2024 Tales Catalyst Honorees:

2024 Tales Catalyst International Honoree:
Becky Paskin

Becky Paskin is an award-winning whisky journalist, presenter, and consultant, and founder of the OurWhisky Foundation. Formerly editor of leading online magazine Scotchwhisky.com and global trade title The Spirits Business, her writing appears in a variety of publications from Club Oenologique and Waitrose to Whisky Magazine and the Daily Beast. She is a regular drinks presenter for television and radio, including ITV’s Love Your Weekend and This Morning, and regularly presents educational seminars at global drinks festivals. 

Becky is an advocate for equality and inclusion within the global whisky industry; her work has led her to be named Icons of Whisky Communicator of the Year, IWSC Spirits Communicator of the Year, SevenFifty Daily’s Drinks Innovator of the Year, and listed as About Time Magazine’s Top 10 Women to Watch in Drinks. She is also a Keeper of the Quaich and has been named one of the 50 most influential people in the global drinks industry by Drinks International for the past four years.

The OurWhisky Foundation is the world’s first non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting, recognising and empowering professional women in whisky across the globe, while advocating for a more inclusive and diverse industry. The Foundation works with the global industry to provide diversity and inclusion consultancy as well as surveys, reports and initiatives that inspire change. Its ground-breaking mentorship programme, which pairs mentees with some of the biggest names in whisky while providing free workshops and networking opportunities, has so far guided 200 women toward reaching their goals, with many securing new jobs and promotions as a result. Meanwhile, its world-first Modern Face of Whisky image library is breaking stereotypes through an evolving collection of free-to-use images illustrating the diversity among whisky drinkers.

2024 Catalyst U.S. Honoree:
Keyatta Mincey Parker

Keyatta Mincey Parker, a prominent figure in the spirits and cocktails industry, serves as the Chief Curating Officer at Pictures and Cocktails LLC. With over two decades of experience in the food service and hospitality sector, she brings a unique blend of expertise, merging her knowledge from hotels, fine dining, dynamic dance clubs, and her rich Liberian heritage. Recognized by Thrillist and Tastemakers as a must-know bartender and one of the Top 50 Bartenders in the South, Keyatta has garnered attention from prestigious publications such as Forbes, Food and Wine, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Huffington Post, Business Insider, and Southern Living Magazine.

Collaborating with influential spirit brands, chefs, celebrities, and farmers, Keyatta Mincey Parker is known for creating visually stunning and innovative cocktails. As the driving force behind Pictures and Cocktails, she designs bespoke cocktails and experiences. Additionally, she is the Founder and Executive Director of A Sip of Paradise Garden, a non-profit community garden for bartenders and hospitality professionals in Atlanta.

Keyatta’s impressive repertoire includes crafting the celebratory cocktail for the Liberian Olympic National Team, which has been adopted as the team’s official drink. She has been inducted into the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International and recognized as a member of Wine Enthusiast’s 2023 Future 40. Recently, she joined the board of Slow Foods Atlanta, aiming to expand her influence from the creative side of food to food justice, advocating for clean, fair, and healthy food for all.

As an esteemed speaker, Keyatta addresses topics such as philanthropy, community building, mental health, gardening, agriculture, black land ownership, equity in hospitality, and women in leadership. Despite her diverse interests, her passion for cocktails remains a constant focal point.

Tales Catalyst Application Process

Categories open for applications are NOT based on the volume of applications submitted. It only takes ONE application to be considered to be a Tales Catalyst Honoree. Self-applications are accepted and encouraged. Please read through the FAQs before starting a application form.

Application Criteria

Tales Catalyst U.S. Honoree considerations: 

• A person whose professional and personal accomplishments have shaped the beverage landscape and provide visible models of achievement for tomorrow’s leaders.
• Serves as a leader and mentor
• Resides in the United States

Tales Catalyst International Honoree considerations:

• A person whose professional and personal accomplishments have shaped the beverage landscape and provide visible models of achievement for tomorrow’s leaders.
• Serves as a leader and mentor
• Resides outside of the United States

Judging Process

Once the Tales Catalyst application process is closed, submissions will be shared with the active Tales Catalyst Committee Members.

For Round One of voting, members will review the U.S. and International applications of each individual and will rank applicants from 1-5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Applicants will be evaluated against the Tales Catalyst criteria, not against each other. Each applicant’s score will be added up, and the individuals with the highest total points will move on to Round Two of voting.

For Round Two of voting, members will be provided with the application statements, resumes, and bios of the Top Applicants for U.S. and International. Members will evaluate the candidates in each category against one another. Each member will be asked to make 3 weighted choices for each category.

• Choice 1 will be weighted with 3 points
• Choice 2 will be weighted with 2 points
• Choice 3 will be weighted with 1 point