Our Team
At Island Shiners, our west-coast loving team members and their collaborative spirit have formed our Distillery foundation. At Island Shiners, we’re authentic, down-to-earth, and true to ourselves, but most importantly, we’re on a mission when it comes to taking our craft to the next level. Challenge accepted! We aim to lift local spirits as we are embracers of creativity and meticulous execution. Our team has the grit, energy, and expertise to tackle any problem. Our consistent delivery of quality products and pushing innovation is what drives our passion. Our approach is agility and hustle with the belief that teamwork makes the dream work. Every day we shine!
Zobeida Philp
Zobeida is the heart of Island Shiners Distillery. As owner and founder, her unrivalled dedication and belief in her family’s dream of being a part of the craft spirit community have brought us to where we are today. Born and raised in Nicaragua, Zobeida brings both a passion for quality and a wealth of business acumen to Shiners. She and her late husband Ronald Philp, a Canadian geologist, spent many successful years immersed in the mining industry. Together they staked mining properties throughout Canada and internationally, embarking on many exhilarating adventures around the globe. Upon settling in Victoria and raising two sons, her next business venture was as co-owner of a dynamic travel agency in Sydney that further deepened her intimate understanding of tourism, customer service and product quality. She has also given back to the community through her volunteer work at the Belfry Theater, the RBC Museum and her church. On a personal level, Zobeida is a chef extraordinaire who studied at the Vancouver Culinary Arts School, a spirit connoisseur and a true craft enthusiast. With a lifelong passion for being in nature, she loves spending time with her family, enjoying Sooke’s natural beauty. When you don’t find Zobeida working in her awe-inspiring garden, hiking, or kayaking, you know she is on the golf course perfecting her game, one birdie at a time. Much like her golf strategy, her views on spirits are the same; the most important shot is the next one. From prospector to tourism leader to golf enthusiast to outdoor adventure seeker to spirit purveyor, Zobeida has chalked up a world of experience and could not be more excited about establishing Island Shiners Distillery Inc.
FUN QUOTE
Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a tasty cocktail, and you can keep the clubs and the air; just kidding, give me both! Cocktail first:)
FUN QUOTE
A rough day on the ocean is better than any day at the office unless, of course, your office is a spirit-filled Distillery.
Florian Laudi
Florian is a Master Distiller and a Jack of all trades. He has been a vital part of Island Shiners’ construction from the very beginning, even building our custom live edge bar; you can see much of his hard work around the Distillery today. Florian’s seasoned craftsmanship has been applied from his many years of boat building and flair for creating and focusing on the details. Island Shiners is a perfect place to put his crafty hands and ingenuity together to create a welcoming and tasty environment. Florian harnessed his creative talent with tenacity while attending Prohibition University and receiving his Master Distiller’s certificate, which led him to become a Distiller at Island Shiners.
Florian was born in Kiel, Germany, but his lust for adventure led him to live throughout Europe, Portugal, and Costa Rica. Florian quickly put down roots in Victoria, Canada, after meeting his beautiful wife and starting a family. He enjoys spending his spare time surfing, hiking, or exploring nature, so living on Vancouver Island was a no-brainer. He’s an adventure enthusiast who prefers the road less travelled. His fun take on distilling is a reflection of his time spent exploring the globe. Not only is Florian a well-versed handyman, but he’s also proficient in 6 languages and utilizes his natural skill in the hand-made crafting industry. If you like chatting about the building design process or thrill-seeking adventures – you’d probably enjoy a pint or two with Florian.
Charles Philp
Charles’ is a full-time Master Distiller and the man with a plan. It is his vision that has propelled Island Shiners Distillery to fruition. His passion for distilling derives from a genuine interest and dedication to discovering and delivering a quality product. With constant sensory evaluation and focusing on the minute details, all magnificently timed with precision, his spirits speak for themselves. He believes that great ideas need to be seen, better yet tasted.
His pragmatic and ‘get stuff done’ approach has seen him tackle a range of briefs, from brand propositions to creating marketing campaigns and developing an exceptional product line that elevates Island Shiners to the next level. Sometimes, all on the same day. Charles’s work ethic, levelheaded personality, and unbridled perseverance sustain his motivation to bring the best to whatever he does. Whether it’s creating his own music as a successful producer, being a finance virtuoso, or an experienced business expert. His drive at Island Shiners is no exception. As an operations professional, drink designer, and talented team leader, he enjoys ensuring that things run smoothly and sets high standards for continual growth to create flavours for the future. His passion for distilling and hard-work has translated from his business and finance degrees to him thriving in his Master Distiller’s education. He translates his knowledge of what it truly means to run a local small business and exemplifies his know-how into the Distillery daily.
Charles received high accolades while attending Prohibition University, where he received his Master Distiller’s certificate. He revelled in the knowledge and history of distilling. He’s constantly pushing innovation with his out-of-the-box thinking when developing vibrant and creative product lines. Ultimately, it means creating stand-alone spirits that showcase his ingenuity and inspire spirit connoisseurs alike. His goal is always to exceed standards. Charles believes in creating a unique experience in every top-shelf spirit bottle!
FUN QUOTE
Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle
- Abraham Lincoln
FUN FACT
She loves outer space and dinosaurs. Which means she's conflicted about meteors.
Ashley Chang
Ashley was born and bred on Vancouver Island before setting out on travels throughout the world. She has perfected her mixology skills bartending in the food and beverage industry, coupled with a complementary sales background. Her experience has spanned across the region and has taken her internationally; all before establishing roots at Island Shiners Distillery Inc. Ashley has gained a wealth of knowledge, having spent the last decade thriving in the hospitality industry in various roles. Her knack for creating memorable guest experiences and always providing exceptional customer service has led her on an exciting journey. Ashley has ventured across continents and several countries to expand her expertise, allowing her to showcase her skillsets, all while staying true to her passion for connecting with people. This set-in motion an opportunity to move across the globe to be a brand ambassador for a celebrated global media and lifestyle corporation. She gained an abundance of knowledge in hospitality, sales, and what it takes to build meaningful, lasting business relationships. She traded in her bunny ears and swapped them for a pair of gumboots to embrace her west-coast Distillery lifestyle. For Ashley, it’s about the adventure, from the places she has been to the place where she calls home. Ashley is responsible for leading, controlling and organizing all activities within the company. With her meticulous execution and an eye for design and content creation, she is an integral part of Island Shiners. You can see her design skills and artistic touches throughout the company, from the website design to the copywriting. You can always find her smiling face hard at work running the front of the house and serving up tasty samples behind the bar. Ashley’s experience is her point of difference, both in terms of the knowledge she holds and the experiences she creates.
