Past Speakers

Past Speakers

Past Speakers

Paul R. Anamosa, Ph.D.

Paul R. Anamosa, Ph.D.
President and Senior Soil Scientist, Vineyard Soil Technologies

Dr. Paul Anamosa is the owner of Vineyard Soil Technologies, a California based viticultural consulting company, specializing in soil analysis and land evaluation for winegrape production, vineyard design, grapevine performance, and mineral nutritional disorders. Dr. Anamosa was raised in New Mexico and has Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Agricultural Biology, and Pest Management … Continue reading “Paul R. Anamosa, Ph.D.”

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Brett Anderson

Brett Anderson
Director of Culture & Communications, Domain H. W. Harlan

To his role as senior vice president and editor in chief of Robb Report magazine, Brett Anderson applies a broad background in content creation spanning multiple industries and media. His areas of expertise encompass general business journalism, enterprise technologies, personal computing, telecommunications, the Internet, multimedia, consumer electronics, entertainment, and lifestyle. The various media in which he has … Continue reading “Brett Anderson”

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Michael Bauer

Michael Bauer
Executive food and wine editor and restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. WWS Speaker 2010

Michael Bauer is the executive food and wine editor and restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. He has been in charge of the food and wine coverage for more than 23 years. In 2002 he was responsible for starting the Wine section, the only freestanding weekly newspaper section of its kind in the country; however … Continue reading “Michael Bauer”

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Matt Bean

Matt Bean
Editor in Chief, Sunset Magazine

Matt Bean is the Editor in Chief of Sunset Magazine and an entrepreneur advising start-ups and early-stage companies. He is the former editor-in-chief of Men’s Health. Formerly he was senior vice president of editorial innovation at Time Inc., where he led a group charged with extending the company’s award-winning content. Bean came to that role from Entertainment Weekly, where he was editor. … Continue reading “Matt Bean”

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Neil Beckett

Neil Beckett
Editor of Finest Wines regional guides, published in association with UC Press. WWS Speaker 2011

Neil Beckett ascended what he hoped might be an ivory tower via a first class honors degree in English and medieval history (St. Andrews), a doctorate in medieval history (Magdalen College, Oxford) and a prize fellowship of the Royal Historical Society (University of London). Always equally interested in wine, he soon wanted to spend more … Continue reading “Neil Beckett”

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Dr. Monique Bell

Dr. Monique Bell
Founder, Wyne Belle and Professor of Marketing, California State University, Fresno

Dr. Monique L. Bell is an oenophile, marketing professor, and wine business scholar who authored the groundbreaking “Terroir Noir: Study of Black Wine Entrepreneurs” report. Terroir Noir continues to spark awareness and important conversations about inclusion and underrepresented wine entrepreneurs and consumers. Due to her efforts, Dr. Bell is a Wine Enthusiast Social Visionary of … Continue reading “Dr. Monique Bell”

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Dan Berger

Dan Berger
Distinguished writer, wine columnist and reporter and speaker on wine. WWS Speaker 2007

Dan Berger began writing about wine in 1976 and today his column is syndicated nationally by Creators Syndicate to newspapers around the world. He and his wife, Juliann Savage, also publish a weekly wine newsletter, Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, available only by subscription. He contributes articles to Gourmet magazine, Wine Press Northwest, Decanter Magazine in … Continue reading “Dan Berger”

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Axel Borg

Axel Borg
Distinguished Librarian Emeritus for Food and Wine. University Library , University of California, Davis

Axel Borg is the Distinguished Librarian Emeritus for Food and Wine, UC Davis Library. During his tenure at the library, he was responsible for selecting materials for the Food and Wine Collection at the Shields Library, home to the finest such library collection in the world. The collection comprises over 100,000 volumes in 52 different … Continue reading “Axel Borg”

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Robert S. Boynton

Robert S. Boynton
Director, Literary Reportage Program at NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute

Robert Boynton is the Director of the Literary Reportage Program at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. He is author of, The Invitation Only Zone, about North Korea’s Japanese abduction project, and The New New Journalism, a survey of contemporary nonfiction. He has written about culture and ideas for The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, … Continue reading “Robert S. Boynton”

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Richard Bradley

Richard Bradley
Editor-in-Chief, Chief Content Officer, Worth Magazine

Richard Bradley is an editor-at-large at Worth magazine, where he covers culture and business. He is also working on his fourth book, a look at the world of elite prep schools through the lens of post-Vietnam America.  Previously, Bradley was Worth’s editor-in-chief, and directed the magazine’s award-winning editorial content in print, digital and live formats. … Continue reading “Richard Bradley”

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Stacy Briscoe

Stacy Briscoe
Wine Journalist, Editor, Speaker & Educator | @StacyLouBriscoe

Stacy Briscoe is an award-winning journalist with 10 years experience writing for and about the wine industry. She’s held multiple roles throughout her career, including managing editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine, managing editor for Wine Industry Network, assistant editor of Wine Business Monthly, and staff writer for Wines & Vines magazine. You can find her … Continue reading “Stacy Briscoe”

