Brewers Association Names Meg Papanastassiou Director of Marketing and Communications

Brewers Association Meg Papanastassiou

The Brewers Association is making a leadership move that puts another experienced craft beer marketing professional in an important position for the American brewing industry. The organization has named Meg Papanastassiou its new director of marketing and communications, bringing in someone with more than a decade of experience working across beverage, outdoor and lifestyle brands, including several recognizable names in the beer business.

There is some familiar craft beer experience here. Papanastassiou previously worked at Backbone Media, where she served as marketing director and handled internal and external marketing and communications, while her earlier industry experience includes work with New Belgium Brewing, Boston Beer Company, BrewDog and Truly Hard Seltzer. That is a pretty interesting collection of beverage brands, and it gives her a background that reaches well beyond simply promoting individual beers or brewery releases.

The timing of this appointment is worth watching because the Brewers Association has a pretty broad job in front of it. The organization represents small and independent American craft brewers, works on industry advocacy, provides resources to brewery members and manages some of the biggest events and competitions in craft beer, including the Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference and World Beer Cup. A strong marketing and communications operation matters when the association is trying to reach independent breweries, beer drinkers, industry partners and policymakers, all of whom have different reasons for paying attention. A bigger voice for independent beer.

Papanastassiou will now take the lead on marketing and communications strategy, with responsibilities that include member engagement, industry advocacy and increasing the visibility of the association’s signature events and competitions. There is plenty to manage, particularly as independent breweries continue working through a competitive market where visibility, consumer engagement and a clear identity matter, and the Brewers Association needs to communicate why small and independent beer still deserves attention and support. Here is the official announcement from the Brewers Association with additional details about the appointment and Papanastassiou’s new role.

Marketing veteran brings more than a decade of experience, including work with leading beer and beverage brands

BOULDER, Colo. (Nov. 9, 2026) — The Brewers Association (BA), the not-for-profit trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers, has named Meg Papanastassiou its new director of marketing and communications.

Papanastassiou brings more than a decade of experience in public relations and integrated marketing across the beverage, outdoor, and lifestyle industries. She joins the BA from Backbone Media, where she most recently served as marketing director, leading external and internal marketing and communications for the agency and its sister agency, rygr. Throughout her career, she has worked with notable beverage brands, including New Belgium Brewing, Boston Beer Company, BrewDog, and Truly Hard Seltzer. Her expertise spans public relations, digital marketing, social media, content strategy, influencer marketing, and events.

“Meg brings a strong combination of industry experience, integrated marketing expertise, and authentic passion for craft beer,” said Bart Watson, president and CEO of the Brewers Association. “From elevating the BA’s resources to championing the interests of small and independent brewers, she will play an important part in advancing our mission.”

In this role, Papanastassiou will lead marketing and communications strategy to strengthen member engagement, amplify the association’s advocacy for small and independent craft breweries, and support the growth and visibility of signature BA events and competitions, including the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), Craft Brewers Conference (CBC), World Beer Cup (WBC), and GABF Competition.

“Few industries bring people together quite like craft beer,” said Papanastassiou. “I’m excited to bring fresh ideas and bold, new thinking to the Brewers Association to elevate our members and inspire more people to support small and independent beer.”

Related news from mybeerbuzz.com:
The Brewers Association plays a major role in the American craft beer industry, and we have continued following its work, events, competitions and industry developments here on MyBeerBuzz. Check out our coverage of The 2025 Year in Beer from the Brewers Association, Great American Beer Festival Heads Outdoors for the First Time, Registration Now Open for the 2026 World Beer Cup, and Official Commemorative Beer Announced for the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference in Philadelphia. These stories provide additional background on the organization’s leadership, its industry programs, its major competitions and the events that continue to bring independent craft breweries together.

About the Brewers Association The Brewers Association (BA) is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 9,000-plus U.S. breweries and its independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events, including the World Beer Cup^®, Great American Beer Festival^®, Craft Brewers Conference^™ & BrewExpo America^®, and American Craft Beer Week^®. The BA publishes The New Brewer^® magazine and Brewers Publications^® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com^®. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor. 

he Brewers Association is one of the most influential organizations in the American craft beer industry, serving as a national trade association dedicated to protecting and promoting small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Based in Boulder, Colorado, the not-for-profit organization represents thousands of breweries and industry professionals while providing advocacy, education, research, business resources and major events that help support the independent brewing community.

