Karina Mendez Anderson

Manager & Barista

Favorite menu item: Surfer’s Delight

Favorite beverage: Cappuccino 

Karina joined the Cabarete Coffee Company team a few months after opening its doors for the very first time in 2009. Karina was born and raised in Montellano, a small town outside of Puerto Plata where she has lived her whole life and where she is raising her son. Karina was one of the very first professionally trained baristas in the entire town of Cabarete, and likely on the North Coast. Karina was trained as a barista by Lance Nichols, coffee aficionado and expert from Ithaca, New York who is an SCAA (Speciality Coffee Association of America) Certified Lab Inspector and Certified Q Grader by the Coffee Quality Institute and assists new businesses with coffee program development and training. Karina loves making all of the signature coffees and looks forward to training more staff in future years to come. 

Karina learned to speak English through an English course and spent two years studying Management of Tourism Enterprises at UTESA Puerto Plata but attributes the majority of her knowledge in the service industry to her work at Cabarete Coffee Company. Karina’s organization and skills led to her promotion as manager where she now oversees and manages the staff at Cabarete Coffee Company, the inventory, stock, and general operations, as well as continues to be a great barista. She really enjoys client services and values working on a team with a group of great, like minded individuals. A kind hearted individual and great mother to her son, Karina is a pleasure to all that meet her.