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Corie Brown

Corie Brown
Founder of ZesterDaily.com, a digital magazine with original content on food and wine. WWS Speaker 2011

Corie Brown is the founder of ZesterDaily.com, a digital magazine with original content on food and wine. She is the former Los Angeles Times food section’s wine writer, where she found her stories at the nexus of agriculture, money, consumer interest, evolving culture mores, personality, glamour and hard news. A serious journalist who had been a staff reporter … Continue reading “Corie Brown”

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Dominique Browning

Dominique Browning
Magazine/newspaper writer, editor. Author of 4 books under the House & Garden brand. WWS Speaker 2011

Dominique Browning is a writer, editor and consultant in the newspaper and magazine fields. She has worked with and written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, O, the Oprah magazine, Departures, Food &Wine, Travel & Leisure, Body + Soul, Wired and On Topic, among others. She writes a monthly column about environmental issues for … Continue reading “Dominique Browning”

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Jeannie Cho Lee

Jeannie Cho Lee
Master of Wine, Founder of Asian Palate.com, Contributor South China Morning Post, Decanter

Jeannie Cho Lee is the first Asian Master of Wine and an award-winning author, wine critic, judge and educator. Jeannie was the founding publisher and CEO of Le Pan Media. Jeannie’s pioneering book, Asian Palate, exploring Asian food and wine pairings in ten Asian culinary capitals, won the Gourmand award for Best Food and Wine Pairing … Continue reading “Jeannie Cho Lee”

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Samantha Cole-Johnson

Samantha Cole-Johnson
Senior Editor US, JancisRobinson.com | @samanthacolejohnson

Samantha Cole-Johnson is the Senior Editor US for JancisRobinson.com and the host of the site’s popular ‘Wine News in 5’ podcast. Prior to her current post she worked as a cellar rat – publishing her exploits on JancisRobinson.com – while freelancing for Guildsomm, SevenFifty Daily, and Wine & Spirits Magazine. She is the Oregon contributor … Continue reading “Samantha Cole-Johnson”

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Tyler Colman

Tyler Colman
Talks, teaches and writes about wine in articles, books and on his blog, DrVino.com. WWS Speaker 2009

Tyler Colman talks, teaches and writes about wine in articles, books, appearances and on his popular blog, DrVino.com. In the past year, his wine writing has also appeared in print in Food & Wine, Wine & Spirits, the New York Times, and Trump magazine. Colman teaches wine classes at NYU and the University of Chicago. He has two wine … Continue reading “Tyler Colman”

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Patrick Comiskey

Patrick Comiskey
Senior contributor for Wine & Spirits magazine. WWS Speaker 2010

Patrick Comiskey is a senior contributor for Wine & Spirits magazine, where he serves as chief critic for all domestic wines not from California, and regularly contributes articles devoted to California, Oregon and Washington wine, wine growing and wine culture. He has traveled extensively throught the U.S. wine regions as well as France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Chile, … Continue reading “Patrick Comiskey”

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Julia Coney

Julia Coney
Wine Journalist; Founder, Black Wine Professionals; Wine Consultant for American Airlines

Julia Coney is a Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas-based wine writer, wine educator, and consultant. Her wine writing includes stories on wine, winemakers, and the intersection of race, wine, and language. Julia is the Wine Consultant for American Airlines in partnership with the James Beard Foundation. Julia is the recipient of Wine Enthusiast’s 2020 Social … Continue reading “Julia Coney”

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Doug Cook

Doug Cook
Founder of Able Grape, the world's largest wine information search engine. WWS Speaker 2011, 2010

Doug Cook is the founder of Able Grape, the world’s largest wine information search engine. Prior to founding Able Grape in 2005, Doug was the VP of Web Search Engineering at Yahoo! and Inktomi, where he helped build one of the internet’s first search engines.Most recently, he was the Director of Search at Twitter, Inc. … Continue reading “Doug Cook”

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Chasity Cooper

Chasity Cooper
Owner, Cheers to That, LLC

Chasity Cooper is a Chicago-based award winning writer and wine culture expert. Through her wine newsletter, Bright and Balanced, she encourages readers to courageously expand their palates. Ultimately, her goal is to make wine more accessible and relatable through storytelling, education, and travel experiences.

