As New York native, Mackenzie has long been inspired by the foodways of the Hudson River Valley. She wandered not too far to attend NYU, receiving a degree in Food Studies, Nutrition, and Public Health, while ingraining herself in the restaurant and hospitality industry of New York City where she stayed for a decade.

She worked as the Beverage Operations Manager and sommelier at The Four Horsemen in Brooklyn before migrating west to Los Angeles to open Onda as Beverage Director and AGM, a Santa Monica restaurant that closed shortly after opening due to the pandemic.

Mackenzie is now the wine director of El Prado in Echo Park and involved with special projects at Domaine LA. Last year, she created Stone Soup, a wine event series that collaborates with artists around Los Angeles. This year, she looks forward to opening Stir Crazy, a cafe on Melrose.