
ABOUT BENSON
Benson is a leading wine and spirits marketing agency in the United States.
In 2021 we were named to the top 10 “Power List” of U.S. wine and spirits marketing agencies by Meininger’s Wine Business Int’l. Additionally, Beverage Trade Network included Benson in its 2021 list of top PR agencies highlighting, “stellar work that has attracted the right clients.”
Since 2000, we have worked with iconic wine and spirits companies, launched new brands, and even helped introduce and build whole alcohol beverage categories.
Our vision is to be the preeminent wine and spirits marketing agency. In 2005 we opened an office in New York and over the years our wine and spirits marketing services have evolved to incorporate digital marketing and advertising, branding strategy, media partnerships, influencer partnerships, PR, and advocacy marketing to better serve our clients. With a cross-cultural perspective and a collaborative team approach, our goal has never been to be the biggest, but to be the best at what we do.
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TEAM BENSON
Benson’s vision is to create the preeminent global wine and spirits marketing agency.
To get there, the agency pursues a simple people strategy, the Upward Spiral. The agency adds truly outstanding people to our account teams, who deliver stellar results, which attract the right clients and allow us to expand and evolve. This self-reinforcing strategy influences every aspect of the company.
Benson founded the agency in 2000 and directs client strategy and creative development. He speaks frequently at industry conferences and university seminars on digital media, direct marketing and brand marketing.
Prior to starting Benson Marketing Group, he was brand manager and export sales manager at Franciscan Estates, and marketing director for the Napa Valley Vintners Association which brought him from Los Angeles to Napa. While in LA, he managed PR campaigns for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton brands including Domaine Chandon, Moet & Chandon, Hennessy Cognac, and Tanqueray.
Benson holds an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BA from Occidental College, both in Los Angeles.
Sample of Industry Boards and Speaking Engagements:
- Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine & Food Science, UC Davis: Former Board of Executives
- UC Davis Wine Executive Program: Past Marketing Seminar Lecturer
- Direct to Consumer Wine Symposium: Past Chairman, Current Steering Committee Member
- University of California at Davis, Board of Visitors & Fellows: Former Director
Telephone: +1 917.633.6002 Ext 2
Drawing on her experience working with Italian, Spanish and Portuguese brands, Schlendorf coordinates media outreach, story pitching projects, trade promotions and social media campaigns that garner attention for a diverse array of wines and vineyards. She also brings a tenacious and organized hand to wine events for press and trade.
Schlendorf joined Benson’s New York office in 2008 from Winebow, a successful wine importer and distributor located in New York. Working in the education department, Schlendorf developed training materials to help the sales team and buyers better understand and sell the company’s broad portfolio of brands. Schlendorf is a Certified Specialist of Wine, Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, and graduated with a BA in history and economics from Colgate University.
Telephone: +1 917.633.6002, EXT 1
Nadea joined the agency in 2021, managing PR and marketing communications campaigns for a wide range of wine and spirits clients.
Most recently, Nadea was a Vice President at Rubenstein Communications where she handled a diverse roster of clients for national wellness, CPG, and hospitality brands including Eataly, Tate’s Bake Shop, The Russian Tea Room, and Crunch Franchise. Prior to that she worked at Sunshine Sachs agency and Sopexa on global brands including The Family Coppola Wines, Great Women Spirits, Monkey 47, Loire Valley Wines, Aveniu Brands, Emilio Moro Wines, Rias Baixas Wines, Wines of France, McCormick, and The Points Guy. She has also led national campaigns across a variety of sectors including travel, food, media, and publishing.
Nadea graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a B.S. in Journalism with Minors in Spanish and Ethnic Studies.
Lauren graduated with a B.S. in Communication from University of Miami and received a M.S. in Marketing at American University.
Telephone: +1 917.633.6002, EXT 9
Batich joined the agency in 2019, bringing an array of public relations, influencer marketing, media tours, and sponsorship experience from the luxury lifestyle food & beverage space.
Prior to Benson, she worked for importers such as Kobrand and Remy Cointreau, and agencies including Sopexa and Bullfrog & Baum. Her brand experience includes top tier Champagne Houses, Ketel One Vodka (and the launch of Ketel One Botanical), Gerard Bertrand Winery, as well as a bevy of French & Italian wine trade councils including Cognac, Loire Valley, and Burgundy.
When there’s spare time, you might find her mystery shopping in retailers to keep a finger on the pulse of what consumers are looking for and where they get their information. Batich graduated with a BA in speech communications and rhetorical studies from Hofstra University.
Telephone: +1 917.633.6002, EXT 15
Since 2007, Susan has managed the agency’s accounts payables and receivables, cashflow, and client expense accounts. She coordinates a range of different domestic and international accounts the agency uses to fund operations and client campaigns.
Prior to joining the agency, she managed winemaking and vineyard projects as Pahlmeyer Winery’s first full-time employee, in Napa Valley. Her finance career began in Los Angeles at First Interstate Bancorp, managing corporate and municipal debt obligations, and she continued in that role later in the bank’s San Francisco department. She has a B.A. in History from the University of Redlands, in southern California.
Telephone: +1 917.633.6002 EXT 11
Isabella Correa joined the agency in June 2022, providing support for media relations, events, and marketing actions for a wide variety of wine and spirits clients.
Prior to joining Benson, Isabella supported integrated marketing teams at CoreLogic, an investment and business intelligence company. She is based in New York and graduated with a Bachelors in Communications and Marketing from Boston University.
Telephone: +1 917.633.6002 EXT 10

Prior to joining Benson in 2022, Nikki directed content marketing for clients through her consultancy, including a luxury food and wine tour company and a new-age wine club. She honed her communications craft over an eight-year career in marketing and public relations in the entertainment, hospitality, and lifestyle industries. From launching national press tours for NBC Studios to orchestrating red carpet events for the likes of Netflix, Nikki brings diverse experience to the team.
Nikki has a Level 3 certification with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and graduated from San Diego State University with a B.Sc. in Marketing and Communications.
Telephone: +1 917 633 6002 EXT 12
DeAngelis is a seasoned Information Technology executive based in Silicon Valley that has been working with startup companies for over 20 years. Ron and his team manage Benson’s technology resources and infrastructure, spanning WFH and office technology and a wide range of different applications that power the agency’s client campaigns.
Ron graduated from San Jose State University with a BS degree in Business Administration/Finance and Communications. He founded and has led Jump Start Technology, an IT consulting firm headquartered in Mountain View, CA, for more than 15 years.
Ron’s prior experience includes managing IT at C-Cube Microsystems (as it grew from 150 to 1200 employees with offices worldwide in less than 3 years), Novell, and Franklin-Templeton.
Telephone: +1 650.949.0667
ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR TEAM?
If you are inspired by how our strategy supports our vision, we invite you to review our current openings.