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Katherine Cowles

Katherine Cowles
Former publisher / vice president Simon & Schuster. Literary agent CowlesRyan. WWS Speaker 2011

Katherine Cowles has been involved in publishing her entire career. Her industry connections and relationships are wide and deep. For more than a decade she was at the center of New York publishing at Simon and Schuster and Doubleday. Her experience began with contracts and moved through fiction and non-fiction acquisitions, then marketing and advertising … Continue reading “Katherine Cowles”

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Anthony Dias Blue

Anthony Dias Blue
Recognized world-wide as a leading food, wine and travel expert. WWS Speaker 2007

Anthony Dias Blue is recognized world-wide as a leading food, wine and travel expert. Mr. Blue is a published author, columnist, TV and radio personality. His award-winning work is circulated to more than 50,000,000 consumers each month. Mr. Blue’s consumer-oriented food and wine critiques, The Lifestyle Minute, are broadcast several times daily on WCBS radio … Continue reading “Anthony Dias Blue”

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Jonathan Elliman

Jonathan Elliman
Founder of Cephrus.com, award-winning design and video production, Napa, CA. WWS Speaker 2010

Jonathan Elliman is the founder of Cephrus.com, which is an award-winning video production and design firm located in Napa, CA. Trained as an architect, Jonathan got addicted to photography early on which led to traveling the far reaches of the globe shooting documentaries for the national networks such as Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Fine Living … Continue reading “Jonathan Elliman”

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Barbara Fairchild

Barbara Fairchild
Tastemaker, television and radio personality, event speaker, and food, wine, authority. WWS Speaker 2009

Barbara Fairchild is a prominent tastemaker and television and radio personality, event speaker, and food, wine, and travel authority, Barbara Fairchild has been editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit since 2000. Her career with the magazine spans 30 years, beginning as an editorial assistant, and working her way up to the top of the masthead. Barbara is the author of … Continue reading “Barbara Fairchild”

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Janet Fletcher

Janet Fletcher
Author of more than 20 books on food and wine, with three James Beard Awards. WWS Speaker 2012

Janet Fletcher is the author or co-author of more than 20 books on food and wine, including Cheese & Wine; The Cheese Course; and Fresh from the Farmers’ Market (all from Chronicle Books). She writes a weekly cheese column for the San Francisco Chronicle and is a former staff food writer whose journalism earned three James Beard Awards and the … Continue reading “Janet Fletcher”

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Dorothy J. Gaiter

Dorothy J. Gaiter
Senior Editor, Grape Collective | @dottieandjohn

Dorothy J. Gaiter, senior editor of Grape Collective, an online wine magazine, is an award-winning journalist and author. She wrote The Wall Street Journal’s “Tastings,” from 1998 to 2010 with her husband, John Brecher. They’ve studied wine since 1973, written four books, and created ‘Open That Bottle Night.’ They’re part of the Warren Winiarski Wine … Continue reading “Dorothy J. Gaiter”

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J’nai Gaither

J’nai Gaither
Formerly Wine Enthusiast, Associate Judge for the International Wine Challenge in London

J’nai is a former Wine Enthusiast editor who champions the wines of Burgundy, Champagne, the Loire, and the lesser-known regions around the world. She is a Master of Champagne candidate, Associate Judge for London’s International Wine Challenge, and WSET Diploma candidate. She has contributed to Karen MacNeil’s third edition of The Wine Bible and other … Continue reading “J’nai Gaither”

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Michael J. Gelb

Michael J. Gelb
Pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and innovative leadership WWS Speaker 2012

Michael J. Gelb is the world’s leading authority on the application of genius thinking to personal and organizational development, and the author of 12 books. He is a pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and innovative leadership. Gelb leads seminars for organizations such as DuPont, Merck, Microsoft, Nike, Raytheon and YPO. He … Continue reading “Michael J. Gelb”

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Jamie Gillin

Jamie Gillin
Deputy Editor at Dwell magazine. WWS Speaker 2012

Jaime Gross Gillin is Deputy Editor at Dwell, where she writes and edits the magazine’s Profile, My House, and feature stories and contributes regularly to Dwell.com. She also freelances, writing travel, design, art, and culture stories for publications including the New York Times, T (the New York Times style magazine), and Travel + Leisure, where she serves as … Continue reading “Jamie Gillin”

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Anthony Gismondi

Anthony Gismondi
Writer and broadcaster, and one of North America's most influential wine critics. WWS Speaker 2011

Anthony Gismondi is one of North America’s most influential wine critics. A writer and broadcaster, he is currently in his 14th year at Wine Access, Canada’s national wine magazine and seventh as editor-in-chief. He begins his 23rd year as the weekly wine columnist at the Vancouver Sun where his full-page weekend column is read by some 1,000,000 readers. … Continue reading “Anthony Gismondi”

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Joshua Greene

Joshua Greene
Editor and publisher of Wine & Spirits magazine since 1986. WWS Speaker 2012

Editor and publisher of Wine & Spirits magazine since 1986, Joshua Greene began working in wine shops during college, later spending a summer as wine captain for Wheatleigh, a small inn in Lenox, Massachusetts. After graduating from Princeton University in 1981, Joshua pursued a career in magazines, starting in management of special interest publications. His involvement with Wine … Continue reading “Joshua Greene”

