Mariem Gharsallaoui
Panel Leader
Tunisia
She has her master degree from the University of Jaén as an international expert in virgin olive oil tasting under the guidance of Olive Oil Council and she is Jury Member in the panel of several International Competitions
Aldo Mazzini
Italy
has worked as a freelance consultant for renowned international brands such as Deoleo/Carapelli and Zucchi SpA. His expertise is recognized in various capacities, including being the IOC Panel Leader for South Africa since 2022 and the MASAF Panel leader in Italy.
Marcelo Scofano
Brazil
Gastronomy and Culinary Technologist, Estácio de Sá University– RJ; Olive oil sensory analyst, Professional taster and Master in Elaiotechnique, IFAPA – Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera de Jaén y Cabra (Andalusia/Spain)
Birsen Can Pehlivan
Turkey
Turkey Certified olive oil tatster and international judges, MSc in olive oil chemistry and technology and BSc degree in Food Engineering. She has over 20 years oh hands on experience in olive oil production in Turkey with focus on processing technologies
SABOUNI Ibrahim
Saudi Arabia
Certified international consultant, expert in project management and engineering consulting (Smart Expert Academy, London)
Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne
USA
Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne is an olive oil consultant, writer and educator. She is the director of Extra Virgin Alliance, the specialty section of the North American Olive Oil Association, working with olive oil producers and experts to foster appreciation, restore consumer trust and create value in the market for authentic extra virgin olive oil
Johnny Madge
UK
started tasting olive oil on the panel of the Slow Food Guide “Extravergini” in 2005 in Italy, where he has lived since 1982. Since then he has talked about olive oil for many radio and television programmes of the BBC and elsewhere, such as in New York at the 1st NYOOC in 2013 where he analyzed the concept of bitterness in olive oil.
Maria Katsouli
Greece
Maria Katsouli is a wine and olive oil sommelier, journalist, educator, hospitality consultant and certified olive oil taster. Maria is Greece’s first sommelier (since 1990) and one of the most respected figures in the country’s hotel and restaurant industries. In the year 2000 she started attending seminars on the organoleptic assessment of olive oil and table olives, followed by many others in olive growing, olive milling and blending, in both Greece and Italy.
Reni
SOUTH AFRICA
The first commercial planting of olive trees in South Africa was done by Piet Cillie in 1893 on Reni’s farm and it was this history that inspired her to continue the tradition. From 800 olive trees she increased the plantings to 3,500 by 1995. Reni achieved her Certificate as an olive oil taster from ONAOO at the University of Imperia in Italy and she qualified for her Panel Leader certificate there two years later.
Yara El Ghalayini
Jordan
Dr. Yara El Ghalayini holds a PhD and a master’s degree in applied Linguistics from the University of Granada in Spain, along with a master's degree in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Jordan. She has been working as a researcher and assistant professor for 10 years and has been translating, editing, and proofreading documents in Arabic, English, and Spanish since 2006.
Mokhtar Guissous
Algeria
University professor and researcher in biology, professional olive oil taster
Abderraouf Al Antari
Morocco
Alfredo Marasciulo
Italy
Benedetta Lami zichella
Laura Valverde
Spain
Mehmet Ozgu Manisalı
Turkey
Hiromi Nakamura
Japan
Samia chkir
Tunisia
Sana Zini
Tunisia
Imed Ghodhbani
Tunisia