Winners Selected to Receive Conference Scholarship To SommCon® Washington, D.C., Providing Access to Education and Networking With Beverage Industry Professionals
Washington, D.C. (May 9, 2019) – SommCon,® a leading conference for wine, beer and spirit professionals and serious industry enthusiasts held in Washington, D.C. and San Diego, CA, has announced this year’s winners for the Washington, D.C. Young Leaders Summit Scholarship program presented by Tasting Panel, The SOMM Journal, Wines of Virginia and Kistler.
The 11 aspiring professionals, all under the age of 30, will receive complimentary conference registration to SommCon D.C. These young leaders will experience three days of education and industry insight at the conference, taking place June 23 – 25, and will have the opportunity to network and taste alongside some of the industry’s most lauded experts in wine.
Through the Young Leaders Summit Scholarship, recipients grow their knowledge and develop their palate by participating in tastings, panel discussions, and over 30 master classes. Winners are selected for both conferences, SommCon East in Washington, D.C. and SommCon West in San Diego, CA, by the conference’s Board of Advisors comprised of Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, Certified Wine Specialists, Wine Directors, and media, among others. They were chosen based on their clear and demonstrated commitment to the industry and ability to apply knowledge at SommCon to their current professional life.
The winners for the 2019 Young Leader’s Summit Scholarship for SommCon Washington, D.C. are as follows:
- Brooklyn Bain | Wine World, Sommelier and Sales Associate; Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
- Rachel Brown | Chaddsford Winery, Wine Educator; Aston, Pennsylvania
- Barbara Burgess | Restaurant Tyler, Wine Director & Sommelier; Starkville, Mississippi
- Alissa Wilmina Diaz | Moosh NYC, Beverage Director; Brooklyn, New York
- Desiree Harrison-Brown | Wine Noir, Author & Marriott International, Digital Analyst; Rockville, Maryland
- Jennifer Keating | Wine Connections, Marketing & Innovation Manager; Annapolis, Maryland
- Madison Malott | Eleven Madison Park, Server, Coffee Director, Cellar Assistant; New York, New York
- Alexandria Parsagian | Maxwell Park, Bartender; Washington, D.C.
- Briana Pope-Pettis | City Winery Atlanta, Sommelier; Atlanta, Georgia
- Hugo Arias Sanchez | Del Mar de Fabio Trabocchi, Sommelier; Washington, D.C.
- Clare Wagner | Sagamore Pendry Baltimore, Restaurant and Merchant, Lead Sommelier; Baltimore, Maryland
SommCon® D.C. is only open to 300 registrants, and for those in attendance, there are several ways to participate, including:
Full Conference Pass (July 23-25)
- Choose from over 30 master classes and educational sessions
- Networking Breaks and Hosted Tastings
- Admission to Opening Tasting Reception (Sunday, July 23)
- WSET Fireside Chats
- Access to Wines of Virginia acid Trip Hospitality Suite
- Full Conference registration is priced at $425 before May 22
Single Day Monday (July 24) or Tuesday (July 25)
- One day education conference access with choice of sessions
- Networking Breaks and Hosted Tastings
- WSET Fireside Chat
- Admission to Opening Tasting Reception (Sunday, July 23)
- Single Day registration is priced at $295 before May 22
SommCon® D.C. takes place July 23-25, 2019 at the Westin Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and SommCon® San Diego takes place November 13-15 at the Marriott Marquis in San Diego, California. For more information or to purchase conference registration, visit: SommConUSA.com.
Accommodations are available at the Westin Georgetown for SommCon attendees. Click here to make reservations.
ABOUT SOMMCON®: SommCon® is a leading conference and exposition for sommelier-level education and training of wine professionals and serious enthusiasts. Held annually, the conference brings together industry professionals of all levels to discuss, develop, and lead the conversation on the business of wine. SommCon’s® education is built by Sommeliers for trade professionals and serious enthusiasts who have a passion for wine and spirits and an unyielding quest for knowledge. Attendees learn and taste their way through keynote sessions and educational classes. SommCon® is produced by Fast Forward, an event management agency specializing in productions for the wine, beer, spirits and hospitality industries, fastforwardevents.com
