Jennifer Hauke, Founder and President of Draftline Technologies, has devoted her life to the draft industry. As the driving force behind Draftline Technologies, Jennifer has created a cutting-edge technology platform that offers on-premise draft solutions for enhancing draft quality, performance, and efficiency across all aspects of the on-premise draft beverage category.

Jennifer attended Wayne State University in Michigan and has exclusively served the draft industry for the past thirty years. Her extensive experience covers draft service, installation, administration, routing, product research, and software development, establishing her as a respected and influential figure in the sector. Often referred to as "The Queen of Beer," Jennifer persistently drives innovation and growth in the industry.

Moreover, Jennifer is dedicated to empowering women in the industry and serves as a mentor to many. As an active member of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) Alliance for Women in Beer, she contributes her expertise and support to encourage the growth and success of women in the beer distribution sector. Jennifer and her husband Drew have three children and currently reside in Winter Park, Florida.

Sam Oches is an award-winning Editorial Director with Informa Foodservice and Editor-in-Chief for Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. In this role, Sam is host of the podcast Take-Away with Sam Oches, co-host of the award-winning podcast Extra Serving, and host of Signature: A CEO Series with Sam Oches.

A graduate of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, Sam previously served as Editorial Director of Food News Media, publisher of QSR and FSR magazines. He’s a past president of the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC), a past board member with the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), and a current member of the advisory council for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

His foodservice insights have been shared in national media outlets such as the New York Times, USA Today, National Public Radio, Morning Brew, and CNBC. He lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife and three kids.

Jessica Infante is the managing editor at Brewbound, a multimedia trade publication covering the beer industry. She joined Brewbound in 2019, after nearly a decade in various marketing roles at a leading craft brewery.

Before beer, Jess was a newspaper reporter at the Jersey Shore. She holds a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication from Emerson College.

Jess is a certified Cicerone and lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her husband and daughter.

Jenn Litz-Kirk is the Director of Content for Schuhmacher Publishing’s suite of beer media, where she oversees the daily content for Beer Business Daily and Craft Business Daily.

She also produces the beer session portion of the Beer, Wine and Spirits Industry Summit, and the contents for BBD’s companion podcast, BeerNet Radio.

Jenn is a decades-long veteran of B2B food and drink publishing, including the Networld Alliance suite of industry publications, where she covered the pizza and fast casual segments. In another life, she was managing editor of San Antonio city magazine, Scene in SA, which allowed her to go on adventures like following Kinky Friedman during his 2006 Texas gubernatorial run, and interviewing greats from Abby Wambach to Anthony Hopkins.

Patrick is a long-time on-premise advocate for bars, restaurants, breweries, and music venues in Chicago.

As Director of the Hospitality Business Association of Chicago he works daily at Chicago City Hall and the Illinois Statehouse to promote and protect the on-premise and beverage alcohol industries throughout the State. In his over fifteen years of advocacy he initiated successful campaigns to extend operating hours for Chicago bars and restaurants, repeal the State of Illinois ban on happy hour promotions, and defeated multiple tax and license fee increases that would have disproportionately impacted Chicago's hospitality industry.

When not working on behalf of the Chicago hospitality industry he can often be found enjoying a draft beer in one of Chicago's fine locally owned taverns and encouraging others to join him in drinking well, drinking responsibly, drinking locally, and most importantly drinking draft.

Julia Tarazoff is the Director of Customer Success & Marketing at Free Flow Wines, where she has spent nearly a decade driving growth through customer-centric strategy, brand storytelling, and operational excellence. With a career that spans customer success coordination, account management, and leadership, Julia brings a rare end-to-end perspective on the customer lifecycle.

In her current role, Julia leads cross-functional initiatives that strengthen client partnerships, build impactful marketing programs, and reinforce the company’s position as the pioneer of premium wine on tap. She is known for managing high-performing teams, demonstrating proactive leadership, and aligning success metrics with long-term business goals.

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Julia is passionate about improving the customer experience, fostering authentic relationships, and championing sustainable innovation in the wine and hospitality industries.

Elaine Garza is the founder and CEO of Giant Noise, a leading public relations, digital marketing, and creative agency based in Austin with offices in San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas, Texas. A University of Texas journalism graduate, Elaine began her entertainment career at HarperCollins Publishers, a world-leading book publisher, then at SPIN and VIBE magazines, where she served as director of communications, overseeing brand extensions including the high-profile Vibe Awards.

In 2006, she founded Giant Noise, which over the past 20 years has become the go-to PR firm in Texas for entertainment and beyond. The agency has worked on red carpets for the SXSW Film Festival, handled PR for the historic Paramount Theatre and Moody Center, partnered with C3 Presents on numerous music festivals, and has represented an impressive roster of clients, including Texas Monthly, The Historic Pearl, Hotel Emma, South Congress Hotel, and The Moontower Comedy Festival, among others.

Elaine's commitment to her community is evident through her board positions with Texas Exes and KUT Public Media, as well as her advisory role with UT's Moody College of Communications and membership in Les Dames d'Escoffier.

