When Operations Manager Alexander Segatta arrived in New York in January 2021, he was ready for a change. He had moved from Hawaii, traded island weather for a Brooklyn winter and soon found his way to Widow Jane.

Alexander’s path to the spirits industry began somewhere very different: out at sea. After studying marine science, he spent five years working in fisheries in Alaska and another two in Hawaii, sometimes spending weeks aboard a boat with little communication with land. After seven years in fisheries, Alexander was ready to explore a different path.

That path brought him to Brooklyn, where a cousin and close friend were already living. Not long after arriving, Alexander interviewed with Widow Jane and joined the team at a time when there was plenty of opportunity to jump in and help shape what came next.

Widow Jane was reopening after COVID and expanding into additional space, so Alexander quickly became a jack of all trades. Over time, he found his place in production. With just two people on the team, he learned the operation from the ground up. As Widow Jane expanded, so did his role, eventually leading him to become Operations Manager.

Alexander is proud of the systems and structure he has helped build, but even more so of the team behind the work.

“We have a great team,” Alexander says. “Everyone is willing to do what it takes and create our own path in the industry.”

For Alexander, one of the best parts of leading that team is seeing how different personalities, experiences and strengths come together. Widow Jane operates across five sites in the neighborhood, so the team is constantly moving. Every few weeks, loading and unloading barrels brings everyone into the same place, where communication and trust make all the difference. It is a simple moment, but one Alexander enjoys because he gets to watch the team work together at its best.

What started as a new opportunity in a new city has become a place where Alexander has grown alongside Widow Jane and the team around him.

In many ways, Alexander’s experience captures the spirit of Thriving Together. The team brings different backgrounds and strengths to the work, and it is how they communicate, adapt and rely on one another that keeps them moving forward. As Widow Jane continues to grow, that same approach supports our focus on Executing with Excellence: finding better ways to work, staying connected and bringing the team’s strengths together to make an impact.