How long have you been in coffee?

31 years

Which countries have you taught in?

Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Colombia, Mexico, Taiwan, China, Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, Brazil, Philippines, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Puerto Rico, USA

What's your favorite coffee origin?

This answer changes every season!

What do you think are the benefits of taking the Q?

In addition to learning useful tools for the specialty coffee business, Q Grader candidates learn how all tasters process sensory information. Through the course, a coffee taster will better understand their own strengths and weaknesses - all the while learning how to improve upon them.

What languages do you speak?

English

What other activities do you do in the coffee industry?

Most of my time in coffee has been as a small-scale specialty coffee roaster. I own and run a roaster/retail business in San Francisco, CA, called Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters. I've been an active volunteer member of the SCAA for approximately 13 years, with most of my time focused on the professional development and training committees. I have served on the Roasters Guild Executive Council, the WBC Board of Directors, and was a Coffee Corps volunteer for CQI before becoming a Q Instructor. I was co-creator of the World Coffee Roasters Championship for World Coffee Events and frequently write for industry publications and give talks at industry events.

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