who we are
Thirsty Logic’s founders, Michele and Doug, met back in 2008 in a blind wine-tasting class, part of a residential study program for Master of Wine (MW) candidates. Michele was intrigued to meet the tech executive who enrolled in the MW program as a passion pursuit. They quickly got to know one another through this exercise of humiliation for overachievers.
the Founders
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Michele Anderson
CEO
Michele is a distinguished wine professional and tech entrepreneur. As a Master of Wine (MW), Michele holds the most respected global wine credential. A former sommelier at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, she currently serves as an Independent Director for Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA. Michele also has significant tech experience, having led and scaled Shutterfly’s $1B revenue consumer business and Staples’ $1B e-commerce and SMB Services businesses. She is a second-time founder with a successful exit in wine e-commerce. Michele earned her Bachelors of Law and Commerce at the University of NSW in Australia and her MBA from the Wharton School. She lives in NYC but retains her Aussie accent.
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Doug Cook
CTO
Doug is an experienced engineering leader and a certified wine geek, holding a WSET Diploma. As the leader of search engine groups at Inktomi, Yahoo!, and Twitter, he built world-class teams and delivered products that provided outstanding results at massive scale. On a smaller scale, he created the world’s first wine-focused search engine, Able Grape, now part of Thirsty Logic’s core technology. He lives in Connecticut with his two young boys.
Founding Team
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Maia Mora
DIRECTOR OF SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Maia graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2023 with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. She just sat her WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) Level 3 exam. She grew up in Miami and is 50/50 Cuban and Argentine.
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Nicolas Haunold
FOUNDING ENGINEER
Nicolas combines his technical expertise and background as a software engineer at Airbnb and The Infatuation with a deep passion for wine. He passed the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) Level 3 exam with merit. Originally from Austria, he channels his love for wine by working at a local wine store in Brooklyn.
