Ada Coleman Project brings mentorship to TOTC
This year’s Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC) conference will host The Ada Coleman Project’s Mentorship Lounge.
The 2026 edition of TOTC will take place from 19 to 24 July, guided by the theme ‘spark’.
The Mentorship Lounge will take place from 1pm to 3pm on 22 July at The Ritz Carlton in New Orleans, in collaboration with local partner Turning Tables and global partner Raise the Bar Mentorship Alliance.
Kaitlin Wilkes, co-founder of The Ada Coleman Project, said: “The Mentorship Lounge is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, so we’re thrilled to launch it at Tales, where we can reach a diverse audience of local and global mentees at one of the industry’s flagship trade shows.
“The Mentorship Lounge is open to all genders – because great mentorship should be too. We’ve thoughtfully invited a group of mentors from the networks of Turning Tables, Raise The Bar Mentorship Alliance and The Ada Coleman Project because we believe that when the right people are in the room together, careers change, lives change, and that’s exactly what we’re here for.”
The Mentorship Lounge will feature six themed roundtables, with topics covering leadership pathways, confidence building, entrepreneurship, career sustainability, culture and allyship, and financial literacy.
Each roundtable will be led by two mentors, who include: Janice Bailon, co-founder of the Hospitality Asians & Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Community; Christa Cotton, founder and owner of El Guapo Bitters; Meaghan Dorman, bar director of Raines Law Room and Dear Irving; and Amie Ward, executive director of Safe Bars and founder of The Healthtender.
“The drinks industry gathers at Tales every year, and we wanted to ensure that this lounge gives back to the city that hosts us all,” said co-founder Kristine Bocchino. “At least half of our participants will be New Orleans-based professionals, because real impact starts locally.
“The people of New Orleans are building their community’s hospitality scene every day, and they deserve a seat at the table just as much as anyone flying in for the week.
“We’re building something that goes beyond the conference – these conversations can create lasting connections and real momentum.”
The Mentorship Lounge will welcome 36 emerging hospitality professionals – including the eight 2026 Tales Scholars – to engage in structured, small-group roundtable conversations led by established industry leaders and rising voices.
Applications are open until 31 May to mentees of any gender. Participants will be selected through a juried, application-based process designed to ensure equity, access, and diversity of representation.
“Mentorship is such an important pillar of successful community building in our industry, and so we are just thrilled to be partnering with The Ada Coleman Project to host their Mentorship Lounge at Tales this year,” added Charlotte Voisey, executive director of the TOTC Foundation.
Following the Mentorship Lounge, The Ada Coleman Project will host a Sip Social Happy Hour, open to all conference attendees.
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