We are delighted to welcome you to the official announcement of The Sprudge Twenty, presented by Sprudge and Pacific Barista Series.
This is the seventh class of Sprudge Twenty honorees, part of an annual tradition honoring and amplifying leaders in the global coffee community. Pacific Barista Series is dedicated to championing leadership and excellence in the coffee industry and to supporting coffee culture as it happens worldwide, and their partnership makes this work possible.
In the coming weeks and months we’ll present interviews with each of the members of the Sprudge Twenty class of 2025—a chance to reflect on their careers, talk about goals for the future, and share what matters to them as coffee professionals in 2025. Read on to discover the Sprudge Twenty for 2025, and thank you.
The Sprudge Twenty is presented in partnership with Pacific Barista Series.
Yimara Martinez Agudelo
David Buehrer
`Reyna Callejo
Demi Chacon
Julio Cesar Nina Cusiyupanqui
Joshua Edens
Maria Ingrid Gasser
Nicole Good
Areli Barrera Grodski
Amélie Boulanger
George Howell
Mihaela Iordache
Gray Kauffman
Reza Kosar
Sandra Loofbourow
Natasha Cruz Sánchez
Kali Solack
Keely Thomas
David Walstra
Marisa Zapata
Yimara Martinez Agudelo
Nominated by Trish Rothgeb
In a coffee world that is riddled with uncertainty, it’s wonderful to know that there is such a woman as Yimara Martinez Agudelo out there working for us. The daughter of smallholder coffee farmers in Cauca, she has dedicated her professional life to coffee as well, and currently, the education and development of professionals in coffee growing lands.
In her capacity as the manager of The Coffee Quality Institute’s Post-Harvest Processing (PHP) Program, she has helped train an impressive group of skilled Processing Professionals as well as a handful of PHP experts as educators. It’s safe to say that Yimara is more than simply the steward of this impactful program. She’s built the program’s curriculum and content at this crucial time when the coffee processing space is experiencing so much rapid change and innovation. Yimara has emerged as a respected voice in the industry, but maybe more importantly, as a leader to the younger generation of coffee producers worldwide.
Under her direction, PHP has grown beyond expectations in recent years. She has forged new paths for this education worldwide—Uganda, Peru, Guatemala, Philippines, Rwanda, and most recently India. We all already benefit from her tireless work and can look forward to much more in years to come as she is just hitting her stride.
David Buehrer
Nominated by Philip Vu
David needs almost no introduction in the specialty coffee world. He is the voice for Houston’s coffee community spearheading cafes, initiatives, and collaborations across industries. He believes in humanity and treating people with kindness to degree that some could consider David is easily taken advantage of… but to him it doesn’t matter.
He gives people that think they’re out of chances hope.
Not only does he glue together our community, he brings together crafters and professionals from around the US together with something as simple as “hey, I know a person who is just as crazy as you into water chemistry, you should reach out.” I’ve personally made many new friends from David just connecting us crazy passionate coffee people… from home brewers, enthusiasts, professionals, educators, manufacturers, and the list continues…
David is amongst one of the most self sacrificing individuals I’ve met, putting the well being of others first just because it’s in his nature to be kind. The world can continue to learn from how he approaches life and business… treating people like humans is just good.
Reyna Callejo
Nominated by Sam Schroeder
I am honored to nominate Reyna Callejo for the Sprudge Twenty.
Reyna is the Director of Training and Innovation at Olympia Coffee, where she not only teaches and mentors the next generation of baristas but also inspires through her own career as a fierce competitor. She has consistently reached the semifinals of the U.S. Barista Championship (USBC), and in 2024, she not only made it to the USBC semifinals but also won the U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits Championship.
Yet what makes Reyna truly remarkable isn’t just what she achieves personally—it’s how she shows up for others. Before claiming her own CIGS title, she coached the 2023 champion. After her win, she coached the 2025 runner-up, and in the same year, coached a first-time Barista competitor into the USBC semifinals.
Her expertise is widely recognized—she’s been quoted multiple times in WIRED magazine equipment reviews as a trusted authority helping home brewers find the best gear. She also organizes an annual throwdown for the Seattle coffee community, which has raised thousands of dollars for local nonprofits. And through all of this, she still finds time to work regular bar shifts every week.
