Shabnam Weber to Preside Over Both the US and Canada Tea Associations

December 22, 2025

Shabnam Weber with Dan Bolton at the India International Tea Convention, Kochi, India, September 2025

Dual Role

Shabnam Weber has been appointed President of the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc., effective January 2, 2026, while continuing as President of the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada (THAC). The move places Weber at the helm of both national tea associations amid heightened regulatory, trade, and sustainability focus in the industry.

Weber writes, “I am honoured by the trust placed in me and see this as a meaningful opportunity to build even stronger collaboration across North America and amplify the voice of tea.”

She replaces Peter Goggi, President of the Tea Association of the U.S.A., who announced his retirement effective Dec. 31. Goggi joined the association as executive vice president in 2011 and was named president in February 2014.

A recruiter hired by Tea USA evaluated 80 applicants, including Weber, before the board made its final decision. Weber writes that she is “very confident in their support as well as the support of THAC.”

Weber brings more than 25 years of global tea industry leadership experience, spanning association management, education, retail entrepreneurship, and international policy engagement. Since 2018, Weber has led THAC through a significant transformation, rebuilding governance structures, strengthening fiscal discipline, expanding membership value, and repositioning the association as a credible international voice on sustainability, policy, and data-driven advocacy.

At the global level, Weber represents Canada at the United Nations FAO Intergovernmental Group on Tea, where she currently serves in multiple leadership roles, including Vice-Chair, Co-Chair of the Advocacy Pillar, Chair and Co-Chair of the Working Group on Tea & Health, and Vice-Chair of the Working Group on Smallholders.

These roles give her a unique vantage point across production, trade, health research, and smallholder livelihoods.

Organizational Expertise

Beyond association leadership, Weber is the Co-Founder of the International Alliance for Women in Tea, launched in 2024 to advance equity and leadership development across the global tea value chain. She is also the creator of Canada’s Tea Sommelier® certification program and previously served as President of the Academy of Tea, which educated more than 1,200 students across 24 countries.

Earlier in her career, Weber founded The Tea Emporium Inc. in Toronto, gaining firsthand experience with the commercial realities of tea—from sourcing and quality to retail and foodservice.

Goggi spent more than 30 years with Unilever/Lipton Tea, including senior roles in procurement and quality. He was the first American-born tea taster at T.J. Lipton/Unilever. He retires after 14 years with the Tea Association of the U.S.A. and 47 years in the tea industry.

BIZ INSIGHT – Weber’s dual leadership role signals closer alignment between Canadian and U.S. tea associations at a moment when trade policy, health research, and sustainability standards are increasingly interconnected across borders.

Tea Association of the USA press release.

Podcast Episode 229 | 19 December 2025

Dan Bolton

Dan is publisher, podcast host, and blogger. He is a frequent speaker at industry seminars and conferences (virtual and in-person). Dan was the first editor and publisher at World Tea News, worked as editor and publisher of Tea Magazine and managing editor of STiR coffee and tea. His work appears online and in many magazines. In 2016 he organized the collaborative group of tea journalists and experts who founded Tea Journey magazine and in 2021 he launched the Tea Biz podcast. He began his publications career in 1974 as a newspaper reporter.