MILAN – The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) is pleased to announce the appointment of two new board members, Susie Spindler, Co-Founder of Cup of Excellence®(COE) and long- time Executive Director of The Alliance For Coffee Excellence (ACE), and Aileen Rerhrhaye, SVP of Marketing & Trading at Sucafina NA Inc. “The IWCA Board of Directors welcomes Susie and Aileen and look forward to channeling their knowledge and expertise to furthering our mission. Their contributions will undoubtedly help us achieve a stronger and more empowered tomorrow for women and communities across the global coffee industry,’ said Sharon Riechers, President of IWCA Global Board.
Susie Spindler began her career in coffee more than 30 years ago when coffee was rarely identified even by country of origin. With the International Coffee Organization, she managed successful coffee projects that helped to jump-start specialty coffee as well as government projects working with coffee farmers.
Most recently she was a co-founder of the Cup of Excellence® (COE) program and founder and Executive Director of The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), the global non-profit organization that owns Cup of Excellence. Spindler managed, molded and expanded the renowned Cup of Excellence program and The Alliance for Coffee Excellence from 1999 until 2017. She is currently an Executive Advisor, focused on strategic planning.
Aileen Rerhrhaye began her professional career in finance, working for JP Morgan, BOA Corp, and Anchor Point Capital in a diversity of investment roles. A few years after completing an MBA in 2008, she made the leap into coffee trading where she has directed sourcing from Central America, Peru, and Colombia, developed strong relationships with the North American roaster community, and managed a trading team for a commercial tradehouse.
Aileen is also an active member of the coffee leadership community, currently sitting on the GCA’s Education and Adjudication Committees. In the past, she has served on both GCA Activities Committee and ICE Warehousing & Licensing Committee. She is currently on the board of the National Coffee Association as well.
About International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA)
Founded in 2003, the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) is a US-based 501c3 nonprofit with the mission is to empower women in the international coffee community to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives; and to encourage and recognize the participation of women in all aspects of the coffee industry.As a global network, the IWCA achieves empowerment through leadership development, strategic partnership, and amplified market visibility. www.womenincoffee.org
