Jordan Driggers is the Senior Editor for the beer side of things at Schumacher Publishing. Jordan, a San Antonio native, started covering the industry while attending the University of Mississippi, writing for the school newspaper about local alcohol laws. After graduating in 2013, Jordan returned to San Antonio and immediately started working alongside Harry and Jenn at Beer Business Daily/Craft Business Daily. He is the proud father of two kiddos, Leni and Rye, and spends most of his days now chasing after them.

As Marketing Manager at Schilling Cider in Seattle, WA, Marina Sumrada is deeply passionate about cider and the vibrant community surrounding it. An avid advocate both professionally and personally, she champions cider culture while fostering meaningful partnerships across the industry, always eager to share her enthusiasm with fellow cider enthusiasts.

Justin Pollock is the Beverage Director for HopCat, a leading craft beer bar and restaurant group celebrated for its innovative beverage offerings and award-winning beer and cider curation. With almost two decades of experience in hospitality, Justin is known for his deep passion for building relationships in the craft space with thoughtful menu curation, highlighting the best liquid available from the largest to the smallest of producers.

Jennifer Hauke is the Founder of Draftline Technologies. Draftline’s platform “makes draft work” for modern beverage distributors and third-party service companies through its suite of data-driven, on-premise compliance, market analytics, and sales tools. Draftline is the on-premise draft leader, tracking over 1,000,000 draft lines in 100,000 accounts across 40 States. Jennifer has spent the last thirty years working in the on-premise draft category, beginning with her family’s company in Detroit, Michigan. With a background that includes everything from draft service, installation, administration, and routing to product research, software development, data implementation, and sales strategy. Jennifer and her husband, Drew have three children and call Winter Park, Florida home.

Owner of Front Porch PR, Lota LaMontagne has worked to promote food, beverage, and travel clients for nearly twenty years – currently representing the Northwest Cider Association and occasionally helping with the American Cider Association. With a journalism degree in Magazine Feature Writing and Public Relations, Lota is a story matchmaker – bringing newsworthy stories to the media who are hungry for them. When she’s not prowling Portland’s neighborhood orchards for ripe seasonal fruit or planning multi-course dinners complete with cider pairings for friends, she can be found camping in her tent, van, or trailer with her two adventurous children and husband.

Rachael Lowe is a highly acclaimed wine expert with an advanced Sommelier degree from the Court of Master Sommeliers and a history of excellence in the industry. She has held prestigious roles, including Director of Beverage for Levy Restaurants, overseeing 13 locations nationwide, and National Director of Beverage for the company’s sports and entertainment division. A multiple award-winner, Lowe’s accolades include the 2010 Ruinart Chardonnay competition prize, Jean Banchet’s Top Sommelier award, and Food & Wine’s 2016 Sommelier of the Year. She also holds a B.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an M.A. in Food Studies from NYU.

Andrew Mitchell’s career has been guided by his father’s philosophy that “luck is a lazy man’s version of success”. His employment background includes, Gallo, Pete’s Brewing Company, Nestle/Purina, Trinity Springs, and Constellation. Currently, as President of Hayden Beverage Company, he has led the company to significant growth, expansion into the full states of Idaho and Montana, and was awarded the Vistage Impact Award for President’s/CEO’s for Idaho in 2020. His journey from startup ventures to corporate giants showcases his mastery in controlling operations, executing at retail, and igniting consumer demand.

With 17+ plus years in the grocery retail landscape, including over a decade of category management in bev-alc, Mary Guiver’s dynamic background at Whole Foods Market Inc provides a unique blend of retail insights.

As the Principal Global Category Merchant for Beer & Spirits she continues to enhance the WFM program with a continued focus on craft and local cider, beer, innovation categories, with a steadfast commitment to consumer demand, supplier partnerships, and industry-leading quality standards. With a keen eye for trend evolution and a collaborative approach to chain retail, Mary can elaborate on the inner strategies of one of the top chain retailers in the market.

Richard Yi is a Cidermaker at Brooklyn Cider House, where he blends his passion for art, food, farming, process management, and cider. His journey in the beverage industry began in the world of wine, with experience spanning California, New York, Argentina, Spain, and New Zealand. At Brooklyn Cider House, Richard has found an ideal outlet for his diverse skills and deep love for fermentation. Growing up in a family immersed in the beverage world, with his father working in the industry for over 30 years and his grandmother and late great-grandmother crafting kimchi for more than a century, Richard can truly say that fermentation runs in his blood.

With almost two decades in the marketing world, Rachel started her journey back in 2007, diving headfirst into the fast-paced world of the music industry. Over ten years, she gained experience in Marketing, PR, and Product Management. In 2016, she transitioned to the CPG sector, focusing on Brand Management, Marketing Direction, and immersive brand experiences. Before joining Schilling Cider, Rachel found her passion for Brand at a Hard Kombucha company in Southern California. Today, Rachel leads Schilling’s Brand and Marketing Direction, overseeing Schilling Hard Cider, Schilling Hard Lemonade, Excelsior Imperial Ciders, and VIDA MATÉ. She establishes brand standards, crafts innovative packaging strategies, and executes impactful campaigns. She also takes immense pride in mentoring her high-performing team and learning from their insights, believing their collective efforts drive success. Outside of work, Rachel dedicates much of her time to reading and collecting books. She balances her literary pursuits with “survival skills” like eating, drinking, running (at her pace), and sleeping. A Pacific Northwest native, Rachel splits her time between Seattle, WA, and the Southwest of England with her partner, Craig, and her little cat, Moona.