GLOBAL COFFEEPLATFORM

Annette Pensel

Executive Director

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Annette Pensel is Executive Director of the Global Coffee Platform (GCP), an inclusive, multi-stakeholder membership association to advance coffee sustainability. Together with GCP Members, its Country Platforms and partners the organization is building a specific, actionable framework for closing the living income gap by at least 25% for 1 million smallholder farmers through holistic support that advances sustainable coffee production, climate adaptation and mitigation, and worker well-being.  

Annette believes in the power of “glocal” collaboration to overcome systemic sustainability challenges: business as usual is not enough to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

She brings more than 20 years of experience in the international coffee sector and in the fields of development cooperation, including corporate sustainability, public-private partnerships and programs, capacity building and voluntary sustainability standards.

Annette has lived and worked in Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe, driving successful sustainability programs in agricultural sectors with leading companies, especially in coffee. Her previous roles include senior positions at the 4C Association, where she was responsible for building the 4C Association’s network, structures and services at origin and driving innovation. Creating and expanding partnerships to scale positive impacts of sustainable coffee, she has established productive relationships with key stakeholders ranging from coffee growers to private sector companies, NGO and donor agencies, and government representatives.

Annette graduated in Economics, Political Science and Latin American studies from the University of Cologne (Germany) and Tucuman (Argentina). She speaks German, English, Spanish and Portuguese and is based at the GCP Secretariat in Bonn, Germany.

Thomas Müller-Bardey

Finance & Operations Director

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Thomas is responsible for managing the Global Coffee Platform’s (GCP) finance systems and processes, including accounting, planning and controlling. He is also responsible for membership administration.

Thomas holds several certificates in accounting, was professionally active in the financial communications business in the past, and holds a university degree in the field of Communications Theory from the University of Cologne (Germany). Thomas speaks German and English and is based in Bonn, Germany.

Caroline Glowka

Senior Manager Member Relations

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Caroline is responsible for liaising with existing and potential members of the Global Coffee Platform (GCP). She worked in the mechanical engineering industry and with Fairtrade products in sales and marketing. Her work experience is global in fat and lean countries.

Caroline graduated in Business at the Free University Berlin and has attained additional degrees in Corporate Sustainability Responsibility and is a GRI Certified Sustainability Professional and is based in Bonn.

In her free time she passionately hikes the Alpes, cooks and is active in the local church and drinks her coffee fast.

Lauren Weiss

Senior Manager Countries and Partnerships

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Lauren Weiss coordinates and oversees the work of GCP’s network of Country Platforms and supports partnership development. She has over eight years of experience in international development, and has been specifically focusing on sustainable coffee since 2019. Her previous experiences focused on project management and program evaluation, having consulted for international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector.

Lauren holds a Master’s degree in International Public Management from Sciences Po Paris. She speaks English and French, and is based in Bonn, Germany.

Mary Petitt

GCP Senior Advisor

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Mary Petitt has more than 30 years of experience in the coffee industry and international business. Over her career, Mary has served in multiple management and marketing leadership roles. She has actively championed the power of collaborative leadership, market knowledge and customer service to successfully position and realizes sustainable business initiatives in both the commercial and specialty coffee sectors. She is a Past President of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and former Trustee of the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). She served as Executive Vice President of the Colombian Coffee Federation Inc., was Strategic Advisor to Mitsui Foods, Inc. and has been a consulting coffee advisor to the United Nations/International Trade Centre Women and Trade Programme.

She is a member of ICE Futures U.S. Board of Coffee ‘C’ Graders has been a CQI ‘Q’ Coffee Grader and has enjoyed years of volunteer service with the National Coffee Association (NCA), the Coffee Association of Canada (CAC) and the SCAA. Mary began her career in 1983 as a green coffee trader with Cargill, Inc.

Nazir Ul Haq

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager

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Nazir drives GCP’s measurement work. He spearheads the critical task of revising and enhancing GCP’s measurement approach and tools, ensuring they are aligned to track the organization’s progress towards its GCP 2030 Goal. Nazir also plays a pivotal role in cultivating essential partnerships for measurement, vital to the smooth implementation of GCP’s mission.

With a passion for evaluation and sustainability, Nazir has around 10 years of experience working in Southeast Asia, Pakistan, Africa and Brazil on various development themes. He has worked in a variety of agricultural products including coffee. Before joining GCP, Nazir worked as Senior Global Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Coordinator with Better Cotton.

