Meet The Pros

Jay - Co-Owner

Time In Speciality Coffee

25 years

Favorite Drink

Americano

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

Dr. Smoothie Organic Strawberry Smoothie Concentrate

Bio

Jay started working with cafes in 1994, baking 3 flavors of scones in the bakery he and his wife Jen owned -- originally called "J Street Biscuit Co." They began adding allied products in 1997 -- their first three brands were Ghirardelli, Da Vinci and Oregon Chai. Jay exhibited at the SCAA annual event in Denver in the Spring of 1998 and he hasn't looked back since. Jay has baked a lot of scones, rolled a lot of burritos, done a lot of deliveries and unloaded a lot of trucks!

Jen - Co-Owner

Time In Speciality Coffee

25 years

Favorite Drink

Coconut Blended Cold Brew

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

J Street Biscuit Co. Chocolate Chunk Cookie

Bio

Jennifer began her career in the specialty coffee industry while in college as a baker for Red Chair Bakery in Bloomington, Indiana. After graduation, she moved out to Colorado where she met her future husband and co-owner of BPS, Jay Weller. Working together in a 400 square foot bakery, they started J Street Biscuit Company with just three flavors of scones and one employee! Over the years they have worked together to grow with the expanding specialty coffee industry. Today they have a much larger bakery, three warehouses and a team of about 40 dedicated Pro’s. Jennifer has rolled a lot of burritos and scooped a lot of cookies over 25 years, but she still enjoys working in the bakery developing new products for their customers and working with Jay on the future of BPS.

Dennis - Customer Service Barista

Time In Speciality Coffee

5 years

Favorite Drink

Toddy Cold-Brewed Coffee Concentrate

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

J Street Biscuit Co. Triple Chocolate Chip Crème Cake Muffin(s)

Bio

Concerning coffee, Dennis has always been guilty by association and cultivated an emotional dichotomy between love and hate toward coffee due to his last name being none other than...yes, Starbuck. As causality dictates, he embraced his name and not the associated name sake, defiantly until he joined the Army and was forced to adapt coffee into his regular schedule as a survival tool while everything about it dictated it remain bereft of enjoyment. It wasn't until many years later when Dennis got a job at a local... you guessed it, Starbucks. He went through the Coffee master course, learned that coffee could actually taste good and started to really get one on one with the entire culture that he realized he had developed a love and passion for it all. Along with his full time position here at BPS, Dennis now spends his spare time as a Music Teacher as well as a Master Scuba Diver--soon to be Dive Guide. As a Dive Guide, he will spend his vacations leading divers on dives in all sorts of exotic locations while tasting all the different kinds of coffee along the way; not just for the necessity of it, but for the enjoyment, fulfilment and culture.

Elyse - Customer Service Barista

Time In Speciality Coffee

9 years

Favorite Drink

Chocolate Toffee Latte

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

Frozen Bean Horchata Beverage Mix

Bio

Elyse has worked and supervised in the corporate coffee world with a work history that includes both drive-thru and sit-down cafes. She has had hands-on experience with fully automatic machines, as well as many of the products and supplies that BPS carries. Elyse resides in Loveland with her husband and two daughters. Her favorite way to unwind is with a book and a cup of hot coffee on a rainy day.

Kristen - Customer Service Barista

Time In Speciality Coffee

2 years

Favorite Drink

Americano

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

Bhakti Chai Original Chai Concentrate

Bio

At a small cafe in her hometown, Kristen first started pouring coffee when she was just fourteen years old. Farmers and fishermen would come in early for a cup of black coffee and some conversation. During her ten years in the food service industry since then, her love for hospitality has only grown.

In true southern fashion, she loves making people feel at home. At Barista Pro Shop, she enjoys providing just the right product for a customer, baked good for a staff party or personalized signature drink to celebrate an individual. She pays attention to the details in her work because ultimately they are her gift to the recipient.

Interested in new trends and innovations she loves using her creativity to invent a new twist on a classic or inspire with a recipe that taps into our shared nostalgia -- like a blended beverage that conjures cherry snow cones and the county fair.

Despite her ingenuity, she hasn't strayed far from her roots though. Most days she can still be found sipping a black coffee of her own, eager to chat.

Lucy - Customer Service Manager

Time In Speciality Coffee

4 years

Favorite Drink

Mistletoe Hot Chocolate

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

Toddy Consumer Model(s)

Bio

Originally from Paraguay, South America, Lucia moved to the United States in 2013. She began her coffee career right away with her first job managing a Proudly Serve Starbucks location at a hotel in Loveland. From there, her love for coffee only grew --  so much, that she ultimately got a second job at a local Starbucks. After a few years in the hotel industry, she got offered the position at Barista Pro Shop as the Customer Service Manager. She has always enjoyed interacting with and helping people, so working in this facet of the coffee world is really a perfect fit. Lucy, as she likes to be called, spends most of her free time walking around the lake where she lives, with her husband and dog.

