SommCon is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Emerging Leaders and Professional Merit scholarships. These awards reflect SommCon’s unwavering commitment to nurturing the next generation of industry trailblazers and honoring those who push the boundaries of excellence in their field. This year, 22 exceptional individuals have been chosen for their passion for the wine and spirits industry and potential to shape its future. The SommCon scholarship program is sponsored in part by The SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel Magazine.
2024 Emerging Leaders Scholarship recipients include:
Kelsee Calderon | Sleuth Cellars
Elías Cárdenas Rodríguez | Rancho la Puerta
Liza-Bart Carroll | Beached Vine
Marilyn Fajardo | Bo-Beau Kitchen + Roof Tap
Olena Ihnatiuk | ZXQ Vineyards & Winery
Ciera Jones | Sip, Serve, Savor
Loris Anne Jones-Randolph | Cucina Alba
Kimberly Kachmar | Wine Express
Hannah Page | The Inn at Little Washington
Kelsey Schmidt | Pacific Wine Services
Elena Syrovatkina | Montage Palmetto Bluff
Tony Tapia | Cohn Restaurant Group
Dexter West | JW Marriott
Indigo Zuber | Wynn Las Vegas
2024 Professional Merit Scholarship recipients include:
Evette Becker | Evette Becker Consulting
Crys Chen | Floraison Selections
Onyx Cly-Peek | Grande River Vineyards
Billie Harris | The Vino Van
Teri Kerns | Ramona Ranch Winery
Angelo Paul Perez | RNDC
Roderick Stewart | Little Alley Steakhouse 2.0
Libby Tseng | 酒久賞 Jiou Jiu Shang Wine & Sake Academy
“We are thrilled to announce this year’s recipients of the Emerging Leaders and Professional Merit scholarships,” said Michelle Metter, co-founder and director of SommCon. “These individuals are the future of the alcohol beverage industry, and we are dedicated to fostering their development by providing a platform for mutual learning and mentorship. As an industry, we have as much to learn from these talented professionals, and we are honored to welcome them into our community.”
SommCon scholarship recipients are invited to participate in a comprehensive mentorship program tailored to provide guidance and support before, during, and after the conference. SommCon’s mentorship program is designed to equip scholars with the tools and resources they need to excel in the alcohol beverage industry, and includes:
Full conference access to SommCon, October 5-7 in San Diego, California
An assigned mentor dedicated to supporting the scholar’s professional development
Organized mentorship gatherings leading up to, during, and after SommCon
A mentorship breakfast during SommCon to foster networking and discovering professional opportunities
Ongoing career advice from mentors and SommCon including: resume reviews, guidance for professional growth, headshots, and industry updates
Complimentary access to SommGo, SommCon’s on-demand streaming service for wine, beer, and spirits education, for one year
Virtual educational sessions with industry experts
Opportunities to contribute articles and interviews with industry experts to a dedicated column in The SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel Magazine
Membership in the SommCon Scholar Alumni online community
Scholars are selected by SommCon Mentorship committee members in a blind selection process removing name and identifying information. This year’s committee includes:
Rick Arline | Hotel Perla
Molly Brooks | Disneyland Resort, Club 33
Anibal Calcagno | International Sommelier Guild
Meg Carrington-Griffin Simons | The Verasion Project
Will Costello | Preferabli
Maurice DiMarino | Cohn Restaurant Group
Larissa Dubose | Paradies Lagardère
Tahiirah Habibi | Hue society/Sipping Socials
Brent Kroll | Maxwell
Meridith May | The Somm Journal/The Tasting Panel Magazine
Angela McCrae | Silver Oak & Twomey/Assoc. of African American Vintners/Uncorked & Cultured
Steve Pagano | San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina
Whitney Pope | WHIT + WINE
Vanessa Rason | Mosaic Wine Alliance
Lisa Redwine | Burtech Family Vineyards
Erik Segelbaum | Somlyay
Kathleen Ann Thomas | CORE Body | Mind
Justin Trabue | Heitz Cellar/Natural Action Wine Club
Hai Tran | Provi/SOMMATION
Toshio Ueno | Mutual Trading Co.Inc./Sake School of America
