River kicked off his coffee journey back in 2005 as a barista, pulling shots and dialing in espressos behind the bar. From there, he climbed steadily through the ranks—managing coffee shops, training teams, and eventually leading education programs across several roasting companies. He's built a solid rep in the industry by mastering everything from bean to cup and passing that knowledge on. These days, he's Head of Business Partnerships at Stitch Coffee, where he handles collaborations and drives growth in the specialty scene. When he's not deep in coffee deals, you'll find him on the golf course chasing birdies, grinding ranks in Counter-Strike, or recording a podcast breaking down the latest movies.