Steven - Customer Service Barista

Time In Speciality Coffee

4 years

Favorite Drink

3 Cup Chemex

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

Kate's Real Food Grizzly Bar: Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Trail Mix

Bio

Stevens love for coffee goes further back than his time behind the bar. Drinking coffee with friends at the local diner was the go-to hang out. Hours of conversation over endless pots of coffee is where the love grew. Growing up in kitchens required coffee to keep him going as he saved to move to Colorado; after taking a job at a corporate shop on a whim, he got to learn the basics behind the bar. He found a love for latte art and manual brew methods spending a small savings on coffee brewing supplies. He then perfected his craft at home. After exploring every third wave shop in the area, he eventually landed a job at one. Taking the full Barista Hustle course on brewing and extracting, he then had the opportunity to receive further training from Coava Coffee Roasters. His coffee journey has now brought him to Barista Pro Shop, where you can find him perfecting latte art in the café or experimenting with new products and brew methods.

Tia - Cafe Consultant

Time In Speciality Coffee

15 years

Favorite Drink

White Frost Flower Mocha

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

Ghirardelli® Sweet Ground White Chocolate & Cocoa

Bio

Tia first joined the coffee industry 15 years ago working for Moxie Java, a locally owned coffee shop. She was quickly promoted to a management position, but after 8 years of faithful customer service it was time to develop a deeper understanding of the coffee world. Tia began working at Barista Pro Shop as a part time Customer Service Representative and Marketing Assistant under the advisement of an SCAA Certified Barista Head Judge. After two years of mentorship from such a knowledgeable barista, Tia found her stride in the Customer Service department and took on a full time position. Tia has now been with Barista Pro Shop for 7 years. Since working here, Tia has judged numerous Latte Art Throw Downs, helped brainstorm signature blends with Cappuccine during their “Making Great Frappes & Smoothies” class at Coffee Fest, and judged at the U.S. Latte Art Championships in 2015. Tia has been known to put White Chocolate in everything and enjoys mixing up some tasty drinks for her fellow co-workers.  Although Tia is usually at a in the cafe, at a computer or on the road visiting coffee shops, there have been known sightings of her perfecting some sweet yo-yo moves at Coffee Fest. If you catch her she may give you a free yo-yo lesson...

Dana - Marketing Representative - Promotion Specialist

Time In Speciality Coffee

4 years

Favorite Drink

Tiramisu Cappuccino

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

Two Leaves and a Bud Organic Better Morning Blend

Bio

Though relatively new to the industry, Dana has been on its fringe for many years. Coffee has inadvertently become a common thread running through her community. After exhibiting her artwork at Zoe’s Cafe in Greeley, she began volunteering there. During that time, she had the opportunity to visit the family owned coffee farm in Peru that partners with Zoe’s. Friendships made while serving the nonprofit later led her to Alaska where she spent a summer trying her hand as a full-time barista in a remote mountain town. Still the coffee enthusiast, she spends nearly every Saturday morning at the John Galt Coffee Company sipping lavender latte’s working on art projects with friends.

Dana is excited to learn more about the products and techniques of the trade here at Barista Pro Shop. With her degree in fine art she brings a creative eye and fresh perspective to our social media.

Matthew - Director of Marketing

Time In Speciality Coffee

5 years

Favorite Drink

Orange Truffle

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

FoamAroma Black Lid for 10 - 24 oz. cups

Bio

After graduating from Colorado State University in 2012 with a degree in Business Administration - Marketing, Matthew joined Barista Pro Shop in October 2013 and quickly became infatuated by the specialty coffee and tea industry.  Since then, he has completed a barista certification from The American Barista & Coffee School. 

Although he has never worked behind the bar as a barista, Matthew has worked in the foodservice industry for over 7 years. So, he's experienced first hand the value in delivering unparalleled customer experiences as well as the challenges inherent to combining high quality and consistency all while achieving swift service times.  

Mikenna - Marketing Representative - Content Specialist

Time In Speciality Coffee

3 years

Favorite Drink

Peanut Butter Cup

Favorite Product in the BPS Catalog

Munk Pack Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

Bio

Mikenna began her career in the coffee industry during high school while working at her family's coffee shop in Northeastern Colorado. While working as a barista, as well as helping in the bakery, she quickly discovered how much she enjoyed the coffee shop atmosphere. Despite her love for all things coffee, Mikenna put that job on the back burner to pursue her college and volleyball careers; though she still found time to help at her family's shop during the summer when she came home for breaks.

After graduating from college with a degree in graphic design, Mikenna found a way to bring her two worlds together by becoming a part of the Barista Pro Shop marketing team. She is excited to learn more about the ever-growing coffee world and to explore all of the different products that Barista Pro Shop has to offer.