(she/her) is our co-owner and roaster.  She taught K-8 music and studied voice performance before stepping full time into the coffee industry.  She is a calm optimist, zero waste lifestyle striver, and is very motivated to further her knowledge of coffee and people. 

(they/them), co-owner at Vertex and Kara's wife, did all the wood work you see on the walls at Vertex and is great at fixing things. They work as a manager at the Jolly Pumpkin in Ann Arbor. They love dad jokes and taking care of @luminosityfarms with Kara. Mackenzie cares so deeply about people and Vertex is lucky to have them.

(he/him) is a lifetime-learner, and one of his favorite things to learn about is coffee! He also loves writing and playing music, caring for his ever-increasing collection of house plants, and taking on any project where he can fix or create something. On the weekends, you might spot him playing a show as one half of an indy-jazz-pop duo.

(she/they) is our cafe manager and an experienced barista whose eclectic interests have given her the opportunity to delve into speciality  coffee and work towards lifting our local community through art, music, and caffeinated beverages. You can often find her singing along to folk rock, reading comics, doodling, and playing with her cats.

(she/her) is super excited to be apart of Vertex and joining the local coffee community. She is currently a fashion major at Central Michigan University and runs a small online thrift business. In her free time, you can find her thrifting, exploring new places in town, cooking something delicious, and hanging with her cats Arlo and Jasper.

(he/him) is a coffee enthusiast and professional audio engineer. He loves being able to make people happy with a fresh cup of coffee. Before Vertex, he worked in Los Angeles, in film, tv, and video game scoring. In Ann Arbor, Michael works remotely as a mixing and mastering engineer, as well as an orchestral editor. He loves walking in the arboretum, having picnics in the law quad, and catching classic films in the Michigan theatre. When he’s not making delicious drinks with the Vertex team, Michael can be found listening to music, editing recordings, and playing with his cat Zuko.

(he/him) is a daily home brewer and aspiring cafe/roastery owner. He is excited to become a part of the local coffee scene and intends to remember as many names and orders as possible. A recent graduate of the Environmental Studies program at MSU, he would be happy to chat about all things ecology, environmental science, and anything else that comes to mind. When he isn't sharpening his skills behind the bar at Vertex you can find him at any local skatepark, asking for new albums to listen to, or going on long walks with his dog, Georgia.

(they/them) has a deep love for coffee, making people smile, and working where those two intersect! They recently graduated from the University of Michigan School of Social Work with their Masters degree and a concentration in Policy and Political Social Work, and are so excited to bring their joy of serving communities into the Vertex community. While not making your day better with a cup of coffee, you will find them listening to music, walking with friends around town, or hanging out with their roommate's cat Milo.

(she/her) is an undergraduate student studying Psychology at University of Michigan. She hopes to one day be a mental health counselor. In her free time she enjoys reading, playing with her dog, and practicing her piano skills. She loves meeting new people and is excited to be a part of the Vertex community! 

James (he/him) has recently moved to the Ann Arbor Area from the UK and is excited to get involved in the coffee community. He has just completed a degree in Psychology and throughout  university he has worked in many cafes in interesting locations ranging from small garden centres to serving coffees on a beach! In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer (or as he would call it, “football”) and travelling around the US, getting lost in different cities.