Boss Coffee Pros: Elizabeth Chai
I met Elizabeth Chai in real life last year in Kansas City (the qualifying event). But I first knew of her when I learned she was doing a big camper coffee crawl across the US from Atlanta to Portland, where she is based now. Liz is a “coffee + design” graphic designer, illustrator, and photographer. We also have shared interests in donuts, dessert, and craft sodas. If you run into her at a coffee event, she’ll likely be dressed up in a colorful vintage fabric dress with a camera in hand.
In the last year, we’ve been fortunate to run into each other often enough that I could set up a short photo session and interview. It’s not often that I’m able to photograph and interview someone else who does similar work as me. I think highlighting other fellow freelancers in coffee can help others realize that there are other careers in coffee that may be outside the “norm.”
On a side note, while we do have some similar interests, I hope this interview also highlights how we are not the same person (please stop mixing us up at events).
There’s an uprising that is happening around New Orleans. I recently visited and was told by a local friend, “Ladies dominate the industry here.”
This was a must-see. During my stay in the city, I visited two of his suggestions & was fascinated by the atmosphere of community this city supported.
Read More