The modern Brewers Association was formed in 2005 through the merger of the Association of Brewers and the Brewers’ Association of America. However, its roots extend much further into American brewing history, with predecessor organizations working for decades to represent smaller brewing companies and address the challenges facing independent producers.

The Association of Brewers was established in 1983 by Charlie Papazian and other brewing advocates during the early development of the American craft beer movement. The organization supported professional brewers, homebrewers and the growing number of small brewing companies that were beginning to challenge the established beer market. The Brewers’ Association of America had an even earlier history, with roots in the small brewing community dating back to the 1940s.

Bringing these organizations together created a stronger national organization capable of representing independent breweries on a much larger scale. The merger gave the Brewers Association a broader membership base, more resources and a stronger platform for addressing legislative, regulatory and business issues affecting small American brewers.

One of the organization’s most recognizable initiatives is the independent craft brewer seal. Introduced in 2017, the seal was designed to help consumers identify beer produced by small and independent craft breweries. It features an upside-down beer bottle inside a circular design and has become a recognizable symbol throughout the American craft beer industry.

The independent craft brewer seal addresses an important issue in a beer market where ownership structures and brewery acquisitions can sometimes make it difficult for consumers to understand who actually produces the beer they are purchasing. By providing a recognizable mark, the Brewers Association gives independent breweries another way to communicate their identity and helps beer drinkers make more informed purchasing decisions.

Advocacy remains another major part of the organization’s work. The Brewers Association represents small and independent brewers in Washington, D.C., and works with state brewing guilds throughout the country to address legislation, taxation, regulatory matters and other issues affecting brewery operations. Federal excise tax policy, access to ingredients, distribution regulations and independent brewery business conditions are among the subjects that regularly require attention.

The organization also provides breweries with educational resources and industry research. Its publications, technical materials, economic reports and business guidance help brewery owners and employees understand the challenges of operating a modern brewing company. The New Brewer magazine provides professional information for brewery operators, while Brewers Publications produces books covering brewing techniques, ingredients, business operations and beer styles.

The Brewers Association also organizes some of the most important events in the international brewing calendar. The Great American Beer Festival is one of the best-known American beer festivals, bringing breweries and beer enthusiasts together for tastings, education and competition. Its annual professional beer competition recognizes brewing excellence across numerous beer styles and categories.

The World Beer Cup is another major part of the organization’s work. Established in 1996, the international competition brings together breweries from around the world and recognizes outstanding beers through professional judging. Often described as one of the industry’s most respected brewing competitions, the World Beer Cup provides an opportunity for breweries of different sizes and backgrounds to compete on an international stage.

The Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America serves a different but equally important purpose. The annual gathering brings brewery owners, brewers, suppliers, distributors and other industry professionals together for educational sessions, networking and discussions about the business of brewing. It provides practical information on everything from brewing technology and packaging to marketing, distribution, finance and brewery management.

American Craft Beer Week is another initiative that celebrates independent brewing and encourages consumers to support local breweries. Through educational programming, brewery events and industry outreach, the association works to strengthen the connection between independent beer producers and the communities they serve.

The Brewers Association also publishes industry statistics and research that help explain the changing American beer market. Its annual brewery production reports, economic information and industry analysis provide useful information about brewery openings and closings, production trends, consumer behavior and the overall condition of independent brewing.

This work has become particularly important as craft breweries face changing consumer preferences, increased competition, higher operating expenses and continued pressure on distribution and retail sales. Independent breweries need more than good beer to succeed. They need strong business practices, recognizable brands, effective communication and access to reliable industry information.

That is one reason the appointment of Meg Papanastassiou as director of marketing and communications is worth following. The Brewers Association needs to communicate with brewery members, industry partners, policymakers and beer drinkers, and its marketing strategy helps connect all those audiences with the organization’s work.

With experience working alongside established beverage brands such as New Belgium Brewing, Boston Beer Company, BrewDog and Truly Hard Seltzer, Papanastassiou arrives with a background that directly connects to the craft beer and beverage industries. Her new position will put her in charge of helping communicate the association’s mission while increasing engagement with its members and strengthening the visibility of its major programs.

Today, the Brewers Association remains an important voice for independent American craft beer. From legislative advocacy and industry education to the Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup and Craft Brewers Conference, the organization continues to influence how independent breweries operate, compete and connect with consumers.

For more information about the Brewers Association, its membership, industry programs, events, research and independent craft beer initiatives, visit the official website:

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