Biography

Stacy Elwell-Chalmers holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Learning Performance and Change from Colorado State University and has spent 27 years developing practical, field-based experience at Starbucks Coffee Company. In addition to working at Starbucks, Stacy is an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, teaching Organizational Behavior, Business-to-Business Marketing, and Organizational Leadership Team Effectiveness and Communications. She also teaches International Business and Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methodology at Clemson University and Arizona State University respectively. As a visiting researcher at Stanford University while completing her degree, Stacy worked with the engineering department studying the scenario-based learning process they are using with Statics (engineering) students.

 She began her career at Starbucks as a barista, working her way up through the ranks to her current position of regional director. Starbucks was small when she started, with only three stores in Colorado and approximately 300 stores company wide. There was a guiding entrepreneurial spirit at the company that was exciting, fulfilling and empowering—Stacy was able to open the first drive-through west of the Mississippi, bring cafes to the Rockies, start up new stores in the Midwest, train the first UK leadership team, create company-adopted best practices, and manage business operations for both coasts at the same time.

 Stacy has operated a $300-million portfolio in a region that covered seven states, leading the company in drive-through efficiencies and achieving a strong track record of creating and leading high-performance teams that are capable of effective problem-solving skills, lean production, leading through change, raising productivity, and improving retention.