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Tracie Michaud
Academy of Tea
Tracie is the Program Director at the Academy of Tea and a certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional.
She’s a lifelong tea lover, vintage teacup junkie and Founder & Owner of Tea with Tracie, an online luxury tea company.
Tracie spent almost 30 years in the corporate world, before starting her own tea company at the young age of 49. She combined her business background and love of “all things tea” to fuel her dream of living a calm and joyful tea lifestyle.
Since tea has always been her liquid therapy, she’s passionate about helping others find comfort in their cup.
Tracie spends her days drinking tea, talking tea and selling tea…all while being ridiculously happy and usually over-caffeinated!
Tina McDonald
Academy of Tea
Tina is an instructor for the Academy of Tea and a certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional.
Loving tea since she was a little girl, starting with garden parties drinking tea out of tiny ceramic cups with her great-grandmother in Kent, England. Since then, she has been tenaciously tea-focused, poring over yard sales, flea markets, and auction houses for tea-related accouterments – all for a beautiful cup of tea!
When not curled up with a good book and her favourite short oolong, floral white, or big bold black tea, Tina can be found puttering in the kitchen endlessly trying to perfect her choice recipes.
Tina’s knowledge and love of tea will become a memorable part of your tea journey.
Laila Saidi
École Française du Thé et des Tisanes
Laila Saidi is a certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional.
As far back as she can remember, tea was always on the “coffee” table. Green tea, mint, pine nuts, and scents of jasmine flowers are reminiscent of her childhood as she grew up between France and Tunisia.
In 2015, she started the Tea Sommelier certification process, following Gabriella Lombardi’s footsteps in Europe. In early 2021, she founded l’École Française du Thé et des Tisane in Paris to help promote tea education. She collaborates with a network of researchers and artists, willing to share their knowledge of tea history and culture with a francophone audience.
Cecilia Corral
Escuela Mexicana de Té
Cecilia is the Academic Director at the Escuela Mexicana de Té. She is certified as a TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional, Tea Designer and Expert in Protocol and Ceremonial Tea.
Cecilia was born in Mexico City and, after finishing high school, lived in France for a year. Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Universidad La Salle in Cuernavaca, Morelos, she moved to Lomas de Cocoyoc to work as an assistant director in an academic institution. Her work as coordinator of the Entrepreneurs Program allowed her to have direct contact with students and to master the academic instruction.
She has also visited tea plantations in Sri Lanka and Argentina, where she learned in detail the process of cultivation and collection of Camellia sinensis, as well as the manufacturing processes of different varieties of teas, both industrial and artisanal.
Gabriella Lombardi
Protea Academy
Gabriella Lombardi is the President and instructor at Protea (Italian Tea Association). The Protea Academy is partnered with the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada to offer the TEA SOMMELIER® Certification Program in Italian.
Her love of tea began when she was away studying at the University of Granada (Spain). After graduation, and before she could devote her time to tea, she worked at several advertising agencies in marketing positions in Milan. In 2010, Gabriella was able to return to her real passion and opened Chà Tea Atelier, the first tea shop in Milan with a tea room, specialized in high quality loose leaf teas.
Gabriella is the first Certified TAC TEA SOMMELIER® Professional in Europe and is the author of Tea Sommelier from White Star Publishers. She has been a speaker and judge at: World Tea Forum (Korea – Oct 2013, Sept 2014, Nov 2015), World Final Round of Tea Masters Cup International (Turkey – Sept 2015) and Mount Emei International Tea Culture Exhibition Sichuan (China – Apr 2016).
She is also currently the national coordinator for Tea Masters Cup competition.
Katie Cyr
THAC In-Person Toronto
Katie’s first experience with tea comes in the memory of drinking Irish Breakfast with her grandmother out of delicate teacups. Today, she carries the same reverence and passion for the art of tea into her day to day life. Katie founded The Monarch Tea Co. in late 2013 with the vision of bringing together the traditional eloquence of tea time with a modern twist. She currently offers her bespoke tea online and in select retailers while additionally offering interactive virtual workshops that have been taught worldwide. As a Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional, Katie loves to explore the world of tea with others. Her favourite tea is Cream Earl Grey & Genmaicha.
Jason O’Brien
THAC In-person Vancouver
Jason O’Brien has two passions in life, tea and learning! He is a Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional and makes a point to visit as many tea stores as he possibly can while working throughout Canada and the US, always looking for new leaves to steep!
With an extensive international career as a learning and development professional working within the luxury industry, he has recently turned his hand to the world of tea. His most recent projects include working as a brand consultant and sommelier with a new and emerging tea brand and promoting tea education.