ALISO VIEJO, CA, USA – Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) has announced the appointment of Michael Sheridan as Chief Executive Officer. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to improving coffee quality and the lives of coffee producers through sensory education and post-harvest processing initiatives. Sheridan will assume that role in December of this year.
In his new role, Sheridan will guide CQI in delivering education to drive impact in coffee-producing regions. “I am honored, humbled, and excited to lead Coffee Quality Institute into the future,” Sheridan offered.
“CQI’s best-in-class quality education has been making coffee better and driving impact in the places where coffee is grown for more than twenty-five years. What really inspires me is where we go next, and how we build upon that global CQI network to best meet emerging challenges in the landscape to support thriving coffee-producing communities.”
Chair of the CQI Board Kim Giroir, Director of Coffee & Tea Innovation at Starbucks, expressed her enthusiasm about the appointment. “Michael will be an excellent leader for the organization, driving CQI’s mission and vision. His wealth of experience in both nonprofit and value-driven industry work will be invaluable.”
Sheridan has dedicated two decades to the intersection of coffee quality and international development. His previous roles include spearheading coffee programs at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) between 2004 and 2016, where he assisted coffee growers in Central and South America in enhancing the quality of their coffee products and in accessing higher-value segments of the coffee market.
From 2016 to 2023, he served as the Director of Sourcing and Shared Value at Coffee in Chicago, leading global green coffee sourcing and sustainability efforts. In his extensive writing for trade publications and presentations to industry audiences, Sheridan has been a steady advocate for a more inclusive and equitable coffee trade.
Bridget Carrington, Interim CEO of CQI and a former Board of Trustees Chair, added her confidence in Sheridan’s ability to lead the organization into the future. “It has been a privilege to guide CQI through the process of engaging Michael as its new CEO. Under his leadership, CQI enters a new chapter, which will result in even more impact in coffee-producing communities.”
The announcement of Sheridan’s appointment comes as the organization’s trustees gather to meet in Costa Rica prior to Sintercafé International Coffee Week, an event that, like CQI, is dedicated to producers while including the entirety of the value chain. With Sheridan at the helm, CQI looks forward to furthering its impact and empowering coffee-producing communities around the world.