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Steve Gross

Steve Gross
Vice President, State Relations, Wine Institute

Steve Gross is Vice President, State Relations at Wine Institute, where he has been employed since 1986.  Steve’s duties entail overseeing the activities of Wine Institute’s six State Relations Regional Counsels and Regional Managers as they address state legislation affecting the wine industry, as well as coordinating Wine Institute’s legislative and regulatory activities with staff, … Continue reading “Steve Gross”

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Jack Hart

Jack Hart
Author, writing coach and former managing editor at The Oregonian. WWS Speaker 2011

Jack Hart is an author, writing coach and former managing editor at The Oregonian, the Pacific Northwest’s largest daily newspaper. At The Oregonian he also worked as a reporter, arts and leisure editor, Sunday magazine editor, training editor, and editor at large. He has additional reporting experience at two other newspapers, holds a University of Wisconsin doctorate in … Continue reading “Jack Hart”

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Mary-Frances Heck

Mary-Frances Heck
VP/ GM, Media & Business Growth, Outside Inc. | @maryfrancesheck

Mary-Frances Heck is the VP/GM of Media at Outside Inc. where she oversees adventure and endurance brands including SKI, Climbing, Backpacker, and Outside Magazine. With roots in food and service journalism, she is a James Beard and IACP award-winning author and editor. Prior to joining Outside, Mary-Frances was the senior food editor of Food & … Continue reading “Mary-Frances Heck”

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Rae Ann Herman

Rae Ann Herman
Contributing Style Editor at O The Oprah Magazine

Rae Ann Herman has worked in publishing for more than 25 years. She began her career at Glamour magazine, where she held the position of Accessories Director for a decade. Herman has also contributed her talents to Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Self and Conde Nast Traveler.  Since 2011, Herman has worked as O, The Oprah Magazine‘s Style Editor and helped oversee the … Continue reading “Rae Ann Herman”

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Joseph Hernandez

Joseph Hernandez
Senior Editor, Service & Features, Philadelphia Inquirer

Joseph Hernandez is the senior service editor for service features (formerly deputy food editor) at The Philadelphia Inquirer, having served as the Research Director for Bon Appetít, and a former editor of The Chicago Tribune, SevenFifty Daily, Thrillist, and Wine Enthusiast. A 2021 fellow of The Poynter Institute’s Leadership Academy and The National Critics Institute, … Continue reading “Joseph Hernandez”

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Martha Holmberg

Martha Holmberg
Food editor, writer, and consultant to self-publishing authors. WWS Speaker 2012

Martha Holmberg is a food editor, writer, and consultant to self-publishing authors. She is also the editorial director of Watershed Communications, a brand strategy firm that works with artisan food and drink companies. She is the former food editor of The Oregonian newspaper, the founder and editor of MIX magazine, and was the editor-in-chief of Fine Cooking magazine for 11 years. … Continue reading “Martha Holmberg”

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Jack Irby

Jack Irby
Co-founder and managing partner of Hang Time Press. WWS Speaker 2012

Jack Irby is the co-founder and managing partner of Hang Time Press, a new-media publishing company. A former technology executive, Jack was the chief technology officer for several Bay Area-based companies including Winebid.com, Colt HR and Benelicious, which received the prestigious “Most Innovative Application” award by Salesforce.com. He is an avid wine and technology enthusiast … Continue reading “Jack Irby”

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Dianne Jacob

Dianne Jacob
Writing Coach, Author, Freelance Editor

Previously a newspaper, magazine, and publishing company editor-in-chief, Dianne Jacob became a full-time writing coach, author, and freelance editor in 1996. She coaches writers across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia on writing and publishing books, freelance articles, and blogs. Authors she has coached have signed with major publishers including Chronicle Books; Little, Brown; Ten … Continue reading “Dianne Jacob”

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Andrew Jefford

Andrew Jefford
Columnist and Contributing Editor, Decanter; Co-Chair Decanter World Wine Awards; Columnist and Contributing Editor, The World of Fine Wine; Academic Advisor The Wine Scholar Guild

Andrew Jefford has written for many British newspapers, including The Evening Standard (for ten years), The Financial Times, The Guardian and The Times; he is today Contributing Editor and a regular columnist for both Decanter and The World of Fine Wine, as well as Academic Advisor to the Wine Scholar Guild. He is one of … Continue reading “Andrew Jefford”

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Louise Kiernan

Louise Kiernan
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Associate Professor, Medill School of Journalism

Louise Kiernan, an associate professor at the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, was formerly a writing coach, editor and reporter for the Chicago Tribune. Louse was the lead writer on “Gateway to Gridlock,” a report on the American air-traffic system, which won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory journalism. After joining the Tribune as an intern in … Continue reading “Louise Kiernan”

