2017 Executive Council Election Results Announced!
We are excited to announce that the votes for the 2017 BGA Executive Council election have been tallied and certified, and our newly elected Executive Council Members are Matthew Scott of Lemonjello's Coffee (Incumbent), Liz Dean of Irving Farm Coffee Roasters, Brent Hall of Caravela Coffee, and Kathie Hilberg of Spyhouse Coffee Roasters!
Each of these new directors will begin their term on the Executive Council at the Global Specialty Coffee Expo this month. Please be sure to say hello and congratulate them if you cross paths in Seattle – and also swing by the Guilds Lounge in the U.S. Coffee Championships area Thursday through Sunday, April 20-23!
Matt, Liz, Brent, and Kathie will serve with the rest of the Barista Guild of America Executive Council members, who are all here to represent you! Reach out and contact any of the EC Members any time, via their contact information on the Executive Council page.
Thank you to all Barista Guild members who voted in this election.
For more information about elections, see the BGA Bylaws, or contact us!
Elected Executive Council Member Profiles
Matthew Scott (Incumbent) | Lemonjello's Coffee - Holland, MI
Matthew Scott opened Lemonjello’s Coffee in Holland, MI in 2003. He has been a USCC barista competitor since 2012 and placed second in his region in 2015. He is an SCA Credentialed Lead Instructor and Espresso Subject Matter Expert. He is currently serving on the Barista Guild’s Executive Council as the Events Committee Chair and as the Barista Guild’s liaison to SCAA’s Sustainability Council.
Liz Dean | Irving Farm Coffee Roasters - New York, NY
Liz has been working in the coffee industry for six years. Her first coffee job was at a Seattle's Best in Borders above Penn Station before becoming a barista at Irving Farm's Gramercy location. She was offered a position as the manager of Irving Farm's then-new Upper West Side location - one of their highest volume shops - before stepping up as Director of Retail in 2016 where she now oversees operations and staffing for the seven cafes in Manhattan and one in the Hudson Valley, most of which also have full food menus. Liz is passionate about making sure her cafes are welcoming, inclusive community spaces and neighborhood focal points for staff and customers alike. She considers supporting and advocating for her staff to be one of the most important parts of her job.
Brent Hall | Caravela Coffee - Apex, NC
Brent has been working in coffee since he was 16. He grew up in North Carolina and has only been able to leave the state he loves so much for 8 months...during which period he met his now wife. He now lives at the peak of good living in Apex, NC with his wife, two kids, two dogs, and two cats. Brent has roasted, bought, sold, trained, developed and even dabbled in trading in the coffee industry, and wants to see the newer generations of coffee professionals grow and have a place in which they can grow. Brent loves coffee and the community that gathers around it – coffee has fueled a lifetime of experiences and has always been a point of focus.
Kathie Hilberg | Spyhouse Coffee Roasters - Minneapolis, MN
Kathie has have been working in specialty coffee for 6 years. Starting out at a roasting company in Bend, Oregon, she fell quickly in love with everything about coffee – the focus on quality, sharing knowledge with customers, tasting way too much espresso and the barista community. Being a member of the Barista Guild for almost the same amount of time, Kathie has been able to make connections and friendships far and wide. She has now been at Spyhouse Coffee roasters for almost 4 years, and it is because of these relationships that I have been able to thrive in my position. Meeting other coffee professionals has challenged her and helped her grow in her own career, and she wants to be a part of facilitating these connections throughout our entire coffee community.