Femme Fête: Boston Unfiltered

A conversation with Cat Silirie, Kate Gilarde & Hannah Carroll

Moderated by Alicia Towns Franken

Saturday, February 28, 2026 at Femme Fête Wine Fair | 1pm - 1:45pm

Femme Fête: Boston Unfiltered is a focused conversation shaped by women’s power, creativity, and joy, expressed without dilution or apology. It values presence over performance, clarity over polish, and generosity of shared space. Unfiltered does not imply disorder. It signals honesty, intention, and women speaking in their own voices. Rooted in the Boston wine industry, the gathering reflects a culture built on community, positivity, and beauty, shared tables, generosity of knowledge, collaboration over hierarchy, and the belief that wine is a connector, not a gatekeeper

Alicia Towns Franken is a wine industry veteran, nonprofit executive, and co-founder of Towns Wine Co., a mission-driven wine company. She spent over a decade as Wine Director at Boston’s Grill 23 & Bar, building one of the city’s most respected wine programs.

Ultimately, though, her passion for building community and working to champion a more diverse wine industry led her to take on the role of Executive Director for Wine Unify, a national nonprofit dedicated to expanding access, education, and opportunity for underrepresented voices in the wine industry. Since 2020, Wine Unify has awarded hundreds of scholarships nationwide, creating meaningful access to professional wine education and fostering a more inclusive industry pipeline. In 2025, for this work, she was named a Food & Wine Magazine Game Changer.

Alicia co-founded Towns Wine Co. with her husband, Michael, partnering with women winemakers of color and reinvesting profits back into those partnerships. Her work centers on community, equity, and the belief that the wine industry is stronger when more voices are included.

Across education, entrepreneurship, and advocacy, Alicia’s work is rooted in the belief that not only is wine both cultural and communal, it is also naturally inclusive.

Cat Silirie is a pioneering figure in the American wine industry, widely regarded as the architect of Boston’s modern wine culture. As the longtime Executive Wine Director for BL Gruppo, she spent over two decades shaping the identities of some of the city's most iconic restaurants. Today, she continues her legacy as the Wine Director for The Grafton Group in Cambridge, MA, where she brings her unparalleled expertise to a new chapter of New England hospitality.

Described by The New York Times as “Boston’s pre-eminent sommelier,” Silirie is celebrated for her poetic approach to viticulture and her ability to create transcendent pairings that bridge the gap between the cellar and the kitchen. Her career is anchored by the highest honor in the industry: the James Beard Award for Excellence for Outstanding Wine Program.

Beyond the cellar, Silirie’s most enduring impact is her role as a female force in a traditionally male-dominated industry. As a trailblazer and role model, she has mentored a generation of women who now serve as the reigning superstars, wine directors, and restaurant owners of today’s scene. As The Boston Globe notes, "The trailblazing Cat Silirie was an inspiration to many women currently working in the Boston wine trade... you can’t overlook how important Cat Silirie has been."

This dedication to the next generation stems from her deep-seated belief in a creative and inclusive company culture. For Silirie, wine is the medium, but the connection is the goal—a philosophy summed up in her personal credo: “Creating and perpetuating a culture of hospitality via wine is my life’s work and true reward.”

A respected leader in Boston’s hospitality community, Kate Gilarde is the Managing Partner of o ya, the Forbes Five-Star Japanese fine-dining destination founded by husband-and-wife team Chef Tim and Nancy Cushman. Since joining their group in 2014, Kate has played a pivotal role in shaping the operational, cultural, and beverage success of Cushman Concepts, which also includes Hojoko Japanese Tavern in Fenway and Bianca Woodfire Kitchen & Bar in Chestnut Hill.

Throughout her tenure, Kate has helped guide the group to numerous accolades, upholding the rigorous standards that have earned recognition from the James Beard Foundation, The New York Times, and Food & Wine Magazine. In 2016, she was named Boston Magazine’s “Boston’s Best Sommelier” for her thoughtful list curation and pairing work on o ya’s omakase-style tasting menu.

Kate’s career within the organization spans a wide range of leadership roles, including o ya General Manager, Certified Sake Sommelier, Group Restaurant Operations Manager, and Vice President of Culture & Talent. In 2024, she was named Managing Partner of o ya, where she now oversees operational excellence while remaining deeply involved in daily team education and development.

Her professional journey reflects a decades-long commitment to genuine hospitality and sound operational practice. Beginning her career as a line cook after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Kate has evolved into a service-driven leader overseeing diverse, high-performing restaurant concepts. Her deep understanding of Boston’s culinary landscape—paired with a reputation for cultivating warm, world-class service—has established her as a trusted and influential voice in the industry.

