About Us
The Drink Nation
The Drink Nation is a free online publication that helps users find happy hours, drink specials, and drinking-related events in and around their city. We utilize real people to call and update our listings in order to provide users with the most up-to-date information available. In addition to our listings, we provide a comprehensive resource of original content, like bar and drink reviews, tailored to the city’s drinking culture.
Our website started in Philadelphia and quickly expanded across the country to Baltimore, Washington D.C., Denver, CO, Portland OR, and New York City. We have a nationwide audience that concentrates on being the local night life hub in each of the cities we’re in. The Drink Nation team can be found across the United States.
Adam Schmidt Founder & President
Favorite Beverage: Peat's Word (Last Word cocktail, substitute gin with Laphroaig 10 whisky)
Favorite Animal: Giraffe
Adam Schmidt is the President & Founder of TheDrinkNation.com. During his college days, Adam created and launched the site as a happy hour and drinks specials finder. The website then grew to become a local online magazine and bar guide focused on providing information and education to the sophisticated drink enthusiast. He likes bacon. And beer.
Twitter: @DrinkerInChief
Nina Starner Lead Editor
Favorite Beverage: Bourbon
Favorite Animal: Red Fox
Nina Starner started her professional drinking career with The Drink Nation in 2015 as a freelance writer and became Lead Editor in early 2016. When she’s not writing about booze news or exploring new bars, you can usually find her around the city drinking whiskey, hanging out with her dog, eating fries, doing sketch comedy, or writing Game of Thrones recaps.
Twitter: @EditorNina
Jessie Donofrio Assistant Editor
Favorite Beverage: Whiskey Sour
Favorite Animal: English Springer Spaniel
Jessie started with The Drink Nation in 2015 as a Social Media Intern and then made her way to being Assistant Editor in 2016. She also enjoys cooking (to pair with alcoholic beverages) and finding dive bars with shuffle board tables. She is a mother of one cat and you can catch her starting a sing-a-long to Natasha Bendingfield's Unwritten at a bar near you.
Twitter: @JessieDonofrio
Patrick Jones Drink NYC
Favorite Beverage: Bourbon with ginger and lime
Favorite Animal: Bear
Patrick Jones is a New York City based writer, producer and host. When he's not manning a barstool he's performing improv and sketch comedy.
Twitter: @Patrick_E_Jones
Lanna Nguyen Drink DC
Favorite Beverage: Anything with Prosecco or bourbon
Favorite Animal: Fox
When she's not in her cubicle at her "real" job, Lanna can be found roaming the streets for the perfect brunch spots, discovering new restaurants around the city and trying to solidify her go-to neighborhood bar. When she's not out finding new ways to expand her waistline, you can catch her at her favorite spin studio attempting to offset her foodie appetite.
Jennifer Waldera Drink Baltimore
Favorite Beverage: Big, dry, red wine blend
Favorite Animal: American Bulldog
Jennifer Waldera is a grammar-obsessed pun-lover with a penchant for brown liquor, red wine, and creative savory cocktails. In a perfect world, she’d spend her days alongside her sweet bulldog while writing, cooking, and shaking and stirring with a beach view, or in a hidden speakeasy with mezcal, malbec, or bourbon close by.
Twitter: @JLWriterBMore
Carrie Dow Drink Denver
Favorite Beverage: Painkiller
Favorite Animal: Rescue pet
Carrie Dow is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in regional and national magazines. She is also the founder of What’s Pawsitive, a website about animal welfare issues around the world. She has been writing for The Drink Nation since September 2012, putting over 25 years of imbibing to practical use. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, she is married to a Chicago sports fanatic and mom to a Siberian Husky.
Alex Frane Drink Portland
Favorite Beverage: Negroni
Favorite Animal: Bat
Alex Frane is a Portland based food and drink writer, and occasional photographer. He gets much of his writing advice from his roommate's cat, who likes to lay on his arm while he writes.
Sonie Guseh Drink NYC
Favorite Beverage: Riesling
Favorite Animal: Cat
Sonie started at The Drink Nation in the summer of 2016, and in addition to her love of writing, has a penchant for reading, running and yoga. If she’s not working in her media job by day, brunching, or trying out the latest wine bar to pop up around the city, you can probably find Sonie curled up with a glass of wine and a good book or some good ol’ reality TV.
Dr. Claw Unknown
Favorite Beverage: Unknown
Favorite Animal: Probably the cat?
Very little is known about Dr. Claw and he won't answer any of our questions. He mostly just sits in his office watching a monitor and occasionally pounds his fist on his desk. He kind of came with the office, so we just let him do his thing.