceptional coffees from around the world. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, she
immigrated to the U.S. with her family after the Vietnam War. Her palate is deeply influenced by
her Southeast Asian roots and multicultural American upbringing—an openness that shapes her
unique approach to coffee.

As a certified Q-Grader with a strong focus on sustainability, Khanh seeks out exceptional
coffees based on quality regardless of fame or origin. This mindset led her to win the 2023 Good
Food Award, and most recently, the 15-Year Good Food Award, with a natural-processed co-op
coffee from Indonesia. Entering it against rare micro-lot varieties, she trusted the coffee’s quality
would shine through.

Her passion continues to drive Greater Goods’ mission to highlight responsible sourcing and
diverse flavors from around the globe

Samuel Klein is the Green Coffee Buyer for Partners Coffee, a Brooklyn, New York-based roaster known for its commitment to responsible sourcing. With more than a decade of experience in the coffee industry, Sam brings practical expertise and a deep curiosity about the historical role that coffee has played in shaping political and economic systems. 

Sam earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Furman University, where coursework in the philosophy of food sparked an enduring interest in how food systems shape and reflect cultural and societal values.

Third-generation coffee producer and for 17 years, General Manager of his family’s coffee and timber farm.

Former President of Anacafé (the National Coffee Association of Guatemala) and of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), the international specialty coffee trade association.

Lead Consultant at Nukolo, an organization that advises coffee companies and organizations on profitability in production, coffee positioning and sales, and board governance systems.

General Manager of Handelsa, a representation and distribution company operating in Guatemala and Latin America, selling machinery, equipment, supplies, and raw materials for various industries, including agriculture, meat processing, poultry, and more.

Has over 10 years of experience serving on corporate boards as a representative of Guatemala’s organized private sector, including roles with organizations focused on technical training and risk reduction.

Maricely Guevara Sánchez was born in Rioja, San Martín, Peru. She grew up in a coffee-farming family, where she learned from a young age the value of hard work in the field and a deep commitment to coffee. 

A Systems Engineer by profession, she is currently the General Manager of APROSELVANOR, an organization that has brought together smallholder coffee producers since 2015, all committed to sustainability and quality. She was part of its founding alongside 50 families, and in their very first year, they achieved both organic and Fair Trade certifications. Today, the organization represents over 520 members, exporting to markets in Europe, the U.S., and Canada. 

Maricely is a mother of three, and her children inspire her to find balance between leadership and motherhood. As a woman in coffee and a community leader, she proudly represents hundreds of committed producers. Her mission is to continue elevating the value of Peruvian coffee—rooted in identity, effort, and hope—from within her community. 

Katherine works with the International Trade Centre’s Alliances for Action initiative. She facilitates pre-competitive collaboration across the global coffee sector to deepen and share knowledge on topics covered in the ITC Coffee Guide, 4th ed., including circular economy, regenerative agriculture, living and prosperous income, and Responsible Business Conduct. She is also a co-coordinator of the Center for Circular Economy in Coffee.

Katherine’s experience combines international development with business and teaching. She was the General Manager of the specialty coffee importer Organic Products Trading Company, an Instructor of Business Administration at Lees-McRae College, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua. With an MBA and MA in International Development Studies from The George Washington University, Katherine is committed to collaborating toward a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable coffee sector.

Jorge is the Director of the Lirio Impact Fund at NESsT, where he leads financing activities across Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. His work is primarily focused on Peru and Colombia, with a strong emphasis on investments in the coffee sector. He joined NESsT in June 2021. 

Before NESsT, he accumulated 10 years of experience in the financial and corporate banking sectors. He served as a Senior Analyst at ICBC – Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, where he helped establish the bank’s financing operations in Peru. Previously, he managed a loan portfolio of US$15 million for small and medium-sized enterprises at Financiera TFC. He also held positions at Banco Financiero del Perú and Banco de Comercio del Perú, where he analyzed loans for small, medium, and large companies across various industries. 

He is an Economist and holds an MBA from IAE Business School in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Kelly Zeissner is Vice President of Success and Head of Quality and Supply Chain at Heirloom Coffee Roasters, the world’s first 100% Regenerative Organic Certified coffee company. With over 20 years in the coffee industry, she became a Q Grader in 2014 and now leads sourcing, recipe development, and operations. Her work centers on building strong partnerships with regenerative farms to build transparent, values-driven supply chains and ensures each coffee meets the highest standards for flavor and integrity. With a background in art and design, she brings creativity and intention to every part of the process. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter.

Alex Morgan is the CEO and co-founder of Climate Sense, a soil health data technology company working in the coffee and rice sectors to advance regenerative agriculture and high integrity carbon credits. He is an experienced executive and strategist committed to impact, conservation and improving livelihoods through his work. He previously worked for the Rainforest Alliance for 16 years, serving six years on the executive leadership team, leading the organization’s market engagement, global programs and communications and marketing efforts.  

Alex worked previously for Audubon, U.S. Senator Cantwell and other non-profit organizations in the Seattle area. With over 25 years of experience, Alex is driven to accelerate, amplify and grow committed action to protecting the planet and communities from the climate crisis. 