Nazir holds a Master’s degree in economics from Xiamen University, China, and a professional certificate in Evaluation and Managing for Sustainable Development Impact from the Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands.

Pia Prangenberg

Operations Manager

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Pia provides executive support to the Executive Director in a one-on-one working relationship. She also serves as a liaison to the Board of Directors and senior management team of GCP. She is involved in a variety of special projects, always keen to further improve workflows and organizational processes.

Pia has gained extensive office and project management experience through her previous jobs in the social, public and private sector, both in Germany and abroad (Australia, Tanzania, Canada, USA). Among others, she worked as Operations Manager for a social enterprise based in Munich, coordinated the visitor program of a charity funded school in Tanzania and managed daily operations at the student administration office of an Australian university. 

She holds a Master of Arts degree in North American Studies, Political Science and International Law from the University of Bonn and speaks German, English and French.

Claire Mathieson

Communications Manager

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Claire is a communications and knowledge management specialist and oversees communications at GCP. With a background in radio and print media, Claire moved into communication for development, predominantly working in the climate change and sustainable development projects. She brings a wealth of knowledge, having worked as an independent consultant to multi-stakeholder, donor-funded projects in East and Southern Africa, and Southern Asia.

Claire has a particular interest in knowledge brokering and has been involved in knowledge platforms and projects that support the transfer of expertise in working towards the SDGs.

Claire is based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Angélica Castro

Communications Officer

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Angélica is a communications specialist and journalist with over six years of experience in print and online media, having worked for non-profit, international organizations, and public institutions. She brings experience as a researcher and content creator, having worked on projects focused topics including politics, public procurement, corruption, sustainability, culture, and business.

As Communications Officer, Angélica supports communication processes with internal and external audiences through the GCP website, newsletters, social media, amongst others.

Angélica holds a Master’s degree on International Media Studies from the Deutsche Welle Akademie and the Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg. She speaks Spanish, English and German and is based in Bonn, Germany.

Rhema David Kiputu

Grants and Finance Officer

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As GCP’s Grants and Finance Officer Rhema provides financial and grants support for several projects across the GCP Network of Country Platforms. He has extensive experience with donor-funded projects and with managing budget and finance components of complex projects. As a self-driven and result-oriented grants specialist, Rhema has experience managing the day-to-day administrative and programmatic activities of the Tanzania Advancing Youth Activity (AY)’s grants under contracts portfolio, and has supported the Sidai Maasai Women Organisation as Finance Manager and held positions as Market Research Associate.

Rhema has a Bachelor’s Degree in Development Finance and Investment Planning and is a certified Investment and Financial Analyst (CIFA). He is currently at the final stage of the Certified Investment and Financial Analyst (CIFA) Certification.

Rhema is located in Tanzania.

Aditya Singh

IT Manager

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Aditya is pursuing a master’s degree in Geodetic Engineering at University of Bonn and is responsible for ICT and measurement support in GCP. He is also working on evaluation of recorded data.

Aditya has three years of experience in data analysis, data warehousing and ETL process support in the finance sector.

Maren Gullvik

Intern, Global Coffee Platform

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Maren works as a intern with the Global Coffee Platform Secretariat team, where she assists in logistics, communications and content related activities.

Her main experience in coffee stems from the specialty coffee branch. She has worked as a roaster and barista at Tim Wendelboe in Oslo, Norway.

Maren is currently completing the Local Development master’s program at the University of Padova, Italy. She holds a BA in Development Studies from the University of Oslo and was part of a year-long program in Migration and Integration Management from Oslo Met University.

She speaks English and Norwegian and is based in Bonn, Germany.

George Watene

Program Manager

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George is the Program Manager of the Kenya Coffee Platform and is in charge of implementing all GCP initiatives and convening efforts in the country. He has also supported GCP’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning work, including the Delta Framework. Recently, George has overseen a Living Income benchmarking study for coffee growers in the Mount Kenya region, funded by GIZ.

Prior to joining GCP, George was the Regional Certification Manager at Technoserve’s East Africa Coffee Initiative and before that he served as the acting General Manager of Africert Limited.

George holds an MSc in Environment and Resource Management from the Institute of Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universitiet, Amsterdam.

