Webinar: Meet the Members of the 2023-2024 SCA Board of Directors
Updated October 28: Added video recording of October 26th webinar with new and incumbent SCA Board Directors
By YANNIS APOSTOLOPOULOS
Dear members of the Specialty Coffee Association around the globe,
As presented to SCA members on August 31, the SCA Board of Directors, led by President Juan Luis Barrios, nominated a group of eight professionals from a pool of dozens who responded to our annual call for nominations made in June. As the number of candidates this year is equal to the number of open seats, there is no need to proceed with a voting process, and the SCA Board has confirmed the eight professionals listed below as members of the SCA Board of Directors, in accordance with Section 7.4(h) of the SCA Bylaws.
Joanna Alm, Managing Director of Drop Coffee
David Browning, CEO of Enveritas
Wendy Christensen, Global Coffee Lead at Néstle
Julia Leach, President of Toddy, LLC
Tsega Melesse, General Manager of Keffa Coffee LLC
Nadine Rasch, Founder and Director of Primavera Coffee
Luiz Roberto Saldanha, Owner of Fazenda Califórnia and Co-founder and Director at Capricornio Coffees
Yi-Ling Wu, Manager of Beverage Research Institute at King Car Food Industrial Company and Vice Chairman of Taiwan Coffee Association
We will be hosting a special webinar on October 26 with this year’s group of new directors. Please register to join us and learn more about the new directors and the work of the board:
Meet the Members of the 2021-2022 SCA Board of Directors
Wednesday, October 26th
6:30 am PST / 2:30 pm GMT
Were there any petition candidates on the ballot this year?
As outlined in the SCA Bylaws, anyone not selected for the slate had the opportunity to seek 100 member signatures during the month of September and petition to be added to the ballot.
What happens next in the 2022 elections?
The next step in the board election is usually for SCA members to take part in a voting process, which would usually open on November 1. However, given that the number of candidates this year is equal to the number of open seats, the SCA Board will move forward in confirming the eight professionals listed above as members of the SCA Board of Directors, in accordance with Section 7.4(h) of the SCA Bylaws:
“If after the close of the nominating period on September 30 the number of people nominated for the Board is not more than the number of directors to be elected, the Corporation may without further action declare that those nominated and qualified to be elected have been elected, in which case there shall be no election.”
This year’s group of directors will serve a two-year term from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024.
Who are the board members whose terms are ending this year?
We send a warm thank you to the six dedicated members of the board whose terms end on December 31, 2022. These coffee professionals have provided invaluable leadership to the association and have dedicated countless volunteer hours to make the work of the SCA a success:
Juan Luis Barrios, General Manager of Finca La Merced*
Burak Alici, CEO of QVIDTVM Inc*
Joerg Schwartze, Vice President of Strategic Projects SEB Professional of WMF GmbH*
Gloria Pedroza, of NKG Quality Services, (Neumann Kaffee Gruppe)*
Vera Espíndola Rafael, Director of Strategic Initiatives of Azahar Coffee Company*
Mbula Musau, Chief Empowerment Officer of Utake Coffee Limited*
Asli Yaman, Co-Founder of KiMMA Coffee Roasters*
Bailey Arnold, Chief Channel Market Development Manager of Oatly, who as Barista Guild (BG) Chair served on the BG ex-officio seat on the SCA Board.**
Filip Bartelak, Owner of Consonni, who as Coffee Roasters Guild (CRG) Chair served on the CRG ex-officio seat on the SCA Board.**
Richard Muhl, Technical Services Manager of Five Senses, who as Coffee Technicians Guild (CTG) Chair served on the CTG ex-officio seat on the SCA Board**
* Directors serving a second term as one of the eight directors selected this cycle.
** The Barista Guild and the Coffee Roasters Guild hold two seats on the Board of Directors reserved for the Chairs of the two guilds, per the SCA Bylaws. The Coffee Technicians Guild, created after the current bylaws were approved by SCA members, holds an observer position in meetings.
New roles on the SCA Board of Directors in 2023
As we close the 2022 election cycle, we also see a few additional changes to its composition. Per the association’s bylaws, the following members of the board will take on new roles on January 1st, 2023:
Konstantinos Konstantinopoulos, CEO of Coffee Island, will become President
Pamela Chng, Co-founder of Bettr Group, will become Vice President
Garfield Kerr, CEO of Mokha 1450, will become Second Vice President
Cosimo Libardo, Co-Founderof Nomad Coffee Consulting, will become Treasurer
We also welcome the Chairs of the guilds to the ex-officio seats:
Kathie Hilberg, Lead Educator of Stumptown Coffee, Los Angeles**
David Myers, Founder of Working Title Coffee**
Simon Green, Sales and Technical Manager Nordics & UK of Bunn**
** The Barista Guild and the Coffee Roasters Guild hold two seats on the Board of Directors reserved for the Chairs of the two guilds, per the SCA Bylaws. The Coffee Technicians Guild, created after the current bylaws were approved by SCA members, holds an observer position in meetings.
Thank You
Finally, I want to say thank you to all SCA members who engage in this important process every year. Thank you for supporting the mission of the SCA. I encourage you to visit our SCA Elections page to learn more about the elections process, to find all announcements published in this election cycle, and for answers to frequently asked questions. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us via email at elections@sca.coffee or via the contact form at the bottom of the page.
Thank you,
Yannis Apostolopoulos
Chief Executive Officer
Specialty Coffee Association