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      • Packing and Shipping Your Competition Entries
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      • Dairy Economics and Unit Operations in Dairy Processing
      • Yogurts, Fermented Milks and Probiotic Dairy Products
      • Cheese Trivia with the Daphne Zepos Teaching Endowment
      • Dairy Basics: Fundamentals of Quality & Safety Workshop
      • Hazard Analysis & Preventive Controls for Small-Scale Dairy Processors Workshop
      • ACS Webinar: From Insights to Opportunity: Consumer Trends Driving Cheese Sales in 2024
      • ACS Webinar: Advances in Dairy Cattle Welfare Science
      • Vermont Cheese Summit
      • Affinage: The Art and Science of Maturing Cheese course
      • Affinage: The Art and Science of Maturing Cheese course
      • Affinage: The Art and Science of Maturing Cheese course
      • Affinage: the Art and Science of Maturing Cheese course
      • Dairy Products Innovation Conference
      • Hispanic and Mediterranean Short Course
      • Vermont Cheese Week Kickoff Celebration
      • Vermont Cheese Camp: The Land of Milk & Mountains
      • Vermont Cheese Camp: Cheese as a Way of Life
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Biosecurity for On-Farm Dairy Processors
      • ACS Webinar: Evaluating the New Small Ruminant Mastitis Vaccine
      • Cheese Making Practical Shortcourse
      • ACS Webinar: Cutting Through the Quat: Tackling Dairy Wastewater Challenges
      • ACS Webinar: Shaping the Future of Artisan Cheese Through Today's Consumer Trends
      • The Dairy Connection on Milk and Cheese defects (Columbus, OHIO)
      • ACS Webinar: Brie-lliant Ideas: Building a Conference Proposal with the Education Committee
      • ACS Webinar: Two Approaches to the History of Ancient and Medieval Cheesemaking
      • Introduction to Artisan Cheesemaking: Milk to Make to Market
      • Affinage: Techniques, Microbes and Facilities
      • Advanced Cheesemaking: Simplifying Difficult Cheeses
      • 2025 Dairy Products Process & Packaging Innovation Conference
      • Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy Supplier Management Food Safety Workshop
      • ACS Webinar: The Insider's Guide to Entering ACS Judging & Competition
      • Introduction to Cheese Making Technology short course- Hands on!
      • Los Angeles International Dairy Competition
      • The Science & Craft of Raw Milk Cheese Conference
      • Dairy Pasteurization Short Course
      • Cheesemaking Short Course
      • Three-Day HACCP Short Course
      • Artisanal Cheesemaking
      • ACS Webinar: Latest Updates on Avian Flu Issues
      • Bolstering Your Dairy Foods Business, Through Successful Third Party Audits - NC State University
      • Introduction to Cheese Making Technology (spring, annually)
      • ACS Webinar: Unlock Salumiere Certification with the Charcuterie Professional Exam
      • Dairy Products 201
      • Counter Culture - Raleigh NC
      • Vermont Cheesemakers Festival 2025
      • ACS Certification - Live Ask Me Anything
      • ACS Conference Registration Opens!
      • ACS Conference Price Increase
      • ACS Conference Price Increase
      • ACS CCP® and ACS CCSE® Application Deadline
      • ACS J&C Entries Deadline
      • ACS Scholarship Application Deadline
      • ACS Award Nominations Deadline
      • ACS Judging & Competition
      • ACS Annual Conference
      • Vermont Cheese Week 2025
      • Frozen Desserts Innovation
      • Counter Culture Tampa - May 6, 2025
      • Counter Culture - San Diego May 16th
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Summer Fancy Food Show
      • ACS Member Meetup at IDDBA
      • Crafting the Perfect Creamer: From Formula to Foam
      • ACS Webinar: EDIJ Audit Survey Results, Part 2: Caseinic Boogaloo
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  1. Home
  2. Conference
  3. Conference 2025
  4. 2025 Key Volunteers

Meet the Volunteers

Official Conference Cheesemongers

Meet the 2025 Official Conference Cheesemongers (OCCs). This team is a vital part of making ACS Annual Conference successful!

Photo of Jessica Kasinski

Dr. Jessica Kasinski, ACS CCP®, ACS CCSE®

Whole Foods

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.  

Headshot OCC

Jillian Shipman

Murray's Cheese

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 Wiggers pic Gallery

Megan Wiggers, ACS CCP®

Whole Foods

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. 

Meet the Volunteers

Back of House Team

Meet the 2025 Back of House Key Volunteers. This team is a vital part of making the ACS Annual Conference successful!

Alice Larkin 2025 VC

Alice Larkin, ACS CCP®

Volunteer Coordinator

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! 

IMG 0878

Evan Talen, ACS CCP®

Inventory Manager

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 Connolly

Erin T. Connolly, ACS CCP®

Receiving Manager

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. 

Past Key Volunteers

2024

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Alli Keyser-Marti, ACS CCP®
    • Jennifer Cox, ACS CCP®
    • Maria Rojas, ACS CCP®
  • Receiving Manager
    • Erin Connolly, ACS CCPⓇ
  • Inventory Manager
    • Jake Sigl, ACS CCP®
  • Volunteer Coordinator
    • Joe Karasch

2023

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Liz Steeves, ACS CCP® 
    • Nicole Pinch, ACS CCP® 
    • Austin Banach, ACS CCP® 
  • Inventory Manager
    • Jake Sigl, ACS CCP®
  • Receiving Manager 
    • Erin Connolly, ACS CCP®
  • Volunteer Coordinator
    • Katie Quinn, ACS CCP®

2022

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Lynne Affleck, ACS CCP® 
    • Alicia Baldwin, ACS CCP® 
    • Joshua Collier, ACS CCP®
    • Kyra James, ACS CCP®
  • Inventory Manager
    • Jake Sigl, ACS CCP®
  • Receiving Manager 
    • Erin Connolly, ACS CCP®

2019

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Devin Lamma, ACS CCP® 
    • Noreen Mayer 
    • Evan Talen, ACS CCP®

2018

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Jordan Edwards, ACS CCP®
    • Katie Grice 
    • Alex Armstrong, ACS CCP® 

2017

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • James Danforth, ACS CCP®
    • Brian Gilbert, ACS CCP® 
    • Katie Quinn, ACS CCP®

2016

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Meredith Fitzgerald, ACS CCP® 
    • Joe Green, ACS CCP® 
    • Arielle Neher, ACS CCP®

2015

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers 
    • Erin Clancy, ACS CCP® 
    • James Gentry, ACS CCP® 
    • Janee’ Muha, ACS CCP®

2014

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Randall Felts, ACS CCP®
    • Kelsie Parsons, ACS CCP®

2013

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Jason Herbert, ACS CCP®
    • Leah McFadden, ACS CCP®

2012

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Alexander Kast, ACS CCP® 
    • Rachel Perez, ACS CCP®

2011

  • Official Conference Cheesemongers
    • Jeanne Rodier
    • Kelly Sheehan 

2010

  • Official Conference Cheesemonger
    • Paige Lamb 
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PO Box 3406

Englewood, CO 80155

phone: +1 720-328-2788

email: info@cheesesociety.org

  • Contact Us
  • American Cheese Education Foundation
  • Bylaws
  • Member & Events Code of Conduct
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Search
  • Sitemap

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