Reyna is tireless in her efforts to move the coffee industry forward—one signature drink, one training session, and one inspiring lecture at a time. I’m proud to call her a co-worker and even prouder to witness the difference she makes in our community.
Demi Chacon
Nominated by Davy Ball
Demi is kind, thoughtful and is a shining light in a dark room. She delivers hospitality at the highest level at her shop Now And Then, and through she shares coffee’s history and communicates it’s true value to guests.
Julio Cesar Nina Cusiyupanqui
Nominated by Luke Agness
Julio is a farmer, agronomist, and a Director at the Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development (AASD), a non-profit rooted in community-led development through agricultural resilience. He also serves as Director of Agriculture at Café Orígenes (CO), an indigenous Quechua coffee cooperative in Cusco, Peru. Julio’s guiding vision is both radical and deceptively simple: that farmers should be able to live well—wholly and sustainably—from the land they steward, without dependence on external aid or exploitation.
The coffee producers of CO share more than just crops with Julio. They share heritage. As descendants of Incan and pre-Incan civilizations, these farmers live in a country that has long struggled to reconcile its rich campesino identity with the pressures of Western economic models. Julio’s work directly addresses this tension, building systems that allow culture, sustainability, and market access to coexist.
Julio began decades ago growing high-altitude organic produce above 12,000 feet. But in 2020, he and AASD launched a pilot project with 11 campesino families in a remote Cusco valley, focused on soil fertility and organic disease management. By 2022, that project had grown into a cooperative of 40 families exporting a full container of coffee to the U.S. In 2025, the model will expand to 160 families and three containers—with far more in sight.
This growth is not accidental; it is the result of strategic innovation and a clear systems-based approach. Together with AASD and CO, Julio branded the initiative as the Yungas Project, a comprehensive model for farmer-led development. Yungas integrates regenerative agroforestry, climate adaptation techniques, gender equity, and access to health and education. It also establishes direct market pathways in North America, allowing farmers to capture more value from every bean.
Julio brings the rare perspective of someone who is both inside and outside the system. As a farmer, he understands the labor and knowledge embedded in each harvest. As a trained agronomist, he sees the potential for innovation. And as a leader, he challenges the status quo. While his roots are in agronomy, Julio has reshaped Yungas into a full-spectrum model of vertical integration—aligning production, processing, branding, and distribution to return maximum value to producers.
In 2025, Yungas will launch its roasted coffee brand in the U.S., marking a bold step toward redefining what indigenous, smallholder farmers can achieve—not just as producers, but as owners, innovators, and global players. Julio is not only advancing coffee quality and sustainability—he’s reimagining what equity in the coffee value chain can look like.
Joshua Edens
Nominated by Reiko Piekarski
Joshy and I crossed paths many years ago through US Barista Championships. Since we met she has grown from being a USBC judge, to USBC head judge, USBC Chair, WCE certified judge, and working on becoming a WCE representative. Among other things, she has also been one of the three key players with the USCC Strategic Leadership this competition season.
We faced so many challenges together this season and we heavily leaned on each other when life was life-ing hard, workloads from both paid and volunteer time weighed down on us, all while still leading our respective competition body committees. Without her dedication, grace, and love for the coffee community we would not have been able to pull off the US Coffee Championship season.
The future is not a clear path but I’m honored and energized to be working alongside her with developing a stronger community around these coffee competitions. Joshy deserves all her flowers for everything she as done throughout her career. We love and thank you, Joshy for your heart and drive in the coffee world!
Maria Ingrid Gasser
Nominated by Javier Carriel Peña
María Ingrid Gasser is the CFO of Cafeología, a Bolivian visionary leader who has worked across the entire coffee value chain throughout Latin America—from specialty cafes, productive coffee farms, and collector communities to roasters, exporters, and trading companies, spanning countries like Chile, Bolivia, Mexico, and Costa Rica.
