Meet the Team Behind
Heirloom Cacao.

Alyssa is the Managing Director of the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP), where she blends a decade of award-winning documentary filmmaking with strategic leadership. Building on her successful tenure as HCP's Communications Director, she now oversees the organization's global operations and the rigorous Heirloom Selection process. Today, she leads the HCP’s mission from the ground up—working closely with farmers and in-country liaisons to monitor programs that ensure the integrity of every Heirloom Selection. By curating deep-rooted relationships within the chocolate industry, Alyssa continues to use her creative lens to elevate the voices of producers and inspire global action for fine flavor and environmental resilience.

Lara is a science communicator who has spent the past six years curating human-centered digital content about sustainable food systems development. With a background in agricultural research, Lara transitioned to communications driven by a curiosity to connect with the people behind these initiatives, and the power of storytelling to engage diverse audiences, shift perspectives and motivate action for positive change.

Before joining the HCP in 2026, Lara worked at the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT (CGIAR), promoting the use of increased agrobiodiversity to benefit landscapes, livelihoods and nutrition, including through the Cacao of Excellence program. In her current role as HCP Communications Manager, she gathers and shares stories from the HCP's work on the ground to inform and inspire consumers, and engage the professional stakeholders whose collaboration will allow the preservation of Heirloom cacao to thrive.