Presenting the Slate for the 2022 BG Leadership Council Election
The election process for the 2023-2025 BG Leadership Council elections is officially underway. After several weeks of nominations, we have a slate for the three available seats on the council.
The slate of candidates for this year’s election consists of:
Zoey Thorson (she/her), US (incumbent)
Lukasz Galecki (he/him), Poland
Renato Sumania (he/him), Philippines
Salman Ilyas Khan, South Africa
Miroslav Ocenas (he/him), UK
Olivia Morris (they/them), US
Luisa Fernanda Santos Rivera (she/her), Colombia
The BG Leadership Council consists of 10 volunteer members who serve a 2-year-term, supported by the SCA staff. There are 3 open seats in the 2022 election, and members elected to serve the council this cycle will serve a term from February 2023 to January 2025. Scroll down to learn more about each candidate.
What happens next in the 2022 BG Election?
Per the BG Bylaws, members who were not selected for the slate by the BG Election Committee may petition to be added to the ballot. Members who seek to be added to the ballot as petition candidates require 25 signatures from fellow BG members to be considered.
Only BG members with a current valid SCA membership are eligible to participate in this process. Both Individual Barista Members and Company Individual Members (individuals whose membership is connected to their company membership) designated as Individual Barista may participate in this election.
BG members who would like to collect signatures must do so using this form. The petition period closes on November 23, 2022.
Please note that the election has been extended and the timeline amended. The final ballot will be announced on November 29, at which point voting will open. BG members will receive a link via email on November 29. The results of the election will be announced on December 16.
Meet the candidates:
Lukasz Galecki
Coffee professional with 5 years experience. SCA Brewing and Sensory Skills Professional certified. Currently working as a community manager for Comandante, editor for European Coffee Trip and Polish Barista Ambassador of Alpro.
Renato Sumania
Renato Sumania is the father of all Barista in southern part of the Philippines, he is also the founder of Mindanao Specialty Barista council and Filipino Bar Professionals and Innovators Association since 2003. He's also the (Technical Education and Skill Development Authority) TESDA Idol 2018 in the Philippines
Miroslav Ocenas
I've been part of specialty coffee world for almost a decade now, started my journey in no better place then at Taylor street baristas in UK. Andrew Tolley had always training in mind as one of the main purposes of the business and I fell in love with training, started with workshops for customers and later on doing baristas training and later on working as NSO where I've helped opening and training baristas across the globe. I never want to leave the bar even when progressing and learning more across the industry since I believe bar similar like farm represent the place where the most traction happens. It should be our showroom and I take pride to be part of it.
Salman Ilyas Khan
Salman Khan is a seasoned hospitality, culinary Art and barista trainer having over 20 experience in the field. He has published books and written Barista courses for the hospitality education board in South Africa. Khan holds MBA from Heriot Watt Edinburgh university, and Hotel management diploma from Warwickshire College UK, also having molecular gastronomy Advanced certificate from Harvard university. He has a special passion for research and development in the field of coffee and barista. Khan has a personal crusade to help educate youth in the barista profession in underprivileged townships of South Africa through his Barista Academy of Southern Africa. He is an experienced Barista judge for SCASA and a well known public speaker on the subject. Khan heads the Blended Learning for Hilton Group for Middle east, Africa and Indian Ocean Island. He has a mission to revolutionize the Barista profession and he would like to see Baristas as new Rockstar like celebrity chefs. He is PhD candidate for political science and international relations at university of Johannesburg.
Olivia Morris
Hi there, I'm Olivia! My pronouns are they/ them. I've been working in the coffee industry for a little over a decade now. I help run Atlanta Coffee Alliance (we're a community org that provids education and community oriented events to the Atlanta coffee community), I'm on the GFB advisory committee, and I'm in the process of starting a coffee community organization in Charleston. I've been a Re:co fellow twice for community organizing, I'm a USBC competitor and at the end of the day I just love coffee. If you ever see me out and about come say hi!
Luisa Fernanda Santos Rivera
Barista Coffe Lover, with my Business named Coffeina Café, I teach every body in my country about to drink good Coffee, the way to do it and all the culture about the coffee's world.
Zoey Thornton
Zoey is a 20+ year specialty coffee professional with experience in every aspect of the supply stream. She has worked from farm level to shop level, with most of her years in coffee spent training and working behind the coffee bar. Where her coffee passions lie are in supporting coffee community and eduction wherever she can. In addition to currently holding a place on the Barista Guild Leadership Council, Zoey is an Assistant CQI Instructor, Arabica Q-Grader, a SCA Authorized Trainer in the Brewing and Barista Skills. Outside of world coffee, you can find Zoey skateboarding around her hometown, Rockaway Beach, where she roasts coffee (@riptide.roasting), farms, slings beers and chases waves!