Luis Hernandez has displayed his passion for the industry since 2002, his culinary cocktail style has been recognized in the industry for his creative use of ingredients and techniques. He began his work in the kitchen before moving to the bar just shy of his 21st birthday. He has been in New York since 2013 and is currently the owner of Cocktail Illustrators Consulting and Brand Ambassador for Santa Teresa 1796 rum.

 Luis earned the NY titles in 2017 for Bombay Sapphire’s Most Imaginative Bartender and Bacardi Legacy, and won the national title in the 2019 Pau Maui Vodka’s Road to Maui Competition. With a huge emphasis on learning and education Luis has gone on to teach at the Bar Institute, USBG Regional Conference, Tales of the Cocktail, Bowery Collective and others as well as creating his own techniques to push the boundaries of normal flavor.

Hailing from Inglewood, California, Jodi graduated from Cal State Long Beach earning her BFA in Art Photography. While in school Jodi has worked as a line cook, a barista, and later found her creative outlet as a bartender in cocktail bars. For the last four years, Jodi has played an integral role in the evolution of The Normandie Club and later joined the opening team for The NoMad Hotel in Los Angeles.

Since 2015, Jodi began as an apprentice with the world-renowned Cocktail Apprentice Program at Tales Of The Cocktail in New Orleans. Through her dedication, she grew to become an Assistant Manager of Operations- overseeing and guiding forty apprentices each year. Jodi has worked on other cocktail conferences such as Tales On Tour in Edinburgh, San Antonio Cocktail Conference in Texas and Golden State Of Cocktails in California.

Jodi is a Trainer and Logistics Coordinator for Proprietors LLC. She is passionate about bar education and leading others to achieve their optimal performance. Jodi lives in Los Angeles.

Halfway through her bartending career, she realized that in order to take care of others, she had to take care of herself. The importance of balance and mindfulness is key to creating a healthy relationship with yourself mentally and physically.

Mony Bunni started in the hospitality industry as a hostess in Arlington Heights, Illinois. She worked at various restaurants in the Chicagoland Suburbs before moving into the city of Chicago at the age of 19. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BFA in Illustration and has a background in fine art. She was part of the opening staff at Sable Kitchen and Bar as a cocktail server, in March of 2010. At Sable, she found her passion for all things spirited, and has trained under some of Chicago’s most well respected hospitality professionals. She eventually worked her way up from cocktail server to bartender at Sable. She was the opening Bar Manager and Co-Beverage Director at Queen Mary Tavern. She was the Assistant Head Bartender at Boleo at The Kimpton Gray Hotel, was part of the team of critically acclaimed cocktail bar, Prairie School, and served as the Midwest Brand Ambassador of House of Lustau.

In November of 2016 she won the title of Miss Speedrack Midwest, and then became the first Chicago bartender, and woman of color to win the Speedrack National title in May of 2017. In 2018, she co-founded the mental health focused nonprofit, Support Staff alongside partners Kristina Magro and Laura Kelton, and is also currently serving as the Beverage Development Specialist of the Chicago-based wholesale distributor, Tenzing Wine and Spirits.

Amy Dunki is a Vermonter currently residing in Washington, DC. After graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in Math and Statistics, she has worked across the board from human rights and refugee advocacy to the hospitality industry. Amy is a former officer of the DC Craft Bartender's Guild and has been a bartender for over a decade. She cultivates strong community connections in an engaging and educational manner, from agricultural responsibility to environmental sustainability and community engagement to cultural immersion.

Amy is now a Senior Ambassador for Barr Hill and Caledonia Spirits and serves as team lead for their internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. She is a member of the Zero Waste Committee in the DC Sierra Club and of Bartenders Against Racism.

Upon seeing a need for restorative wellness amongst protestors at Black Lives Matter Plaza in front of the White House, Amy began to coordinating a Midnight Yoga series. Thanks to the community and local studios for their generous donations of yoga mats, a spectacular local DJ who donated his time and equipment to provide music and microphones, as well as the energetic and passionate yoga instructors, Midnight Yoga provided a much needed space for healing after a long day of protesting in the hot summer sun.

In addition to providing this mental wellness for protesters, it also was a way to engage the community in a peaceful community connection while outdoors and socially distant. It only took two sessions to grow from 35 to 200 participants, and it was clear how needed this space was. On the second event, an older woman completing her practice on a mat next to Amy, turned and said she had driven nearly an hour to come here with her son. Her husband had just passed away, and because he really loved Yoga she decided to give it a try here for the first time in his honor. It was a beautiful moment.

Mary has served both as Membership Director and an Advisor to the board of the Colorado Chapter of the United States Bartending Guild, is a graduate of the Beverage Alcohol Resource Program (BAR 5-DAY), and in addition to her recent roles as the Wine Director of the recently shuttered restaurant Morin and The Proper Pour bottle shop, she is the current Owner of Door Prize, Yacht Club, and a Facilitator at Jelly Bone.

While each has its own identity, a common influence throughout is her commitment to genuine hospitality, sustainability, and equity within the industry and beyond; a conscious commitment to health and wellness in her daily life is what allows her to stay focused, energized, and show up for herself and her team. Morin was awarded Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wine Lists 2019 and Mary was recently named a semifinalist for The Art of Plating Rising Talent Award.

Jessica Santiago, a native New Yorker, moved to Miami in 2017 to further her passion and career in health, wellness and fitness while looking for new challenges behind the bar. Since then, she has successfully accomplished both goals, while building relationships and partnerships in both industries. 

Jessica’s passion to help and empower others through their health met the artistic and purposeful attention to detail in 2013 when she obtained an AAS in Food Service Administration and Dietetic Nutrition. Both of her drastically different worlds finally had their opportunity to collide as one.

Fast forward to 2019, while working at Forbes Five-Star rated Faena Miami Beach Hotel, Jessica got back to her dance roots participating in Bacardi’s first ever Rum Shaker Bartender Dance Competition, an initiative to build strong, healthy habits in the local community of bartenders in Miami. Participating in Rum Shaker helped open the door to future partnerships with Bacardi USA including The Rum Shaker Dance Experience at Tales of the Cocktail 2019; The Great Bar Race Miami - Grey Goose; Raise the Bar - St. Germain. In early 2020 Jessica was inspired by relationships she had built between the fitness and hospitality industries, creating BARretender Fitness & Wellness to help advocate for the bar community. 

After spending three years working in boutique fitness at Flywheel Sports Miami Beach and Solidcore (Miami). Jessica has finally returned to her community roots as an instructor and trainer at the YMCA of Downtown Miami in addition to her continuous work with Bacardi USA for their corporate wellness program even while their employees continue to work from home during Covid-19. Adapting your fitness/training routine can be a challenge but with balance, like anything else, it is possible.