2026 Program & Schedule

With over two decades in the wine industry, Terra Jane possesses a deep understanding of running a wine business: from distribution, marketing, DTC sales and everything in between. She has worked with numerous wineries as a marketing and operations consultant for over 7 years, and founded a wine club, Ownroot Collective, which focused on winemaker owned brands. Now serving as Director of Client Success at Vinoshipper, Terra Jane’s passion lies in advocating for small brands, helping to streamline their work practices. In her current role, Terra is committed to making an impact by actively listening to producers’ needs, offering innovative solutions to their challenges, and fostering trust in Vinoshipper as a partner who is invested in the success of its clients.

Chris Baker, President comes to Brassfield Estate Winery after two retirements in a career with ever expanding roles in the hospitality and wine industry. From General Manager of a fine dining restaurant, General Manager of a NC wine distributor, management and executive roles in the supplier side of the wine business, he continues to build brands and develop people. 

Chris was hired by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates for a newly created position managing a division in the Southeast where he spent the next 11 years. Always striving to learn more, he left Ste. Michelle, threw a wine bag on his shoulder, and helped a California grower create and take their brand from 2,000 cases to over 200,000 in an eight-year run, progressing from Division Manager, VP of Eastern Region, National VP of Sales & Marketing and eventually retiring from the company as Chief Operating Officer after building a national sales force. After a three-year retirement, Chris longed to get back in the industry, because he wanted to use his knowledge and experience to create the next generation of leaders in the industry and to represent a wine company that had a dedication to producing world class wines with an uncompromising commitment to quality. Chris found a young wine company and together made history in the wine industry. Growing the brand from 2019-2022 with a CAGR of 45%, and over 40% in gross revenue. After achieving his goals, he retired and presented the leadership opportunity to the next generation and focused on his second retirement. One year later, destiny intervened as he met Jerry Brassfield. I found my new path, a family-owned winery that is 100% estate grown, produced and bottled. We are focused on sustainable farming, quality wine production and developing Brassfield Estate Winery globally as an affordable luxury wine brand known for a dedication to quality with a sense of place.

Chris says he has always had three major passions in life, Wine, two wheels and Photography. Proud father of two sons, Nick, an Engineer in Boulder, CO and Christopher, a Filmmaker in Charlotte, NC. Chris resides near Asheville, NC with his wife Tracey and their two hound dogs Kep and Lottie. Chris can be contacted at 704-953-3882 or chris@brassfieldestate.com

Hailing from Louisiana, the land of Southern hospitality, Meg was born and raised on the Bayou. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!), she embarked on a career journey in the restaurant and hotel industry. Meg worked in various sales and management positions across the country, in Nantucket, Hyde Park, Dallas, Tucson, and finally settled down in Napa Valley.

Joining the wine industry in 1998, Meg found her calling at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. She oversaw DTC operations while also lending a hand with Wholesale, Marketing, and Public Relations. For 16 years, she proudly held the title of “Sales and Motivational Goddess.”

In 2013, Meg moved to Clif Family Winery & Farming. As Vice President of Marketing and Membership she brings the Clif experience to life and builds community together through a shared love of food, wine, and adventure. 

Outside of work, Meg is usually chasing her two rescue dogs in the vineyard. And she loves to travel around the world in search of her next favorite meal.

Follow Meg on her delicious journey @napafoodie!

Angie Beasley is the COO of Digimatic, a software and marketing consulting company serving the wine industry. She began her career in beverage manufacturing, starting in export sales before helping launch a new energy drink brand from the ground up, contributing to product development, branding, and go-to-market strategy. She later served as Corporate Director of Manufacturing, overseeing two facilities producing roughly 50 million cases annually.

After 17 years in beverage, Angie moved into renewable energy as Director of Operations, helping scale a privately owned company from $71M to $320M in annual revenue while overseeing 550 employees.

A longtime advocate for women in leadership and workplace equity, Angie is known for mentoring emerging leaders, building high-performing teams, and creating cultures grounded in empathy, clarity, and accountability.

