Erica Reyes, Puerto Rico

Erica Reyes is the owner of Cafe Cola’o and The School of Coffee and Baristas of Puerto Rico. This is the first and only educational institution dedicated to fostering the growth and training of baristas in Puerto Rico.  She has more than 15 years of experience as a coffee entrepreneur. The school’s main educational resource has certifications from: Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) among other professional development bodies. She has also served as a judge in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Sweden, China, Hungary, among others, and a “coach” of coffee competitions in Puerto Rico, Seattle, Sweden, among other countries. She also holds the title of Technical Judge for the World Barista competition in Italy, as well as becoming the first SCA instructor to offer courses in Spanish to the Spanish-speaking community in the United States. In turn, she is the president and founder of Puerto Rico’s Café Cola’o in Old San Juan.