Michael Sheridan will take over as Chief Executive Officer at non-profit organisation Coffee Quality Institute (CQI).
Sheridan will assume the role in December, taking over from Bridget Carrington, who has been CEO on an interim basis since late 2022.
Sheridan says he is excited to lead CQI in delivering education to drive impact in coffee-producing regions.
“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 25 years,” Sheridan says.
“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, says Sheridan’s appointment is a huge fillip for CQI.
“Michael will be an excellent leader for the organisation, driving CQI’s mission and vision. His wealth of experience in both nonprofit and value-driven industry work will be invaluable,” she says.
Sheridan’s previous roles include spearheading coffee programs at Catholic Relief Services between 2004 and 2016. Here, 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 Intelligentsia Coffee in Chicago, leading global green coffee sourcing and sustainability efforts.
CQI’s mission is to “improve the quality of coffee and the lives of those who produce it”.
The organisation operates the popular Q Grader certification scheme for coffee professionals and in 2022, CQI partnered with Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) to pilot a new Robusta training with a workshop on NKG’s Kaweri Coffee Plantation in Uganda.
The announcement of Sheridan’s appointment comes as the organisation’s trustees gathered in Costa Rica ahead of Sintercafé International Coffee Week.