Adam Bird is a marketing strategist dedicated to helping wineries build stronger brands and drive direct-to-consumer sales. As a partner and Director of Strategy at Highway 29 Creative—a Deksia company—he leads branding, messaging, and campaign development, ensuring wineries connect with their ideal customers while standing out in a competitive market.

Adam works closely with clients nationwide on marketing programs that deliver measurable results. His expertise, combined with the full-service capabilities of Highway 29 Creative and the resources of Deksia, helps wineries refine their brands and connect with customers.

Based in Michigan and working with clients across the country, Adam applies a hands-on, results-driven approach to marketing. When he’s not helping brands grow, he’s likely in his garden or workshop—always building something, whether it’s a brand strategy or a weekend project.

Chris Bitter, Ph.D., is Terrain’s senior wine and grape analyst. As a part of the Terrain team of economists, he delivers expert analysis to the customers of American AgCredit, AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit. Chris leads the publication of Winescape™, a report series that shares research and insights for the business of vineyards and wineries.

With more than 20 years of experience as an economist and market analyst, Chris is a former faculty member of the University of Washington’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies. Prior to joining  errain, he had his own market research and consulting firm focused on the wine industry, Vintage Economics. Chris earned his Ph.D. in economic geography with a minor in agricultural and resource  economics from the University of Arizona. His research has been published in a variety of national and international publications, including the Journal of Wine Economics, and he has delivered presentations at wine industry conferences around the globe.

Learn more about Chris Bitter, watch Bold Predictions: Navigating 2026.

(Bio Coming Soon)

George Christie, a New Jersey native, settled in Sonoma County after college in 1991 where he quickly realized that the wine industry was where he wanted to concentrate his efforts. Since that time, he has been involved in nearly every aspect of the wine industry, from vineyard operations and grower relations to distributor realignments and national marketing campaigns. Always an active member in the wine community, Christie has also held board positions with the Russian River Wine Road, Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley and the Sonoma County Vintners. In 2008, George and his wife Tami, along with the Saini Family, partnered to create Saini Vineyards, a winery specializing on Old Vine Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley.

In 2009, with Elizabeth ‘E’ Slater, George launched the Wine Industry Network (WIN). What began as an online directory has evolved over the years into one of the leading B2B marketing and media companies serving the wine industry. WIN works with over 600 industry product and service providers and produces the Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo), the 2nd largest trade show for the wine industry, along with the Wine & Weed Symposium, the Wine Industry Advisor news site and the Afternoon Brief daily news email with over 35,000 industry subscribers.

Sandra DeMaria, originally from Colombia, is a dynamic professional and disruptive force reshaping the wine industry with an innovative blend of intuitive marketing, cutting-edge technology, and a deep-seated belief in human connection. Sandra’s unique perspective is forged from a diverse background, including science, culinary arts, holistic nutrition, and fine arts, providing a fresh and innovative approach to the wine industry.

Over 15 years of experience in hospitality and beverage programs, coupled with extensive wholesale and DTC leadership, have solidified her expertise in omni-channel, marketing-enabled sales. Sandra, whose innate passion for hospitality drives her human-centric approach to wine sales and marketing, champions a career path in the wine industry for individuals from all walks of life, advocating for a nimble, disruptive, and inclusive approach. She is committed to elevating industry standards through data-driven strategies and a passionate, approachable leadership style.

Susan DeMatei has over 35 years of luxury direct marketing experience, but in the past 20, she has worked exclusively in the wine industry. In 2012 Susan started WineGlass Marketing, a full-service direct marketing agency for the alcohol space.

Susan holds a B.S. in Communications from Boston University and an A.S. in Viticulture from Napa Valley College. She is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist in Wine/Wine Education with the Society of Wine Educators and was awarded a DMA (Direct Marketing Association) award for strategic excellence. She is the marketing columnist for Grapevine Magazine, Crush Magazine (Canada) and a frequent freelance writer and speaker at conferences. Susan also is a marketing instructor at the WISE Academy as well as Napa Valley Community College, and a repeat lecturer at the Institute for Enology & Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College and California Polytechnic State University. She is a contributing author of “Wine Sales and Distribution: The Secrets to Building a Consultative Selling Approach” as well as “Wine Marketing & Sales, 4th Edition” both for sale on Amazon.

