Starbucks Alumni Community

No better way to celebrate #NationalRecyclingDay than to highlight the work that Cleo E. is doing at Redyoos ♻️��💚

Cheers to every partner, past and present, who knows that a good cup of coffee & a meaningful moment of connection can truly make a difference. 💚 Happy Alumnversary to our passionate, diverse, and eclectic Starbucks Alumni Community. 🎉 Thank you for continuing to nurture your communities with heart and purpose. Once a partner, always a partner. #ToBeAPartner #Community #Starbucks

You can't always know what someone is going through but you can always lead with compassion. 💚

“It’s the collection of everyday moments I shared with colleagues at the SSC” Tim Harrison, Starbucks alum and current Microsoft Director enjoyed many milestone moments during his time at Starbucks, including a collaboration with The Ellen DeGeneres Show. But when he reflects on his partner journey, it’s the “everyday moments” that last with him. “Whether it was a hallway conversation about career paths, a coffee chat about how the business worked, or an IM message thread offering tips for parental leave, those interactions were always real, generous, and human.” The definition of culture can often feel illusive, but Tim described it as “People who bring their whole selves to work.” Witnessing partners authentic selves fostered a trust and support he’s carried into his new role. Today, Tim serves as Director of Business Management in the Office of the Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft. In this role, he supports the operational heartbeat of Microsoft’s Marketing organization—from early-in-career talent development to space optimization and organizational processes. Translation: The role spans a wide range of responsibilities, and no two days are the same. With no two days being the same, bringing his whole self and offering trust and support has been critical to his team's success. Tim credits Starbucks with shaping his approach to leadership. “The company instilled in him the importance of building strong relationships, navigating ambiguity, and influencing without authority—skills that have proven invaluable at Microsoft, where scale amplifies the need for partnership and purpose.” Tim’s journey is a testament to the power of purpose, partnership, and people. 💚💼💡 #Leadership #ToBeAPartner #MicrosoftLife

Few know better than Starbucks alumni the importance of maximizing time with customers. Enter: AI-powered automated counting. ⚙️🧮 Now rolling out across North America, this technology lets partners scan shelves with a tablet to instantly see what’s in stock — meaning more time crafting beverages and connecting with customers, and less time in the backroom. 🖥️ Learn more about how this innovation is brewing a better experience: https://lnkd.in/gYKW_rVV #StarbucksInnovation #AI #RetailTech #CustomerExperience

Salt & Straw CEO, Kim Malek, shares a story on how a sweet exchange between employee & customer inadvertently lifted an entire family. 💚   Last week the Starbucks Alum and Salt & Straw co-founder came back to Seattle to speak to partners on the importance of “Acting Like an Owner.” The event was hosted by Starbucks International ceo, Brady Brewer, and touched on Kim’s time at Starbucks, Salt & Straw’s origin story, and ice cream with crickets. 😮   📺  The entire chat is available to Starbucks Alumni Community members here: https://lnkd.in/giDvdqV5

Empowering Indigenous Women and Children in Guatemala 💚 This week on The Green Thread, Starbucks chief social impact officer Kelly Goodejohn sat down with Starbucks alum and WFP Senior Director Lisa Burgess to discuss her impactful work at the World Food Programme. Through WFP’s partnership with Starbucks, indigenous women and children in Guatemala’s coffee-growing regions are gaining access to vital resources in nutrition, gardening, and financial literacy. 📺 [Watch the full interview here] https://lnkd.in/gnuaQpPf #SocialImpact #Sustainability #Starbucks #WorldFoodProgramme #ToBeAPartner #Nutrition #FinancialLiteracy #CoffeeCommunities

“When they call me a “partner,” rather than an “employee,” it mattered. Starbucks alum Valerie Segrest began her journey as an opener in Oxnard, California. The 3 a.m. shifts were tough at first, but quickly became a rhythm that gave her afternoons free to recharge on the beaches of Southern California. What struck her most in those early days was the culture. “Programs like Bean Stock and the health benefit options opened my 18 year old eyes to financial wellness in a way I hadn’t experienced before. The training pathways were robust and inspiring—offering growth in a corporate environment that didn’t feel extractive but empowering. It was paradigm-shifting,” Valerie shares. “When they call me a “partner,” rather than an “employee,” it mattered.  It signaled that our contributions were meaningful and our presence integral.” Valerie took advantage of these opportunities to learn and advance. She dove into the Coffee Master program, where she explored the science of flavor and the art of storytelling. By pairing dark roasts with chocolate-covered blueberries and learning how aroma could reawaken memory, Valerie felt her interest for food and flavor grow. As Valerie continued to develop her palate and passion for food, she also began to explore her own culture. Today, Valerie is a Native nutritionist, author and food sovereignty advocate. She leads initiatives across Indian Country that restore ancestral foodways, create culturally relevant nutrition programs and uplift Native food producers. “These are the stories I tell on The Old Growth Table—my podcast and forthcoming book that explores what it means to rekindle our relationship to land, flavor, culture and food. We center Indigenous voices, honor plant and animal teachers and carry forward a legacy of nourishment that is as spiritual as it is ecological,” Valerie shares. Her work includes the Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty Project, the Native Food Expo and the Native Plants and Foods Institute. Each is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and ancestral wisdom. “Starbucks showed me that growth and resilience can be built into a culture,” Valerie reflects. “The rituals around coffee—sensory exploration, intentional sourcing, storytelling around flavor—deeply informed my work in Indigenous foodways. It attuned me to the power of flavor as a bridge to memory, identity, and place.Those lessons continue to guide how I lead today through food, story and community.” 🎧 Interested in learning more about Native culture? Listen to Valerie's podcast, The Old Growth Table https://lnkd.in/g7_BGY2h

Let's put some joy into the timeline. 💚 Tag someone who's supported your career.

More than 47 million Americans experience food insecurity. Hear how Starbucks Alum, Elise Giterman, is working to change that. Elise Giterman (August), MPH is the director of Health Systems Innovation at Feeding America leading change that effects the health and happiness of millions of Americans, having enough to eat. A few weeks ago, she sat down with Starbucks chief social impact officer, Kelly Goodejohn, to discuss her partner origin story, her path to ending hunger, and the partnership Feeding America and Starbucks have to date. 🎙️ To see the full Interview click here: https://lnkd.in/gMZuAdKS *$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local partner food banks. #OnceAPartnerAlwaysAPartner #ToBeAPartner