Glitter Cat Barista’s Board of Directors
The Glitter Cat Barista Board of Directors is comprised of nine incredible individuals, founders Veronica & Eric Grimm plus seven leaders, hailing from diverse areas in the coffee industry. From educators, to cafe owners, to a latte art pitcher founder, to U.S. Coffee Championship head judges and competitors, to animal welfare experts … We believe this group of folx will lead Glitter Cat forward in the sparkliest, most influential way possible.
Veronica P. Grimm
Founder & Chief Glitter Officer
Veronica, a queer trans woman, founded Glitter Cat after placing 2nd at the U.S. Barista Championships in 2018 with two goals in mind:
She wanted to try once more to win the title of “Champion” and hoped to find a way to help increase representation and diversity at the top-tiers of the competition stages.
Veronica was also valedictorian of both high school and college and still proudly displays her first place trophies for rabbit showmanship in her Los Angeles apartment. Impressive, we know, but she did fail miserably for the one season she played hockey.
Non-voting board member
Board of Directors July 2020-2022
Anita Tam is originally from Hong Kong, and a former classical musician and barista. Seeing the need for better designs in simple daily tools, she founded Slow Pour Supply in 2018 to introduce new ideas and to support the barista community. She is currently serving as the Lead Technical Judge on the U.S. Barista Championship Committee.
Anthony Ragler
(he/him)
Glitter Cat Barista 2019
Black & White Coffee
Board Member
USBC 2020 6th Place
A coffee professional for six years, Anthony’s mission is to allow for Black people to exist happily in their truest, most authentic forms personally, professionally, and mentally. Anthony’s career has taken him through various roles across coffee, and as of now has culminated in placing 6th at the 2020 U.S. Barista Championships. The road, however, is far from complete.
Em Orendorff
(they/them)
Glitter Cat Barista 2019
Board Member
USBC 2019 6th Place
Originally hailing from the Mile High City, Em was part of the inaugural class of Glitter Cats and the first one to make it to finals in the U.S. Barista Championships in 2018. They moved to Austin last year to help open an Intelligentsia Coffee as a manager and educator, but would much rather be in their yard with their chickens, Bianca del Rio and Alyssa Edwards, and their dog, Moose.
Kristina Jackson
(she/her)
Glitter Cat Brewer 2020
Intelligentsia Coffee Boston
Board Member
USBrC 2020 14th place
Kristina has worked in coffee as a barista and manager for nearly 6 years, but spent over 15 years bouncing around hospitality. Kristina was chosen for the first class of Sprudge 20, for her work creating the Boston Intersectional Coffee Collective. She’s a frequently on panels and is an advocate for black coffee professionals and young baristas. When she is not behind the bar, she works as a part-time classical musician.
Eric J. Grimm
(they/them)
Director of Positive Outcomes
V.P. of Brand Management at The Chocolate Barista
non-voting Board Member
Our resident corrector of Veronica’s grammar and random capitalizations specializes in running events and catering programs for coffee companies and writing about coffee representations in popular culture. Her grades in high school were unimpressive because she was busy thinkin’ ‘bout boiz.
Erica Escalante is the owner of Café Reina (formerly known as The Arrow Coffeehouse) and co-owner of Kitchenhood Commissary in Portland, OR. She is a mom of two and has been in the coffee industry for 12 years, opening her first cafe seven years ago at the age of 22.
Kelsey Maccombs
(she/her)
Designer & V.P. of Margarita Happy Hour
Board Member
Kelsey studied Marketing & Creative Design at Michigan State University and took to the world of non-profit to use these skills for the past decade. Kelsey is currently the Director of an animal shelter in the midwest where she also enjoys sparkling wine, an elaborate cheese board, and old dogs.
Tymika fell into coffee rather accidentally nine years ago as a barista, and never looked back. For Tymika, coffee’s main draw has always been the people, on both ends of the supply chain. When she isn’t talking coffee she loves to read, dive into deep conversations within minutes of meeting you, and dance (lots) of salsa.
Board Member terms are two years with an option of renewal for a second term. We will announce when member terms are expiring and the greater coffee community will be able to nominate coffee professionals to be a director.
