Originally from Saratoga Springs, NY, Pia is a graduate of Bard College and has been proud to call DC home since 2009. After years of winning tough campaigns, Pia joined Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' team, becoming the Hill's youngest female Chief of Staff. After the stunning and horrific shooting that left 6 dead and 13 injured, including Gabby, Pia was recognized on the floor of Congress for her leadership role in the aftermath. Recognizing how short and unpredictable life can be, she made the leap with her childhood best friend, Rachel Gardner, to pursue their shared dream of opening a whiskey distillery.

They toured over 50 distilleries in the US and abroad, spent thousands of hours researching and dutifully sampled as many spirits as they could. In 2015 they launched what would become the world's most successful distillery crowd funding campaign. With this seed money they were able to secure the substantial investment needed to build what is today one of the world's few women-owned distilleries, Republic Restoratives, based right here in Ivy City in Northeast DC. Republic Restoratives is now home to CIVIC Vodka, Borough Bourbon and Rodham Rye.

Pia still stays active is politics, and was recently named one of Politico’s “50 Politicos to Watch.” She lives a stone's throw from the distillery with her partner Leanne and their two dachshunds Sauce and Magoo.