Vietnam
I have over 15 years experience in agriculture supply chain development, consumer goods start-ups and brand development, and sustainable development/impact investment. My work has also encompassed grant writing, project development, project management, and policy advocacy. I have been based in Vietnam for 10 years and my prior work has included New Orleans, Louisiana. My work with Song Cai Distillery includes developing global distribution from the ground up and extensive product development of multiple award-winning products (gins, amaro, whisky, brandy, rice wine). Adjacent is my work on agriculture and fermentation. I have worked with the Vietnam National University of Agriculture on native seed collection, documentation, and propagation. I have also worked with the Vietnam Food Industries Research Institute on the collection, documentation, and study of native microbes especially as it pertains to solid-state and submerged-state fermentation for the production of consumer products. My expertise has allowed me to work with the likes of Jason White, ex-head of Noma's Fermentation Lab. My interest is in equitable development and how companies and brands can elevate the position of farmers in the global supply chain and scale the use of native and heirloom agricultural products.
- Founded and developed Song Cai Distillery brand identity, vision, and mission - Grew company from a domestic Vietnam brand to export to over 10 different countries, including USA and European Union, UK, Australia, and Hong Kong - Product development: 3 award winning gins, single malt whisky, amaro, rice wine, and non-alcoholic wine replacements - Supply Chain Management and Development: Focused on indigenous highland farming communities and heirloom / native seeds and ingredients to create a place-based product - Pushing the boundary on Sustainability: Launched May Amaro Bitters, a product whose intellectual property is co-owned with the Red Dao involved in its creation. - Awards: Bloomberg named 1 of 16 best spirits 2021. Gold at San Francisco World Spirits Competition for gins.
- Developed technical assistance delivery and evaluation processes for displaced fisherfolk post-2010 BP oil spill - Manages projects regarding environmental justice and environmental toxicology; manages collaborations with Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Washington State University to implement environmental testing, specifically around seafood safety post-BP oil spill, water quality, soil quality, air quality, and numerous other environmental exposures with a community-based participatory research driven lens - Manages workforce development initiatives, notably, VEGGI Farmers' Cooperative, which utilizes sustainable agriculture as a vehicle for community-based job creation and food access - Engages in on-going fundraising for programs and projects, which includes employing donor solicitation, grant-writing, and event-based fundraising - has experience in managing private and federal grant funding - Develops and refines project impact metrics to gauge financial, social, and environmental components of project implementation
-Responsible for managing 16 member farmers enrolled in intensive production coordination, cooperative marketing, sales, and branding -Responsible for revising training curriculum and identifying and training potential low-income growers in sustainable agriculture and cooperative economics -Manage and coordinates administrative staff - responsible for organizational strategic growth and adherence to organizational mission and vision -Liaison with buyers to promote local/regional food economy and ensure growers are meeting market demand for local produce