Trung Pham

Program Manager Vietnam

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Trung Pham has 22 years of experience in strategic planning and program management with the focus on chain development, inclusive business, sustainable development, climate change and poverty reduction in Asia and Africa. Trung also possess specific experience and expertise in projects relating to gender equity and inclusion of marginalized groups including ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.

Since joining GCP in 2019 as Vietnam Program Manager, Trung has led, coordinated and managed GCP Vietnam programs and projects within Vietnam, developing the program strategic framework, monitoring activity progress, preparing technical proposals submitted to potential funders, representing the organization at international and national forums and conferences, and networking with various organizations and agribusinesses in the region to develop close collaborations and partnerships.

Trung holds a Master’s Degree in International Development from International University of Japan and Syracuse University. Trung speaks Vietnamese and English and is based in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Ade Aryani

Executive Director, SCOPI

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Ade has more than 15 years of work experience as a management professional at international donor agencies in Indonesia covering various sectors including health, the economy, and the environment. Prior to joining SCOPI, Ade worked at USAID Indonesia, and thereafter at Ford Foundation Indonesia, having started her career in a multinational private company focused on the multi-finance sector. She brings a wealth of expertise in management, human resources, and grant applications to the leadership role at SCOPI. Ade has an educational background in law from the University of Indonesia and is based in Jakarta.

Samson Emong

Country Coordinator Uganda, Café Africa Uganda

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Samson Emong brings 10 years of experience working in the Uganda coffee value chain. He  joined Café Africa in February 2015 who are the secretariat of the Uganda Coffee Platform and is in charge of convening and communicating with stakeholders of the platform. He is also the GCP coordinator in Uganda and is in charge of implementing the country plan for GCP in Uganda with the objective of ensuring platform maturity.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies and a Masters’ degree in Business Administration. Samson is highly commended for his networking skills.

Guillermo Alvarado Downing

Country Manager

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Guillermo Alvarado joined GCP on January 27, 2020 as Honduras Program Manager, he brings into GCP extensive experience in rural development. Has worked as project officer and senior advisor for IICA Honduras, USAID Honduras, Millenium Challenge Account Honduras, was Minister of Agriculture of Honduras between 1999 and 2002 leading the recovery of the Honduran agriculture sector from Hurricane Mitch, Excecutive Director of the International Regional Animal and Plant Health Organization (OIRSA) for Central America, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Belize and Panama. He is a graduate from El Zamorano and has a BSc and MSc in Food and Resources Economics from the University of Florida, and training in policy management at the Harvard Institute for International Development, in international trade at the CBI from the Netherlands, and Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico.

Pedro Ronca

GCP Brazil Program Director

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Pedro Ronca is an agronomist by the Superior School of Agriculture “Luiz de Queiroz” (ESALQ-USP), post graduated in Coffee Agribusiness by FIA/USP and in Coffee Economics and Science by the University of Trieste / illycaffè, Italy. Agronomic consultant in coffee production, experienced in planning, conducting and managing projects in properties with sustainable production systems, in post-harvest and specialty coffee production and market strategy.

Pedro has extensive experience in auditing for sustainability certifications. He is also a farmer in the South of Minas Gerais. Pedro currently manages the Global Coffee Platform (GCP) in Brazil and coordinates the CocoaAction Brazil initiative, in partnership with the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF).

Eduardo Matavelli

Technical Coordinator, GCP Brazil

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Eduardo has more than 25 years of experience in the coffee sector. He started his career as a coffee producer and since then has been working on several sustainability projects for family coffee farming, training groups of producers, farms and coffee cooperatives, has acted as Rainforest Alliance Leader Auditor, and has been responsible for field-checking for Nespresso AAA Sustainable Program.

He is an agronomist, holding Post Graduate in Plants Protection and MBA in Environment Management.

Eduardo works as the technical coordinator of GCP’s Collective Action Initiatives in Brazil and is also responsible for strategic and planning meetings, as well as visiting GCP Members at the field level, among others.

Tamara Barim

General Manager Brazil, GCP Brazil

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Tamara Barim is responsible for coordinating the work of GCP in Brazil. Her work experience is not only local, steering the development and implementation of sustainability tools and training, stakeholder engagement, program and resource management, and impact reporting, but also global since she supports the team to foster and maintain partnerships and develop strategies.

