Alliance for Coffee Excellence Board appoints new Executive Director

The Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Debbie Hill, J.D., as the non-profit’s new Executive Director. The former lawyer and consultant is taking over from Founder Susie Spindler. She joins ACE from a background in nonprofit and community leadership. ACE said Hill’s work as a consultant for the last four years has focused on building community partnerships and public policy advocacy. Hill has worked on economic development efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, building a school in Mali, and serving as a development officer for Arizona State University College of Technology and Innovation.  As a partner in a large Phoenix, Arizona, law firm for more than 20 years, Debbie focused her litigation practice on complex commercial litigation, civil rights and criminal defense. ACE said it welcomes Debbie’s expertise, leadership and passion into the specialty coffee world. “Replacing the founder of any organisation is a large task, and in the case of Cup of Excellence and Susie Spindler, the task was even larger,” said Jason Long, ACE Board of Directors Chair. “But we are thrilled to find someone like Debbie to continue the organisation and expand ACE’s role and outreach into the future.”