Bevnet

Sallie oversees Diageo’s investments in North America and sits on boards of various portfolio companies. Formerly, she helped launch and was Head of SAP.iO New York (corporate venture and innovation arm of SAP). She worked with SAP’s Corporate Development team on startup and growth equity investment and M&A opportunities. Prior to SAP, Sallie was a VP at SeedInvest where she was Head of the Venture Capital team. She was also CFO and Head of Business Development at Savile Row Society, a men’s e-commerce startup. Sallie began her career in financial services at Morgan Stanley Technology Investment Banking in Silicon Valley and General Atlantic in NYC. She graduated from the Haas Business Program at UC Berkeley. Sallie has been recognized by CNBC & America on Tech as a leader in Venture Capital and NYC Women in Fintech as a Top 50 Women Transforming FinTech. She is a frequent public speaker and has been invited to speak at Nasdaq, AdWeek, Retail X, NFT.NYC, SmartCon, Miami Hack Week, Solana, VC Summit, Women's Alternative Investment Summit, Supply Chain Revolution, and various business schools such as Fordham, Cornell Johnson, IESE, Stanford GSB, UC Berkeley.

Reza Mirza brings over 20 years of consumer product experience as Group CEO of Icelandic Glacial, a leading super-premium natural spring water. Prior to Icelandic Glacial, Mirza was President of Activate Drinks. Mirza has also held several management positions at Nestle Waters North America and at Colgate-Palmolive in New York and with Bosch in India. Reza graduated with a degree in biochemistry from the University of Madras, India, An MBA from the International Management Institute, New Delhi, and a Masters in International Business and International Affairs from Columbia University in New York.

Yanni Hufnagel is the Founder and CEO of The Lemon Perfect Company, maker of Lemon Perfect, a delicious and refreshing flavored lemon water with zero sugar and no artificial flavors or sweeteners. Powered by half a squeezed organic lemon in every bottle, Lemon Perfect contains only 5 calories, is high in immune-boosting vitamin C, and is proudly certified Plastic Neutral. Beyoncé-backed Lemon Perfect is the fastest-growing brand in the Flavor-Enhanced Water category and is widely considered one of the most innovative emerging beverages in the marketplace. The company's mission is to sustainably reimagine bottled water by promoting great-tasting, healthy hydration—anytime, anywhere, and for everyone. The Lemon Perfect Company is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Before starting Lemon Perfect, Hufnagel served as an assistant men’s college basketball coach, with stops at Nevada, California, Vanderbilt, Harvard, and Oklahoma. Hufnagel earned the reputation as one of the most dogged recruiters in America and was consistently lauded for signing nationally ranked recruiting classes. In Hufnagel’s 10 years coaching college basketball, his teams reached the NCAA Tournament six times.

Co-Founder & CEO of The Equitea Co., Quentin Vennie is a celebrated wellness expert, international keynote speaker, advocate for mental health and author of the bestselling memoir, Strong in the Broken Places. Quentin has been recognized as one of Black Enterprise magazine’s 100 Modern Men of Distinction and by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for his work in mental health and addiction recovery. He also appeared as the wellness keynote speaker for Colin Kaepernick’s “Know My Rights” Camp in Quentin’s hometown of Baltimore, MD. Quentin served on the advisory board for the Partnering for Student Wellness program, a mental health research study conducted by The University of Maryland and the University of South Carolina and has served on the advisory council for Lineage Project, a non-profit that teaches trauma-informed mindfulness practices to youth in New York City. Through his work with Equitea, Quentin is bringing his years of experience in wellness and mental health to the beverage industry, intersecting his love and passion for tea with his desire to increase equity in wellness, break down barriers for other founders of color and destigmatize mental health, one sip at a time.

Emily launched Sèchey in 2021 after over two decades in the luxury retail industry. She created the concept based on her own journey living alcohol free and discovering sophisticated alternatives for socializing and connecting. In a nod to the French word for “dry,” Sèchey is a destination for celebration fueled by the no/low movement and the cultural shift to non-alcoholic and functional beverages instead of alcohol.

As the Vice President of Merchandising at Gopuff, Max Crowley is responsible for overseeing the strategy and execution of product assortment, promotions, pricing, and digital placement to drive sales and provide a relevant, compelling assortment for customers. Max has extensive experience in creating, launching, and scaling startups. He joined Gopuff in 2020 following the acquisition of Bandit, a mobile-app-only coffee shop concept he co-founded. Under his leadership as CEO, Bandit, which integrated technology into the coffee retail experience, grew its presence in New York City before expanding to Austin, Texas. Prior to Bandit, Max spent seven years at Uber, starting as the 25th employee in 2011. He played a pivotal role in establishing Uber's operations in Chicago, the company's fourth market, and subsequently launched and led Uber for Business, which evolved into a significant division for the company.