Her firm, now in its eleventh year, is based in downtown Napa and supports domestic and international wine and spirits clients with both B2B and DTC marketing in digital as well as traditional channels. For two consecutive years, Inc. Magazine recognized WineGlass Marketing as the only Napa company listed in the top 250 hyper-growth tier of the “5000 Series California’s Top Companies”. WineGlass Marketing is also admired by the community winning the North Bay Bohemian “Best Creative Agency” spot for the past four years as well as being honored as Napa’s “Best Company to Do Business With” in the 2021 North Bay Business Journal. The firm’s creative strength is acclaimed winning 20 Platinum, 37 Gold and 32 Silver national and international creative awards for websites, social campaigns, and emails since 2021.

WineGlass Marketing is located at 531 Jefferson Street in Napa and also can be reached online at www.wineglassmarketing.com or by calling 707-927-3334.

(Bio Coming Soon)

With more than 15 years of experience across the food, beverage, hospitality, and emerging technology industries, Michelle is a strategic communications leader specializing in fine wine, public policy, and reputation management. As Vice President and Junior Partner at Colangelo & Partners, she leads national integrated campaigns spanning earned media, crisis communications, executive visibility, and industry advocacy.

Michelle has directed communications initiatives tied to complex regulatory and legislative issues at both the state and federal levels, including leading communications strategy for the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance’s national campaign opposing proposed wine tariffs. In this work, she has helped industry organizations and premium brands navigate trade policy, public affairs challenges, and reputational risk with clarity and precision. Prior to joining C&P, she lived and worked in the United Kingdom and Italy, shaping the international perspective she brings to her work with both global and domestic clients.

She holds an MBA from Johnson & Wales University and a Professional Certificate in Corporate Communications from Cornell University. In 2024, Michelle was named one of Beverage Information Group’s 40 Under 40.

A Boston University College of Communication graduate with roots in film, TV, and music, Laura Gabriel brings a storyteller’s mindset to modern wine industry brand building. After roles at Capitol Records and Universal Pictures, she launched Paper Planes Wine Company in 2014. She then became a brand manager at Treasury Wine Estates before leading marketing for Quintessa and Bundschu Company, where she drove new product development, national launches, and brand strategy. In 2024, Laura co-founded The River Club and now consults with experience-driven hospitality brands on strategy, content, and partnerships that build community and drive growth.

As a Founder of RedChirp, Jennie is obsessed with helping businesses meet consumers’ newly expanded expectations for virtual interactions. Calling and emailing may have been enough before, but now 89% of consumers want to text with businesses. RedChirp makes business texting easy: phone numbers, compliance, web chat, payments, marketing campaigns, automation, and wine industry-specific integrations to tie it all together. A true nerd at heart, Jennie loves spreadsheets and a good data set to dig into, is a frequent speaker at business conferences and the co-author of two books. When not in the office, Jennie spends time cooking with her husband and chasing her Kindergarten-aged son. Her most prized possession is their well-worn, and heavily stained, wine-tasting notebook.

Learn more about Jennie Gilbert, watch their interview.

Rami Jubran is the Chief of Staff at DRINKS, a beverage alcohol technology platform helping wineries and retailers sell more wine compliantly and profitably online.

With more than 15 years of experience scaling businesses across e-commerce, retail, and consumer goods, Rami has led M&A integrations, platform transitions, and organizational transformations for both venture-backed startups and Fortune 500 companies. His background spans strategic planning, organizational design, supply chain operations, and corporate communications.

Rami is also the host of The Business of Online Alcohol, the DRINKS podcast where he speaks with founders, operators, and executives about building sustainable alcohol businesses in a digital-first world.

Nadia Kinkade is the Senior Director of Direct-to-Consumer Sales & Marketing at PEJU Winery in Napa Valley. With over 20 years in the wine and hospitality industry, her work focuses on building modern DTC programs that combine warm hospitality with data-driven marketing and strong customer retention. Nadia is particularly interested in how technology is reshaping wine sales and consumer engagement, and she co-founded the AI & Wine discussion group to bring industry peers together to explore these shifts. She is passionate about helping wineries rethink traditional sales models and adapt to changing consumer behavior.