She combines financial mastery with a powerful female perspective, consistently driving excellence and innovation. Ingrid is a respected speaker on multiple platforms and coffee programs, and she teaches the prestigious “Finance and Coffee Economics” course for entrepreneurs and coffee ecosystem enthusiasts. She has collaborated with some of Costa Rica’s most renowned coffee farms, building bridges between profitability and purpose. Beyond her professional achievements, Ingrid inspires as an exceptional mother, proving that passion, leadership, and care can coexist and transform the industry.
Nicole Good 
Nominated by Kyle McAdams
Nicole is a long time coffee industry veteran who has worked in all areas of specialty coffee. She has been an incredibly dedicated and passionate contributor to the industry, first working in big brand retail coffee, then to small specialty shops, managing specialty shops, and now working at Cafe Imports in Sales. I have met and worked with few others as unwavering in their commitment to quality and professionalism in every coffee role they’ve had in their career.
Areli Barrera Grodski
Nominated by Leon Grodski Barrera
I am completely biased writing this nomination, yet I am also in the perfect position to write it.
Areli is my life partner (June 14th will be 15 years) and business partner (December 10th will be 15 years), who heads up and is the green buyer for Little Waves Coffee. She is exceptional via the everyday. Though she would be uncomfortable having me say that, her way of work, looking at the world, empathizing with people deeply affect the ongoing development, questions, relationships, and results that she leads and causes to become real via our roastery.
Her work is quiet, consistent, and impactful. She prefers to work more than talk about work. She leads by working hard with and alongside her team, living her values, caring for others, and growing along with and in front of the people that she leads and partners with, whether they are working along side her in the roastery, or across the planet as partners.
Yet her voice is deeply impactful. The most clear public version of what I am describing may be seen in the second half of the coffee episode in the Apple TV+ docuseries, Omnivore. She skips an ego-centric method of sourcing coffee (a way that while easier and trendier that cherry picks rare coffees alone and only when convenient for the roaster) in favor of a program that connects quality, relationship, impact, top quality lots and just as much specialty coffees that allow for ongoing commitments to partners through time.
Little Waves is a Latina-led, women-forward, specialty coffee program that seeks to serve top quality coffees that deeply and honestly connect quality, relationship, and impact. As the green buyer, Areli sources an integrated array of offerings to express this ongoing work.
Areli is an immigrant. Born in Mexico, she moved to the US at age six. Though she prefers working in the background, Areli has grown to see the effect of her own voice particularly on women, Latinas, and others and because of that goes beyond her comfort zone to speak at events where other women, entrepreneurs, girls, etc… such as Duke Fuqua, on Apple, but at least as much in schools and in women’s groups. She quietly supports and bonds with other women, Latinx and striving coffee pros and startups alike.
Her work shows in the results and people who surround her. Her roastery team of seven is comprised completely of women of color, many immigrants and first generation. Instead of recruiting ready to go pros, she has developed from within. If asked, I imagine, that in addition to her team, way of work, and the coffees themselves, Areli would be most proud of her work as a founding board member with the Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity.
One of the challenges of her work and describing how she leads at LW, is that her approach includes layers and dedicating to pragmatic long game impact. While there is a deep social side to her work, she also sources and shares some of the top coffees on the planet including long relationships with Edwin Noreña, Jose Giraldo, and newer ones (via my participation in the ZHAW Coffee Excellence Center program along side them) with Mauricio Shattah and Alexandra Engfer Peterson (Hacienda La Esmeralda).
Sprudge noted some of these coffees in a recent article.
Yet while she sources from the top rare producers such as them who need no introduction, she is driven to find the next top rare coffee from a woman, and considers how her buying power can play a part in letting a female producer take a chance to experiment and break into the top tier. Areli is a super taster with natural and learned tasting ability that has wowed partners such as Edwin Noreña and our Q teacher Jodi Wieser.
Most of all she is a dedicated and reluctant leader whose reverberations go well beyond what I have described here.
Amélie Boulanger
Nominated by Emily
Amélie is a perfect example of someone who treats everyone with kindness, respect, and sincerity. She is a comforting presence to everyone in the industry locally, and that reputation shows up globally as well. She conducts her business with grace and humility, while also being real and human. She is compassionate and focuses on being inclusive to those around her rather than fighting to the top. She has gotten to “the top” because she’s maintained her truth throughout her career!