Pauline Idogho is the Founder/CEO of Mocktail Club, a line of premium crafted ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails inspired by her quest to find sophisticated and better-for-you alternatives to alcohol. Prior to founding the company, Pauline had a 15-year career in investment banking, international development and clean energy finance. Companies she has worked for include the International Finance Corporation (the private arm of the World Bank). She has lived, worked and traveled around Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, which helped to inspire the rich and sophisticated flavor profiles of the Mocktail Club line. One percent of Mocktail Club's sales go to support clean water access globally through the organization Water for People. Pauline is a board member for Water for People. Pauline is also the Treasurer and head of the Finance Committee of the Adult NonAlcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA). Pauline is originally from Nigeria and moved to the UK when she was younger. She holds a Bachelors in Economics from Howard University and MBA in Finance from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Founder and CEO of non-alcoholic spirits retailer Boisson, Nick Bodkins has shepherded the brand to the forefront of the category. Graduating from the University of Central Florida, he cut his teeth at Universal Studios Orlando, orchestrating special event products a la Halloween Horror Nights and more. Relocating to New York, he accepted a job at Ogilvy Mather where he led campaigns for the likes of American Express and Barclays before spending two years at Tough Mudder, producing massive events and races throughout the United States and Canada. Following a stint at Active Network in Dallas, he became Director of Client Development for Simon Data. In the midst of the Global Pandemic, he and his pregnant wife sought non-alcoholic alternatives to continue the ritual of their post-work drink together. Recognizing a void in the market, the couple imagined a retail space tailored to sophisticated alternatives to alcohol. 43 days after devising the initial concept, Boisson—French for drink—opened its first brick-and-mortar locale in Brooklyn. Fueled by his experience powering marketing campaigns and events for numerous household name brands and uncontainable enthusiasm, he transformed the company from a nascent idea into a consumer favorite with five locations in New York, two in Los Angeles, one in San Francisco and Miami, a booming e-commerce business, and an even brighter future.

Karl Franz Williams had an unusual trajectory to where he is today. After graduating from Yale, he joined Procter and Gamble’s brand management team, later moving to Marketing at PepsiCo. After a few roles with increasing responsibility, he joined PepsiCo’s innovation and beverage development team but found himself consulting with mixologists instead of scientists. In 2008, he translated this love for well-crafted drinks into 67 Orange Street, the follow-up to his pioneering restaurant Society Coffee. 67 Orange Street is now one of the oldest and best cocktail bars in NYC (at almost 16 years old), and recently was acknowledged on Esquire’s list of the top 27 Bars in America. In 2016 Karl revived the iconic 80+ year old Anchor Spa in New Haven, turning it into a popular modern cocktail bar that still celebrates its historic roots. Karl is a sought-after speaker and consultant in branding, small business development, bar management, and spirits/mixology. In January of 2022 he launched Uncle Waithley’s Beverage Company which makes Uncle Waithley’s Vincy Brew, an all-natural authentic Caribbean Ginger Beer with Scotch Bonnet Pepper. You can find Uncle Waithleys in bars, restaurants, specialty markets, and grocery stores including Whole Foods Market. When he is not teaching a cocktail or spirits class or introducing people to his amazing ginger beer, he is spending time with his wife and two young sons. Or you may find him outside working out (huge calisthenics fan), biking, snowboarding, or just enjoying nature.

Bader Alam is the Founder & Managing Partner of Full Frame Growth Partners, a consumer-focused growth equity firm based in Austin, TX. Bader also serves as an advisor and strategic partner to Life Time Fitness, the largest health club chain in the US. Previously, Bader was a senior investor at CAVU Consumer Partners where he partnered with, had active board involvement, or served as an advisor to brands including Vital Proteins (acquired by Nestle), Waterloo Sparkling Water (acquired by Eurazeo Brands), ONE Bar (acquired by Hershey) and Nulo Pet Food (acquired by Apax Partners). Full Frame Growth Partners is a consumer-focused growth equity firm that partners with entrepreneurs in building high-growth and disruptive businesses. Full Frame’s unique playbook includes partnerships with major retailers in the natural and fitness club channels and a network of advisors who are highly sought after thought leaders in the consumer brands space. Full Frame looks to make equity investments of $10mm-$50mm. You can find out more about Full Frame at www.fullframegp.com.