Who We Are
Stephanie Palm Neves is the Founder and Executive Director of Socially Conscious Coffee, and is the founder and manager of Palm Neves Research and Consulting. She has conducted extensive research on international and domestic microfinance and has co-taught a course on the same topic at the University of Denvers Graduate School of International Studies. While working for a non-profit microfinance institution, she directed an individual guaranteed business lending program and coordinated a peer lending program for Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs. Stephanie has observed microfinance in India through Rotary Internationals Group Study Exchange program, and holds a Masters Degree at the University of Denver in Global Trade, Finance, and Economic Integration with a focus on sustainable development. She speaks fluent Portuguese and Spanish.
Arly Britto Sinay Neves is the SCC Project Director in Brazil. She a retired auditor for the state of Bahia, having worked for the state treasury for over twenty five years in various capacities. She is a leader of social causes in her community in the city of Vitria da Conquista. She obtained a liberal arts degree from the Catholic University in Salvador, Bahia, and a graduate degree in English as a Second Language from the State University of Southwestern Bahia (UESB). Arly speaks fluent Portuguese and English.
Debora Valim Sinay Neves is the Pedagogical Coordinator at the SCC school, the Centro Rural Educafe, in Brazil. She has a B.S. in Mathematics from the Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia (UESB), and a M.A. in Mathematical Instruction from the Faculdade Internacional de Curitiba (FACINTER). She is coordinator of the Centro Rural Educafe in Brazil, and along with the teaching staff structures student activities.
Iracy Brito Ribeiro Oliveira is a licensed pedagogical instructor by the Universida de Norte do Pararan (UNOPAR). She works as Vice-Director and as a lead teacher at the Educafe.
Isaura Sousa Evangelista Santos is a licensed pedagogical instructor by the Universida de Norte do Pararan (UNOPAR). She teaches 2nd grade at the Educafe.
Andria Caires Moraes is a licensed pedagogical instructor by the Universidade Norte do Pararan (UNOPAR). She teaches kindergarten and 1st grade at the Educafe.
Marcelo teaches 3rd grade at the Educafe.
Andreia is a cook at the Centro Rural Educafe.
Elizete is the cook's assistant at the Centro Rural Educafe.
Elzeni works as cleaning staff at the Centro Rural Educafe.
Cleidomar works as cleaning staff at the Centro Rural Educafe.
Our Board of Directors
Erin McAlpin Eiselein serves at the Chairman of the Board for Socially Conscious Coffee. She is an attorney at the Denver law firm of Davis Graham & Stubbs, LLP. She is a member of the firms trial group, specializing in antitrust and health care law. Erin always has had a keen interest in international matters. While and undergraduate at the University of Iowa, she had the opportunity to spend a semester studying at Macquarie University, in Sydney, Australia. After graduation, she moved to Washington D.C. to work in the Congressional Liaison and Cultural Affairs offices at the Embassy of Australia. She earned her J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy. In her practice, Erin devotes a significant amount of time to pro bono work. She is a member of the Education Task Force of the Colorado Lawyers Committee and has volunteered with Rocky Mountain Childrens Law Center. Erin and her family live in Denver.
Eric Anderson serves as the Vice-Chairman of the BOD.
Lauren Evans is the founder and owner of Pinyon Environmental Engineering Resources, Inc. (Pinyon), a Colorado-based environmental consulting company. She is a licensed professional engineer, with over 24 years of experience, primarily in the environmental field. Lauren is active with the American Council of Engineering Companies, and has served as the Chairperson of the Environmental Committee, and as Secretary-Treasurer (2006 - 2007).In 2005, Lauren was honored by that organization as the Colorado Woman Engineer of the Year. Outside of professional organizations, Lauren has been a child advocate through the Denver branch of CASA (court-appointed special advocates). She is also a member of Engineers Without Borders, and has provided technical assistance on sustainability programs for the Rainforest Alliance. Lauren is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines.
Steven Stokes has been an event planner for over 12 years and has planned over 300 events ranging from fairs and festivals to banquets, conferences, performances, and even a torch relay program. Steven has worked as both an event planner and on-site consultant with the City of Northglenn planning nine events for the parks and recreation division and consulting with 25 community events per year in Northglenn. Additionally, he is Program Chair of the Event Management and Certificate program at Arapahoe Community College - hiring instructors, coaching students, and developing curriculum for the program. Steven is also a Board Member for the Northglenn-Thornton Rotary Club, is a Past President and current Board Member of the Colorado Festival and Events Association, and is a Board Member of the Augustana College Alumni Assocociation. Steven also enjoys volunteering his time to places like Junior Achievement, Habitat for Humanity, Up with People, and Leader's Challenge.
Pat McGuckin is a seasoned entrepreneur, having founded four companies over the past 25 years. His current company, Satisfi Inc., provides environmental information for commercial real estate transactions. Pat’s previous ventures included an environmental insurance agency, a previous environmental information provider, and a sales agency for engineering construction products. Each company was built from scratch and eventually sold, including one that was purchased by a NASDAQ-traded firm. Pat earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and has served as an adjunct professor for the University of Denver. He moved to Denver with his family 19 years ago, and has become an avid climber, skier, bicyclist, and angler.