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Todd Kliman

Todd Kliman
Author and critic

Todd Kliman is a novelist, essayist, critic, and teacher. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Oxford American, The Daily Beast and Lucky Peach. He is the recipient of two James Beard Awards, most recently the MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award for his autobiography in seven meals, and his stories and essays have been widely … Continue reading “Todd Kliman”

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Chris Knutsen

Chris Knutsen
Executive Editor, WSJ. Magazine

Chris Knutsen is the Executive Editor of WSJ, where he oversees a range of cultural and lifestyle coverage. Prior to joining the Wall Street Journal, he spent six years at Vogue as features editor. He has also worked at GQ, Radar, Riverhead Books and The New Yorker. Knutsen is the co-editor of two literary anthologies, Brooklyn Was Mine and Committed: Men Tell Stories of Love, … Continue reading “Chris Knutsen”

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Christopher Kostow

Christopher Kostow
Michelin-starred chef at The Restaurant at Meadowood. WWS Speaker 2011

A Michelin-starred chef before the age of 30, Christopher Kostow is the chef at The Restaurant at Meadowood. He takes a thoughtful approach to food, blending contemporary French cuisine with the farm-to-table tradition. The Chicago native earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy before entering the world of fine dining. Since arriving at Meadowood in February 2008, … Continue reading “Christopher Kostow”

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Alan Kropf

Alan Kropf
Publisher and Editor, Mutineer Magazine

Mutineer Magazine publisher and editor Alan Kropf is a leader among young beverage professionals. Before founding Wine Mutineer LLC and Mutineer Magazine in 2008, Kropf contributed wine articles to magazines including Sante, The Tasting Panel, and SommSelections, and he currently contributes beverage content to newspapers and online publications. Kropf has authored over 500 blog articles and is currently nearing completion … Continue reading “Alan Kropf”

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Jess Lander

Jess Lander
Author, The Essential Napa Valley Cookbook

Jess is a freelance wine, booze, food, and travel writer based in Napa Valley. She’s a regular contributor for Decanter, SevenFiftyDaily, October Magazine, 7×7, Eater SF, Sonoma Magazine, Napa Sonoma Magazine, and the Napa Valley Register. Her work has appeared in many other publications, including VinePair, Wine Enthusiast, AFAR, Lonely Planet, and the SF Chronicle.

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Tony Lawrence

Tony Lawrence
Wine and food pairing specialist, sommelier, educator/lecturer and writer. WWS Speaker 2012

Tony “Winechef” Lawrence is a trusted wine and food pairing specialist. As a talented chef, sommelier, international wine and food judge, educator/lecturer and writer, he designs wine pairing programs for the global wine trade, associations, groups, college culinary/wine programs and wine festivals. His company, A Chef For You, LLC, focuses on wine and food as … Continue reading “Tony Lawrence”

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Bonjwing Lee

Bonjwing Lee
Food Writer, Photographer, Founder of The Ulterior Epicure Blog

Bonjwing Lee is a food writer and photographer based in Kansas City, Missouri. His photographs have appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine Magazine, and Bon Appetit Magazine.  He has also photographed for All-Clad Metalcrafters, Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, and Daniel Boulud’s restaurant group Dinex, and … Continue reading “Bonjwing Lee”

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Ted Lee and Matt Lee

Ted Lee and Matt Lee
Wine columnists for Martha Stewart Living. WWS Speakers 2009

Siblings Matt and Ted are the wine columnists for Martha Stewart Living and also write for numerous other publications. They founded The Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts Catalogue, a mail-order catalogue for southern pantry staples. When a magazine editor asked them to write about great food in their home state they embarked on a second career as food and travel … Continue reading “Ted Lee and Matt Lee”

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Benjamin Lewin

Benjamin Lewin
Molecular biologist and authority on classic wine regions. WWS Speaker 2012

Benjamin Lewin is an authority on classic wine regions. Originally a molecular biologist, he was the founding editor of the life sciences journal Cell, and also established the publishing house Cell Press. Since following a life long passion and starting a second career in wine he has published three acclaimed books, What Price Bordeaux?, Wine Myths and … Continue reading “Benjamin Lewin”

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Anthony Lynch

Anthony Lynch
Wine Importer, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

Anthony Lynch is a national importer of French and Italian wines representing Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, the Berkeley, CA-based company founded by his father, Kermit Lynch, in 1972. Raised back and forth between California and Provence, Anthony is passionate about authentic, terroir-driven wines and proudly supports small farmers upholding the great wine traditions of France … Continue reading “Anthony Lynch”

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Will Lyons

Will Lyons
Wine Columnist, The Wall Street Journal

Will Lyons writes a weekly wine column for The Wall Street Journal. His humorous, informed, down-to-earth writing has been recognized in both the Glenfiddich and Roederer Wine Writing Awards. He began his career in London, as a wine merchant in St. James’s for Justerini & Brooks where he developed a love for the classic wines of Europe. He has written for a variety of … Continue reading “Will Lyons”

