About the Moderator:

Cha McCoy is a Sommelier, Public Speaker, and the founder of Cha Squared Consulting LLC, a wine experience company focused on events, tourism, and education. In addition, she leads Cherry Bombe Magazine as their Beverage Director & Editor for their new vertical Cherry Bombe Drinks. Cha is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of The Master Sommeliers and WSET Level 3 Candidate. McCoy has been recognized by the Wine Enthusiast as Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers, and Wine & Spirits Rising Black Voices in Wine. Her events services include clients such as the prestigious, James Beard Foundation and most recently a virtual tasting on NBC’s Today Show. Her work has been celebrated for making wine more accessible, dismantling what she calls palate discrimination in food & beverage, through her initiatives including but not limited to her signature wine dinner series ‘The Communion’ which she has hosted in 5 countries over 3 years. Cha is very active these days providing virtual sommelier services and curating experiences for her new wine club, Flight Cru.

Now with roots planted in Lisbon, Portugal, Rome, Italy, this native New Yorker is currently conspiring with female chefs, female winemakers, and female distillers on ways to disrupt the hospitality industry on both continents and making the industry more inclusive.