Smith Teamaker
Karen Irizarry has a diverse work experience in the wine industry. Karen started their career as a Vintage Cellar Hand at Penfolds in 2012 and then worked as a Restaurant Supervisor at Xanadu Wines. Karen later joined Weingut Koehler-Ruprecht as a Vintage Cellar Hand and then worked as a Harvest Lab Technician at Te Kairanga Wines. Karen also gained experience as a Vintage Cellar Hand at Domaine Mader. Karen then joined A to Z Wineworks where they worked as a Tasting Room & Hospitality Manager before becoming a Direct Sales Manager. Karen also worked as a Hospitality Manager at Résonance Wines, where they managed cross-functional start-up operations. Karen then transitioned to digital marketing and worked as a Digital Marketing Specialist at Smith Teamaker before taking on the role of Ecommerce Marketing Manager at Cato Corporation. Karen recently returned to Smith Teamaker as an Ecommerce Marketing Manager. Throughout their career, Karen has acquired a strong understanding of wine production, sales, hospitality, and digital marketing.
Karen Irizarry earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech, where they attended from 2002 to 2008. Karen also pursued a minor in Leadership and Construction Management during that time. In 2016, Karen enrolled in The Wharton School, where they obtained a certification in Business Foundations by 2018.
Additionally, Karen Irizarry holds several certifications. In 2011, they became a Certified Sommelier through The Court of Master Sommeliers. In 2018, Karen obtained the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification from Scrum Alliance. Most recently, in April 2020, they completed the "Build Your Sales Career on Salesforce" certification from Trailhead by Salesforce.
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Smith Teamaker
At Smith Teamaker, we enrich lives through exceptional tea experiences. We craft tea and other plant-based beverages steeped in quality and creativity. Elevated, but always accessible, our aim is to be the daily craving of consumers with uncompromising taste. We bring this vision to life through three strategic imperatives: Serve MorePeopleOur product collections are designed to elevate the taste standard of core beverage occasions – hot or cold, home or away – continually building our reputation for quality, creativity, and great taste. With a deep focus on consumer needs, we balance daily favorites with unrivaled innovation to reach new consumers and build frequent consumption habits. Our growth comes primarily from direct hospitality and digital experiences where guests develop deep loyalty as they immerse themselves in our brand. We leverage premium Restaurants, Offices, and Retailers to extend our access to new consumers and households, both domestically and in select international markets.Enhance ProductivityWe source the highest quality ingredients from sustainable farms, leveraging deep relationships and our growing scale to capture superior quality with limited working capital. Our vertically integrated blending, packing and logistics operations allow us to ensure quality and differentiation while delivering cost efficiency and agility. We know that exceptional experiences come from exceptional people, so we actively build the capabilities of our teamakers, all of whom share a commitment to our head, heart, and hustle culture. Protect our PlanetOur ability to enrich lives is directly linked to the sustainability of our planet. We are committed to making a positive impact in our world by providing safe, plant-based products; eliminating waste; and actively supporting the protection of clean water, sustainable farms, and the communities that nurture them.Together, these efforts enable us to create enterprise value well ahead of the category and ensure the sustainability of the business we have created.