Leadership
The Texas Food and Wine Alliance (TFWA) board is an all-volunteer group of individuals that embody the heart and soul of the Texas food community. Representing the diversity of the statewide culinary scene, TFWA board members help move the organization forward to continuously innovate and expand our culinary grant and education programs and one-of-a-kind events.
The TFWA board strives to create and sustain a support system for the next generation of Texas culinary artisans, from budding chefs and tenacious food entrepreneurs to aspiring farmers and Texas high school students seeking a culinary career.
Executive Leadership
Valerie McCubbins
Treasurer
GALE
Valarie McCubbins is a marketing and growth leader with more than 20 years of experience helping food, beverage, hospitality, and mission-driven brands grow with intention. Through her work at GALE, she has partnered with emerging and nationally recognized organizations to translate craft, values, and purpose into clear storytelling and sustainable growth. Her approach is rooted in a deep understanding of human behavior—how people discover, connect with, and stay loyal to the brands and producers they believe in.
As a board member of the Texas Food & Wine Alliance, Valarie brings a consumer and storytelling perspective to advancing the organization’s mission to champion Texas producers and strengthen local food systems. She lives in South Austin with her husband and their German Shepherd, Allie, and is endlessly interested in food culture, wine, and the stories behind the people who make what we eat and drink.
Hunter Townsend
secretary
Consumable Content
Hunter Townsend is the Founder and Creative Director of Consumable Content, an Austin-based creative agency. The agency specializes in food, beverage, and hospitality marketing, providing social media management, food photography, and digital marketing services to restaurants and brands in Central Texas
Directors
Sara Hoing
Giant Noise Public Relations
Sara Hoing joined Giant Noise in 2016, bringing with her a passion for culinary and lifestyle PR. Originally from Colorado, she began her career in Denver at Baltz & Company, a New York based PR firm specializing in hospitality and lifestyle. Her experience there sparked her love for food and restaurant PR, ultimately leading her to Austin. At Giant Noise, Sara works with a diverse range of clients, including restaurants, food festivals, events, and entertainment projects. Notable clients include Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, Suerte/Este, FBR Management Group, Hill Country Galleria, Field Guide Festival, and Downright Austin.
Jamie Cohen
Tony and Luigi’s Ristaurante
Jamie Cohen has been part of the food service industry since his brother threw him in the walk-in to stuff mushrooms at the ripe, old age of 13. That experience was so addictive that he would spend the next 42 years working in every facet of restaurants from back to the front-of-house, department head C-suite, board member, and now ownership. After graduating from UMASS Hotel Restaurant School in 1992, he and his future wife, Monique, moved to Texas. For the next 25 years, he helped grow the Jason’s Deli brand from 24 to 275 stores while raising three wonderful children. He then served as the COO of Kerbey Lane Café through the horrific Covid years. In 2022, he purchased Tony and Luigi’s Ristaurante (correct spelling, great story). He has never had more fun in his life! When not sweeping the floor at the restaurant, you can find him cathartically cooking outside in his man kitchen, golfing, hunting, looking for the next grail watch, enjoying a cigar and glass of Irish whiskey, and driving his family nuts.
Larry Miller, II
Larry Miller II is a hospitality leader and beverage professional with nearly two decades of experience shaping guest experiences across Austin’s culinary and spirits landscape. As Restaurant Manager at Dean’s Italian Steakhouse, he oversees daily operations for one of the city’s premier dining destinations, leading a team of more than 30 and cultivating a culture grounded in excellence, mentorship, and genuine hospitality.
Before joining Dean’s, Larry spent over a decade with Louisville Distilling Company as a Brand Ambassador and Regional Sales Manager. His work championed education, relationship‑building, and market activation, including leading the Whiskey Guardian program and executing large‑scale events across multiple regions.
Larry’s career includes leadership roles at Juliet Italian Kitchen, Péché, and The Belmont, where he developed beverage programs, trained teams, and contributed to award‑winning bar and wine offerings. He holds WSET Level II and Executive Bourbon Steward certifications, underscoring his commitment to beverage education and craft.
Beyond the industry, Larry is deeply engaged in community and youth development. He has served on the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Leadership Team and has coached youth basketball, soccer, and football throughout Central Texas. His leadership is defined by empathy, discipline, and a passion for elevating others — whether in the dining room or on the field.
Matthew Lawson
Texas Food Championship
Matthew is the Founder and Event Director for the Texas Food Championship.
From Walt Disney World, to serving Forbes Top 25 families as a private chef, to the historic Mayo Hotel in Tulsa, to being part of the Houston Astros organization, Matthew has had the opportunity to see what excellence looks like at the highest level.