She is skilled in Project Management, Design Thinking, and has a keen interest in gender, youth, and sustainable development of communities.

Tamara holds Bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, International Business, and Architecture and Urbanism. Besides Portuguese, she speaks English and Spanish, and is based in Espírito Santo do Pinhal, Brazil.

Vivian Tejeda

Operations Manager Honduras

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Vivian is a marketing and international business specialist with several years of experience in the coffee industry. She has worked for the Honduran Coffee Institute as a promotion coordinator, promoting Honduran coffee locally as well as in the Asian, European, and American markets. 

Vivian is the co-creator of an award-winning promotional campaign, “Mi Café Es Hondureño”, and is herself a coffee producer and a barista, with her own brand of roasted coffee.

As Operational Manager of the Sustainable Coffee Platform of Honduras, she works closely with members and ensures the proper daily functioning of the platform, driving forward the platform’s key decisions and work plans.

Vivian holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Management from the EUDE Business School of Spain and a degree in marketing and international business from the Central American Technological University UNITEC. She speaks Spanish and English and she is based in Campamento, Olancho, Honduras.

Doan Thi Nhung

Program Officer Vietnam

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Nhung is an experienced Program Officer, with 10 years of experience working in the non-governmental organization management industry. She is skilled in project management, communication and government relations.

Since joining GCP in 2019, Nhung has helped developing strategic planning, preparing proposals to potential donors and funders, and building and maintaining relationships with various partners and members of the coffee value chain.

Nhung is also responsible for coordinating activities throughout different phases of the projects’ cycles, identifying and managing risks, analyzing data, identifying trends and inefficiencies, and implementing mitigation and contingency plans.

She is keen on sustainable development, climate change, gender, and youth issues. Her working duty is Hanoi, Vietnam.

Do Thanh Chung

GCP Collective Action Initiative – Project Manager

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Owning two bachelor degrees in Russian and English languages and a Master of Education, Do Thanh Chung started his career by working for the Government as lecturer of Daklak Teachers‘ Training College and Tay Nguyen University in 1985. Since 1999, he has worked for different development projects such as the DANIDA funded Water Supply and Sewerage Projects, World Bank-financed Agriculture Competitiveness Project in capacities of translator/interpreter, coordinator, consultant, researcher and trainer.

From 2011 to the end of 2019, Chung was working as Country Director for HRNS Asia Pacific. The foundation builds on work that began with Embden, Drishaus & Epping Consulting in 1991. He was in charge of overlooking sustainable coffee production projects run by the foundation in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and went on to work for IDH as National Coffee Program’s Coordinator.

Today Chung works at GCP as Collective Action Initiative Manager and is based in Vietnam.

Mahmud Rifai

Program Coordinator Indonesia, SCOPI

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Rifai is the program coordinator for the Sustainable Coffee Platform of Indonesia (SCOPI), where he oversees the planning, implementation, and reporting of the operational programs related to SCOPI’s strategic plan. He also supports the executive director in collaborative efforts with partners, members, donors and other coffee stakeholders.

Prior to joining SCOPI, Rifai worked as a coffee agronomist at Nestlé Indonesia. He was responsible overseeing farmer certification processes, farmer’s field school and business school, building and maintaining the demonstration plot, and assisting farmers in adopting and implementing good agricultural practices and regenerative agriculture.

Rifai has a Bachelor of Agriculture with a major in agribusiness from the University of Lampung, Indonesia, after which he went on to earn a Master of Agribusiness from the University of Queensland, Australia. He is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Sandra Ndichu

Project Coordinator, Kenya Coffee Platform

Sandra is the Project Coordinator at the Kenya Coffee Platform. Her role includes the coordination of several projects at the Kenya Coffee Platform (KCP) level, as part of the GCP Collective Action Plan in Kenya.

She has an undergraduate degree in Food Science and Nutrition with a Higher Diploma in Project Management and further accreditation in Community Development. In addition, she has extensive work experience in the coffee industry where she has developed deep expertise in post-harvest processing, optimizing quality and sustainability throughout the value chain.

Before working with KCP, Sandra was the Business Development Manager at Eprod, Regional coordinator for Labtech Africa Limited, and Coffee Manager at Brazafric Enterprises Limited.

Passionate about bridging the gap between innovation and practice, Sandra combines her academic knowledge with hands-on experience to ensure impactful and sustainable interventions.