Nora Ganley-Roper
38 | Co-Founder & General Manager, Lost Lantern
Residence: Addison
Career highlight you are most proud of:
Lost Lantern won Global Independent Bottler of the Year at the 2023 Icons of Whisky in London. We beat out some of the very companies that we are inspired by in our work as an American Independent Bottler. Getting the opportunity to travel to London to accept the award from one of the most prestigious awards in our industry is a huge career highlight.
Community Involvement:
Working with women in the startup and distilling ecosystem is a personal passion of mine. The whiskey industry is a very white and male dominated industry. It historically hasn’t been all that welcoming to women. 
I have experienced this personally and I have seen the impact this has on others. So, I spend time mentoring women looking to get into the industry, advocating for more equality in the space, supporting and promoting other women doing great things in the industry, and working as a highly visible leader in the industry. This mentorship work has at times been part of the American Craft Spirits Association, Women of the Vine and Spirits, LaunchVT, and others.
What motivated you to live and work in Vermont?
I grew up in Middlebury! I moved to New York City for college but when Apolon and I were deciding where we wanted to build Lost Lantern, coming back to Addison county and building something exciting and new in the county where I grew up was a no-brainer.
Favorite part of your job:
My favorite part of my job is building new things every day! This can sometimes mean creating an operational process that will make everyone’s lives easier in the company. It can also mean blending our latest whiskey.part of my job is
What is the best career advice you have received?
The best career advice I have received is to figure out what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing…depending on the scenario, they’re not always the same thing. Find a job where they are.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know:
Few people know that I play a ton of video games but only discovered them in my late 20s. Give me a sword, a bow & arrow and/or some magic spells and I’m off to the races.
What three words best describe you:
Three words that best describe me are: Driven, Efficient, Resilient
Favorite Vermont escape:
My favorite Vermont escape is to do pick your own anything–apples, blueberries, cherries, sunflowers, pumpkins, whatever!.
Favorite Vermont season:
My favorite Vermont season is spring! Seeing the first blossoms of the year is truly euphoric.
Favorite downtime activity:
My favorite downtime activity is gardening! It’s the best stress relief I’ve found!
What is your favorite smell?
My favorite smell is almond/marzipan - I just love the creamy richness
Person you would most like to share a Vermont beverage with:
The person I'd most like to share a Vermont beverage with is Marie Curie — I studied Physics in college so this is a clear answer for me.
If you had unlimited access to funds, which cause(s) would you support:
Something close to home right now: I’d love to help build more diversity in whiskey and spirits. The industry is still relatively hard for people who don’t fit into the “classic” whiskey drinking culture. The ability to provide training to people who don’t normally get hired would be hugely beneficial.
What one song is on your playlist that are you embarrassed to tell your best friend:
The song on my playlist I would be embarrassed to tell my best friend is anything 2000s emo but probably more specifically Panic at the Disco - I write sins not tragedies
Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 5-10 years?
In the next 5-10 years I'd like to still be running Lost Lantern (but a much larger version of it)!
What career goal(s) would you like to accomplish in the next 5-10 years?
I would like to have grown Lost Lantern into an international company with dozens (or hundreds?) of employees, with a larger and truly world-class blending facility here in Vermont. I am so excited about what we can accomplish in the whiskey world with this company!
