Rocel Valeroso-Leoncio an ITMA Certified Tea Master, completed her training in 2014. Rocel is a senior human resource executive by profession and has more than 20 years of experience gained from different companies in the Philippines. She has a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science and completed the Advanced Strategic HR Management Program offered by Cornell University through eCornell.
Though coming from a different discipline, she pursued the ITMA Tea Master Certification Course after getting fascinated with a blooming tea. What started as a casual get-together with her sister and friends in their favorite tea place in California eventually led to a discovery of a new passion for her. Then, her experience of tea was limited to drinking herbal tisanes, green tea and Chinese black tea. Though she has always appreciated tea for its health benefits, she never really expected that she would one day get pure enjoyment from learning its history and varied flavors.
From the initial curiosity stirred by the delightful experience of watching a blooming tea, her tea journey is one that has unfurled slowly with grace. After she got certified by ITMA and had the opportunity to do green tea processing in Hawaii, she went to Yunnan, China to study tea production, and has visited Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and New Zealand learning more about tea.
As she pursues programs to learn more, she still gets excited thinking that there is a legend, a romantic story or a little piece of tea history for her. More than this though, her tea journey is about its delightful taste and extraordinary health benefits.
Rocel is currently managing her own tea business, Dulcetierra Tea Station, to share her love for tea and build a strong appreciation for it in her country, the Philippines. Through her business, she promotes tea drinking by offering premium teas, conducting short tea classes, and collaborating with local artists on her teaware.