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What was the most valuable lesson you learned during the Spark Program?
For me, it helped anchor that business pitches and ideas need to be presented in terms of the business case for doing something. Just because an idea is altruistic or relevant to our work, it may not be a good enough reason to pursue. The Spark Program really helped me take those ideas and have the skillset to effectively present and contextualize them to actually see some through to become an effective changemaker within our company and hopefully our industry.
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How has Sucafina enabled you to grow both personally and professionally?
In my 7 years at Sucafina,I’ve had the support to pursue my interests and have been given the right kinds of feedback if I am not meeting expectations. I’ve had many experiences personally and professionally with Sucafina that have shaped who I am today, and I am incredibly grateful.
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What are you most proud of in your time at Sucafina?
I am most proud of my role as our East African buyer in the North American market. That was an ultimate dream job for me and working for a few years and ultimately achieving that role was a huge accomplishment. Receiving the support to then be successful at that role has been something I’m really proud of.I’m excited to see what is next.
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Who are the female figures that inspire you in your career?
Katherine Nolte (my boss) has been a HUGE help in my career. So has Felice Chay. Before I started at Sucafina, I had never met another female trader. To enter a space where there were two female traders who were super-smart, plugged-in, and shaping our team culture was hugely influential to me. It gave me people to professionally emulate where I could see myself (in ways) in them. It was really impactful and continues to be.
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What advice would you give to women who want to work in your field?
Always question the norms! Right now, Sucafina has 23% of women in senior management positions (up from 11% in 2018). The company is making strides but there is much to do to create a more equal playing field and there is a lot of work to be done to create that equality. Also, as women we can leverage our increased representation to advocate for other, marginalized and less represented groups (LGBTQ, people of color, etc.). For women who want to get into coffee buying, I’d say that you will learn how to hold your own! Gender inclusion issues exist for the farmer groups we work with, and it also is something we experience in the workplace. It takes dedicated effort and focus to combat sexism. I am confident that as a company we can continue to make an impact in this space.