Team

Marsha Palanci, Founder/CEO

In her 20 years at the helm of Cornerstone, Marsha has built the agency’s reputation on its proven ability to create awareness for lifestyle brands from around the world. Previously, Marsha was Vice President, Public Relations for Schieffelin & Company (now Moët Hennessy USA) where she managed media relations and special events campaigns for Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Hennessy Cognac, Marqués de Riscal, Simi and Domaine Chandon. Her career began as Assistant Director of Public Relations at Sopexa/Food & Wines from France, implementing US campaigns for French luxury foods, wines and spirits.

Marsha is a board member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, New York City Chapter, an international association of leading women in the hospitality field and serves as a trustee to CancerCare^©. She holds a Masters degree in Medieval French literature from Kent State University.

A woman of diverse interests, Marsha collects art work by female artists, enjoys exotic travel – frequently on a bike – and delights in gardening on her Manhattan terrace. A seven-time marathon runner, she believes fitness is really only a means to enjoying a good meal. An avid cook, she studied at the Cordon Bleu in Paris as well as with Mario Batali at the Capezzana Cooking School in Tuscany.  Follow her on Twitter @marshapalanci.

Beth Cotenoff, Vice President

Beth joined Cornerstone in 2007 with more than 15 years of international business experience. Previously, she was a Vice President at DeVries Public Relations where she created and managed media relations initiatives for Gallo’s international brands such at Ecco Domani and Red Bicyclette. A former Director of PR at Sopexa USA, Beth ran public relations programs for the Bordeaux Wine Bureau, Alsace Wines, the Cognac Bureau, Calvados, Richart Chocolat, and others. Beth’s career began in the hospitality industry with the Accor Hotel Group in New York and in Paris, France. Beth is also a certified TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) instructor.

She graduated with a B.A. in French from Tufts University and studied at the Sorbonne and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris. She holds Intermediate and Advanced Certificates in Wine & Spirits from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and is a Certified Spanish Wine Educator. Beth has also worked as a sales consultant for Astor Wine & Spirits in New York City. Fluent in French, Beth is pursuing Spanish studies. She is also an executive board member of the American Institute of Wine and Food’s New York chapter. Follow @betherica for wine and culinary adventures in NYC and abroad.

Mary Gorman, Consultant

Passionate about wine, Mary holds the DWS – Diploma in Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust in London. Having passed both the theory and practical Master of Wine (MW) exams, Mary is now working on her dissertation.  She is also the 2005 recipient of the Trinity Champagne Scholarship and the Constellation Brands Scholarship – international scholarships for first-year MW candidates.  Mary teaches Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) classes at the International Wine Center in New York City and is the wine columnist for the popular blog and website www.thekitchn.com.  Mary has over 15 years experience in senior marketing positions internationally. An Irish national, Mary moved to the US in 2002. Follow Mary on Twitter @gormanmcadams.

Lisa Mendelson, Senior Account Executive

Lisa recently moved to New York City to follow her passion for all things food, wine and spirits. Her previous work with international wine regions including Champagne, France; Oporto, Portugal and Jerez, Spain make her a great fit to join the team.

Lisa’s career began by organizing and executing corporate events across the country for the Institute for Professional and Executive Development (IPED), a Washington, DC-based continuing education company for professionals working in a variety of industries. Prior to joining Cornerstone, Lisa spent four years at Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter and Associates, a DC-based strategic communications firm, where she managed a variety of accounts including Champagne, France; Oporto, Portugal and Jerez, Spain in addition to the Government of Kenya and Hilton Worldwide. Her campaigns have included media relations; event creation, organization and execution; social media strategy; international press trips; creative marketing strategies and more.

Lisa has a BA from the University of Maryland in communications and public relations. She also studied at the University of London in 2005. Follow her on Twitter @lisamendelson.

Adrienne Christner, Assistant Account Executive

Adrienne joined Cornerstone in 2010. Prior to becoming a part of the Cornerstone team, Adrienne worked in public relations at Krupp Kommunications on a variety of lifestyle brands, including Taste of Home and Gaiam Yoga Lifestyle.

She received her BA in International Studies and Economics from Emory University, where she was actively involved in planning University-wide programming and events and studied abroad at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Adrienne currently holds an Intermediate Certificate in Wine & Spirits from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). Follow Adrienne on Twitter @ALChristner.

Courtney Schiessl, Account Coordinator

Courtney is the newest member of the Cornerstone team, having recently graduated from Fordham University in the Bronx.  Prior to joining the agency, she completed internships in media and public relations at The TODAY Show and SELF Magazine, as well as an internship in non-profit event-planning at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

While earning her B.A. in Communication and Media Studies, Courtney was an active part of University life, working with the undergraduate admissions team and managing a main-stage theatre group.  She looks forward to pursuing further education in wine and food in the near future.  Follow Courtney on Twitter at @TakeItToCourt.