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Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean
Named the World's Best Drink Writer at the World Food Media Awards. WWS Speaker 2011

Natalie MacLean, named the World’s Best Drink Writer at the World Food Media Awards, publishes a free newsletter that reaches more than 123,000 wine lovers at www.nataliemaclean.com. She has won both the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award from the James Beard Foundation and the M.F.K. Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing from Les Dames d’Escoffier … Continue reading “Natalie MacLean”

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Avis Mandel

Avis Mandel
Experienced professional life-style, advertising and corporate photographer. WWS Speaker 2010

An experienced professional life-style, advertising and corporate photographer, Avis Mandel enjoyed a successful career in Minneapolis and Chicago prior to the family’s move to Napa Valley. The transition has elevated her artistic style from “corporate” Midwest to the romantic, vibrant life expression that permeates wine artwork. She includes large and small wineries around the world … Continue reading “Avis Mandel”

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Laurel Marcus

Laurel Marcus
Executive Director, California Land Stewardship Institute

Laurel Marcus is the executive director of the nonprofit organization, the California Land Stewardship Institute. She has over 30 years of experience in watershed, river and wetland restoration work in California.  Ms Marcus is the author of the Fish Friendly Farming Environmental (FFF) Environmental Certification Program (also known as the Napa Green Land Certification) that … Continue reading “Laurel Marcus”

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Meridith May

Meridith May
Owner, The SOMM Journal; Co-founder, The Tasting Panel and The Clever Root

Meridith May is the owner of The SOMM Journal and the co-founder of THE TASTING PANEL Magazine and The CLEVER ROOT magazines. She is responsible for the publications’ branding and content.  She has successfully increased each national magazine’s circulation and readership to reach over 65,000 bi-monthly for SOMM Journal and over 90,000 hospitality industry professionals … Continue reading “Meridith May”

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Frances Mayes

Frances Mayes
Best-selling author of Under the Tuscan Sun and A Year in the World. WWS Speaker 2010

Frances Mayes is the best-selling author of Under the Tuscan Sun and A Year in the World, a widely published poet and essayist and Formerly a professor of creative writing at San Francisco State University. She has always adored houses, and when she saw Bramasole, a neglected, 200-year old Tuscan farmhouse nestled in five overgrown acres, it was … Continue reading “Frances Mayes”

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Angela McCrae

Angela McCrae
Executive Director, Association of African American Vintners

Angela McCrae is a creative strategist and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in media, communications, events, and championing diversity. She launched the wine and culture brand, Uncorked & Cultured, from her New York City apartment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The media company is a content, marketing, and engagement solution to the inequitable relationship … Continue reading “Angela McCrae”

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Amanda McCrossin

Amanda McCrossin
Certified Sommelier, Wine Personality and Podcast Host, SommVivant.me

Amanda McCrossin is a certified sommelier, wine personality, podcast host, and wine-focused content creator on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. With over 400,000 followers across platforms, Amanda has been called “one of the most influential creators” in the wine community creating wine-focused, relatable content to help consumers via her @sommvivant channels. A 10+ year veteran in … Continue reading “Amanda McCrossin”

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Christian Miller

Christian Miller
Wine consultant, negoçiant, and marketing expert. WWS Speaker 2010

Christian Miller has worked in the wine industry since 1983, primarily in marketing. His industry experience includes restaurant and retail wine sales, work as a consultant and negoçiant, marketing management and market research. He is currently proprietor of Full Glass Research and a founder of WineOpinions.com, where he is responsible for research design and development. … Continue reading “Christian Miller”

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Jeff Morgan

Jeff Morgan
Napa Valley-based winemaker, author and educator. WWS Speaker 2010

Napa Valley-based winemaker, author and educator Jeff Morgan has written on wine and food for such publications as The New York Times, Elle, Food & Wine, Drinks, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine Spectator. The author has written four books: Dean & DeLuca, The Food and Wine Cookbook; Rosé, A Guide to The World’s Most Versatile Wine; and The Working Parents … Continue reading “Jeff Morgan”

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Vic Motto

Vic Motto
Co-founder, chairman and CEO of Global Wine Partners LLC. WWS Speaker 2010

Vic Motto is co-founder, chairman and CEO of Global Wine Partners LLC, specializing in wine industry mergers, acquisitions and investments. His clients include many of the top wine businesses around the world. Vic is an investment banker, registered securities principal and CPA. He serves as a director or advisor to several wine industry trade groups … Continue reading “Vic Motto”

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Paige Porter Fischer

Paige Porter Fischer
West Coast Editor of Better Homes & Gardens since 2004. WWS Speaker 2012

