Christina D’Esposito is vice president of brand partnerships at the James Beard Foundation, where she leads the strategy and growth of the Foundation’s partnership portfolio. In this role, Christina oversees key sponsorships and brand activations, including the internationally recognized James Beard Awards.

Before joining JBF, Christina was senior partnership integrations manager at the New York City Wine & Food Festival, where she managed a portfolio of 100+ brand partners and event activations.

Christina began her career in advertising sales at Food Network before pursuing a master’s degree in Italian Gastronomy and Tourism at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy. She subsequently relocated to northern Italy for three years, leading marketing, communications, and merchandising at a startup food marketplace and bistrot outside of Milan, before returning to NYC to continue her career in food media and brand partnerships at Edible Magazines.

Christina holds a bachelor’s degree from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she focused on Italian language and literature, alongside business management. A dedicated long-distance runner, Christina is a three-time NYC Marathon finisher and has completed thirteen half-marathons.