Amy Nieuwsma
Amy's passion for coffee began when as a young girl she stepped through the door of JP's Coffee in Holland, MI. The aroma of fresh ground coffee, the warmth of a cup in her hand and the interpersonal dynamics of a coffeeshop arrested her and hasn't let go. That was pre-Y2K and she's never looked back.
Since 1999 Amy has much to her credit including:
- Perfecting barista skills
(quote, "a never ending task"). - Managing JP's staff.
- Winning employee latte art throwdowns.
- Training new coffee shop owners and baristas at MBS.
- Graduating Indiana Wesleyan University with Therapeutic Recreation and Psychology degrees.
- Living overseas.
- Counseling troubled youth.
- Leading wilderness trips for high school students throughout the U.S.
According to Amy, the best part of her life is being able to take her portable 3 cup french press with her, welcoming each day with exceptional coffee. When not found at JP's or MBS she's usually running trails by the beach, screen printing t-shirts at an after school art program she helped start with friends or thinking of new ways to solve the world's problems.
Typical in Amy's mug: the remains of a soy ristretto latte.