Los Angeles International
Spirits Competition Judges

Chris Braun was born and raised in California. After playing professional volleyball for three years, he received an MS in Wine and Spirits from ESC in Dijon. Chris then started working in Bordeaux and later moved to the Languedoc region in southern France where he was Managing Director of Ciatti Europe in Montpellier. He received the Chevalier de l’Ordre de Merite Agricole medal for his service to the French wine industry. Chris now runs Advinture, a wine and spirits import consultancy, and is based in Southern California.

Jason Jorgensen began working in the hospitality industry at a very young age. He started out in the neighborhood restaurant in Denver at age 9, then worked his way up to kitchens throughout Colorado, Arizona, and Southern California. After a few kitchen jobs, a hiring manager in Scottsdale suggested he try his hand behind the bar as a bar-back and so his spirit career took off. He quickly graduated to bartender after coming of age and went on to work in some of the best bars and restaurants around the country, learning his craft and expanding his palette. He went on to pass the entry sommelier exam before moving to Northern California, then became interested in beer and winemaking. After a couple of harvest seasons, Jason turned his attention to distilling. He always had a passion for spirits and whiskey in particular, but distilling it himself was a whole other challenge. Knowing that the base to all whiskey was a “distillers beer”, intrigued him and he began distilling his homebrew recipes. Finding some success in blind tasting his first whiskey recipes, he and his wife, Krystle, embarked on a trip to Scotland for their thirtieth birthdays to expand on their knowledge of spirits and traditional production techniques. This trip became the inspiration for their distillery, Alley 6 Craft Distillery, which launched in 2012. Production then began in 2014 with the first bottle of Rye Whiskey hitting the shelves in 2015 at the very bar he last bartended at, Stark’s Steakhouse in Santa Rosa, CA. Jason has been featured in such publications as Imbibe Magazine, Sunset Magazine and liquor.com for his unique take on spirits.

Lisa is the Lead Mixologist for Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, CA. She has also been a Spirit Judge for the Los Angeles Spirits Competition at Fairplex for 12 years. Her cocktails have been featured at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar After Party, The SAG Awards, The Japanese Food & Restaurant Expo, LA Food Fest, Cheers at the Farm Fairplex, and has led numerous cocktail and spirit workshops for The LA County Fair. For 25 years she was the Queen Bartender for her home restaurant Tutti Mangia Italian Chop House in Claremont, CA. She was the first bartender to successfully curate a martini course dinner featuring Chopin Vodka. Her most successful signature cocktail to date, is the Basil Lemon Drop, Est. 1999. Be sure to ask her how this cocktail came to fruition.

Pepe Martinez is a Técnico Tequilero, spirits judge, and co-founder of Don Pepe Agave Experiences and Los Angeles Tequila Club, dedicated to elevating the appreciation of agave spirits through immersive tastings, education, and storytelling. Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Pepe’s passion for tequila and mezcal is deeply rooted in both tradition and technical expertise. With formal training in tequila production from the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara and multiple industry certifications, he brings a rigorous analytical approach to spirits evaluation while honoring the rich cultural heritage of Mexico’s most iconic distillates. Through Don Pepe Agave Experiences and Los Angeles Tequila Club, he fosters a community of enthusiasts and connoisseurs, curating experiences that highlight the craftsmanship and diversity of agave spirits.

Ana bartended for 10 years at Mastro’s Beverly Hills. Creating cocktails for our core program for our concept and developing the wine lists.

She is the Director of Learning & Development |Wine & Spirits for the last 13 years. Integral in developing, creating, maintaining and managing the Wine & Spirits program at 22 Mastro’s Restaurants across the nation.

Clifford Coglietti is the owner/operator of two local restaurants, with over 25 years of ownership experience. Having spent years opening more than 20 restaurants across the U.S., he’s now a 10-year Spirit Judge with a passion for blending spirits, crafting most liqueurs in-house.

Ernesto E. Aguirre, founder and owner of Aguirre Tequila Imports, established the company in 2001. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he moved to Mexico in 1990 to manage his family’s nightclub business, gaining deep industry knowledge. Frequent visits to Jalisco fueled his passion for high-end spirits, leading to extensive training in ancestral, artisanal, and modern distillation methods.

Matt Fraser is a co-founder of Black Market Spirits which was created in 2019 with Casey Wilkinson. Matt brings over 25 years of experience in this industry. Matt started in the hospitality business in 1998, owning bars in Santa Barbara then transitioning to distribution in 2008 with Pacific Wine and Spirits.

Prior to starting Black Market Spirits Matt Fraser most recently held the position of Vice President of then On Premise for Youngs Market Company in Southern California. That is the largest, most critical On premise market by volume in the US for wine and spirits. In that position Matt managed over 100 union sales reps and over 50 managers while overseeing multiple divisions from Craft spirits, Asian markets and LGBTQ. Matt managed 300 plus million in annual revenue while helping create the AOP, manage all budgets from marketing to sales for over 450 suppliers. This experience lead to the network that has allowed Black Market Spirits and Back Door Brands thrive over the past 5 years. Matt worked for Youngs Market Company from 2010-2019.

Tim McDonald, CSW CSS CS

Chief Everything Officer Wine & Spirits Spoken Here Communications

Partner & Chief Storyteller GRIFFO Distillery, Petaluma

Director of Judging California Craft Spirits and Central Coast Wine Competitions

Judge SF International Wine Competition

Judge American Distilling Institute Craft Competition

Judge LA International Wine & Spirits Competitions

Judge Spirits & Wine San Diego Wine & Spirits Challenge

Judge Toast of the Coast Wine Competition

Judge California State Fair Wine Show

Judge The Great Northwest Invitational Wine Show

former head judge at SF International and Las Vegas Global Awards

[reputation engineer, wine négociant, vigneron, restaurant manager, bartender, buyer, sommelier, wholesaler, supplier, marketer, and wedding officiant].

Michael “Mishka” Bier, CSS, is a seasoned wine and spirits professional with extensive experience in beverage program development, staff training, and bar operations. As Director of Mixology for Southern California at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, he specializes in crafting bespoke cocktail programs, leading staff education, and optimizing bar operations to enhance customer experiences. Previously, he played a key role at renowned venues like Old Lightning and Scopa Italian Roots, contributing to award-nominated bar programs recognized for their excellence in spirits selection and mixology. With a deep knowledge of spirits, a talent for innovative cocktail design, and a Certified Spirits Specialist (CSS) accreditation, Mishka continues to push industry boundaries, blending creativity with business strategy to elevate hospitality experiences.