MEET THE FOUNDERS

 

JASON MONKARSH, CO-FOUNDER & CEO

 

Jason Monkarsh has over 25 years of consumer marketing, branding, and transactional business expertise. He’s extremely passionate about building consumer products, specifically in the beverage, wine & spirits space. He currently runs day-to-day operations for OM and won Nightclub and Bar media's Entrepreneur of the Year award as well as two Food and Beverage Innovation Awards from the National Restaurant Association, alongside OM co-founder Natalie Bovis. Jason has also consulted on branding, formulation, and go-to-market strategy for a select number of outside beverage brands. In addition to co-founding OM, Jason is a longtime real estate investor and operator.

Personally, he has a soft spot for charitable causes focused on animal rights and children. Non-profit organizations he has been involved with include The Nexus Global Youth Summit, Milken Young Leaders Circle and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. Jason currently is on the Board of Governors at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and is also a member of Entrepreneurs Organization, Los Angeles Chapter. In his free time he enjoys traveling with his family and writing.

 

NATALIE BOVIS, CO-FOUNDER & CMO

 
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Named one of four women “Changing the Liquor Industry" and one of “100 Trailblazing Women In Hospitality,” Natalie Bovis founded The Liquid Muse in 2006 and has been connecting beverage brands with consumers ever since. Her 30+ years in hospitality, event production, PR and marketing parlays into product consultation (Nestle, Tropicana, Nespresso, Sargento); creation/production of multi-day brand immersion experiences including bartender competitions for Brown Forman; New Mexico Cocktail Week and her popular TACO WARS(tm) competition.

Natalie’s books such as Edible Cocktails: Garden-to-Glass land on USA Today’s "Top Ten Cookbooks” in 2012 alongside Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray. She was voted “Local Hero” in Mixology in Edible NM Magazine, the National Spokesperson for Fre Alcohol-Removed Wine (Trinchero Wine Estates), and Brand Ambassador for Pinky Vodka, G’Vine gin, Excellia tequila, June Liqueur, Taos Lightning Whiskey, among others. Her newest tome Drinking With My Dog: The Canine Lovers’ Cocktail Book marries her passion for mixology with animal advocacy.

Natalie has taught organic cocktail classes around the USA since 2008, and been featured on dozens of TV shows. She has led mixology seminars at Tales of the Cocktail; Arizona Cocktail Week; Apres Ski Classic; Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America; Portland Cocktail Week; Nightclub & Bar Show and judged spirits and cocktail competitions around the world. Her signature cocktails have been featured at high profile events such as the Celebrity Poker Tournament at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills and President Obama’s Green Inaugural Ball in Washington DC.

Natalie is an active animal advocate, speaks Spanish and fluent French. When not promoting OM Chocolate Liqueur, she loves to write, travel, cook, and walk her dogs in the mountains above Santa Fe.