Natasha Mesa found her home in the bar community. She currently manages Deadshot, Portland’s most exciting new bar, but Natasha has been a pillar of the Portland bar community since she arrived seven years ago.

Through her work in the Cocktail Apprentice Program at Tales of the Cocktail, Natasha found her purpose and helped her reframe the goals she had for herself and her community. The lessons learned as a CAP have allowed Natasha to emerge as a leader and mentor at home and on the national scene. As Natasha transitioned from working behind the bar in nightclubs into her current work in craft cocktail bars, she found resistance from the male-dominated industry despite her obvious talent. Since she’s been able to break through and make a name for herself, she is very committed to helping not only other women but up-in-coming bartenders achieve their goals and join the ranks behind the bar.

When Natasha isn’t working on breaking down the glass ceiling or crafting the perfect stirred drink, she enjoys spending time on the soccer field, hitting the slopes, and traveling.