title_body: US equivalent of SCAE?
upvoted_answer: There is a Specialty Coffee Association of America, and they have a professional development program with certificates.  (Also various awards and recognition programs.)
  
  I'd be surprised if there was not some formal parallel in the two trade associations. The SCAE's "about-us" page says: "Together with the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), we represent the speciality sector on the International Coffee Organization's Private Sector Consultative Board."
  
  The SCAA Chronicle from Oct. 2010 carried a story about a joint venture with SCAE called World Coffee Events, to "develop and manage competitive events on behalf of both organizations."
  
  Added: There is also a Specialty Coffee Association of Japan, established in 2003.  SCAE began in 1998, and SCAA in 1982.