Marketing Director,
Belle Isle Moonshine
I joined Belle Isle Moonshine as a one-person social & events team and grew into the company’s Marketing Director, leading a cross-functional team overseeing all creative, brand, digital, and field marketing efforts. Over seven years, I helped evolve the brand’s positioning, packaging, and social presence — turning regional recognition into national relevance.
highlights
Created an ongoing content series that secured credibility, community, and menu placements nationwide.
Produced a 15-city cocktail anthology that turned cocktail recipes into brand storytelling.
Designed and directed the launch of new RTD product line.
Landed major national press placements with Bon Appétit, Vogue, NPR, and more.
Directed teams of field marketing managers and brand ambassadors across 3 key markets, securing product placement at dozens of events quarterly.
Developed creative campaigns that turned company challenges into creative storytelling moments.
| CASE STUDY 01 |
behind the bar
social media photo + interview series
When Belle Isle first launched, we were the new premium spirit in a category dominated by mason jars and sugar bombs. Behind the Bar began as a local bartender interview and grew into a national content series that doubled as our best distribution strategy — getting bartenders to try our product, feature it on menus, and tell our story in their own words.
What started as barstool banter evolved into conversations about craft, culture, and the people behind the pour.
NEW ORLEANS
Marvin Allen, Carousel Bar & Lounge
-
“My favorite part of working in the Carousel would be the interacting of the different types of people, their cultures, and where they come from. The Carousel has become a destination bar, and it's great fun to educate our guests on the different cocktails of the city and have them experience a cocktail they may not get in their hometown. They also want the recipes so they can return home and recreate the cocktails.”
WASHING,D.C.
Sunny Seng, Kith/Kin
-
“I’m 40, so 32 years. Seriously, the first Mai Tai I ever made was in my father’s restaurant. It was probably against child labor laws, but this was the ‘80s. The service bar was back behind this blockade, and he was teaching me how to make a Mai Tai like, “More rum, boy!” So I literally made my first Mai Tai at eight years old, but I’ve been bartending professionally for 20 years.”
PITTSBURGH
Kimber Weissert, Butcher and the Rye
-
“No guilty pleasures… I drink what I drink with no shame. Give me a PBR and a shot of Old Grand-Dad and I am a happy woman.”
RICHMOND, VA
Kacie Shortridge, Laura Lee’s
-
“Women have most definitely made a strong name for themselves behind the bar, and there's no going back. In my own experience, women bring nurturing attitude and fluid energy behind the bar, more so than men alone. Of course, my absolute favorite is a mix of both masculine and feminine energies working together. When a man and woman can hold down a bar together, I feel like everyone instantly becomes more relaxed. There is something for everyone's comfort level and it eliminates that feeling of disparity between the two.
Women patrons have also been a huge part of the current cocktail movement. Today, you'll always find women right there in line to taste the next boozy concoction you've crafted and they are more than willing to tell you if it's balanced or not. It's awesome to see women take ownership over that knowledge and to become experts in the field.
As far as some people still living in the past, I've pretty much heard it all over the years. Sexist comments still get made and I don't think it's going away anytime soon. If it's in our society, it's going to be in our bars as well. Not too long ago, a man said to me, "You make a pretty good bourbon drink for a woman." Um... thanks?”
COLUMBIA, SC
Spencer Robinson, The War Mouth
-
“Never stop watching and listening. As a bartender still very new to the field, I think it is incredibly important to use every day as an opportunity to learn something new. The moment you stop listening and learning from others is the moment you’ve peaked.”
ROCHESTER
Nathaniel Hall, Swan Dive
-
“For bartenders and barbacks: greet customers with a smile, a menu, and water.
For patrons: don’t tap your credit card, don’t wave your money at me, and my name isn’t “Hey!” If you’re polite, you’ll receive proper hospitality back.”
| CASE STUDY 02 |
spring cleaning
social media campaign + recipe development
Vodka was the real competition, not other moonshines. To launch our new tagline, “Replace Your Vodka,” we gave our flavorless competitor a new purpose — cleaning. The campaign showed three better uses for vodka (polish, disinfect, repeat) while Belle Isle took its rightful place in recipe twists on classic vodka cocktails.
