Kyra James
Food Educator and Certified Cheese Professional, Kyra James is an innovator in the food industry with 15 years of experience as a cheesemonger, food/beverage curriculum developer, and tasting event specialist, sharing the world of artisan cheese and specialty goods with consumers and industry partners. Kyra has a Master’s in Gastronomy, is the current chair of the American Cheese Society’s Education Committee and an ACS competition judge, a board member for The Cheese Culture Coalition, a member of the Guilde Internationale des Formagers and a Cheese State University Laureate. In 2021, Kyra’s passion for sharing an understanding of our food systems and her drive to build food equity in America led her to launch Own Your Funk – a business consulting and ‘edutainment’ brand working to empower a new, more diverse specialty cheese consumer. When she’s not teaching, mongering, or planning a cheese festival, Kyra enjoys coaching youth sports and spending time with family and friends.
