ABOUT US

meet portrait.

Our name comes from a desire to change the picture that comes to mind when folks think of specialty coffee. Coffee, as a product, was first discovered by Africans. In discovering coffee, they had no clue this drink would become the most consumed beverage, other than water, globally. On the flip side, they also had no clue that their faces would be forgotten even though the pigment of the drink mirrored their own.

It was stories like this that got us into coffee. What was once merely a drink of necessity turned into an ode to our ancestors. After learning the history and seeing the current realities, every cup of coffee made and consumed felt like an invitation to drink purpose, meaning, fulfillment.

our home.

As coffee enthusiasts and local residents, we care deeply about seeing people being able to take advantage of the new economic opportunities being presented in our corner of the city. We're located in The West End—historic Atlanta neighborhood with a rich history of black entrepreneurs and culture. It is also experiencing a rich revitalization that’s been lacking the presence of new black and brown entrepreneurs. Our hope is that Portrait Coffee is a catalyst for new representation and growth. Join us in pouring a new narrative.

the team.

Our entire team is comprised of residents of Atlanta who are deeply invested in seeing the Historic West End continue to flourish. We’re a diverse team with unique experiences in business operations, marketing, communications, design, and community development. Portrait Coffee’s goal is to empower and equip Atlanta natives and residents with genuine career and life opportunities in the world of coffee. 

MEET OUR TEAM

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AARON FENDER

 

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CHRISTINE RAMIREZ

 

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DJ THOMAS

 

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CHARLA DENNING

 

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JOHN ONWUCHEKWA

 

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MARCUS HOLLINGER

 

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KHALID SMITH

 

Khalid Smith

Operations Manager, Roastery

Khalid Smith is one of our OG Portrait team members, starting in 2019. His first experience in the coffee industry was working at a shop, where he knew nothing about coffee but slowly learned more about the coffee supply chain and the process it goes through from seed to cup. 


Now as Operations Manager, Khalid is responsible for the managing day to day at the roastery. Khalid is usually playing soccer, camping, hiking, farming, or cooking when not at the shop. We also have to mention that Alton Brown told Khalid that he made him the best cortado he’s ever had in his life.

charla Denning

General Manager, Cafe

Charla joined the Portrait team in May of 2023 as our General Manager for our Cafe. She started her barista journey in 2017 while living in Charlotte, North Carolina. As she navigated multiple roles- Charla was able to develop her love for hospitality and leadership.


Raised in NC, she moved to Atlanta with her two cats Cosmo and Wanda. She spends her spare time on walking trails, out dancing, or working with a local non-profit, Black Girl Smile.

DJ Thomas

Lead Production Associate & Roaster

DJ got started in coffee somewhat by chance. He grew up helping his mom in the kitchen, so food in general was of interest to him from an early age. He became interested in coffee specifically just by being around people who were into specialty coffee. The more he learned on his own, the more he wanted to be a barista in a shop. In 2017, a friend posted a job opening at the cafe he worked at and as they say, the rest is history.


DJ's role at Portrait since May 2021 has been head roaster- and he's always trying to make your coffee taste better and better! Outside of coffee his hobbies and interests are playing and watching soccer, playing and watching basketball, cycling, gardening, observing nature (birds, flowers, trees etc.), always working through the long list of movies he needs to watch, listening to investigative podcasts, watching his cats have the zoomies, finding the impressionist section in any art museum.

Christine Ramirez

Marketing Manager

Christine Ramirez joined Portraits team in early 2021 and now serves as our Marketing Coordinator. As Marketing Coordinator, Christine oversees our social media, email marketing, and various projects we release throughout the year. Christine loves her work at Portrait because of the incredible team, collaborators, and coffee we can introduce to our community. 


In 2018, she started working in coffee shops in Orlando, her hometown. Now living in Atlanta, Christine loves going to concerts & festivals, running, reading, cooking, and visiting every coffee shop she encounters.  

Marcus Hollinger

Co-Founder & Head of Brand and Marketing

"I started a coffee company with people I love, and that to me is the biggest trophy. But they don't make no awards for that."


Marcus Hollinger is one of our co-founders from Kansas City, MO, and seasoned by Lexington, KY. He got started in coffee when one of his homies invited him to have a cup of coffee and then asked him to start a business with them.


Overseeing Brand and Marketing, Marcus shapes the outward-looking pieces of Portrait. Outside of coffee, Marcus says that hobbies are his hobby. Right now, he's into skateboarding, drawing, and making himself a better Husband, Father, and friend. 

John Onwuchekwa

Co-Founder 

John Onwuchekwa is originally from Houston, TX but has spent more of his adult life in Atlanta than any place else, so the A feels more like home to him nowadays. John got started in coffee reluctantly. He needed it for the caffeine, then realized there was a whole world that he’d been left out of. The more he started to explore it, the more he lamented the fact he didn’t see many people that looked like him. He was about to throw it all away until John stumbled upon a book and realized that coffee was discovered in Ethiopia. Once he found out that coffee grows where Black and Brown folks grow, he was hooked in a way that he hasn't been able to break free from.


At Portrait, John's role is free-flowing. He is a co-founder and tends to exist and operate in clouds and come in for landings when there’s a story to be written, a narrative to be shaped, or an idea to be presented. He love stories and the connecting power of coffee. 


"I love the fact that it’s more than a product, but a platform to do good. I spend my time ideating about creative ways that coffee can be a force for good, and the partnerships that might be able to extract all of that goodness."

Aaron Fender

Co-Founder & CEO

Aaron Fender is the CEO & co-founder at Portrait Coffee. He originally started his coffee journey as a barista back in 2012 and since has had the chance to learn & experience different opportunities across the coffee supply chain. 


Aaron is a husband, dad, aspiring cook, amateur wine enthusiast, and avid learner. He says he finds the most joy in building community through hospitality & FUN!