Who We Are

WHO ARE WE?

The Pink Boots Society® are the movers and shakers in the fermented and alcoholic beverage industry. We make fermented beverages with the highest possible quality. We are the women and non-binary individuals that own the companies, package the product, design the labels, serve the drinks, write about our industry – and just about everything in between. Most importantly, we teach each other what we know through our own seminar programs, and we help each other advance both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house careers by raising money for educational scholarships.

WHY A CANADA CHAPTER? 🇨🇦

  • Q: When did we start this chapter?
  • A: Back in January 2020, several passionate women from the Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto Pink Boot Society Chapters came together over several Google meetups to discuss the need for a Canadian voice. And, in November 2020 Pink Boots Society Canada was officially incorporated!
  • Q: Do we cover all of Canada?
  • A: Yes, we cover all ten provinces and the three territories. Wherever Canada makes fermented beverages, we can have members. Plus, it makes for a fantastic possible road trip to visit ALL our member establishments, right?
  • Q: What makes Pink Boots Society Canada unique?
  • A: We amalgamated the existing chapters (including Toronto and BC) to bring our members more collective opportunities to network, learn and advance their careers
  • We secured lower annual membership fees
  • We have scholarships and opportunities specific to our Canadian members
  • We have board members that know and work in Canada
  • Even in a country of over 38 million people, we can still create a small, close-knit community
  • Q: What do we want to do with the Canada Chapter?
  • A: We continue to create new and exciting scholarship opportunities for our members
  • We advocate for an equitable and safe industry
  • We promote our member’s achievements and their establishments through monthly spotlights and our social channels
  • We foster new and important industry partnerships

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

We work towards diversity, inclusion, and acceptance of all women and non-binary individuals in the fermented beverage industry.  We welcome all and their ideas and foster a respectful and empowering organization that values what each of our members brings to the organization.

OUR CORE VALUES

INCLUSION: There is a place for everyone here. We work towards diversity and acceptance of all women and non-binary folks in the fermented beverage industry. We value respectful dialogue and opinions and offer a safe place to be yourself. 

LEARNING: We are here to provide educational opportunities for our members. We commit to ongoing learning and education to evolve our organization to contribute positive leadership and adapt to the needs of our community.

ACCOUNTABILITY: We offer and receive constructive feedback to improve our organization continuously. This ensures others feel their contributions are valued, even when there are disagreements. We learn from our mistakes and are transparent to our membership.

OPENNESS: We value creativity and curiosity. We strive to be approachable, actively listen and encourage others to contribute and speak up. We are adaptable to the needs of our members.

COMMUNITY: We choose to be part of a community where we share our knowledge, resources, and skills. We strive to create a network for members to connect with and support each other.

MEET YOUR BOARD

PRESIDENT: NATASHA PEISKAR (SHE/HER)

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER, Alberta
Production Supervisor, Canada Malting Co, Alberta

Natasha is one of the founders of Pink Boots Society Canada, an Advanced Certified Cicerone ®, and co-creator of the 2019 Yakima Chief Hops Pink Boots hop blend.

“Being a co-founder of the Canada chapter has been a transformative journey since its inception. Working alongside other passionate women has motivated and inspired me to see a bright future for our chapter. As an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion for women and non-binary folks in the fermented beverage sector I am excited to develop programming and opportunities specific to our Canadian members.”

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VICE PRESIDENT: MARIANNE MAGEE

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER, Ontario

Marianne joined Pink Boots Society in 2019 and quickly fell in love with the community and the acceptance of Society members. Volunteering with the Pink Boots Society Toronto Chapter as the Chapter Financial Liaison brought her many new experiences, but her proudest moment was putting her boots to the ground and forming Pink Boots Society Canada. With her strong background in non-profit work, specializing in Board Governance, she looks forward to continuing the important work of building Pink Boots Society Canada

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COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBERSHIP: LUNDY DALE

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER, B.C.
Membership Coordinator, BC Craft Brewers Guild. BC

When she’s not spending quality time with a good IPA, (or brewing one) she’s the Membership Coordinator and Community Manager for the BC Craft Brewers Guild, and beer reviewer/coordinator for What’s Brewing/Beer Me BC.

A Pink Boots Society member since 2010. Lundy’s been a part of the BC craft brewing industry for over 20 years. Not only was she the first female Certified Cicerone® in Western Canada, but in 2018, she received the inaugural BC Beer Awards Legend Award for her dedication to the BC beer industry and passion for supporting and encouraging women to get into the industry.

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EDUCATION & SCHOLARSHIPS: LIZ MCDONNELL

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER, Ontario
Communications Consultant, Ontario

While her background is in journalism and newspapers, she shifted her sights to the beer world. “The idea of being part of a professional group specifically for women in a male-dominated industry was very important to me. A safe place where we could find paths for women across the industry, a place to bounce ideas off of one another, and a place where we could collectively work to educate both members and allies. The opportunities are limitless, and I wanted to be one of many to help craft this experience.” A lifelong learner, Liz nerds her way through life happily always looking to learn more.

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BREWING LIAISON: BRITTANY RIBALKIN

FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER, Ontario
Lead Brewer, Bellwoods Brewing, Ontario

I Joined Pink Boots back in 2018 not really knowing too much about the organization but wanting to get more involved in the industry. My background is in Biology, but I originally wanted to get into Genetics. My love of beer brought me to brewing school in Niagara Ontario. From there I started my professional career at Muskoka Brewery in 2017 working as a brewer and a lab technician. Currently, I work at Bellwoods Brewery in Toronto where I get to work with some fantastic people and grow in a supportive environment.

My role with Pink Boots is to help and support breweries looking to do a Pink Boots brew day and to continually look for more efficient ways of making the process smoother.

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EVENTS LEAD: SERENA SEEGER

General Manager, Best of Kin Brewing, Alberta

I have been in the beer industry in Calgary for 4 years officially but have been interested in beer and breweries for many years. I ended up becoming full-time in this industry because of my passion and interest in learning more about fermented beverages.

I joined PBS Canada because I wanted to be a part of an organization that works so hard and diligently to support women and non-binary individuals in the fermented beverage industry. I absolutely love hosting and planning events to bring people together. I’m interested in learning from the other board members as well as members of the society. I want to spend time listening and reflecting on what has been going on this past year and the steps that are needed to move forward positively.

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Have any questions for us or maybe you want to be a volunteer for one of our committees? Head over to our CONTACT US page for more information.