The Speakers

As Molson Coors' Vice President of Marketing for Above Premium Beer since 2023, Courtney Benedict is responsible for building and energizing some of the most iconic brands in the U.S. industry, including Blue Moon, Peroni and Leinenkugel.

Courtney's role is integral to Molson Coors' ambition to premiumize its beer portfolio. Recently, she has reimagined how the Blue Moon family of brands shows up creatively, visually and commercially while also leading Peroni's continued expansion in the U.S. market. Over her nearly 10-year tenure with Molson Coors, Courtney has worked across many beer brands in the company's U.S. and Canadian portfolios, including a 5 year stint on Miller Lite when she developed the "Know Your Beer" in-bar blind taste challenge, navigated competitive attacks like the famous Super Bowl #corntroversy, and led some of the brand's most buzzed-about marketing, her personal favorite being the Ridiculously Long Calorie Burning URL.

An Ohio native, Courtney began her career at Unilever and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University as well as an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two daughters, and when she's not working, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and belting Disney jams with her daughters. 

Justin Fenchel is a Co-Founder and CEO at BeatBox Beverages, an 11.1% RTD Party Punch served in eco-friendly, resealable Tetra Pak containers. He is an avid fan of music festivals and bringing people together around shared experiences. Leading BeatBox’s growth and seeing the impact the company is having, connecting people all over the country via the brand, is a dream come true. Fenchel grew up in Southern California and has lived in Austin since 2011. He received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from Pomona College, and his MBA in Entrepreneurship from the McCombs School of Business in Austin, TX.

Fenchel is a 2024 recipient of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award. Prior to founding BeatBox, Fenchel spent five-years as an Equity Analyst with Bel Air Investment Advisors.

Randy is a Managing Director of Paragon Beverage Advisors, LLC and has spent over 25 years in the beer industry. Randy co-founded Paragon Beverage Advisors in 2015 and has completed over $3 Billion in buy-side and sell-side beverage transactions in his career.  Prior to founding Paragon, Randy spent 16 years with an industry leading supplier in executive positions leading the Wholesaler Development group, as well as other strategy and operations management roles. In addition to his experience in mergers and acquisitions, Randy has extensive experience in finance and operations at the wholesale level, having managed those functions for a division with annual sales of $1.5 Billion.  He has also served in leadership roles as a member of the Board of Directors for Craft Brew Alliance.

Randy has presented to many industry groups, including at the NBWA annual convention seminars, NBWA Next Generation group, at the Beer Marketer’s Insights Conference, state wholesaler associations, and wholesaler best practice groups.

Through years of varying leadership roles and experiences, Randy has developed strong relationships with independent wholesaler owners/management, supplier executives, and financial institutions.  He has directed the development and implementation of numerous wholesaler strategies and initiatives, building trust and confidence along the way through thorough analysis, honest conversations, and creative problem solving. Randy is dedicated to understanding the strategic goals of clients and delivering results.

Alison (Ali) Payne is the Chief Marketing Officer at HEINEKEN USA, where she leads U.S. marketing efforts across a diverse portfolio, including brands like Heineken, Dos Equis, Red Stripe, and Tecate. Ali brings a wealth of experience to this role, having previously driven significant success as the head of Marketing, Innovation, and E-Commerce for HEINEKEN USA's Mexican Beer Portfolio, including brands Dos Equis and Tecate.

Prior to her U.S. return, Ali served as the Marketing Excellence and Global Brand Director at Heineken N.V. based in Amsterdam, leading the global marketing transformation agenda across brand building, media, data, martech and commercial effectiveness. Specifically, she led the global expansion of Birra Moretti and the future brands portfolio with the world’s leading cider, Strongbow. 

Before joining HEINEKEN, Ali drove global snack innovation at PepsiCo (Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos) and spearheaded Special K's global expansion at Kellogg. In addition, she has served in key marketing roles at Diageo in both Europe and U.S. for Guinness, Smirnoff & Captain Morgan.

Ali holds a BA in Commerce from the University of New South Wales, Australia and an MBA from London Business School, UK. 

Brandy Rand has over 20 years of experience across the beverage alcohol industry. She is the Founder and CEO of ThirstWell, a trusted advisory partner to multinational corporations, financial institutions, data businesses, and C-level executives. 

Previously, Brandy was the Chief Strategy Officer at IWSR Drinks Market Analysis where she built a market-leading U.S. practice and developed global analytics and insights.  She also held roles at Bacardi Limited and Allied Domecq Spirits & Wines and has been part of several founder-led businesses in drinks. 

Brandy is a known expert on category and consumer trends and is a frequent speaker at industry events. Her insights have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fortune, Forbes, CBS Marketplace, Bloomberg and other publications.

Christopher Shepard writes and edits, follows trends and analyzes data for the family of beer industry trade publications from Beer Marketer’s Insights. He's a Senior Editor of craft-focused newsletter Craft Brew News and editor of Alcohol Issues INSIGHTS, covering crucial alcohol policy and science issues. He frequently presents at industry conferences and plays key roles in building BMI's annual data reports and webinars. Chris studied theatre, dance and English at Muhlenberg College. He writes poetry, dances and hikes near his home in the suburbs of New York City.

Chris Steffanci is the President and CEO of Columbia Distributing, one of the largest total beverage distributors in the United States, based in Seattle, Washington. With 28 years of experience in the beverage industry, Chris is known for his high-energy, results-oriented leadership style. He is a transformational leader who blends strategic vision with an unwavering commitment to empowering teams at every level of the organization. His ability to inspire collaboration and drive alignment has been a critical factor in his success, helping organizations adapt to change and achieve sustainable growth.

Throughout his career, Chris has led diverse teams, navigated complex business landscapes, and inspired innovation through senior leader roles across sales, marketing, and strategic operations. He began his career at E. & J. Gallo Winery before transitioning to the beer industry, where he found his true passion. Over the years, Chris has held key leadership positions with some of the most prominent global and domestic brewers, including Diageo, Heineken USA, and Pabst Brewing Company.

In October 2007, at the age of 34, Chris was recognized with New York's 40 Under 40 award while serving as Senior Vice President of Sales for Heineken’s U.S. operations. He is an active member of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and the American Cancer Society’s CEOs Against Cancer Washington State Chapter. Chris has been featured in various industry publications, including Beverage Journal, and is a sought-after speaker at industry events, sharing his insights on leadership, strategy, and the future of the beverage distribution landscape.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire.

David Steinman joined Beer Marketer's INSIGHTS September 2013 and represents the 3rd generation at the company along with his brother Jason. David worked for years as Senior Editor of Craft Brew News and Senior Editor across all Beer Marketer's INSIGHTS publications before he was appointed VP/Executive Editor in 2022. 

Prior to BMI, David worked for two years as Marketing Coordinator at Long Trail/Otter Creek Brewing Company in Vermont. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a major in Business and a minor in Music. In his spare time, David is an avid guitar player and snowboarder.

Bart Watson is President and CEO of the Brewers Association (BA). He started with the BA in 2013 and held the roles of Chief Economist and VP of Membership and Strategy prior to becoming CEO. Prior to his position with the BA, he was a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley and a visiting assistant professor at the University of Iowa. He holds a B.A. from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.