Paige Porter Fischer has been West Coast Editor of Better Homes & Gardens since 2004. She oversees almost every West Coast story that makes its way into the pages of Better Homes & Gardens, which boasts some 7.9 million subscribers and 39 million readers. Paige covers food, wine, home and garden for the magazine—from the story pitch to … Continue reading “Paige Porter Fischer”

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Charles Reidelbach

Charles Reidelbach
Intellectual property expert in the wine, food and culinary arts industry. WWS Speaker 2007

Charles Reidelback Jr., a partner and chair of Higgs, Fletcher & Mack’s Intellectual Property Group, represents clients in the wine, food and culinary arts industry having a wide spectrum of intellectual property-related legal needs, involving trademarks, trade dress, unfair competiting, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, electronic commerce, rights of publicity and entertainment law. An avid cook … Continue reading “Charles Reidelbach”

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Joe Roberts

Joe Roberts
Founder of the 1WineDude.com wine blog is a wine consultant. WWS Speaker 2011

Joe Roberts, founder of the 1WineDude.com wine blog is a wine consultant and musician in the greater Philadelphia area. He is a Certified Specialist of Wine, and holds both the Level 2 (Intermediate, with Distinction) and Level 3 (Advanced, with Merit) Certificates in Wine & Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) based in England. … Continue reading “Joe Roberts”

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Jancis Robinson

Jancis Robinson
Master of Wine, Wine Writer and Publisher of JancisRobinson.com

Described by Decanter magazine as “the most respected wine critic and journalist in the world,” Jancis Robinson writes daily for JancisRobinson.com (one of the most successful subscription wine websites and voted first-ever Wine Website of the Year in the Louis Roederer International Wine Writers Awards 2010), weekly for The Financial Times, and bi-monthly for a … Continue reading “Jancis Robinson”

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David Rosengarten

David Rosengarten
Wine Editor, Saveur Magazine

Journalist, television personality, and cookbook author, David Rosengarten has covered great food products, restaurants, wines, gastronomic travel destinations, and related subjects for over 25 years. Currently the wine editor of Saveur magazine, he has written hundreds of articles and contributed hundreds of original recipes to other publications such as Gourmet (where he was restaurant critic from 1996 to 2000), The … Continue reading “David Rosengarten”

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Tracey Ryder

Tracey Ryder
Co-Founder, Edible Communities, Inc.

Tracey Ryder co-founded Edible Communities, Inc., the nation’s largest publishing company dedicated to the local foods movement, in 2002, with her partner, Carole Topalian. The company currently publishes 95 titles across North America. Ms. Ryder has worked as a journalist, marketer and graphic designer for the culinary, tourism and agriculture industries for nearly 30 years. … Continue reading “Tracey Ryder”

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Courtney Schiessl Magrini

Courtney Schiessl Magrini
Editor-in-Chief, SevenFifty Daily/Beverage Media Group

Courtney Schiessl Magrini is a Brooklyn-based wine journalist, editor, educator, and consultant who has held sommelier positions at some of New York’s top restaurants, including Marta, Dirty French, and Terroir. She is currently the editor-in-chief for SevenFifty Daily and Beverage Media publications. Her work has also appeared in Wine Enthusiast, GuildSomm, Forbes.com, The SOMM Journal, … Continue reading “Courtney Schiessl Magrini”

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Sara Schneider

Sara Schneider
Wine Editor, Sunset magazine

Sara Schneider is Sunset magazine’s first wine editor, responsible for tasting panels, food-and-wine pairing, wine-related food and travel coverage, Sunset’s International Wine Competition, and the magazine’s wine club. With a B.A. and an M.A. in English, Sara taught high-school English for 10 years before a love of cooking drew her to San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy, where her wine … Continue reading “Sara Schneider”

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Bruce Schoenfeld

Bruce Schoenfeld
Wine and spirits editor of Travel & Leisure. WWS Speaker 2011

Bruce Schoenfeld is the wine and spirits editor of Travel & Leisure and writes frequently for the magazine on wine and other topics. He’s a former contributing editor for Wine Spectator, and his work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Outside, Gourmet, The Atlantic Monthly, Sports Illustrated, and many other national and international publications. His books include The Last Serious Thing: … Continue reading “Bruce Schoenfeld”

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Jerry Shriver

Jerry Shriver
Writer for the Destinations & Diversions section of USA Today. WWS Speaker 2007

Jerry Shriver writes about wine, dining, travel and whatever else catches his eye for the Destinations & Diversions section of USA Today, the nation’s largest general-circulation newspaper. The Ohio native and 1978 Ohio State University graduate has held numerous editing and writing positions since joining the USA Today staff in 1983. In 2002 his eulogy … Continue reading “Jerry Shriver”

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James Sligh

James Sligh
Sommelier and Wine Educator

James Sligh is a sommelier and educator in Brooklyn. With Jirka Jireh, he helped create Industry Sessions, a natural wine study for BIPOC beverage professionals. His personal project, the Children’s Atlas of Wine, maps underrated regions, overlooked grape varieties, and the people who grow them.