Kristina Zhao
Dashi Sichuan Kitchen + Bar | Sichuan House
Kristina is the Chinese-American restaurateur behind acclaimed restaurants DASHI Sichuan Kitchen + Bar and Sichuan House. She cooks to bridge cultural differences and reimagines the American dining experience by bringing real tastes of Sichuanese cuisine to the limelight, expanding the boundaries of Sichuanese cuisine in San Antonio — one of only two UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy in the United States. The University of Texas alumna also serves as a member of the San Antonio Food & Beverage Committee and the IPW 2023 Task Force, board member of Musical Bridges Around the World, was a former San Antonio UNESCO City of Gastronomy Ambassador, and hosted the first James Beard Taste America Tour event in San Antonio at her latest concept, DASHI Sichuan Kitchen + Bar. The San Antonio-native is highly active in the local gastronomic scene and strives to ignite passions and provide opportunities for world-class chefs living in obscurity to level up and create their legacy.
Reid Schwartz
President
Vital Farms
Reid Schwartz is the Director of Communications at Vital Farms, a national consumer brand that works with over 625 small farms and is the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs by retail dollar sales. At Vital Farms, Schwartz helps lead public relations, brand partnerships and community relations efforts. Prior to Vital Farms, Schwartz spent nearly fourteen years at the global communications firm Edelman, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing. A Houston native, Schwartz is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in public relations with a concentration in business.
Anna Tauzin-neave
Vice-President
Sweet Treats Bakery & The GoodKind Consulting
Anna (Tauzin) Neave is a Fractional CMO for restaurant and hospitality brands, partnering with teams across Texas and the United States with a passion for hospitality, growth, and creative brand strategy. She is the founder of The Good Kind, a marketing agency and consultancy, and she is also the Co-Owner and CEO of Sweet Treats Bakery in Austin.
Previously, Anna served as Chief Marketing Officer at Molak Corporation, overseeing marketing for restaurants, retail, and entertainment brands including Gruene Hall and Gristmill. Her background also includes leading marketing at Big Chicken (co-founded by Shaquille O’Neal), along with roles at ChowNow, the Texas Restaurant Association, and the National Restaurant Association.
Justin Spencer
New Waterloo
Justin's love affair with hospitality started at 13, when he found himself taking over line cook duties for a busy summer restaurant. He has spent the following 32 years working in all aspects of restaurant operations, fueling his passion and sating his appetite for all things food and beverage. After spending a good portion of his twenties in NYC fine dining, Justin moved back to Austin to start a family. There, he began working with New Waterloo where he currently serves as the Head of Food and Beverage, overseeing Restaurant Operations for the nation-wide hospitality management company. In his spare time, Justin likes to cook for his family & friends, play music and participate in BBQ competitions
Amanda Laden
Austin Wine Week
Amanda Laden is the Founder of Austin Wine Week, a citywide celebration spotlighting wine, culture, and community through immersive tastings, events, and storytelling. Through Austin Wine Week and her platform VinoKarma, she blends her passion for wine, travel, and bold experiences to create moments that spark connection, conversation, and discovery—bringing people together one glass at a time.
Jessica Sanders
President Emeritus
DrinkWell
Jessica Sanders is a bar/restaurant owner and hospitality consultant based in Austin, Texas. She is the owner and operator of DrinkWell, an award-winning cocktail bar and neighborhood gastropub in Austin’s vibrant North Loop district. Sanders is a 2024 alumni of the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program. Her inventive bar & hospitality programs have been featured in numerous publications including Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Texas Monthly and Southern Living. Under Jessica's leadership, DrinkWell was named 2022 'Cocktail Bar of the Year' at the Bar & Restaurant Expo Industry Excellence Awards and has been nominated multiple times for Best U.S. Cocktail Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. Her professional endeavors also include cocktail catering for off-site events, spirits education, and bar/beverage menu consulting through her company, Paper Boat Hospitality. She is a 3-time finisher of the New York City marathon, a voracious reader, karaoke enthusiast, aspiring gourmand, and curious traveler. She lives in Bastrop, Texas with her partner and their one year old puppy, Barry.
Emeritus
Shaady Ghadessy
Aramark
Shaady Ghadessy is a Regional Marketing Director at Aramark, where she strategically implements marketing programs across higher education, healthcare, and business dining lines of business. Shaady began her career in nonprofits at the Texas State History Museum and was on the opening team of the Long Center for the Performing Arts – Austin’s creative home. Following the Long Center, she joined the opening team of the W Austin hotel overseeing marketing efforts. Her work was recognized with the 2015 Austin Under 40 award for Culinary Arts and Hospitality. Following her time at Starwood Hotels, she was promoted to the global brand marketing team for sister brand, Le Meridien in New York, where she supported global marketing efforts for the Parisian brand. Unable to trade bagels for breakfast tacos, Shaady moved back to Austin in 2016 to join healthy on-the-go meal provider, Snap Kitchen. In this role, she led brand marketing efforts for the 35 retail shops across Texas and Philadelphia. She also helped the organization grow into an omnichannel business with the introduction of its subscription meal plan service.
