Olive Oil Consultant, Writer, Educator, CalAthena; Petaluma, CA

Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne is an olive oil consultant, writer, and educator based in California. A trained taste panelist, she has taught and organized classes on the sensory analysis of olive oil at home and abroad for many institutions. She has also taught and presented on all aspects of olive oil production, evaluation, communication and marketing for a wide range of entities and events domestic and international. Author of Olive Oil: A Field Guide from AOCS Press, she has written articles, papers and book chapters on many aspects of olive oil for popular and scholarly publications and websites. She is the founder/director of Extra Virgin Alliance, the specialty section of the North American Olive Oil Association, working with international olive oil producers and experts to foster appreciation, restore consumer trust, and create value in the market for authentic extra virgin olive oil. Her freelance consulting work focuses on all aspects of improving olive oil quality and success.