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Aidy Smith

Aidy Smith
TV Presenter, Executive Producer & Drinks Communicator

Aidy Smith is an award-winning broadcaster, journalist, content creator and speaker. His core pillars include drink, food, travel, lifestyle, LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity topics. In 2018 he created the world’s highest rated drinks-travel series, The Three Drinkers. With 3 seasons airing on Amazon Prime in 100 territories and 10+ languages around the world, the show has … Continue reading “Aidy Smith”

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Per Styregård

Per Styregård
Wine Writer and Chairman, Swedish Wine Writers Association

Per Styregård is a writer living in Stockholm with his wife and son. He’s the wine critic of the largest Scandinavian business daily newspaper, Dagens Industri, the founder of the innovation program Circular Gastronomy, and Academy Chair of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants for Scandinavia & the Baltics. His latest book is called “Smakens makt” … Continue reading “Per Styregård”

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Katie Tamony

Katie Tamony
Vice president and editor-in-chief of Sunset magazine. WWS Speaker 2012

Katie Tamony is vice president and editor-in-chief of Sunset, the premier magazine of Western living. Based in Menlo Park, Calif., Sunset is a subsidiary of Time Inc. The magazine has a circulation of more than 1.25 million readers throughout the 13 Western states. Tamony joined the company in 1994 as a copy editor, and was named copy chief … Continue reading “Katie Tamony”

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Sue Veseth

Sue Veseth
Contributing Editor, The Wine Economist

Sue Veseth, contributing editor of The Wine Economist (wineeconomist.com), has more than 35 years of corporate communications experience. She has expertise in communications strategy development and implementation, writing, copy editing, media relations, and project management. She regularly won industry awards for both customer and employee publications and communications projects. Since retiring from the corporate world, … Continue reading “Sue Veseth”

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Stephen Wallis

Stephen Wallis
Deputy Editor of Departures, the lifestyle magazine published by American Express. WWS Speaker 2010

Stephen Wallis is the deputy Editor of Departures, the lifestyle magazine published by American Express. In addition to overseeing most of the cultural content in Departures, he edits and writes stories on travel, food, wine, and luxury goods. Prior to joining the magazine in 2005, he worked for nearly a decade as an editor at art publications, … Continue reading “Stephen Wallis”

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Gary Walther

Gary Walther
The Hotel Detective for Forbes.com, Contributing Editor at ForbesLife

Gary Walther is a paid Forbes.com columnist on luxury hotels (The Hotel Detective) and a contributing editor at ForbesLife, the luxury lifestyle magazine published by Forbes Media (850,000 subscribers). He served as editor of the magazine from early 2008 to late 2009. He has a 26-year editorial career in luxury lifestyle publications. In 1989 he took … Continue reading “Gary Walther”

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Beth Weber Novak

Beth Weber Novak
President & CEO, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery

In 1987, Beth Weber Novak joined her mother, Mary Novak, becoming the first second-generation family member to become actively involved in guiding Spottswoode EstateVineyard &Winery.In the almost four decades since,Beth has played a key role in establishing Spottswoode as one of the world’s most highly regarded wine growing sites, and as one of NapaValley’s most … Continue reading “Beth Weber Novak”

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Aaron Wehner

Aaron Wehner
Publisher of Ten Speed Press, a California-based imprint of Crown/Random House. WWS Speaker 2012

Aaron Wehner is vice president and publisher of Ten Speed Press, a Berkeley, California-based imprint of Crown/Random House. During his 15-year tenure at Ten Speed, Aaron has worked with most of the house’s top authors, including Grant Achatz, Mollie Katzen, David Lebovitz, Peter Reinhart, Heidi Swanson, Rajat Parr, and Charlie Trotter. His acquisitions range across … Continue reading “Aaron Wehner”

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Molly Wizenberg

Molly Wizenberg
Writes the monthly column "Cooking Life" in Bon Appetit, magazine. WWS Speaker 2010

Molly Wizenberg writes the monthly column “Cooking Life” in Bon Appetit, magazine, and her first book, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, was a New York Times bestseller. She is the voice behind Orangette (www.orangette.net), named the best food blog in the world by the London Times. Her work has also been published in Town and Country and on NPR.org, … Continue reading “Molly Wizenberg”

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Guy Woodward

Guy Woodward
Editor of London-based Decanter magazine. WWS Speaker 2012

Guy Woodward is the editor of London-based Decanter magazine, where he has worked for nine years. He joined the magazine from a journalistic background, notably in business-to-business journalism, and also as a sub-editor on national newspapers. During his time at Decanter, the magazine has expanded to encompass overseas editions, education and the world’s biggest global wine competition, … Continue reading “Guy Woodward”

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