West Peak Spirits Announces Strong Names for Growth

Santa Cruz, California – West Peak Sparkling Spirits, a ready-to-drink (RTD) brand made with sparkling water and real fruit juice, has introduced a strong advisory board to support its growth journey.

Brian Swette, co-founder and president of Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods. The company was sold to Nestlé in 2017, and he has also served as COO at eBay and as Marketing Director at PepsiCo. He has held leadership roles at Burger King, Shutterfly, and Care.com, as well as Jamba Juice.

Bridget Firtle is an entrepreneur who left her Wall Street career in 2012 to found Owney's Rum. After successfully selling Owney's in 2017, she founded ROCKAWAY Soda in 2020. As of October 2025, she has repurchased Owney's and launched a lifestyle podcast called New York Raised Us.

Derek Dodge served as Strategy Director at BuzzBallz before helping the company get acquired by Sazerac in 2024. He previously worked as CEO at HOYA Vision Care and spent 27 years at Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

Josh Roush is the co-founder and CEO of the award-winning branding consultancy Movetic. Since the age of 19, he has collaborated with iconic brands such as Skrewball Whiskey, Celsius Energy, and Lyft.

Kelly Swette, co-founder and CEO of Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods, has played an important role in innovative product design. She has served as Global Marketing Director at Baxter Labs, PepsiCo, and Calvin Klein. She was recognized among the 35 World-Changing Women by Conscience Company Magazine.

Leo Ortega is the Vice President of the California Agave Council and the founder of the brand Eselo. With 13 years of experience in agave farming, he creates premium spirits with an emphasis on authentic and additive-free production. He previously worked as a mechanical engineer.

Shadi Bakour is the co-founder and CEO of PATH, a sustainable bottled water brand. The company has successfully prevented 750 million plastic water bottles from entering the oceans and landfills, with a goal of reaching 10 billion in the coming years.

Sharla Ortega is a fourth-generation farmer and co-founder of Eselo. She has extensive experience in agriculture, design, and real estate development.

Taylor Foxman is the founder and CEO of The Industry Collective. She advises 95 founders and CEOs across the beverage, consumer products, and hospitality sectors.

Jamie Sanyal, co-founder of West Peak Sparkling Spirits, said, "The goal of forming this advisory board was to bring together a dynamic team of leaders and mentors with experience in various fields. We are honored to have this team behind us on our growth journey for 2026 and beyond."

West Peak Sparkling Spirits was created to offer the complexity of a cocktail alongside the refreshment of seltzer. The drinks are made with premium spirits, sparkling water, and real fruit juice, featuring a 6% alcohol content, 130-140 calories, and no added sugars.