As the director of sales and education, she has scaled Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters GREATLY and it doesn’t go unrecognized within the company and state wide. She has brought opportunities to Detroit for the home brewer, regular customer, and coffee industry folks by hosting Detroit Coffee Week. This provided opportunities to roasters, techs, baristas, etc. It was incredible. She deserves to be recognized for the work she’s done, never pointing at herself but lifting up others around her!
George Howell
Nominated by Christina Berlinguet
Affectionally known to some as a, “walking encyclopedia of coffee,” (Florence Fabricant, food columnist for The New York Times, 1993), George Howell’s mission in the coffee industry is simple—empower consumers to appreciate and seek out the finest coffees available. In his career, he’s gone to lengths to ensure his products are the highest quality, comparing fine coffee to that of the best wine, not only for his consumers, but for the producers he directly sources from around the world. Through his travels to multiple coffee-producing countries (including Colombia, India, Sumatra, Brazil, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru) George combined his expertise with the knowledge of the roasters and brewers to emphasize precision and care from foundational techniques, like growing and direct sourcing, all the way to packaging and pouring the perfect cup. His company was the first to freeze raw green coffee, paving the way for long-term storage and allowing great vintages to outlast their seasonality. Amongst other innovations to ensure coffee excellence, George Howell Coffee financed and produced ExtractMoJo, the first coffee refractometer and software system in the world. This innovative technology is now used by baristas globally to precisely control the water-to-coffee ratio during brewing, leading to more flavorful and consistent coffee.
Throughout the past 50 years, George has gone to origin to meet with farms and their communities in an effort to develop relationships and improve infrastructure. He’s built genuine relationships with quality producers throughout the world, allowing him to develop a competitive and fair direct trade policy. The policy includes paying a fair price—defined by the producer, as well as the buyer—based on a sliding quality scale created to incentivize the highest possible standards. During his time creating models of economic sustainability for coffee farmers, George created and co-founded the Cup of Excellence. This program, which is still maintained to this day, was designed to help break the commodity and price cycle in the specialty coffee industry. In 2004, he created George Howell Coffee, and by 2007 Howell was awarded the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe’s highest honor, the Better Coffee World Award.
The beginning of Geroge’s story can be marked as an avid coffee drinker in Boston who was tired of stale, light roasted coffees. To resolve his frustration, George opened his first cafe in 1975, The Coffee Connection, located in Cambridge’s Harvard Square. For 19 years, his expertise and persistence grew The Coffee Connection to 24 company-owned stores, pioneering coffee as a noble beverage worthy of being in the same league as fine wine. In 1994, George sold The Coffee Connection to Starbucks Coffee Company to maintain family time and pursue his true love: identifying, roasting, and discovering the highest quality coffees possible. Just two years later, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award for having raised specialty coffee quality standards through the Massachusetts-based company. He has also worked for the United Nations and the International Coffee Organization as a coffee quality consultant and, to this day, runs multiple successful coffee cafes in Massachusetts.
Mihaela Iordache
Nominated by Mark McKinney
Mihaela has been a prominent member of the French Specialty Coffee Community for well over a decade. She’s personally been a mentor to myself and graciously offered to coach me (free of charge) for my participation in the French Barista championship this year. She also has judged and coordinated several coffee competitions in France, and she is an inspiration to many young people who aspire to become coffee professionals. Together, we founded the BYOB (Bring Your Own Beans) cupping here in Paris, Fr, which is a free monthly gathering for Baristas and various coffee professionals to taste and discuss coffees together. She is also the president of the local coffee association Frog Fight, which organizes fun and educational events across France for the French barista community. She is a genuine community builder who cares about the democratic station of speciality coffee, and she’s also an amazing roaster. In addition to all of the above, she also is a part of a Women in Coffee group that organizes regular meetup for women and non-binary coffee professionals.
Gray Kauffman
Nominated by K Van Petten
When people ask me how it’s possible that Gray does the things they do—competing independently in the US Barista Competition, inspiring the next generation of baristas, defying the odds of specialty coffee—I tell them it’s because they’ve made a career out of centering care. Gray cares deeply about people, about flavor, and about the future of coffee. That care keeps them grounded in their values, supported by their community, and makes the seemingly impossible possible.