Tara Chapman
Two Hives Honey, Good and Ready Provisions
Tara Chapman is the founder and owner of Two Hives Honey, a honey and beekeeping business in Austin, TX, and Good and Ready Provisions, a yaupon tea company. Chapman started her career working in intelligence for the federal government, but a chance beekeeping class inspired her to quit her job and become a beekeeper. An accomplished speaker and educator, she is asked to speak and educate beekeepers across the United States each year and has taught thousands of beekeepers in her ten year tenure. She has been featured on the Today Show, VICE Media, Amtrak's magazine The National, and others. Chapman has an upcoming book on beekeeping from the University of Texas Press expected in August 2024. Chapman has a Level One Certification in Honey Sensory from the American Honey Tasting Society and a Bachelor's Degree from Duke University.
Cathy Cochran-Lewis
Cathy Cochran-Lewis has actively worked in the American culinary scene for more than 20 years. She co-founded the Austin Food & Wine Alliance in 2011 and served as the organization’s first president. Starting as a daily newspaper journalist, she followed her passion into the culinary world to develop and open cooking schools across the country. She has served on numerous culinary boards and national award panels, including the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She co-founded the Austin Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a worldwide organization of culinary professional women, and served on that organization’s international board. After 16 years in global marketing and PR with Whole Foods Market, Cathy now serves as Retail Marketing Director for Wicked Foods, Inc., a global pioneering food brand creating plant-based cuisine and products.
Brian Floyd
Barman’s Fund & Austin Shaker
Floyd’s love of community has led to a long and happy career in hospitality. He has worn many hats: founder, partner, director, manager, bartender and dishwasher (he’s a really good dishwasher). Floyd’s heart of service led him to create the Barman’s Fund in NYC in 2011, a grassroots fundraising organization that has had chapters across the nation, serving as a blueprint for service industry members who want to actively support their communities. He is deeply honored to support the Texas food anf beverage community through the Texas Food & Wine Alliance.
Harshit Gupta
Madhu Chocolate
Harshit Gupta, an ex-software engineer who had previously worked at Microsoft, Tableau, and Salesforce, embarked on an American journey in 2008 as an immigrant pursuing higher education. In 2018, he co-founded Madhu Chocolate with his husband, Elliott Curelop. Their Indian-inspired chocolate creations garnered widespread acclaim, including two prestigious Good Food awards and the esteemed Texas Food and Wine Alliance grant in 2020. Harshit proudly represents the South Asian LGBTQ+ community within the American chocolate and food industry. Beyond entrepreneurial pursuits, he finds joy in spending quality time with his two dogs, Rani and Pablo. Gupta's zest for life is evident in his love for hiking, extensive travel, and his extroverted nature, thriving on social connections.
Christina Crean
Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Christina Crean relocated from Washington DC to Austin in 2011 seeking warmer temps and new adventures. With a passion for the service industry, she added to her east coast experience by working front-of-house at Porter Alehouse and Gastropub. In 2016, she transitioned to Tito’s Handmade Vodka taking on the role of managing and expanding their philanthropic event presence in Austin. Her impact was significant, effectively doubling the number of charity events Tito’s contributes to in Texas and cultivating strong nonprofit relationships across the state. In her current role as Regional Sales Activation Manager, Crean provides support to event coordinators in 14 states. Her expertise contributes to expanding and elevating philanthropic events and programs throughout the region. Beyond her professional commitments, Crean loves spending time with her dogs and family, horseback riding, and exploring the Austin culinary scene. She is a member of Les Dames de Escoffier – Austin Chapter and holds the position of Board Vice President for Horselink.
Rogelio Puente
Co-Creative Director
Designer, photographer, and chilaquiles (with a fried egg) enthusiast. With a design career that spans more than 14 years, Rogelio Puente’s branding and advertising campaigns have earned him multiple awards including the American Advertising Awards (ADDYs) in both Austin and Oklahoma City and recognitions from LogoLounge and Graphis. After working in publishing, he founded an award-winning creative agency in 2008. Nearly 12 years later, he sold his stake to pursue new endeavors. Rogelio supports the Austin Food & Wine Alliance as a co-creative director alongside his wife, Rachel Landers. The role brings together his love for design, photography and good food. Rogelio was born in Mexico City, Mexico and raised in Austin, Texas. It is quite possible that by now he has Tex-Mex and barbecue running through his veins.
Rachel Landers
Co-Creative Director
Biscuits and gravy. Rachel’s love affair with food started with this perfect combo, and she has been celebrating good food ever since. She is the founder and chief creative at Rachel Landers Creative Studio, which supports culinary and retail brands, among others. Before she launched her design firm in 2016, she was a Senior Designer on Whole Foods Market’s Global Marketing Team for more than five years where she designed and art directed national and international campaigns. During her 15-year career in design, her work has been seen in multiple national print and broadcast outlets, including HOW magazine. She also received a Shorty Award for best brand on Pinterest for her work with Whole Foods Market. Rachel has a M.A. in Advertising with an emphasis in Art Direction from the University of Texas-Austin and a B.A. in Marketing and Spanish from Illinois College. She believes in the power of good design, the magic of international food markets, and the need for lengthy meals with friends. You’ll often find her at Olamaie, where the biscuits are the real deal.