A cheeky reminder that real, local flavor beats basic neutral spirits any day.
PHOTO: Joey Wharton
-
Ingredients:
2 ½ oz. Belle Isle 100 Proof (or Black Label if you want a lower proof ‘tini)
½ oz. dry vermouth
½ oz. olive juice (optional)
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with olives, lemon twist, or any other garnish you'd like. Feel free to customize this recipe to make your ideal martini.
-
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Belle Isle Blood Orange
½ oz. Galliano
4 oz. fresh orange juice
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a mixing tin over ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
| CASE STUDY 03 |
The Moonshine Book, Vol. 3
print publication + social series
For the third volume of The Moonshine Book — our collection of Belle Isle cocktail recipes — I reimagined the series as more than a recipe book: a snapshot of cocktail culture across America. Over three weeks, I directed shoots and gathered recipes from bartenders in 15 cities, then led our in-house team through design and production.
The result was our most elevated, expansive, and brand-defining edition yet.
PHOTO: Joey Wharton & Kate Magee
| CASE STUDY 04 |
rebrand
visual ID and design system revamp
old branding
Belle Isle’s original branding carried charm, but it needed clarity and function. Partnering with designer Dan Strogiy, I led a modernization of our visual identity—simplifying the logo, tightening typography, and creating a cleaner system built to scale.
The most defining shift came in two words: swapping “Craft Spirits” for “Moonshine.” It was a small change that made a bold statement — owning our category instead of tiptoeing around it.
new branding
some fun secondary elements we created to add variety and scale to our evolving visual identity
As Belle Isle expanded nationally, we faced a new challenge: winning over drinkers and bars that had never touched moonshine. Our early success came from craft cocktail bars, but broader distribution meant reaching neighborhood dives and volume-focused spots, where the category itself needed more introduction. The most common question? “How do I drink moonshine?”
Our answer was Go-To Drinks — a series of approachable, repeatable recipes featuring our core products. Complete with recipe cards, batching guides, and in-bar signage, the campaign turned education into easy adoption and made moonshine feel instantly familiar.
| CASE STUDY 05 |
go-to drinks
signature recipe development, brand evolution
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
COLD BREW NEGRONI
| CASE STUDY 06 |
canned cocktails
packaging design, product line + brand expansion
When developing packaging for Belle Isle’s new line of canned cocktails, we aimed to capture the brand’s modern moonshine soul in a more approachable form. The design leaned sleek and minimal, with playful elements that reflected the ease and accessibility of the product itself.
We studied the ready-to-drink shelf and created a system that felt familiar enough to belong—but distinct enough to stand out. The result: packaging that made moonshine look right at home in a cooler.
| CASE STUDY 07 |
press placements
As Belle Isle’s primary media contact, I scored big wins by landing press placements in key local and national publications (in collaboration with Golden Word PR).
FUN FACT:You can see me pitching products in the background of a BA Test Kitchen video here.
| CASE STUDY 08|
influencer partnerships
To support Belle Isle’s national expansion, I developed and directed influencer partnerships that brought our “modern moonshine” story to new audiences. By focusing on creators in food, beverage, and home entertaining, we aligned the brand with voices that made cocktail culture feel approachable.
Each collaboration showcased Belle Isle as a versatile, premium replacement for vodka—and helped turn digital content into real-world trial in new markets.
-
To coincide with our launch in the New Orleans market, we partnered with lifestyle influencer couple Matt & Beau (of @probablythis) to develop a content series that highlighted Belle Isle products as a smooth and versatile replacement for vodka.
-
As part of our rollout in the Atlanta market, we partnered with lifestyle influencer Erica Key (of @eatingwitherica) to develop a content series featuring Belle Isle cocktail recipes with a specific focus on entertaining for holidays and parties.
-
We partnered with style influencer Shanna Battle (of @shannaabattle) for our Field Guide content series, which explored the neighborhoods of our hometown Richmond, while highlighting other local businesses and featured Belle Isle cocktails on bar menus around the city.