They have a kind of superpower when it comes to seeing potential—in ideas, in coffee, in people. As a sensory-driven educator with a background in food science, Gray has championed past-crop coffees, freezing techniques for shelf life, and bio-innovation coffees from La Palma y El Tucán. Gray constantly pushes the boundaries of flavor and terroir, foraging wild ingredients and staying endlessly curious—a forever student of what’s possible in a cup.
At a time when the world is narrowing its understanding of queer and trans people, of science, of creativity, Gray offers something expansive: a future shaped by intention, grounded in care, and fueled by better coffee for better humans.
I’m admittedly biased—Gray is my dearest human—but if you talk to the beautiful quilt of coffee folks who surround them, you’ll hear story after story of generosity, brilliance, and transformation. Right now, they’re seeding a new project and coffee pop-up called Catch of the Day — a curated coffee experience built around creativity and education. I recommend connecting with them at instagram.com/graykauffman.
Here’s to the better future we all get to experience because of people like Gray.
Reza Kosar
Nominated by Michael Butterworth
I don’t know anyone more driven, talented, or kindhearted than Reza Kosar. Whether it was becoming the first Iranian Q-grader, a world championship judge, or establishing a world-class coffee roastery in an underserved location, Reza has accomplished so much despite significant challenges.
He’s also the best coffee roaster I know.
Unfortunately, Reza still faces visa denials because of his passport country. The political situation at home means he can’t travel home to see his family. He’s literally sacrificed everything to follow his coffee dream.
I can’t think of anyone more worthy of this recognition.
Sandra Loofbourow
Nominated by Sandra Flemming
What doesn’t Sandra do? She’s a CQI educator, has a consulting business for roasteries, cafes, and other coffee businesses (Loupe), started a consulting/coaching joint venture (open.flor) for producers, offers de-escalation trainings for cafes, occasionally writes for Roast magazine, was involved with the new Le Nez du Cafe 2.0, and with her husband launched futures.coffee. She’s like a coffee MVP. Sandra leads with a desire to uplift others, making this industry kinder and more collaborative.
Natasha Cruz Sánchez
Nominated by Jennis Vicente-Feliciano
Natasha Cruz-Sanchez is a trailblazing entrepreneur whose passion for coffee and dedication to the trucking community have shaped Nacrusan into more than just a coffee brand—it’s a movement. As the founder of Nacrusan, Natasha has set out on a mission to bring specialty coffee to truckers, ensuring that those who keep America moving have access to high-quality, ethically sourced coffee crafted for their demanding lifestyle.
Recognizing the critical role truckers play in our economy and the challenges they face in finding premium coffee on the road, Natasha built Nacrusan as a brand tailored specifically to their needs. Every cup is designed to fuel long hauls, refresh weary minds, and transform the coffee experience for those living life on the road. Through carefully sourced beans and convenient, accessible solutions, Nacrusan is redefining how truckers enjoy specialty coffee—bringing quality and comfort to every stop.
Beyond the coffee itself, Natasha’s impact extends to community building and support for the trucking industry. She is committed to fostering meaningful connections among truckers, offering a space where they feel valued and recognized. Whether through partnerships, outreach programs, or initiatives that prioritize accessibility, Natasha ensures that Nacrusan isn’t just delivering coffee—it’s delivering respect, appreciation, and a commitment to the hard-working individuals who keep America running.
Natasha’s ability to merge business innovation with a heartfelt commitment to truckers makes her an outstanding candidate for the Sprudge Twenty. She exemplifies what it means to build a business with purpose, shaping Nacrusan into a company that elevates the coffee experience while honoring the people behind the wheel and coffee. Her leadership, vision, and dedication set her apart, making her more than deserving of this recognition.
Kali Solack
Nominated by Mario Juan
Kali is the founder and leader of Sprudge’s Best New Cafe, Cafe Regina. She is a quiet leader whose work speaks volumes. Her café sets the bar for quality, hospitality, and creativity in Puerto Rico. She recently won the National Cup Tasters Competition and will be representing Puerto Rico on the global stage in Geneva, Switzerland. This win is a testament to her prioritization of taste and quality and cements her as a key figure in the local coffee industry.
