I began smoking cigars when I was very young, about 15-16 years ago. I was introduced by a man who took me on a date to a cigar lounge. Initially, wasn’t as much into the cigars as much as the environment, which was much more sophisticated than what I was accustomed to. However, the more I began to explore different lounges and various cigars, I began to gain more respect for the cigar, and, unfortunately, less adoration for many of the shops and lounges.

The lack of inclusion and consideration for women, beginners, and young people caused me to isolate myself and go forward in my cigar journey alone. For the next several years, I learned more about the leaf, on my own, and smoked on my patio or at my pool. I was on a complete “island” until 2016 when I decided that I wanted to contribute to the cigar community.

I started my Instagram page, HERficionado®, which began as a feature page that highlighted women in the cigar community. I was actually not pictured on my page for quite some time. Joining the cigar community was never meant to be specifically about me. It was about the women whom I felt were underrepresented. This also led to me starting my She Smokes Too® events.

She Smokes Too® was to be a safe space for women who wanted to explore cigars and spirits, whether beginners, veterans, younger, or older. This was the event that shaped my presence in this male-dominated space because it was unlike what was being done before. My aesthetic was a lot different. Most “cigar-centered” events were held in cigar lounges. My goal was to curate specialty events in some of the best venues in Atlanta, whether they were cigar lounges, cocktail lounges, nightclubs, rooftops, etc. The music played at She Smokes Too® was music you’d likely hear in any given hotspot in town. The drinks and atmosphere always had to be on par with the finest establishments in the city. I did all of this because, again, I wanted WOMEN to feel comfortable regardless of their age and their level of experience with cigars. I did not want them to feel like I did when my journey began: like walking into a lion’s den!*

Once SST® events and my personal brand, HERficionado® gained traction, I knew there was more I needed to do. My partners and I created Atlanta Cigar Week® (ACW) in 2017. ACW is a week-long festival that is comprised of 18-25 events annually, every 3rd week of September. This event was created to showcase the best that Atlanta has to offer to cigar and spirits enthusiasts. We were dedicated to curating, to the best of our abilities, the very first 7-day cigar festival in the world! What started as a little more than a week-long bar crawl has become, what many consider, the standard for various cigar festivals all over the country.

One thing that I am most proud of about Atlanta Cigar Week® is that each year, we push the envelope of creativity and strive to deliver a high-quality product. My team and I value our attendees, whom we now consider family, and always want them to leave feeling good about spending their time and resources with us! We do months of research to find the best venues, the best entertainment, the best spirits, and cigar partners. Our guests appreciate knowing that every third week of September, they will not be met with the same, run of the mill event that could be attended any given day, of any given week. They have come to anticipate the ways in which they will be pleasantly surprised about what’s “new” this year! September 10-17th, 2023 will not disappoint! Lol, excuse my shameless plug.

I am also very proud and honored that this space has embraced me and allowed me to thrive doing what I love. Since 2016, I have obtained a certification as a Cigar Sommelier Tobacconist, had business articles and features in cigar and lifestyle magazines, written a column in an online magazine, curated international events, including Dubai Cigar Week, received proclamations from the City of Atlanta and the City of Fairburn, GA. I’ve become one of the Top 10 Online Cigar Community personalities in the world, founded a major festival that is the first of its kind, and most importantly, I have gained more friendships and business relationships than I can count. Life is good!

These days, when I am called to create pop-up cigar lounges for events, or teach classes on cigars and pairing, I am still flattered because I do not fit the description of the “typical” cigar smoker. But I think that is what makes this era so cool; inclusivity is IN! No one can shut the door on us if our foot is always there holding it open for those marching in behind us! And that is the key: I will ALWAYS hold the door open for those coming in behind me.