I started my coffee career in 2002 when I founded Gorilla Coffee, a Brooklyn-based coffee roasting company. At that time, there were two kinds of coffee shops in New York: Starbucks, which occupied every corner, and family-run cafes that used the same steam wand to make frothy cappuccinos and scrambled eggs. Hazelnut-flavored coffee was also a staple.

Globally, the price of coffee (C-price) dropped below $1, and experts predicted the impact to be devastating. I saw an opportunity - pay a fair price to co-ops, share that story with customers, and focus on quality preparation, from roast profiling to drink standards at the bar. Since then, I have collaborated with all types of coffee companies on brand positioning, product innovation, and optimized roasteries and coffee bars for profitability and growth.

The press has called me "The Godmother of New York Coffee," and The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Time Out, The Food Network, The Today Show, and The Wall Street Journal have recognized this work.

My alter ego is a marketer. Before becoming a coffee entrepreneur, I worked at NYC ad agencies, where I learned how to find the white space and position a brand for success. It also taught me the importance of collaboration. The specialty coffee industry is my home, and coffee geeks are my people.