Our Team

Committed to serving you.

Pete Miller

Owner & Founder

Pete enjoys being a “flame keeper,” coaching the best flavors and aromas from these organic and mystical seeds from faraway places.

Tiffany Middleton

General Manager & Green Coffee Buyer

My coffee journey began while working as a barista in the mid 1990’s when specialty coffee was really still finding its way into the mainstream. I had the opportunity to learn the intricacies of the retail side of coffee while working in a busy drive-thru and managing the adjoining sit-down café. My passion for the magical elixir never waned and I was eventually drawn to the wholesale roasting world by way of Caravan Coffee. Essentially, my job is to keep Caravan running like a well-oiled machine and I pour my heart and soul into doing just that. I have a shirt that says “Keep Calm and let Tiffany Handle It.” At Caravan, those are words to live by!

Megan Sidders

Operations Lead

I’ve done a little bit of everything - barista jobs, management, administrative work, marketing…the list goes on. I’ve loved parts of every position, but I’ve always held a special place in my heart for the inclusivity and community found in coffee shops. It’s undeniably different and welcoming - like stepping into another world for a little while. It’s okay to order tea instead of coffee. It’s okay to bring a book. And it’s okay to sit alone. It never feels lonely, because there you are - sitting amidst dozens of other people who came to start their morning the same way you did. Caravan embodies everything I’ve always loved about the coffee community, and I’m grateful to be part of the team.

Julia Carmona

Tasting Room Lead / Barista Trainer

Coffee has always found a way to be a constant in my life. Whether it be from my childhood when my mom let me have the occasional cup, that first warm sip after a chilly night camping, to the smell of my favorite roast in the morning after my partner brews a fresh pot. I’ve held many barista positions but Caravan has really let my passion for coffee flourish, and I can’t wait to see where it goes!

Bryan Selby

Lead Roaster

Roasting is an alchemical dance of time, temperature, and intuition; blending tradition and innovation to bring out the unique and exceptional flavor of each coffee. My continual journey to unlock the mysteries of this magical bean brought me to Caravan Coffee. Here I get the privilege of playing my part in the beans' journey from crop to cup. Whether I am having a pour over by the fireplace, a French press while camping, or a latte with friends; good times happen over coffee.

Rory Phillips

Tasting Room Weekend Lead

Coffee has unwittingly been an effervescing constant in my life, from fond memories of canteen brews with my father out in nature to the luxury of enjoying espresso flights and developing my palette across the Willamette Valley. But it wasn't until a saunter to northern Italy that I learned something that shifted my posture towards these magical beans entirely: that coffee is so much more than a beverage to be prepared, but a worldwide language to be shared. It is a universal language that I am grateful to make up a small part of. Hemingway once called Paris a "moveable feast," and so too is coffee as I create, share, and ever-constantly learn with my guests.

Zachary Maurer

Packaging Lead / Tasting Room Host

Coffee goes hand in hand with community. I can remember attending early morning meetings with everyone having a mug of brew, holding discussions while the coffee brought life back into their sleepy eyes. While serving coffee is not a new experience, being able to see and work in all the facets that bring coffee from plant to cup has opened my eyes to the complexities of this industry. It is truly a world wide communal effort and I am honored to count myself as part of it. Come say "Hi" and create community with us.

Andrew Kaye

Production Support Specialist

A good ol’ cup of coffee gives me energy, inspiration, distinction, warmth, joy, excitement among many emotions I taste first thing in the morning. I am blessed to be working with coffee as it’s such an impactful and meaningful part of many people's lives around the world. A harmonious connection of flavors we can share in our daily cup!

In memory of Paul Allen, Roastmaster

April 20, 1961 – February 14, 2024

Known to many as THE Paul Allen. For over 24 years, you connected people throughout our community to the world of coffee. The joy you shared through roasting, brewing and educating will forever be felt within our hearts and across the globe. We will miss your whistles echoing in the warehouse, your moments of glee when a shot is pulled just right, your engaging teaching and educational tactics, but above all, we will miss your daily smile and individual friendship. You’ve marked us with memories of joy and we are forever grateful.

With honor and gratitude, we raise our flat white cups in memory of you. Cheers, Mate!

Positions held at Caravan Coffee (1999-2024):

Production Coffee Roaster
Quality Control of Coffee
Director of Education
Green Coffee Grader and Buyer
Lead for Caravan Public Roastery Tours and Tasting

Known at Caravan by his peers:

Great Sense of Humor
Charming Kiwi accent
Excellence in Coffee
Passionate Educator

Certifications:

Organic Handling Certificate (USDA): 2002
Green Coffee Grading Certified Roaster’s Guild Member: 2005
Certified World Coffee Judge (SCA): 2008
Quality Grader (Quality Institute/SCA): 2008
Art of Creating Blends (Boot Coffee):2010
Level 1 Roasters Guild (SCA): 2012
Level 2 Roasters Guild (SCA): 2012
Certified Lead Instructor (SCA): 2012
Heat Transfer Class Certificate(SCA): 2012
Roaster Plant Class Certificate (SCA): 2012
Coffee Science Certificate Level 1: 2014
Sensory Summit: 2018, 2020
Coffee Sensorium Certificate: 2022

Awards/Published work:

“Day of a Roaster” published interview by Specialty Coffee Review: 2005
“Peaberry” published by Roast Magazine: 2006
“Q Graders” article in LA Times: 2008
Gold Award for Technical Article, “Crema”, Roast Magazine: 2009
“Unbottling the Aromas of Coffee”, published by Roast Magazine, 2011
Top Farming Photo: Roast Magazine: 2015
Silver Award for Caravan Coffee, Golden Bean: 2016

Judge:

International Cupping Team Judge (1 of 9) in Brazil: 2004
Dancing Flames (home coffee roasters) Cupping Team Judge: 2009
Caravan Barista Showdown: 2013, 2014, 2015
Golden Bean Official Judge: 2017, 2019