Jessica Luke is the Director of E-Commerce & Email Marketing at Jackson Family Wines, where she leads digital strategy and customer engagement initiatives across the company’s portfolio of brands. Her career in the wine industry spans more than 15 years, with experience at JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, Testarossa Winery, Ponzi Vineyards, and Jackson Family Wines. Throughout her career, Jessica has focused on building strong direct-to-consumer programs and leveraging digital channels to drive sustainable growth and deepen brand loyalty.

A seasoned brand strategist and results oriented marketer, Candace has nearly 20 years of experience creating and growing hospitality brands and concepts. Having worked with clients ranging from large corporations, to bespoke properties, multi-concept operators, and Silicon Valley startups, sheʼs adept at translating creative vision into communications programs that build brands and generate revenue.

Prior to launching Carbonate, Candace was Managing Director of Consulting Services at af&co., one of the countryʼs leading hospitality consulting firms. In this role, she led a team in creating, launching and refining brand identities for over 40 different restaurants, hotels, and culinary experiences nationwide. Her team also authored af&co.ʼs highly regarded annual hospitality trend report for over a decade.

Candace holds a B.S. in Communications from Northwestern University and an M.S in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern Universityʼs Medill School. A former actress and classically trained vocalist, Candace has performed on stage, tv and in film. She can even be spotted in a vintage McDonalds commercial, “This is my McDonalds!ˮ

True Origin Collective is a boutique consulting firm that guides family wineries and luxury wine estates through succession, strategic repositioning, and capital events. With 30 years of executive leadership across the global premium wine industry — including roles at Bryant Estate, Copain Wines, Rosenthal Wine Merchant and Thomas Fogarty Winery — Tony brings an operator’s lens to AI’s emerging role in the industry. He sees artificial intelligence as one of the most consequential strategic opportunities for family wineries in a generation and works with owners on how to adopt it deliberately for competitive advantage.

Robert has been in the eCommerce space for 30 years, with a proven track record of building online sales channels up to $300 million. A few years ago his focus shifted to the intersection of the wine industry and AI, creating sales funnels for the 3 Pillars of the DTC Wine Business: Winery/Tasting Room Visits, Membership & Subscription Conversion, and Wine Sales. WineSpeak.ai has created the first-of-its-kind AI Concierge & Wine Curator which uses Conversational Commerce to engage and convert winery website visitors.

Bodie Paden is the founder and CEO of Digimatic, a software and marketing consulting company for the wine industry.  At age 17, he enlisted in the Air Force and started writing software at the Pentagon.  During his four year tour, he attended university at night and got his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science before leaving to become a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton.

After seven years of working as a private consultant, he made the leap to the wine industry as the CTO of eWinery Solutions (now VinSuite).  After two and half years, he left to work with Vin65 for a short stint before heading to Naked Wines to launch their US presence as one of the first state-side employees.

After three years with Naked Wines, he struck out on his own and co-founded Hopsy, a DTC beer company valued at over $50M before exiting.  Bodie then bootstrapped Digimatic in 2020 where he shares his 18 years of DTC technology knowledge with his clients today.

Steve Silverman brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in logistics and supply chain management, with a strong focus on direct-to-consumer fulfillment. Before joining Wineshipping, he held leadership roles at NFI, a leading North American supply chain solutions provider, where he drove operational excellence across complex distribution networks. He was also a member of the senior leadership team at Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, which was acquired by GEODIS, a global $12B third-party logistics company, in 2015. There, he led Midwest operations and later headed solutioning and engineering. He also oversaw pricing, contracting, new business implementation, and innovation initiatives.

At Wineshipping, Steve leads operations and customer service while advancing leadership development, demand planning, and distribution design. He plays a key role in aligning operational strategy with sales to ensure the company’s vision is executed at every stage of growth. His expertise in scaling fulfillment operations and building high-performing teams supports Wineshipping’s commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for winery partners and their customers.

