Mandi Nelson, CS, WSET Advanced, is a wine industry leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning every tier of the business, including supplier, distributor, importer and hospitality. As the founder of Communal Wine and Spirits, she specializes in building high-impact market strategies, driving distribution growth and elevating boutique and luxury wine brands through meaningful relationships and targeted execution.

Throughout her career, Mandi has held key roles with some of the industry’s most respected organizations, including New Waterloo, Four Seasons, European Cellars, Folio Fine Wine Partners, Huneeus Vintners and Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC). Her experience as a buyer, supplier partner and distributor executive provides her with a unique 360-degree perspective of the wine business, allowing her to create strategic solutions that connect wineries, distributors, and customers in impactful ways.

Mandi has built a reputation for successfully launching brands, strengthening distributor partnerships, expanding market presence and creating long-term growth strategies for family-owned wineries and luxury producers. She is particularly passionate about advocating for small, independent estates and helping them navigate an increasingly consolidated marketplace, ensuring their stories and wines reach the right audiences.

Based in Texas, Mandi is also the President and Founder of ATX SOMMS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to education, mentorship and community within the hospitality industry. Through both Communal Wines and ATX SOMMS, she continues to champion authentic producers, support hospitality professionals and create opportunities that strengthen and elevate the wine community.

With a relationship-driven approach and a deep understanding of every level of the industry, Mandi brings a rare combination of strategic thinking, hands-on execution and genuine passion for connecting people, place and purpose through wine.