PITTSBURGH, PA (February 25, 2025) – Commonplace Coffee, a leading local specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator, today announced the hire of Alisa Paul as their first ever Chief Executive Officer. With extensive experience in strategy, operations, analytics, and management, Alisa offers a wealth of knowledge and leadership to guide Commonplace Coffee into its next phase of growth.
In this role, Alisa will focus on supporting current operations, identifying internal efficiencies, creating career pathways for staff, and crafting a clear and mission-aligned strategic plan for growth. Alisa has managed countless people throughout her career and will provide coaching, mentorship, and direction to Commonplace Coffee’s leadership and management team. Alisa will also work with the team to ensure a continued focus on community and commitment to providing exceptional hospitality. Alisa will work to bring Commonplace’s vibrant cafe experience and outstanding products to more guests and wholesale customers across the region.
Alisa Paul shares, “I am incredibly excited to join the Commonplace Coffee team and help steward the continued growth of this organization and its leadership. I have always been passionate about removing barriers to allow companies and the people that power them to thrive. There are so many things that energize me about Commonplace: our focus on hospitality, building community, and, of course, our exceptional coffee.”
Alisa, a Pittsburgh native, spent 11 years in the nonprofit sector at Year Up United, where she was a Partner in their Advisory Services division and served as the organization’s Chief of Staff amongst several other key leadership roles. Her dedication to empowering individuals to reach their full potential and driving equity through employment remain key tenants of her focus as a leader today. Alisa also served as Executive in Residence at UPMC Enterprises, UPMC’s venture capital division and as Head of Strategy and Analytics for Wayfair’s internal creative agency. She started her career as a consultant and Certified Fraud Examiner in PricewaterhouseCoopers’s Advisory Services Division.
Commonplace Coffee Founder TJ Fairchild adds, “Upon meeting Alisa, it quickly became clear that with her 20 years of professional experience, educational background, and leadership expertise, she had the tools that we needed. But what really caught my attention is how deeply Alisa cares about culture and hospitality. She loves people. She’s been a regular guest at our Point Breeze, Squirrel Hill, and Rockwell Park cafes for many years. I am thrilled to have Alisa join Commonplace as our first CEO and am excited to see how the organization will benefit from her care and attention.”
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About Commonplace Coffee
Founded in 2003, Commonplace Coffee is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with seven community-based coffeehouses in Western Pennsylvania. The flagship coffeehouse as well as an additional cafe and bakery are located in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The remaining five locations as well as the roastery/headquarters are in Pittsburgh. Commonplace offers handcrafted coffee and pastries in an atmosphere that builds and fosters the neighborhoods it serves. Commonplace also provides cafe consultation, wholesale coffee, equipment, service, and training to a diverse cross-section of businesses looking to create or build their coffee program. Commonplace seeks to provide Solid Ground For All. Learn more by visiting commonplacecoffee.com or check them out on social media.
