Meet the Team

AMY TRUONG, Founder

Amy (they/them) developed a love for fine teas and tisanes early in childhood. Their relationship with tea was shaped by an international upbringing and entrepreneurial grandfathers who built businesses across Vietnam, Japan, France, Canada, and the United States, grounding their approach to tea in stories of movement, craft, and exchange.

After earning a degree in International Business from UC Irvine and a decade of working in consulting, tech, and wellness, Amy took the leap and started PARU in 2017. The idea quickly grew from a pop-up with tea educational workshops to a full-time business, operating both in-store and online.

In addition to leading the team, Amy serves as the primary tea educator, buyer, and master blender. They enjoy working with their hands and creating nostalgia-inspired teas like our Blue Chamomile and Pandan Waffle.

Amy is a Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® and a certificate holder specializing in Japanese tea from the Global Japanese Tea Association and currently sits as a board member for Tankokai Urasenke San Diego. Learn more at truongamy.com

LANI GOBALEZA, Co-founder / Marketing & Partnerships

Lani (she/hers) ensures that our messaging and partnerships reflect PARU’s mission to represent the under represented and to educate the community on the benefits of high-quality tea. She brings over 17 years of experience to the team, ranging from small business and team management to professional services to marketing.

While studying history at UC Berkeley and Meiji Gakuin University (where she and Amy first met), Lani was inspired by Japanese culture and literature, which is highly centered around tea. In the following years, she lived and taught in the Japanese countryside, where she learned about the different grades and purposes of tea from her local community.

Outside of work, you can find her studying as a chanoyu student or writing alongside other creatives in the community. Her favorite thing about tea is pouring it—it is a simple yet meaningful way to serve others, and it helps ground you in humility.