Boulder, Colo. — The Brewers Association—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers—announced its 2024 board of directors, with three new representatives joining the 18-person board. The directors gathered in Boulder Feb. 14-15 for the first of its regular quarterly meetings.

Leah Cheston, owner of Right Proper Brewing Co. (Washington, D.C.), started her first term as board chair. Cheston has served on the board since 2019 and is the first Brewpub representative to lead the association’s board of directors, and only the second woman chairperson since Kim Jordan (New Belgium Brewing Co., 2005-2007).

Incumbent board member Chris Herron, CEO of Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Ga.), and at-large board members Pam Brulotte, owner of Icicle Brewing Co. (Leavenworth, Wash.), and Fred Matt, president of Saranac Brewery/Matt Brewing Co. (Utica, N.Y.), were elected as Packaging Brewery representatives. New board member Jess Griego, COO and owner of Bosque Brewing Co. (Albuquerque, N.M.), was elected as Brewpub representative. New board member Nicole Smith, co-owner of South Lake Brewing Co. (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.), was elected as a Taproom Brewery representative. The incoming directors will each serve a three-year term.

New board member Audra Gaiziunas, an owner in DSSOLVR (Asheville, N.C.), was elected by the board to a two-year at-large seat, and board member Shawna Cormier of Seattle Beer School (Burien, Wash.) was elected by the board to fill a one-year at-large seat.

Cheston thanked outgoing board members Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Souls Brewing, Co. (San Antonio, Texas), Betty Bollas of Fibonacci Brewing Co. (Cincinnati, Ohio), Dan Kleban of Maine Beer Co.(Portland, Maine), Virginia Morrison of Second Chance Brewing Co. (San Diego, Calif.), Peter Skrbek of Deschutes Brewery (Bend, Ore.), and  Roxanne Westendorf of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) Committee, for their combined 29 years of service.

“I’m honored to embark on my first term as chair. Our industry is facing challenging times, but I look forward to working alongside my colleagues whose passion, expertise, and dedication will lead us towards a path where small and independent breweries can thrive,” said Cheston. “Thank you for your trust. Let’s work together to ensure a strong future for our brewing community.”

The 2024 Brewers Association Board of Directors is comprised of the following members:

(*indicates new to the board in 2024)

Executive Committee

Chair – Leah Cheston, Right Proper Brewing Co., Washington, DC
Vice Chair/Treasurer – Chris Herron, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Athens, GA
Secretary – Melissa Romano, Lake Anne Brewhouse, Reston, VA
Past Chair – Garrett Marrero, Craft ‘Ohana, Kihei, HI
Brewers Association President & CEO – Bob Pease

Packaging Brewers Representative Board Members

Tomme Arthur, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Pamela Brulotte, Icicle Brewing Co., Leavenworth, WA
Chris Herron, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Athens, GA
Garrett Marrero, Craft ‘Ohana, Kihei, HI
Fred Matt, Saranac Brewery/Matt Brewing Co., Utica, NY
Jason Perkins, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Mitch Steele, New Realm Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA

Pub Brewers Representative Board Members

Leah Cheston, Right Proper Brewing Co., Washington, DC
*Jess Griego, Bosque Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Jason Lavery, Lavery Brewing Co., Erie, PA
Kris Spaulding, Brewery Vivant, Grand Rapids, MI

Taproom Brewers Representative Board Members

Holly Redding, Winchester Brew Works, Winchester, VA
Melissa Romano, Lake Anne Brewhouse, Reston, VA
*Nicole Smith, South Lake Brewing Co., South Lake Tahoe, CA

At-Large Board Members

Tim Brady, Whetstone Beer Co., Brattleboro, VT
Shawna Cormier, Seattle Beer School, Burien, WA
Colby Cox, Pure Madness Brewery Group, Jackson, WY
*Audra Gaiziunas, DSSOLVR, Asheville, NC

Committee Chairs

AHA – Shawna Cormier
Brewpubs – Jess Griego & Jason Lavery
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Pam Brulotte & Amy Martin
Events – Tim Brady
Executive – Leah Cheston
Finance – Audra Gaiziunas & Chris Herron
Governance – Melissa Romano
Government Affairs – Garrett Marrero
Human Resources – Kris Spaulding
Market Development – Fred Matt
Public Relations & Marketing – Colby Cox & Fred Matt
Taprooms – Holly Redding
Technical – Jason Perkins & Mitch Steele

The board of directors guides the strategic direction of the Brewers Association. It governs the activities of the professional division of the BA as well as the American Homebrewers Association, Brewers Publications, and events, including the Great American Beer Festival^® and the Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America^®.

“The brewing industry is navigating a landscape that demands resilience, innovation, and collaboration. I look forward to working alongside the 2024 board to tackle these challenges and emerge stronger together,” commented Bob Pease, president and CEO of the Brewers Association. “We thank the board members for committing their time, knowledge, and experience to serve our membership.”

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,600-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The Brewers Association organizes events, including the World Beer Cup^®, Great American Beer Festival^®, Craft Brewers Conference^® & BrewExpo America^®, National Homebrew Competition, and American Craft Beer Week^®. The BA publishes The New Brewer^® and Zymurgy^® magazines, and Brewers Publications^® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com^® and about homebrewing via the American Homebrewers Association^®. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.