Feast It Forward

Just over 17 years ago, after hanging up her cleats from semi-pro soccer, Katie Hamilton Shaffer moved to Napa Valley to pursue a career in food and wine. While managing events at a local winery, her mentor’s daughter was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome—a rare neurological disorder. Wanting to make a difference, she co-founded the Erika Van Giesen Foundation in 2004, alongside the annual epicurean gala Erika’s Dream. In 2006, funds raised helped establish Katie’s Clinic at Children’s Hospital Oakland, which continues to serve Rett families across the Western U.S. This gala became the perfect way to merge her passions for food, wine, and philanthropy, all while throwing unforgettable parties. In 2009, Katie helped launch Wine, Women & Shoes, a food and wine event that grew into a national fundraising platform. Later that year, she debuted her first wine label, Toolbox Wine Co, crafting affordable, quality wines that gave back. Around that time, conversations at Erika’s Dream inspired her to take a leap of faith and build Feast it Forward — a lifestyle brand dedicated to inspiring, educating, and entertaining through food, wine, music, and philanthropy. With a “slow and grow” approach, the past nine years have been dedicated to developing the Feast it Forward brand and its digital network (https://feastitforward.com | http://feast.network ). In 2018, she opened The Studio by Feast it Forward in downtown Napa — a flagship live studio and experiential showroom blending food, wine, music, design, entertainment, and charitable giving, truly bringing the network to life. Now, Katie is expanding her vision with Rotation by Feast it Forward, opening Fall 2025. Located across from The Studio in Napa’s Oxbow District, Rotation will be a first-of-its-kind global chef residency restaurant, featuring a new acclaimed chef each month. This next chapter cements Feast as a dynamic cultural hub that blends storytelling, hospitality, and community impact on a national scale.