The nonprofit Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity (CCRE) has named Kim Dreux-Kelly its first executive director.
Dreux-Kelly comes to the CCRE from the Washington D.C.-based small-business support nonprofit Think Local First DC, where she also served as executive director.
“With her strong leadership skills, experience in diversity and equity, and a vision that aligns seamlessly with CCRE’s mission, we are confident that Kim will play a pivotal role in advancing our goals,” Phyllis Johnson, the founder and board chair of the CCRE said in an announcement from the group today.
The group had been seeking an executive director since May.
Johnson, the founder and owner of coffee trading company BD Imports, founded the CCRE after penning an “Open Letter to the U.S. Coffee Industry on Racism” in 2020.
Recognizing longstanding racial inequity within the coffee industry in the United States and globally, the organization has since expanded through volunteer membership and strategic programming, including offering professional-development scholarships.
According to today’s announcement, CCRE said Dreux-Kelly will oversee planning, partnership development and collaboration with industry stakeholders on behalf of the nonprofit.
“I am honored to step into the role of Executive Director at CCRE and work alongside the dedicated team in advancing racial equity within the coffee industry,” Dreux-Kelly said. “Together, we will continue to build on the organization’s momentum and drive meaningful change that positively impacts the lives of all individuals within the coffee community.”
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