Born and raised in America’s heartland, Jeni Dodd has journeyed far from the plains of Kansas to remote tea-growing regions throughout the world in search of the perfect cup of tea. The owner of Jeni Dodd Tea, a company dedicated to importing hand-crafted, unique specialty teas and offering tea education for groups and events, Jeni seeks to expand the public’s awareness of the specialty tea market and lead consumers to discover the exquisite joy of the leaf.
She is a Certified Tea Specialist through the Specialty Tea Institute and has completed all of STI’s Level IV courses offered to date.
Ms. Dodd has taught future tea entrepreneurs and enthusiasts at the Specialty Tea Institute. She has presented several times at World Tea Expo, as well as regional tea festivals throughout the United States. She was a guest speaker at Nepal’s International Tea Day and Nepal’s 3rd International Tea Festival. She currently trains Nepalese farmers and producers on the successful marketable quality and flavor profiles empowering competition in the global market.
In pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of tea, Jeni has traveled to several countries of origin, including Taiwan, Japan, Korea, China, India, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Nepal, visiting hundreds of tea estates and tea gardens, observing and participating in the various growing and processing methods unique to each country and region.
It was while finishing law school in London, Jeni Dodd developed a passion for tea. However, while practicing as a corporate litigation attorney in New York City, she found that her desire to know more about tea outweighed her desire for the law and she formed Jeni Dodd Tea. She still does some legal work and never forgets her Kansas roots by enthusiastically supporting her Kansas Jayhawk basketball team, Jeni’s primary focus is growing her tea business and continuing to learn about and facilitate discovery of the endlessly fascinating world of tea.