Speaker Bios MONIKA FIRL, COOPCOFFEES Monika has worked out of the CoopCoffees Montreal office since 2002, as Green Buyer, Producer Relations Manager and now as Special Projects and Outreach Manager, with a particular focus on the impact of climate change on small-scale farmers. She also currently sits on the Sustainability Council for the Specialty Coffee Council of America. Prior to coffee, Monika worked with a variety of locally based development projects while living in Central America and Mexico from 1991 to 2000. Her experiences include founding and directing a centre in San Salvador for the exchange of information on appropriate technologies; coordinating a regional, Campesino-a-Campesino, horizontal learning program around sustainable production practices and market alternatives with farmer groups in Central America; and participating in technical training and market development with coffee producer co-ops in Chiapas, Mexico. She holds a master’s degree in journalism as well as a bachelor’s degree in international relations and German. NORA BURKEY, THE CHAIN COLLABORATIVE Nora holds a master’s degree in sustainable development from the Graduate Institute at School for International Training, where she focused her studies on gender in development and food systems. For her thesis, Nora conducted research on women’s lending groups in Nicaragua that had intended to recognize the unpaid work of women in supply chains. After graduating, Nora stayed in Nicaragua and has lived in Matagalpa for the past three years, building the Chain Collaborative, a non-profit that focuses on small community-led development projects with local leaders in coffee communities around the world. While directing the Chain Collaborative, she is also independently pursuing a doctorate in international development studies at St. Mary’s University, researching development in the coffee sector with Dr. Gavin Fridell. Nora speaks English and Spanish. SARAH HANIF, FAIR TRADE VANCOUVER Sarah is a volunteer with Fair Trade Vancouver (FTV) and the Canadian Fair Trade Network (CFTN). Sarah’s journey started with Fair Trade Vancouver just over a year ago, shortly after moving to Canada from the UK. An active volunteer and Education Lead with FTV, Sarah is currently designing and redeveloping the Fair Trade School curriculum for the CFTN. Sarah holds a deep passion for the alleviation of poverty and wishes for a just world.
SEAN MCHUGH CANADIAN FAIR TRADE NETWORK Sean is the founder and Executive Director of the Canadian Fair Trade Network (CFTN). Since 2009, he has worked with Fair Trade Vancouver, helping the municipality become Canada’s 11th Fair Trade City in May 2010. Sean also worked to support the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University in becoming Canada’s first and second Fair Trade Campuses. For the past two years, Sean has worked to strengthen the fair trade movement in Canada by founding and then leading the CFTN in its work to support advocates across Canada, helping to share resources and create connections between stakeholders. Sean is a graduate of Simon Fraser University and has worked and travelled in developing countries around the world. SHANNON BROWN, FAIRTRADE CANADA Shannon has been working in Fairtrade for nine years. She is currently the Senior Strategic Advisor for Fairtrade Canada, helping to ensure that the organization is positioned to serve producers and Canadian stakeholders with integrity and innovation. Shannon has also been the Director of Business Development at Fairtrade Canada and was a leader in the establishing Fairtrade America, now a thriving organization in Washington, DC. She is currently doing a second master’s degree in mental health counselling. STEVEN ZUBALIK LAUGHING WHALE COFFEE ROASTERS Steven co-founded Laughing Whale Coffee Roasters in Lunenburg, NS, with Deborah d’Entremont in 2003. Moving from cafe to commercial roastery, Laughing Whale has been all Fairtrade since 2006 and all organic since 2009. Steven holds a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Washington and studied the interplay of technology and social values. He also spent over a decade with the F.R. Kluckhohn Center for the Study of Values working with native American groups, government agencies, and corporations to address conflicts around natural resource development and the protection of indigenous cultural practices. His passion for coffee was ignited while travelling in Italy and fanned by exposure to the dynamic Seattle coffee scene—back when Starbucks was just a single store in Pike Place Market.
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