Doug is an analytical, yet creative CPA with a passion for social media, analytics, and their applicability to the beer industry. After becoming Revolution Brewing's CFO in September 2016, Doug lead the Finance, HR, Legal, and Compliance functions. In June 2017, he also began utilizing his artistic passions to oversee Communications (Packaging Design, Website, Social Media, Digital Marketing) for the company. These experiences lead to the role of Chief Strategy Officer, where Doug oversaw both Finance & Marketing during the two years of the pandemic. As of January 2023, Doug officially transitioned his Finance responsibilities to be fully dedicated to Marketing at Revolution Brewing.

Prior to joining Revolution, Doug was the second hire into the Reyes Holdings Internal Audit Department in 2009 after spending two years in KPMG’s Audit, Risk & Assurance practice, followed by two years at Huron Consulting Group in their Financial & Economic Consulting practice. Over the course of 8 years, Doug evolved the Reyes Holdings Internal Audit department from a team of 2 to 12, while regularly placing members into leadership roles around the company. Doug was promoted to Internal Audit Manager in 2012 and Director/Head of Internal Audit in 2014. Under his leadership, the focus of Reyes Holdings Internal Audit included a partnership approach toward the company's internal control environment, operational efficiencies, project management, and the due diligence & integration of acquisitions.

David Steinman joined Beer Marketer's INSIGHTS September 2013 and represents the 3rd generation at the company along with his brother Jason. David worked for years as Senior Editor of Craft Brew News and Senior Editor across all Beer Marketer's INSIGHTS publications before he was appointed VP/Executive Editor in 2022.

Prior to BMI, David worked for two years as Marketing Coordinator at Long Trail/Otter Creek Brewing Company in Vermont. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a major in Business and a minor in Music. In his spare time, David is an avid guitar player and snowboarder.

Alexander Brand is the CEO of BLEFA and Chair of the Steel Keg Association, where he is a leading advocate for sustainable, high-quality solutions in the global beverage industry. With more than two decades of leadership experience across manufacturing, sales, and executive management, Alexander brings deep operational expertise and a long-term strategic perspective to the stainless steel keg sector.

As President of BLEFA GmbH since 2016, Alexander has guided the company’s continued growth and innovation, reinforcing its position as a global leader in premium stainless steel kegs. Under his leadership, BLEFA has remained focused on product excellence, customer value, and environmental responsibility, delivering durable, circular packaging solutions that meet the evolving needs of brewers and beverage producers worldwide.

In his role as Chair of the Steel Keg Association, Alexander serves as an ambassador for the unmatched quality, safety, and sustainability of stainless steel kegs, promoting industry collaboration and raising awareness of their benefits for both producers and consumers. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Franke Beverage Systems, including Division President, Managing Director, and Sales Director, and served on the company’s board of directors.

Brian Van Holten is the Creative Brand Manager at Micro Matic US, where he has spent more than 15 years shaping the brand and marketing strategy for one of the world’s leading beverage dispensing equipment companies. With deep expertise in brand positioning, visual identity, and integrated marketing, Brian plays a central role in building and maintaining Micro Matic’s national and global brand presence.

In his role, Brian leads the development and execution of large-scale brand and marketing initiatives, overseeing visual communication, creative direction, and cross-functional collaboration to drive brand equity and consistency across markets. He is known for combining strategic thinking with creative execution to deliver clear, compelling messaging that resonates across the beverage and hospitality industries.

Brian also serves as the U.S. Communications Lead for the Steel Keg Association, where he supports industry-wide education and advocacy around the quality, safety, and sustainability benefits of stainless steel kegs. In this role, he helps align messaging across stakeholders and elevate awareness of steel kegs as a durable, environmentally responsible packaging solution.

Dan Vorlage is Vice President of Global Marketing at MicroStar Logistics, where he leads worldwide marketing strategy for the leading global keg logistics and asset management companies. With more than a decade at MicroStar, Dan brings deep expertise in B2B marketing, product marketing, and global brand development across the beverage supply chain.

In his role, Dan is responsible for driving market positioning, demand generation, and strategic storytelling that supports MicroStar’s global growth. He is known for aligning marketing strategy with business objectives, translating complex logistics solutions into clear customer value, and building scalable programs that support international markets.

Dan also serves as Executive Director of the Steel Keg Association. Under his leadership, the Association brings together a diverse group of industry leaders to advocate for sustainable, circular packaging solutions across the global beverage industry.

Previously, Dan led marketing and business development efforts for Ball Corporation’s $3+ billion Metal Beverage Packaging North America division, where he played a central role in revitalizing demand for aluminum beverage cans.

Mark Carpenter is an entrepreneurial executive and Managing Director at THIELMANN – The Container Company, bringing a global perspective and a proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams that deliver transformative business results. With deep experience across the beverage and returnable packaging ecosystem, Mark is recognized for driving growth through strategic insight, operational rigor, and collaborative leadership.

In his current role, Mark oversees strategic direction and commercial execution, leveraging a unique blend of marketing acumen, analytics, and resource optimization to unlock new opportunities and accelerate performance. He is known for his ability to align strategy with execution, create win-win outcomes for stakeholders, and build trusted partnerships across international markets.