East View in the News
MARCH 2024
JANUARY 2024
Founder & Roaster
Jenny Ulbricht
Jenny Ulbricht has a diverse background from plumbing at the South Pole Station in Antarctica, to being the second woman to circumnavigate Lake Superior in a kayak, to graduate school for Geoscience.
Ulbricht has a passion for coffee and guiding belief that business can be a force for good. Jenny enjoys spending time with her family, trail running and hiking when she’s not behind the roaster.
Why did you start East View Coffee Company? "That's a great question. It's something I try and come back to every day. My story starts growing up with parents who owned two businesses and seeing both the work and the joy of showing up, taking ownership of your idea and skills, and building something that can impact others. The fuel came with a desire to find a life where I would have time to do what matters: show up for family and community and live a thoughtful life where I can choose kindness and awareness. East View Coffee is a way for me to make small, consequential decisions toward making the world a little kinder, more accessible, and more inclusive. The goal is progress and not perfection, with transparency and humble honesty.
A deep love of coffee and years of coffee roasting as a hobby provided the direction. The motivation came from the coffee experiences that I had along the way. Like so many of us do, I fell into love with coffee -- a good cup at the perfect time. I learned that when we slow down and enjoy the simple experience of a good cup of coffee that we can gain perspective and mindfulness. It became my self-care, a tactic to find refuge from the stress of daily life. Immersing myself in a cup of coffee, letting all the flavors in the cup meld with all my taste experiences through life became a joy, a way of connecting memory and being present and noting the fullness of a moment in a new way.
I have a deep love of science and studied geology in graduate school. I fell in love with geology because it was this perfect vehicle of scientific application -- you can apply all these concepts of physics, chemistry, biology and make these sciences come alive while trying to understand earth's past. Coffee is very similar, and I love to ask questions and apply knowledge to keep improving and understanding all the changes that take coffee from a green seed to a beverage so full of flavor, depth, and fun."
Specialty Coffee and Development Liaison
Elizabeth Stricker
In my role at East View Coffee Co. I’m all about building partnerships, running fundraising initiatives, and driving our mission of community impact. With years of experience in customer service, team leadership, and creative problem-solving, I love finding innovative ways to help teams work better and deliver awesome results. Fun fact: I’ve worked in patient care, non-profit development, and account management—so I’ve had a bit of everything!
Also, I'm a student, currently pursuing my MBA with a focus on Project Management. I’m passionate about helping business and communities thrive. Whether it’s through great coffee, strategic planning, tackling new challenges,, I’m always eager to make a positive impact!
Why East View? I love working here because of the amazing people, the strong values we stand by, and the overall great vibes. It’s a place where teamwork, purpose, and a positive atmosphere make every day enjoyable and rewarding!
Outside of life at East View, I like to juice, DIY/reupholster furniture with my partner, do yoga, be outside and play fetch with my 2 cats. I'm an expert at thrifting and my fave food = french fries!
Director of Coffee
Christina Langley
Christina has had quite a love affair with coffee. Over the years, she's worked as a barista, a roaster, a wholesale accounts manager, and a café manager. She has had the opportunity to work at and learn from large corporations and small independent shops, as well as attending various coffee-related events and competitions over the years. She loves the breadth of coffee experience. From the thick and dark diner coffee she remembers drinking for the first time on breakfast dates with her Dad to the delicate, precise brewing of some of the finest cafes in America, she loves how inclusive and communal it is to drink a cup of coffee.
Joining the East View team satisfied a hunger to be more involved in the story of coffee from farm to mug. She began as a loyal customer and then jumped at the opportunity to learn and grow in her understanding of ethical coffee, better business practices and providing delightful coffee to locals.
Off the clock, she enjoys spending time with her family, enjoying the beauty of Lake Michigan, making sad attempts at knitting projects, and reading too many books simultaneously.
Barista + Baker Extraordinaire
Chris Seymour
My name is Chris and I am a Barista and Baker at East View Coffee Company. My favorite part of being a part of East View is that I am able to communicate with all individuals involved in the business, including the owner. This is something that lacked at my previous job, so it’s refreshing to actually feel involved in the business rather than being just a drone for it. What this means to me as a barista is that there is full support for not only me, but my peers ideas and a genuine involvement in improving the business.
My favorite coffee that we serve is Pocketful of Sunshine, and my preferred brewing method is the classic pour over!
When I am not working, I am usually baking in my free time, taking nature walks, working out (trying to get back into that again!), finding new music, and even playing video games! I have two cats: one is named Bagheera and the other Umbra. You can also find me indulging in LaCroix (key lime of course), reading sci-fi or fantasy novels, and spending time with my partner =)