What’s your current position, and how did you get started in the craft brewing industry?
I’m one of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) Representatives on the BA Board of Directors. I started homebrewing in 1995 after getting a Christmas gift from my brother and have been homebrewing ever since! I’ve also done numerous collaboration brews with breweries in the Cincinnati area.

What’s new at the AHA?
For the AHA – and homebrew clubs – we have been adjusting to the challenge of keeping our members together and engaged through the pandemic. Within my club it has been a combination of outside and internal club speakers via Zoom. When the weather is good, we’ve been able to have our club board meetings socially distanced outside.

What’s the best part of being a part of the craft brewing community?
The people. Most of my closest friends are associated with the homebrew and craft brewing community.

Name a favorite food and beer pairing.
Belgian beers with any food!

What’s your biggest accomplishment unrelated to your job?
I was recently appointed to an advisory board to the President of my alma mater, Georgia Tech. It’s an exciting opportunity to give back to my school and connect with an amazing group of people!

What’s your favorite beer from another brewery?
Loaded question for a homebrewer! I think I have a “go-to” beer at each local brewery (not counting their special beers). Right now, I’d go with “Groovy Baby,” an English Mild from Third Eye Brewing in Cincinnati. A well balanced beer that I can drink any time of the year.

What do you like to do in your time away from the brewery?
My passions outside of the beer world are my cats (four right now), craft hobbies (especially knitting), and hiking/the outdoors. We do an annual trip to the Smokies and Mt. Leconte.

What’s the most memorable travel destination at which you’ve had a chance to sample the local beer?
Hard to pick just one, but European trips have been the most memorable. Norway, where we were first exposed to Kveik and got to talk with the brewer at Voss Brewery. Combine that with amazing natural features and Viking lore! The other would be Italy, where we were exposed to using local botanical and food ingredients in beer – basil, chestnuts, local fruits. Both these trips have significantly influenced my homebrewing (and collaboration brews with breweries).