Mona Esposito, aka “The Grain Lady,” is an activist and advocate of restoring heritage grains to Colorado. She is a resource for all things grain, in the field and in the kitchen through the Noble Grain Alliance she co-founded in 2016 and The Colorado Grain Chain.
Tiffanie Barriere, aka “The Drinking Coach” is a bartender who is making HERstory by providing history lessons with every cocktail she serves. Her main goal is education, service, and fun with every pour.
Lianne Mandelbaum has been advocating for food allergic airline passengers for eight years after she and her son were treated horribly. She has turned that experience into an advocacy platform which has fostered change in the airline industry.
Once a competitive bodybuilder who believed it took animal protein to build muscle, Nina Curtis found her competitive edge when she “broke up with salmon” and became a vegan chef. While Nina Curtis has been a foodie since she was an eight-year-old helping her mom cook from scratch and lending a hand with her dad’s catering business, she never thought she would cook for a living. “That’s why you should never say never, because it could come back to haunt you,” she says. And, while her mom went organic long before it was a thing, Nina’s early professional food experience…
Amelia Ekus is nourishing inspiration in the corporate cafés she manages by creating a honest, sustainable and inclusive food and beverage experiences while also doing everything in her power to give her team members the skills they need to grow in their careers, not just to succeed in their current positions.
Aimee Francaes and her husband designed a restaurant like no other — locally sourced ingredients prepared, butchered, and preserved in house, a comprehensive accommodation of those with food allergies, and a staff so well-trained that everyone can feel safe that their needs will be met. Oh, and the food is amazing. When a friend heard I was going to celebrate women who are making history in food and beverage for Women’s History Month, Aimee Francaes immediately sprang to mind. Aimee and the love of her life, Jesse Hassinger opened Belly of the Beast almost three years ago with a…