Keely Thomas
Nominated by Michael Knight
At just 13 years old, Keely Thomas did something most people only dream about. She started her own coffee company from a farmers market stand. Over the past seven years, that small beginning has grown into Grand Strand Coffee, a thriving business with two brick-and-mortar locations and a roastery currently in development.
While attending the University of South Carolina full-time, Keely also took on the role of full-time production roaster and operations manager at a specialty coffee shop. She led teams, managed green inventory, and created coffee education programs with the same care and curiosity that launched her business years ago. Her work has been recognized by the industry through two features in Barista Magazine and a spotlight from the National Coffee Association’s Next Gen program.
Now, at just 20 years old, Keely has accepted a role as a junior coffee importer with ICT Coffee. She continues to grow, learn, and push the boundaries of what it means to be a young professional in specialty coffee. Keely is not just working in coffee. She is building its future.
David Walstra
Nominated by Kathryn Walstra
David is the founder of Seam Coffee, one of the best and most respected speciality coffee roasters in South Africa and the most awarded coffee business in the country.
David in his own right as won “Excellence in Coffee 2022” (the highest individual award at our national coffee awards).
His journey started in 2015 when coffee trading at less than a dollar and he saw first hand the difference paying a premium made to the lives of farmers in Burundi and so his journey began.
He pioneered coffee in a carton (Seam coffee supplies their coffee in milk cartons with one way valves, a world first) and was the first to introduce recyclable packing and carbon neutral shipping to speciality coffee in South Africa. Seam is also the only roasted in SA to roast on a Loring, he also established the South African distribution for Raw Material.
Seam coffee has a barista program as gainful employment in South Africa is a huge problem. The idea is to take on six disadvantaged youth at a time and pay them a monthly stipend whilst giving them all the skills necessary to become great speciality coffee baristas. Seam arranged for them to get on the job training in some of the best cafes in the country where they supply their wholesale coffee giving them real world experience. To date over 58 baristas have been given full time positions and have been allowed to enter the game in respected cafes/restaurants/hotels—something they would never have had access to if it were not for their barista program.
He is always assisting and guiding anyone who wants to enter the coffee game and expects little in return, but in the process he has built up and enviable reputation as one of the best coffee minds in the business along with some of the best innovation and deserves recognition.
Marisa Zapata
Nominated by Hilaire Baumgartner
When asked, “What do you love about coffee?” our Head Roaster, Marisa Zapata, is quick to tell you it’s the people she’s met along the way.
Marisa started her coffee journey in 2016, working at a coffee shop in Texas. She quickly learned that coffee was a point of connection, and grew to respect the way it brought people together. Though she was more of a tea drinker, she continued to grow her love of coffee, working for Black and White Coffee Roasters as a barista in North Carolina.
After moving back to Texas in she began working as a barista at Cherry Coffee, a local Fort Worth coffee shop. Her curiosity for coffee landed her in the role of Coffee Development Lead, selecting the coffee menu the shop featured and training the team on each coffee selected. Through her work, she grew a desire to learn how to roast, and Cherry’s Owner, Katherine Morris, had a desire to help her.
Marisa became the Head Roaster of Novel Coffee and Cherry Coffee in 2023, quickly learning the ins and outs of roasting excellent coffee. Her natural talent for the craft was evident, learning the process in just three short months.
As she grew into her role, she noticed that other female roasters, like herself, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area were craving connection and peer refinement. It was the intersection of her two passions—love for the craft and love for connecting others.
From this, an idea was born. Marisa created a group chat for these roasters called “The Roaster Gals.” The forum serves as a space for the femme-led roasteries in DFW to share tips, ask questions, and get to know each other better. She’s also begun encouraging and teaching other women in the industry to create these spaces for collaboration.
Marisa’s coffee journey has been one of both reverence and intentionality. She hopes to help build the foundation and inspire others to join her in a mission to create an industry culture of collaboration and connection over competition, especially for women like her who work in the field. And she roasts a damn fine cup of coffee in the process!
The Sprudge Twenty feature series is proudly presented by Pacific Barista Series.
