Collab Hour

Hopportunity Knocks: Brewers Association Mentorship Program Information Session

Speakers: Alana Koenig-Busey, Kate Conway, Frank Green, Dwight Ho-Sang, Laura Lodge, Ashlie Randolph, Christina Sayer

The Brewers Association (BA) Mentorship Program works to remove barriers to access or advancement for those pursuing professions in the craft brewing community. In this BA Collab Hour, members of the Mentorship and Professional Development Subcommittee, former program participants, and former mentors talk about their experiences in the program.

Whether you are interested in the aspiring professionals track, advancing professionals track, or brewery start-up track for participants, or volunteering your time to serve as a mentor, this BA Collab Hour will provide helpful tips for completing your application. You’ll also get a sense of what you can expect during the 12-week virtual experience and learn about ongoing professional development opportunities for those who complete the program.

About the Speakers

Alana Koenig-Busey, Mentorship Program Director and DEI Project Coordinator

Brewers Association

Alana Koenig-Busey (she/her) is the JEDI Project Coordinator at Crafted For All, a professional development platform that fosters inclusive, equitable, and just spaces and experiences in the craft beverage sector. She also works as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Project Coordinator at the BA, directing the BA Mentorship and DEI Mini-Grant programs.

Alana has a background in beverage hospitality management and a professional certification in human resources, SHRM-CP. She also provides training in safe alcohol service through TIPS and bystander intervention through Safe Bars.

Kate Conway, Co-Owner

Pickett Brewing Company

Kate Conway is co-owner and head of business operations of Pickett Brewing Company. For 20 years she worked in nonprofit operations and advancement before joining the brewing industry. She's a Certified Beer Server and a financial liaison for Pink Boots Society. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband and four sons.

Frank Green, Territory Sales Manager

Modern Times Beer

Frank Green is a Territory Sales Manager at Modern Times Beer and a 12-year industry professional. Frank is a member of the BA DEI Mentorship and Professional Development Subcommittee. His current goal is to help spread DEI initiatives in the craft beer landscape. In addition, he's excited to be advancing the Modern Times Beer brand throughout their expansive distribution network

Dwight Ho-Sang, COO

Hip Hop Heads Brewery

Dwight Ho-Sang is one of three founders of Hip Hop Heads Brewery (HHH), a brewery in planning in Atlanta, Georgia. HHH seeks to combine craft beer with hip hop culture and create a product representing their community and demographic. The company's tagline is "Taste the Music." HHH plans to bridge craft beer and hip hop cultures by providing a QR code on each can that, when scanned, will produce a hip hop playlist that is curated explicitly for that beer, capturing its taste and aroma and giving that consumer a multisensory experience.

Dwight is a lifelong educator who currently serves as Deputy Head of Schools for KIPP Metro Atlanta. The Knowledge is Power Program, KIPP, is a non-profit network of 255 college-preparatory, public charter schools educating K-12 students across the country.

Laura Lodge, Owner & Strategic Advisor

Customized Craft Beer Programs

Laura Lodge is the owner of Customized Craft Beer Programs, a consulting business offering insight and assistance with all things craft beer. In addition to developing craft beer programs for destination resorts, she enjoys designing and hosting creative educational events including the well-known Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival.

Laura entered the craft beer industry working in the distribution tier, and consults for breweries and wholesalers about the complexities of distribution. She shares strategic advice and guidance as author of Distribution Insight for the Craft Brewer, striving to unveil the mysteries of the middle tier and create partnerships between breweries and distributors.

Most recently, Laura collaborated with Candace L. Moon, The Craft Beer Attorney, to create Start A Brewery, LLC, a business designed to help dreamers, breweries in planning, and growing breweries by pulling together educational resources with savvy professionals across the brewing industry. Free to the public, StartABrewery.com divides the daunting process into phases and breaks it down by category, further augmented by a library of information and educational resources submitted by contributors.

A frequent event organizer, contributor, and educational speaker in a multitude of platforms, programs, and conferences, Laura is recognized as a veteran in the craft beer industry and resides in the Colorado Rocky Mountains where she enjoys the outdoor lifestyle.

Ashlie Randolph, Founder

Brawta Craft and Brews

Las Vegan Ashlie Niquel Randolph is a founding member of Mo' Betta Brews, a minority-focused, beer-centric social club created to provide an inclusive space for craft beer enthusiasts of color rooted in brews and beats full of flavor, soul, and craft. Seeing beer as anthropology in a glass, Ashlie is passionate about exploring craft beers worldwide and incorporating global culinary legacies in her own brews. Ashlie is the founder of brewery-in-planning Brawta Brewing and proud co-found of Lifting Lucy, a 510(c)(3) organization driven by a mission to support Black, Indigenous, and all Women of Color in beer industry events and educational opportunities.

Ashlie is also a Duvel USA Brand Ambassador, Pink Boots Society Board Member, Pink Boots Society of Las Vegas Chapter President, NAACP Branch #1111 Executive Committee Member, Community Partner Diversity, and Inclusion Committee Chair.

Christina Sayer, Co-Founder

Brewery Legitimus

Christina Sayer is the co-founder of Brewery Legitimus in New Hartford, Connecticut. Christina serves as the Chair of the Brewers Association Mentorship and Professional Development Subcommittee. Prior to launching Brewery Legitimus, Christina spent 20 years in human resources leadership. Her professional experience includes leading organization's talent succession and development strategy supporting long term business growth goals.

Christina graduated from the University of Connecticut with both a Bachelor of Science in business management and a Master of Business Administration. Christina also holds a Juris Doctor from Western New England University.