Alex is the Board Treasurer for Equal Origins, a non-profit working to promote gender equity in agricultural communities. He lives and works in Winthrop, Washington, where he is an avid backcountry skier, a home regenerative agriculture practitioner and a passionate cook. 

Juan Rodrigo Sanz Uribe has been a researcher at Cenicafé for over 35 years and currently serves as the leader of the Postharvest Discipline. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s in Automatic Systems from the Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, as well as a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. His work has focused on the design of agricultural machinery and processes, advanced automation, environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and the application of computer vision in agriculture. Among his most notable achievements are the development of over 20 technologies currently used by Colombian coffee growers, the publication of more than 100 scientific papers, and the registration of over 10 patents related to coffee processing technologies.

Nolan Dutton is a seasoned coffee professional with over 20 years of roasting experience.  As the Head Roaster and Green Coffee Buyer at Corvus Coffee since 2021, he carefully curates an extensive line-up of microlot coffees that highlight the pursuit of excellence embodied by their producer partners. With an emphasis on fostering long-term relationships based on transparency, feedback, and deeply human collaboration, Nolan believes the work done in person, at the farm, carries more weight than just buying coffee.  

Before Corvus, Nolan spent time volunteering on the Roasters Guild Executive Council as the chair of the Education Committee, building educational programming for events around the world.  

Based in Colorado, Nolan blends scientific rigor with sensory artistry, striving to bring transparency, sustainability, and unforgettable flavors to every cup.

Hovik Azadkhanian grew up surrounded by the scent of freshly roasted beans. At the age of eight he stood beside his father in their San Francisco coffee shop, learning the science and art of roasting and the cultural importance of coffee. His father, an immigrant who arrived in the United States during the 1960s with limited resources and no broken English, built the family roastery from the ground up, instilling in Hovik an entrepreneurial spirit and a deep respect for craftsmanship. Those formative years shaped Hovik’s conviction that exceptional coffee can be a force for good, a belief that would later guide him as he co‑founded Heirloom Coffee Roasters with the mission of creating the most sustainable, best tasting coffee brand in the world. 

Under his leadership the brand has become the fastest‑growing Regenerative Organic Certified coffee brand in the United States and is the industry leader in regenerative coffee. Heirloom is now the largest Regenerative coffee brand in America. With Heirloom leading the nation in sustainable, great tasting coffee. Hovik has changed the way coffee is sourced, roasted, and distributed for a new generation of coffee drinker committed to healthy, sustainably farmed, and honest coffee.  

William Ristenpart is a professor of Chemical Engineering, a member of the Food Science graduate group, and the founding Director of the Coffee Center at the University of California Davis.  He received his PhD from Princeton University and did post-doctoral work at Harvard University before joining the faculty at UC Davis in 2008.  In 2013, he co-developed the wildly popular class “The Design of Coffee,” which is now taught to more than 2,500 students per year and which has been translated into multiple languages.  The UC Davis Coffee Center is the nation’s first academic facility focused on coffee, featuring more than 30 associated faculty and 7000 square feet of space dedicated to advanced coffee research and education.

Sarah Nayeon Kim is the CEO of Foosung Corporation, where she leads an international trading business that spans industrial sectors as well as food and coffee. Her cross-industry background gives her a distinctive perspective on how diverse markets can connect to drive innovation and resilience in the global coffee value chain. 

As President of IWCA Korea and a licensed Q Grader, Sarah is dedicated to advancing sustainability, inclusivity, and long-term growth in coffee. Her leadership bridges producers, businesses, and consumers—helping to shape a more connected and sustainable future for the industry. 

Martin brings a distinctive perspective to the coffee industry, with a background in environmental engineering, the chemical industry, and global business. With more than 20 years of experience across diverse sectors, he rethinks familiar practices and challenges traditional boundaries.

A licensed Q Grader, he has served as a judge at multiple international coffee competitions and combines technical expertise with creative insight to inspire new ways for people to experience and understand coffee, reflecting curiosity, innovation, and a commitment to expanding the possibilities of the industry.

Miguel Antonio Díaz Córdova (Chirinos, Cajamarca) is a third-generation coffee grower and an Agricultural Engineer with over 20 years of experience in coffee and tropical crops such as cacao. He graduated from the National University Pedro Ruiz Gallo with a degree in Agronomy and later pursued specialized studies in agribusiness, credit management, human resources, and sustainable agriculture adapted to climate change.

Miguel has held leadership roles in the coffee sector, including Head of the Technical and Specialty Coffee Department at Comercio & Cía. S.A., Director of the Agrarian Agency of San Ignacio under the Regional Government of Cajamarca, and General Director of the Public Technological Higher Education Institute of Chirinos. Since 2022, he has served as Head of Sustainability and Certifications at Finca Churupampa Perú SAC, where he leads sustainable production strategies and development projects.

His career reflects a strong commitment to sustainability, farmer training, and strengthening the global competitiveness of Peruvian coffee.