Leadership of Thanksgiving Coffee Company

By Lavender Grace Posted on Jul 20, 2022

The Next Generation Is Here

Persistently bold in their visionary approach to coffee, the founders of Thanksgiving Coffee, Joan and Paul Katzeff, led an industry toward equality and justice. Their leadership established ethical sourcing directly from small-scale farmer cooperatives which in turn inspired the first Fair Trade model. The company is built on the interconnectedness of coffee farmers, the coffee they produce, and the health and wellbeing of our shared environment.

For 50 years, Thanksgiving Coffee Company has chosen to actively use coffee as our force for good for the planet. Our leadership inspires this goodness to ripple out to all the people we work with. Our relationship with coffee is what gives the company the perseverance and fortitude to stay in business through all of life’s challenges, and it is literally what gets us up in the morning, no really!

The next generation of Thanksgiving Coffee Company’s leaders are here. Stepping into the role of CEO, the founders’ son, Jonah Katzeff, helps guide us with his lifetime of coffee knowledge.

Together we continue to work with coffee as our medium, community resilience as our passion, and the health and happiness of our farmers as our goal. “Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup” is our motto, and it is as true as ever. A new generation with a regenerative vision, I invite you to meet our leadership team.

Jonah Katzeff - CEO

Jonah has worked at the company for the last 9 years. However, since it’s a family business, he has worked at the Company on and off for most of his adult life. Jonah enjoys the challenge of running a small business as it keeps him on his toes! He works with a lot of great people who genuinely care about the company and our customers. He likes how we produce a quality product that impacts a lot of people in positive ways all over the world. This is a good feeling. There is always more to learn in the world of coffee, and in business. Jonah enjoys this process and is grateful for the opportunity to lead Thanksgiving Coffee in its next phase

A few of his favorite musical artists are Zhu, The Polish Ambassador, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Rufus Du Sol, Sofi Tukker, Modest Mouse, and Leon Bridges.

He generally drinks light to medium roast blends. A few of his go-to coffees are FTO Mocha Java, Paul’s Blend, and FTO Beaujolais. He loves our Kenya, Ethiopia Gedeb, and Panama Geisha single origins for special occasions. During the week he drinks coffee from our staff’s coffee brewer in the tasting room, and occasionally enjoys making a cappuccino. On the weekends he makes pour-over at home. Most often he drinks coffee black but isn’t above a bit of milk or half + half in his coffee.

Gregg Berrett - Director of Operations

Gregg started working with Thanksgiving Coffee in 2021. He appreciates that Thanksgiving Coffee is a family-owned and operated company, enjoys working with his co-workers, making quality products, and has a deep appreciation for our coffee farmers/fairtrade principles. He begins his days with meditation and early morning walks on the coastal bluffs near our roastery.

His favorite music is anything recorded by the Rolling Stones over the past 60 years …

Gregg's favorite Coffee is Paul’s Blend. He takes his coffee black and uses a drip coffee maker at home.

Joe Seta - Sales and Marketing Manager

Joe joined us as Sales & Marketing Manager in 2022, but this is his second time around with Thanksgiving Coffee. He was the Manager of the Mendocino Bakery for 3 years, which Thanksgiving owned and operated (from 2009-2012). He is passionate about our products. He was a customer for years prior to becoming an employee, especially via "the roast from the Coast" through KOZT - The Coast FM. Without coffee, radio shows aren't nearly as interesting. :)

Joe is a former professional recording engineer and producer, so he has a broad appreciation for many styles of music that are played well. He likes classical performers like Leonard Bernstein, rock artists from Steely Dan through Nirvana, country like Dwight Yokim and K. D. Lang, and many more.

His current favorite is the Panama Gesha with its brilliant high fruity notes, soft but balanced acidity with a firm low end for a light roast. The primary brewing method he uses at home is the French press (and an antique grinder!), but he also has a decent home-level espresso maker with a steaming wand.

Lavender Grace - Sustainable Ecology Advocate

Lavender grew up on the Mendocino Coast and began her work with Thanksgiving Coffee 6 years ago initially as our Community Outreach for Mendocino County. Several impactful events have helped shape her path as a voice for the bees and support for biodiversity and local food systems. Thanksgiving has helped her understand the depth of impact a company can have through social innovations and deep lasting roots in positive community change.

As a child she was surrounded by music, song and dance, and feels it is important to feed her soul daily with the beauty of music. Lavender’s favorite music is full of soul and rhythm with lyrical poetry. The first artist that got her attention was Patty Smith, then she fell in love with the tones of Ella Fitzerald, Joni Mitchell and the theatrical depth of Kate Bush. Right now she appreciates Deya Dova, Ulali, Amel Larriex, Hamza El Din, Faran Ensemble, Lianne La Havas, and Amber Mark.

Lavender’s favorite coffees are Paul’s Blend and Ethiopian Natural. She likes to make Turkish coffee with cardamom at home and alternates with a French Press process, with cinnamon and honey added. At work she enjoys a nice cappuccino or latte with our Northern Espresso or Upsetter.