The International Women’s Coffee Alliance Australia (IWCAA) has announced its new board for 2022 following its Annual General Meeting on 11 November.
Veronica Ponce will lead the IWCAA as President, after serving as Vice President for the past year.
Melissa Garcia has been named Vice President, Emilie Coulombe as Secretary, Sabrina Czesla as Treasurer, and Yvette Schroeder, Amy Pareezer and Lena Richrath as General Board Members.
Gina Di Brita, former President of IWCA Australia, has ended her tenure, as has board member Muki Yeung.
“Gina has been instrumental in the formation of IWCAA and steered the board in the last season as its president,” says IWCAA President Veronica Ponce.
“Muki joined the board in December 2019 and was a valued board member that provided great insights and support in the last two years.”
The mission of the IWCA is to encourage and recognise the participation of women in all aspects of the coffee industry, and to empower women in the international coffee community to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives.
The Australian Chapter is part of a collaborative team made up of 28 other Chapter members from different countries around the world, focussed on helping create global change for some of the issues faced by women across the coffee value chain.
Current goals of the IWCAA are to provide a platform for women in coffee to connect, network and share one another’s experiences, and celebrate and promote the contribution of women in all aspects of the coffee industry.
Moreover, to provide women in the coffee sector the tools necessary to strengthen their participation nationally and internationally, as well as build relationships with coffee growers from its other 28 IWCA Chapter members to foster trading alliances.
For more information or to join the IWCAA, visit www.womenincoffee.org