A powerhouse of the "new guard" in the Boston wine scene, Hannah Carroll is the creative force and Wine Director for Shy Bird, where she serves as the first to create the beverage programs across their Kendall Square, South Boston, and Fenway locations.

Hannah’s journey through the city’s hospitality ranks is a masterclass in curiosity and craft. She cut her teeth at the legendary Eastern Standard as a wine steward before diving deep into the world of low-intervention bottles at the acclaimed haley.henry wine bar. As the former lead sommelier at Somerville’s Rebel Rebel, she solidified her reputation not just as an expert, but as a community builder who uses wine to spark conversation and connection.

A recognized StarChefs Rising Stars Sommelier, Hannah’s approach is as vibrant as the bottles she pours. She brings a refreshing sense of humor and zero pretension to the table, whether she’s leading a masterclass on orange wine or curating bold monthly selections for local enthusiasts. Known for her love of "grapes that smell like flowers" and unconventional publications, Hannah is on a mission to pour the unexpected. She represents the next generation of Boston wine aficionados—one that values inclusivity, education, and the sheer joy of a great glass.

The Natural Order: Three Generations of Influence in a Glass cuts through the noise of the natural wine movement. We’re convening the country’s top female voices to dismantle how the conversation has shifted from the fringe to the mainstream. This is a gritty look at the hurdles facing the American market and a roadmap of the lessons the new guard needs to inherit from the pioneers.

The Natural Order: 

Three Generations of Influence in a Glass

A conversation with Alice Feiring, Deirdre Heekin & Martha Stoumen

Moderated by Oset Babür-Winter

Saturday, February 28, 2026 at Femme Fête Wine Fair | 2:30pm - 3:15pm

Oset Babür-Winter is a writer and editor based in New York City. She was previously the Senior Drinks Editor at Food & Wine magazine, and regularly contributes to Bon Appétit, New York Magazine, Wine Enthusiast, and other publications. She holds a Level 3 award in wines from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

In addition to her editorial roles, she is the founder and host of Prix Fixe, a gifting suite connecting hospitality tastemakers with premium brands. Her writing has appeared in a prestigious range of publications, including: The New York Times, New York Magazine (The Strategist), Bon Appétit, VinePair, Condé Nast Traveler & GQ

Alice Feiring's uncompromising and contrarian voice has shaped contemporary wine writing. Her articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine,  AFAR,  Harvard Literary Review, and Noble Rot. She’s been writing about natural wine long before the category had a name. Known for blending memoir, cultural criticism, and investigative journalism, her books include Natural Wine for the People, Dirty Guide to Wine, For the Love of Wine, Naked Wine, and her controversial 2008 debut, The Battle for Wine & Love. To Fall in Love Drink This: A Wine Writer's Memoir is her most recent.

A proud recipient of France's Ordre du Mérite agricole, she lives in New York and publishes The Feiring Line since 2011, now on Substack.

Martha Stoumen is a first-generation winemaker and a central figure in the California natural wine movement, often described by the San Francisco Chronicle as its "poster child." After earning a Master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis and apprenticing for eight years across three continents—including a transformative stint at COS in Sicily—she founded Martha Stoumen Wines in 2014. Her philosophy, which she calls a "culture of patience," prioritizes minimal-intervention winemaking and organic, dry-farming practices to create classic expressions of California terroir.

Stoumen is particularly recognized for her work with unexpected and heritage varieties and has been lauded for making sophisticated natural wines accessible to a broader audience. Her accolades include being featured in publications like Food & Wine and Vogue, and her branded short film, California Natural, won a Silver Telly Award in 2022. Beyond the cellar, she is a vocal advocate for transparency and equity in the wine industry, championing the roles of women and underrepresented groups in viticulture.

Deirdre Heekin is a pioneering winemaker who has redefined the possibilities of viticulture in cold climates. As the co-proprietor of Domaine La Garagista in Barnard, Vermont, which she founded with her husband Caleb Barber in 2010, Heekin is widely credited with single-handedly putting Vermont on the global wine map. Her work centers on the use of cold-hardy hybrid grapes—varieties like Marquette, La Crescent, and Brianna—which she farms using rigorous biodynamic and regenerative practices. By championing these climate-resilient grapes and employing a “zero-intervention” cellar philosophy (using native yeasts and no additives), she has transformed the reputation of hybrid wines from farmstand swill to sophisticated, world-class expressions of terroir.

Her influence extends through her mentorship of emerging vignerons and her prolific writing, including the acclaimed book An Unlikely Vineyard: The Education of a Farmer and Her Quest for Terroir. She is at work on a new book, working title The Vineyard of Lost Time, due out later in 2026.