Bill & Vicki Gallagher

Joining the Whiskey Brigade.  Bill and Vicki Gallagher, Lieutenant Colonels in the Whiskey Brigade, embraced Whiskey University (WU) in August of 2022.  Vicki’s brother, who is a whiskey connoisseur in his own right, introduced them to WU, knowing that WU was seeking leaders in the Maryland area.  Bill and Vicki decided to pursue an Associates of Science degree just for the knowledge and love of history but ultimately continued with their education to earn WU’s top educational credential in July of 2023.  They earned their Associates of Science degrees and the title of "Certified Bourbon Taster" in December of 2022.  Ultimately, they have completed nearly 100 Whiskey University classes, earning their own respective Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees.  Bill and Vicki are “Certified Bourbon Stewards” with The Stave & Thief Society and “Chartered Master Whiskey Tasters” with the rank of Lt. Colonel in the Bourbon Brigade and Members of the WU Board of Directors.

From DoD/NASA and Educator/Coach to Whiskey University.  Bill’s career with the DoD and NASA spans over 43 years of management.  Bill likes to say that “he took up space at work”.  He grew up in Maryland, not far from the Goddard Space Flight Center and his future wife Vicki.  Bill has college degrees in Business Management and Computer & Information Sciences from the University of Maryland.  Bill and Vicki have been married since 1984 and have one son, also a whiskey connoisseur. 

Vicki’s career as an educator, counselor, business/life/fitness coach, entrepreneur, and published author spans over 40 years.  She grew up in Maryland, not far from the University of Maryland.  Vicki has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Maryland, a Master of Science Degree from McDaniel College, and a Doctorate equivalent from Johns Hopkins University.  

Contributions to Whiskey University and Maryland Rye Whiskey.  Bill is WU’s Maryland State leader as well as the Mid-Atlantic Region Leader.  Vicki is the Dean of Whiskey University’s Mid-Atlantic Rye Region Department.  In these roles, Vicki and Bill:

  • Mentor/coach, teach, and audit students in the Mid-Atlantic Region as they progress through their WU educational journey

  • ·      Coach new Instructors and Co-Instructors to develop their abilities to become future instructors and contribute as they learn

  • ·      Develop new course content, including significant revisions/rewrites of the existing three classes they teach

  • ·      Establish a Semester Break program that occurs between Semesters, to create a cohesive community within the Mid-Atlantic Rye Whiskey Region by creating and facilitating in-person and online special events

  • ·      Teach foundational courses that all new students are required to take, to promote long-term learning and participation by WU’s students

  • ·      Teach three WU classes on a continuous basis each year, with as many as 18 occurrences in a year, highlighting Mid-Atlantic distilleries and products as much as possible

Additional WU Achievements.  Bill & Vicki were included in Whiskey University’s inaugural “Whiskey Colonels Club” and then obtained their honorary rank of “Commodore” in July of 2025, meaning they have completed all nine Whiskey University majors and a minimum of 99 credits taken and quizzes passed.

Maryland Distillers Guild.  Bill and Vicki accepted the responsibility, as requested by the WU President to be their initial representative to the Maryland Distiller’s Guild (MDG) in 2024, forging what the role would encompass and creating relationships that didn’t exist previously with Guild members and the 30+ distilleries.  The two spread the love of Maryland rye whiskey and bourbon wherever they go, including the creation of a WU Tutorial for events and tailoring Whiskey University classes for “boutique” versions taught at MDG events throughout the state of Maryland and donating the proceeds to the Guild.  They lead a volunteer army of Mid-Atlantic volunteers to support MDG events.  A senior MDG Officer and distillery owner characterized

Mid-Atlantic Region Whiskey Founders Initiative.  Bill and Vicki were appointed by WU’s President to spearhead the development of the Mid-Atlantic Region Whiskey Founders segment of Whiskey University’s website.  They led the research & development and selection of Mid-Atlantic Whiskey Founders to be included.  The purpose of these biographies is to establish Whiskey University as a recognized international resource for whiskey information and promote the whiskey industry: past, present and future.  In addition to writing many biographies themselves, Bill & Vicki recruited and managed a team of Whiskey University volunteers to write Whiskey Founders Biographies for the Mid-Atlantic Region, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia.  Bill & Vicki were also responsible for proof-reading, editing, re-writing and re-formatting as needed, as well as making the final submissions for each of the products provided by the team. 

Looking Forward.  Leveraging their education and experience developing curriculum, authoring presentations, training materials and books, as well as publishing books, WU’s President requested Bill and Vicki develop a new WU course entitled “Whiskey Founders, Mid-Atlantic Region”, to be introduced in 2026.

Due to their successful teaching ability, they were asked by the President of the University to actively support WU’s expansion into the U.K. and Ireland by teaching WU’s foundational rye class multiple times in 2025 to fuel this international expansion.

Supported Whiskey University’s President in the creation and presentation of a vision for of a “Whiskey Trail” to the Maryland Distillers Guild (MDG) and Cultivate & Craft, who along with the Guild, was instrumental in successful designation of Maryland Rye as the Maryland State Spirit.  The “Trail” concept is being developed, with a final goal to rival the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.  Visions presented include “Maryland Rye Whiskey Trail”, “Mid-Atlantic Rye Whiskey Trail”, and “Maryland Whiskey Trail”.

Fun Fact.  Bill and Vicki were invited by a new Maryland distillery to participate in making the final selection of their brand-new small batch bourbon whiskey named “Old Guard”, released in 2025.

Favorite Whiskey.  “Anything Maryland… especially RYE”!

Contributed by: Bill & Vicki Gallagher, Marriotsville, Maryland