Our Team

Our team’s expertise is diverse and expansive, and includes: global innovation, winemaking, brewing, food science, and chemistry.

Debbie Novograd, Chief Executive Officer — Chief Executive Officer
Debbie Novograd

Aaron Silverstein, Enologist / Managing Director of BevZero — Enologist / Managing Director of BevZero
Aaron Silverstein

Enologist / Director of Operations
Jessica Smith

Kelsey Quetsch, Food Scientist / R&D Laboratory Technologist — Food Scientist / R&D Laboratory Technologist
Kelsey Quetsch

Kayla Winter, Winemaker — Winemaker
Kayla Winter

chris — Brewer / Consultant
Chris Anderson

Chief Executive Officer

Debbie Novograd

Debbie gained over 20 years marketing and business development experience in the retail food and beverage industry, with two major corporations. With Starbucks Coffee Company she rose through several positions including Regional Food & Beverage Manager and National Category Manager to become Category Director / International Marketing. With ARAMARK she had a similar progression through several marketing roles to become Vice President of National Business Development.

Enologist / Managing Director of BevZero

Aaron Silverstein

Aaron graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Enology and Viticulture. Over the last ten years he has worked in production roles at wineries in the United States and Spain, and at breweries and distilleries in the United States. In 2017, he joined Advanced Beverage Technologies’ ConeTech team as a Production Enologist, and now holds the position of Managing Director, BevZero.

Enologist / Director of Operations

Jessica Smith

Jessica graduated from U. C. Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2011. While attending U.C. Davis, Jessica worked as an intern at Scribner Bend Vineyards and was promoted to Winemaker and Viticulture Manager post-graduation. Jessica was awarded multiple medals and recognition for her wines during her career at Scribner Bend. Jessica joined ConeTech as Production Enologist in 2014.

Food Scientist / R&D Laboratory Technologist

Kelsey Quetsch

Kelsey graduated Sonoma State University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. While at Sonoma State she did focused research on food related chemistry such as the study of bacteriocins and vanadium dependent haloperoxides. She has been working at ConeTech since 2018 in a temporary position, until her graduation, June 2019, in which she started full time as an R&D Laboratory Technologist. Kelsey’s previous experience in the wine industry includes Gallo and Punchdown Cellars. Since joining ConeTech, Kelsey has played a key part is helping to build ConeTech’s smoke taint treatment methodology.

Winemaker

Kayla Winter

Kayla earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Enology and Viticulture at Cornell University. As a Sonoma County native, she has been working in wine production since she was 16 years old, and has gained cellar, vineyard, and laboratory experience from notable Sonoma and Napa wineries such as Chalk Hill, Raymond, Quivira, and Clos du Bois. In 2014 she traveled to Chile to work at Château Lafite Rothschild’s Viña Los Vascos. Kayla spent the last few years in the laboratory at Paul Hobbs Winery before joining the BevZero team as Winemaker.

Brewer / Consultant

Chris Anderson

Chris graduated from the University of Alaska in Food Science. He has been brewing beer and winning awards since the age of 23. Chris co-founded Coachella Valley Brewing Company and held positions including owner, co- founder, acting COO and Brewmaster. Chris has worked in the craft beer industry for 25 years earning over 400 medals and ribbons.

We’d Love To Hear From You.

Have a question, or want to touch base with our team of experts? Let’s chat!