November 19, 2024 (New York, NY) – With a philosophy that education, leadership and professional development are paramount in helping women advance their careers in the food, wine, spirits, beer, and hospitality industries, the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation(www.wotvsfoundation.org) has awarded 32 scholarship recipients under its namesake scholarship fund, totaling 65 scholarships awarded this year.
The Women of the Vine & Spirts Foundation is the charitable arm of Women of the Vine & Spirits (www.womenofthevine.com), the only global membership organization of women and men dedicated to working together to empower and advance women in the beverage alcohol industry.
Since its inception in 2017, the non-profit foundation has awarded a total of $959,620 in scholarship funding to 373 recipients. In another highly competitive application cycle, this year, the Foundation received 367 applications from candidates in 31 countries.
“The Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation is so proud to celebrate this year’s recipients, representing a diverse group of emerging and developing leaders in beverage alcohol,” said Deborah Brenner, President of Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation. “It is through the ongoing generosity of our donors that the Foundation has been able to award these much-needed scholarships, promoting greater access to education and professional development for women across the globe.”
The Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation will bring together this year’s recipients, donors, committee and board members, and industry colleagues to celebrate the Class of 2024 during a virtual ceremony on Wednesday November 20, 2024 – 9:00am PST / 12:00pm EST. For more information and to register for the ceremony, visit https://www.womenofthevine.com/events/women-of-the-vine-spirits-foundation-virtual-scholarship-ceremony-4.
2024 Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation Donors:Patron ($100,000+): Gallo; Advocate ($35,000-$99,999): Suntory Global Spirits; Benefactor ($15,000-$34,999): Domaine Serene, Republic National Distributing Company, Tito’s Handmade Vodka; Affiliate ($5,000-$14,999): Sazerac Company, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits; Friend ($100-$999): Scott Laboratories Inc. To learn more about Foundation Donors visit wotvsfoundation.org/our-donors.
Meet the Class of 2024: Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation Scholarship Recipients Supported by Our Generous Donors (https://www.wotvsfoundation.org/2024recipients):
Professional & Leadership Development Scholarships: Paz Austin, San Jerónimo, Mexico; Lisa Belczyk, Pittsburgh, PA. Student Educational Scholarship: Marit Lusti, Parksepa, Estonia; Brenna Turner, Venice, CA. Continuing Education Scholarship: Rachel Allison, Toronto, Canada; Ashley Bradfield, Williams, OR; Krishna Chapatwala, Atlanta, GA; Jennifer Dunn-Ferrante, Livonia, MI; Aimee Haftel, Pinecrest, FL; Desselyn Pierre, Brooklyn, NY; Sara Stockwell, Portland, OR. WSET Level 1 Award in Wines: Tapiwa Charosa, Kigali, Rwanda; Wendy Njoroge, Nairobi, Kenya. WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits: Michelle Lam, Brooklyn, NY. WSET Level 1 Award in Sake: Leah Fierro, Los Angeles, CA. WSET Level 2 Award in Wines: Keerti Bhalla, Delhi, India; Ashley Borjon, Houston, TX; Chelsea Jackson-Melton, Port St. John, FL; Ashlea Sovetts, Rock Hill, SC. WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits: Stephanie Aviles, San German, Puerto Rico; Shin Ling Wen, Taiwan, Republic of China. WSET Level 2 Award in Beer: Emma Alexander, Spearfish, SD. WSET Level 3 Award in Wines: Alessandra Azevedo Marc, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Coonoor Behal, Seattle, WA; Anitah Mbugua, Nairobi, Kenya; Syuzanna Mosikyan, Adelaide, Australia. WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines: Stephanie Joubert, Cape Town, South Africa; Yuyan Kuang, Shanghai, China. Executive Leadership Program Scholarship to Attend 2024 DISCUS Academy: Ashley Cesario, Miami, FL; Ingrid Hobbs, New York, NY; Mara Smith, Chicago, IL. Developing Leadership Program Scholarship to Attend 2024 DISCUS Academy: Andrea Schaefer, Chicago, IL.
In addition to the 32 Women of the Vine & Spirits Recipients, the Foundation awarded 33 “Women Behind the Wine Educational Fund” Scholarship Recipients Supported by Patron Donor E. & J. Gallo Winery in September. View the full release here: https://www.womenofthevine.com/articles/women-of-the-vine-spirits-foundation-awards-33-scholarships-for-the-women-behind-the-wine-educational-fund-scholarship-recipients-supported-by-patron-donor-gallo
Overseeing the growth and development of the non-profit is the Foundation Director, Board and Committee. To view the full list of names, visit https://www.wotvsfoundation.org/foundation-leaders
For more information about the various scholarships awarded visit wotvsfoundation.org.
The Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation, Ltd. 501(c)(3) is looking for donations to award scholarships in 2025. To donate and learn more about donor levels and benefits visit wotvsfoundation.org or contact the Foundation at foundation@womenofthevine.com.
