Derek Brown is an author, NASM-certified wellness coach, and founder of Positive Damage, Inc. Previously, Brown owned Spirited Awards 2017 “Best American Cocktail Bar” Columbia Room in Washington, D.C., and was one of the nation’s top bartenders.

Brown published his first book, Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World in 2019, and was named 2020 “Author of the Year” at the Nightclub & Bar Show Awards. He published his second book, Mindful Mixology: a Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails in 2022.

Brown has been recognized as a leading beverage figure affecting positive change in the global bar industry by Drinks International in 2020 in their “Bar World 100” list and as “one of the most inspirational people and places that will shape how we drink in 2023” in Imbibe magazine’s “Imbibe 75” for 2023.