Press Release

Third Annual Event Championed Women’s Leadership Across the Industry

SAN DIEGO, CA – The National Beer Wholesalers Association’s Building Relationships and Empowering Women (BREW) initiative and the Alliance for Women in Beer co-hosted the largest Making Moves to-date, as more than 430 attendees joined the two-day event to gain valuable leadership skills and celebrate women’s important role in the beverage industry.

Making Moves is the only event centered around women in beer, offering dynamic and relevant content to help attendees elevate their careers, forge meaningful connections and get fresh perspectives on today’s biggest industry issues.

“Since we launched Making Moves three years ago, it has rapidly grown into a must-attend event for beverage professionals in all stages of their careers,” said Kim McKinnish, NBWA Chief Operating Officer who leads the BREW and Alliance programs. “Women and men alike come to Making Moves to find connection, leadership training and timely industry insights they can’t find anywhere else. We’re thrilled about the overwhelming response to this year’s event and look forward to continuing to deliver a world-class experience for beverage leaders.”

Former CEO of Barstool Sports, Erika Ayers Badan, kicked off the event with an electric keynote about how to set your career up for success. “I’m a huge proponent of failure,” said Badan. “If you are constantly putting yourself in a place where you’re uncomfortable and learning how to fail and get back up — it trains you to handle a lot.”

The event featured a star-studded lineup of speakers from across the beer and beverage industry, including…

• Jenn Litz-Kirk, Beer Business Daily
• Merrilee Kick, BuzzBallz and Southern Champion
• JB Ryan, Molson Coors
• Brittany Crosby, Walgreens
• Kimberly James, bp
• Sofia Colucci, Molson Coors
• Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, Zeal of the Heel
• Kimberly Rath, Zeal of the Heel
• Laura Merritt, Diageo Beer Company
• Laurel Patrick Slick, Reyes Beverage Group
• Portia Dowell-Simmons, Glazer’s Beer and Beverage
• Connie Kim, Heineken USA
• Tandy Harvey, Breakthru Beverage California
• Sinead Carey, Breakthru Beverage California
• Bridget Smith, Origlio Beverage
• Natalie Burbidge, Constellation Brands
• Stacey Karczewski, Mark Anthony Brewing Inc.
• Colleen Lucas, Anheuser-Busch
• Erica Taylor, Boston Beer Company
• Rosalie Kennedy, Athletic Brewing Company
• Whitney Stevenson, JuneShine

At Making Moves, NBWA also announced that Glazer’s Beer and Beverage received the 2024 Frieda G. Maisel Trailblazer Award for fostering a supportive environment for women’s professional growth.

The next Making Moves event will be held in Las Vegas on October 15, 2025 following NBWA’s 88th Annual Convention and Trade Show.

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The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) represents America’s 3,000 independent beer distributors who service every state, congressional district and media market across the country. Licensed at the federal and state levels, beer distributors get bottles, cans, cases and kegs from a brewer or importer to stores, restaurants and other licensed retail accounts through a transparent and accountable regulatory system. Distributors build brands of all sizes – from familiar domestic beers to new startup labels and imports from around the world – and generate enormous consumer choice while supporting more than 137,000 quality jobs in their home communities. Beer distributors work locally to keep communities safe by sponsoring programs to promote responsible consumption, combat drunk driving and reduce underage drinking.