Mabell del Carmen Rivas

My first job was sorting coffee beans at a coffee mill in Condega, Nicaragua at the age of 12. My professional career has included roles in regulatory compliance/organic food certification, the coffee industry, and international trade/logistics. My involvement in organic food certification began in 1998, managing and growing a Latin American branch of an international certifier and serving on the committee that created the Nicaraguan organic rule. More recently, I have served as Program Director for a regional US certifier. In addition to certifying organic coffee, my coffee career has included managing the traffic department of Nicaragua’s largest coffee export company and graduating from the elite Neumann Kaffee Gruppe’s Coffee Diploma program. This program involved work in coffee export/import companies in El Salvador, Honduras, and Spain. My international export experience also includes working for ConAgra Foods Inc. Coordinating food exports from the US to several countries in South America. Professional Education • NKG Coffee diploma covering all aspects of coffee business from seed to cup Academic Education • Bachelors in Economics – UPOLI, Managua, Nicaragua • Associate Degree in Agriculture Business – Reedley College, California, US Special Skills • Coffee Cupping • Organic Farm and Processor Inspections • Gluten-free Audits