Denver, CO-based KT Winery, a Black, Asian-owned, and women-led wine company, has expanded its board of advisors to include Monique Rodriguez, founder of global beauty brand Mielle Organics, and Rachel Roff, founder of clinical skincare brand Urban Skin Rx.

According to a March 13, 2025 news release, Kristin Taylor and Macie Mincey launched KT Winery in 2020 for the modern, health-conscious wine drinker and to address the lack of diversity representation in the wine industry. The brand is available in over 500 locations online and at select retailers, including Target and Total Wine, and on flights with major airlines.

Rodriguez and Roff will provide strategic guidance to help shape the brand’s direction.

“We are honored to have such notable female founders join the KT Winery board of advisors to provide their insight and guidance as we continue to grow another woman-led brand made for us,” said Taylor.

As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Rodriguez founded Mielle Organics in 2014 after color and heat damage led her to the kitchen, where she began mixing natural ingredients for her hair. The products she created helped her restore and maintain her tailbone-length hair, sparking a craze among social media users eager to replicate her hair transformation.

Since its inception, Mielle Organics has grown into a million-dollar brand and is now available in over 100,000 stores across the United States, AFROTECH™ noted.

Rodriguez continues to serve as CEO of the company, which was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2023. This marked the largest acquisition ever for a Black female beauty founder.

“Throughout my journey with Mielle Organics, I have been passionate about showing up and opening doors for future generations of Black and female entrepreneurs,” said Rodriguez on joining the KT Winery board. “I’m honored to join KT Winery’s board of advisors and use my experience to pour into another woman-led brand.”

KT Winery has also launched its WeFunder investment campaign through April 30 to support women-led brands during Women’s History Month. While the company has raised over $1 million from angel investors, people can invest as little as $100 to help reach their goal of $1.1 million.

The funds will go toward expanding retail presence by adding products to 300 new locations this year, the news release states.