25 women+ begin OurWhisky’s 2026 Atonia Programme
The OurWhisky Foundation has revealed the cohort of 25 women+ to be selected for its 2026 mentorship programme.
After a rigorous application and interview process that attracted almost 100 applications, 25 women+ working in whisky have today (1 June 2026), begun the six-month intensive personal and professional development Atonia Programme run by the whisky non-profit organisation, the OurWhisky Foundation.
They will be the eighth cohort of mentees to take part in the highly coveted, one-of-a-kind programme, which opened applications in February this year. Candidates applied from Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, with 50 making it through to the interviews with the OurWhisky Foundation team, before the final 25 were selected.
Applications came from all parts of the industry (and outside of it), from operations, sales and marketing to journalism, tourism and hospitality.
The programme includes the award-winning, confidence-building Power Room with The Academe founder Lucy Cox, as well as monthly professional development workshops and regular one-to-ones with mentees’ carefully matched mentors.
It also includes access to the OurWhisky Foundation’s Whatsapp Community, a space for mentees (known as Atonia’s Acorns) to network in their cohort while also connecting with graduates of the programme from around the world.
The programme culminates in a graduation ceremony in January 2027, at which graduates will receive a coveted Atonia pin and certificate.
The 25 Acorns joining the 2026 Atonia programme are:
Kirsten Ainslie, blending specialist, Benriach Distillery (Bo’ness, Scotland)
Amy Barrett, retail assistant, Rarity Bottle Shop (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Charlotte Bell, site operations manager, Mortlach Distillery(Aberlour, Scotland)
Maddison Blackwell, bartender, Mad Dog Brewery (Cardiff, Wales)
Ying Chen Chen, retail assistant, Molloy’s Off-Licence (Dublin, Republic of Ireland)
Izzy Connor, marketing manager, Cotswolds Distillery (Blockley, England)
Natalie Euler, feeds plant improvement lead, North British Distillery (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Lara Farrow, spirits ambassador, GHF (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Cara Forbes, brand manager, North Uist Distillery (North Uist, Scotland)
Charli Foulds, partnerships & events manager, Isle of Harris Distillery (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Tair Hull-Gorman, national account executive, CVH Spirits (Barrhead, Scotland)
Namratha Gorur, lead distiller, Witchmark Distillery (Salisbury, England)
Hannah Ingram, global senior brand manager (The Botanist), Bruicchladdich Distillery (Glasgow, Scotland)
Annelise Kofod, account executive & social media manager , Strike Media (London, England)
Michelle Matuza, production & AI director, Thirst Craft (Glasgow, Scotland)
Clare Minnock, founder, StoryBev Marketing (Carlow, Republic of Ireland)
Rosie Murray, former distillery experience manager, Rosebank Distillery (Newton Stewart, Scotland)
Olivia Pattison, marketing coordinator, The Borders Distillery (Bo’ness, Scotland)
Jenna Risk, country marketing manager, Whyte & Mackay (Glasgow, Scotland)
Victoria Swan, director, Jim Swan Spirits Company (Longniddry, Scotland)
Morgan Bennett Tabuteau, assistant brewer & lead distiller, Isle of Bute Distillery (Rothesay, Scotland)
Barbora Tichakova, brand manager, Lindores Abbey Distillery (Rutherglen Scotland)
Anna Travers, HC advisor, International Beverage (Airdrie, Scotland)
Helen Weeks, marketing & communications lead, Glasgow Life (Glasgow, Scotland)
Beth Whymark, freelance whisky writer (Camberley, England)
Among the 25 mentors volunteering to support this year’s cohort are: Ewan Gunn, senior global brand ambassador, Diageo; Kirstie McCallum, master blender, Whyte & Mackay; Caspar McRae, CEO & president, The Glenmorangie Company; Julie Trevisan Hunter, marketing director, The Scotch Whisky Experience; and Ashley Smith, master blender, Glen Scotia.
Becky Paskin, founder of the OurWhisky Foundation, said: “This year’s Atonia Programme cohort are an incredibly diverse group of women+ who have demonstrated their unrelenting passion and ambition to thrive in the whisky industry.
“With redundancies and DEI cutbacks affecting every corner of whisky right now, our Atonia Programme has never been more important. The OurWhisky Foundation is dedicated to supporting women+ establish successful, rewarding careers in whisky, in turn supporting the long-term health of the industry.
“Despite facing current financial challenges it’s imperative that the industry continues to make whisky inclusive and support women+ in their careers. Otherwise we face a future that’s less diverse, skilled and attractive to new talent.”
Since its inception in 2022, the OurWhisky Foundation mentorship programme has helped guide over 200 women working in the whisky industry toward their goals, while providing opportunities to build their network and improve their confidence.
Graduates report experiencing a 53% increase in confidence, with a third securing promotions or new roles within 12 months of the programme.
More information on the programme can be found here.
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