A love and knowledge of food grew simultaneously with a love and knowledge of opera as Dr. Jessica Kasinski worked for years in the restaurant and catering industries as a way to pay for her education. Working with some of the most successful restauranteurs and chefs on the East Coast, she learned valuable skills and an appreciation for hard work, local sourcing, and gastronomy.  Taking over as the Specialty Team Leader at the Whole Foods in Madison, WI in 2019,  she was able to delve into the world of cheese and has with the help of fantastic local cheese makers and vendors, been able to expand her knowledge and that of her team. Her involvement with ACS began with her CCP and CCSE exams. When Jessica is not working in her department, she enjoys performing with her local theatre companies, camping the North Shore of Minnesota, and napping with her cats.  

Jillian’s love of cheese started in childhood, sparked by a fascination with flavors and textures. While pursuing a BFA in Modern Dance, she took a job with Murray’s Cheese where she discovered a deeper appreciation for the craft, recognizing cheese as an art form that blends tradition, creativity, and technique. This job ignited her passion, leading her to grow from a team member to a lead and eventually into her current role as a Store Opening Specialist. Now she travels throughout the Southeast, bringing Murray’s signature experience to new locations. With a background in merchandising and education, she is dedicated to making cheese approachable and exciting to all. 

Megan's journey into cheese began during her freshman year of college at SUNY Purchase, when the current heads of the Cheese Club stepped down and asked for volunteers to keep the legacy going. Megan jumped at the chance to take on this responsibility and thus began her passion for cheese. During her 3 years of cheese club presidency, she found a job at Whole Foods Market on the weekends behind the cheese counter. Once she graduated, she went on to various roles at WFM, ranging from team member to order writer, associate team leader and finally team leader. In 2019, she gained her CCP status and met amazing folks associated with the cheese community at her first ACS Conference in Virgina. From there, she sought out as many opportunities as she could to involve herself in the community. Megan has participated as both contestant and crew for the Cheesemonger Invitational in NYC and has attended cheese camp at Jasper Hill Farms in Vermont. Megan was also a scholarship recipient to the 2023 ACS conference in Iowa. Megan loves that she gets to travel for cheese, meeting new peers and developing life long friendships in the process. 

Originally from a small town outside Syracuse, NY, Alice spent much of their early years around animals and agriculture.  Alice moved around chasing career curiosities for a few years until landing a job behind the cheese counter at Whole Foods in Philly.  Since 2012, they have worked at a number of stores within the company as Team Member to Team Leader throughout the Mid-Atlantic.  Intrigued by tradition meeting innovation, Alice became a CCP in 2017 in Denver.  Alice has volunteered at past conferences and is excited and humbled by the opportunity to lead folks through this year’s events as Volunteer Coordinator! 

Evan's career has taken him from web designer and camp director to cheesemonger and restaurant general manager. Over the past 15 years, he's immersed himself in the world of cheese. In 2015, Evan earned his CCP certification from the American Cheese Society and served as an OCC in 2019. That year, he also won 1st place at the Cheesemonger Invitational, later competing at CMI Masters in 2023 and 2025. Evan is now the owner of "The Flavor Sherpa," a cheese-centric events and catering business in Grand Rapids, MI. While cheese is still a passion, he mostly loves spending time hiking or at a park with his wife, Hope, and daughter, Frankie. 

Erin is thrilled to be returning in her role and brings a wide range of food and beverage experience. She grew up professionally with Whole Foods Market as a Specialty retail buyer, trainer, and team leader and is currently living in Minneapolis working as a freelance cheesemonger providing sales and marketing support through education, events, and in-store demonstrations. Erin achieved ACS CCPⓇ certification in 2017 and is also a CiceroneⓇ CBS and Cheese State Scholar.