The La Terza Team
We are passionate about coffee and believe that community spaces like yours deserve the best service possible.
At La Terza, we know that coffee creates community and that the cafes, coffee shops, and restaurants we serve are vital to the social health of our society. Fueled by a coffee and a passion for serving, our team will do whatever it takes to see you succeed.
David Gaines, CEO
As the Chief Visionary at La Terza, David Gaines is passionate about Social Enterprise and using business for good. Through La Terza and his other entrepreneurial endeavors, he loves creatively challenging the traditional business status quo and incorporating life-bringing ideas into everyday business practices. He is the Board Chair of the Greater Cincinnati chapter of the Social Enterprise Alliance where he works to foster connections and provide resources for other social entrepreneurs in Cincinnati. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking, cycling, and spending time with his wife Beth and son Parker.
Robert Gatesi, Master Roaster
Robert is a professional Coffee Quality Controller, Roaster and Barista Trainer with over ten years of experience in the field. He has substantial work experience in all aspects of the coffee industry including green coffee bean grading, roasting, cupping, marketing, and barista skills and training. Originally hailing from Uganda, he has also spent several years living in coffee producing countries. Combining a strong analytical perspective within the small business and coffee industries, and significant experience in practical skills, he strives to positively contribute to the development and success of the highest quality coffee components from bean to cup. Robert loves British Premiere League soccer, playing chess, and cooking. He can often be found exploring Cincinnati’s parks and restaurants with his wife and two daughters.
Mike Gaines, Wholesale Manager
Mike was born and raised in Cincinnati. He is the younger brother of our CEO and long time friends with the Founder, so his role at La Terza became a natural fit with the company. He started drinking coffee early on in college with lots of cream and sugar, but eventually developed a palate for great quality roasted coffee! Working in both retail and food service for a number of years has helped Mike develop a thriving sense of passion in service and hospitality. As an employee with La Terza, he uses his experience to share coffee knowledge and fulfill the needs of others. From the coffee bean to the cup, he has learned that there is a story in which we are all a part of and one worth sharing over a cup of phenomenal coffee.
Carly Pritchard, COO
Carly is La Terza’s resident Marketing Guru and Operations Manager, and she oversees the day-to-day operations at the Roasterie. Her favorite part of coffee is the way it can transform communities for the better. She hopes to use her skills as a marketer to educate others about the importance of fair and sustainable business practices, especially in the coffee industry. When she’s not practicing her latte art at La Terza, she can be found cooking, camping, or messing around on her sewing machine.
Moriah Johnston, Asst. Production Manager / Head of Education
Moriah discovered her love for coffee when a small cafe fell in her lap while working as a restaurant director in her home town of Yellow Springs. She quickly found a meaningful connection with coffee and her passion for social justice. She has been working in coffee now for four years and never misses an opportunity to learn more about her industry or share its importance with her community. When not bagging coffee at La Terza, she loves being outdoors, either hiking or working on her family farm. Moriah loves museums, playing the piano, family time every Sunday, and sipping cortados at new coffee shops.
Aaron Parker, Educator & Tour Guide
As an English as a Second Language teacher at Aiken High School in College Hill, Aaron takes the talents and treasures of his international students and develops each student to their fullest potential. As the tour guide of La Terza’s Roasterie Tours, Aaron is amazed by the talents and treasures of the international coffees of La Terza and how they are roasted to express their individuality. At the Roasterie, Aaron enjoys sharing the history, science, art, and culture of coffee with people in search of a great cup of coffee with a conscious! At home, Aaron enjoys the simple joy of sharing a pour over with his wife and waiting for the day his son will do the same.
Lauren Kindig, Stamp Artist
Lauren is a valued part of the team at La Terza and is always ready to work with a smile. Every retail box (and now our hot cup jackets!) are stamped by Lauren. She is quite literally “leaving her mark” on our team and we’re grateful to work alongside her in partnership with Starfire Cincinnati. She enjoys photography, flowers, and making people smile.