Outside of work, Steve enjoys a bicoastal lifestyle. He’s an avid skier, cyclist, and golfer, and enjoys trekking in remote locations. When he’s back East, he values time with his adult children, brothers, and new granddaughter.

Jessica Silvius Smith is an experienced marketing leader with more than a decade of expertise in marketing strategy, communications, and client success. As Director of Marketing at WineDirect Fulfillment, she drives engagement and business impact through thoughtful, customer‑focused initiatives. Jessica partners closely with cross‑functional teams to create solutions that support WineDirect Fulfillment’s mission of providing industry‑leading fulfillment solutions that streamline operations, protect every bottle, and fuel winery success. Known for her strategic mindset and relationship‑driven approach, she blends marketing acumen with a deep commitment to elevating the client experience and delivering measurable results.

Bryan St. Amant is the founder and CEO of VinterActive, Editor of AI Wine Marketing News, and holds an MS in Business Management from M.I.T. and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from U.C. Berkeley. He’s built expert systems for governments, tech giants, and wine marketers. His award-winning work has been featured in books, magazines, and seminars, including CFO Magazine, Inc., CNN Money, eMarketing Magazine, Integrated Direct Marketing, Direct Marketing Association, Grapevine Magazine, Wine Marketing Report, Wine Business, and the Wine Industry Network.

With over 20 years of experience in the culinary arts, media relations, and brand strategy, Leith brings a stunning depth of knowledge and industry insight to all client and agency work at Carbonate. A Bay Area native, she began her culinary career on the line—spending five years cooking in restaurant kitchens across the US and staging in Europe. She joined af&co.—one of the country’s leading hospitality consulting firms—as the agency’s fourth employee, where she managed many notable restaurant accounts, orchestrated numerous opening public relations programs, and secured feature stories in a wide range of major local, regional, and national outlets from the San Francisco Chronicle, to Saveur and Food & Wine.

From there, Leith spent six years in Italy managing marketing for a luxury real estate agent in Chianti, leading private food & wine tours, helping open and run a boutique eight-room Airbnb in Florence, and learning everything she could about Italian wine, including taking the first level Sommelier course (in Italian.)

As a Senior Strategist and Head of Insights at Carbonate, Leith spearheads the creation of the agency’s annual trends report, contributes thought capital to industry publications and client marketing programs, and executes strategic public relations campaigns rooted in industry insights. Leith holds a B.S. in Design & Environmental Analysis from Cornell University, as well as degree in Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu.

When she’s not checking out restaurants and wineries she might be found at a milonga or on her next world adventure. She was proud to achieve her goal of thirty  countries by her 30th birthday and is still always eager to discover new places.

Judd Wallenbrook is perpetually inspired by the depth and nuance of the wine industry, and
brings over four decades of experience to The Somerston Collection – Somerston Estate,
Priest Ranch, Highflyer and The Kitchen at Priest Ranch. Since the 1980s, he’s held a range
of roles at influential Napa Valley estates including global vice president of marketing at
Robert Mondavi, president of Michel-Schlumberger, and president and chief executive
officer of C. Mondavi & Family. He also founded Humanitas Wines in 2001 as a social
enterprise supporting charitable causes. Known for his marketing savvy and commitment to
building wine culture, Wallenbrock has earned wide respect across the industry. His proven
track record of success, coupled with his deep knowledge of the wine industry, makes him
the ideal candidate to carry forward the legacy of this esteemed winery. “The Estate boasts
a remarkable winemaking team, rich history, and incredible farming,” he says of Somerston
and Priest Ranch Wines. “I’m honored to help guide the brands into an exciting new chapter
that realizes their tremendous potential while staying true to its roots and winemaking
philosophies.”

Tim Weinheimer is a leading authority at the intersection of wine expertise and AI-driven marketing, forging new pathways for the future of wine branding and consumer engagement. With more than 30 years of experience transforming global brands, Tim’s journey uniquely blends technical wine knowledge with digital innovation. He holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines, is actively pursuing the prestigious WSET Diploma through Napa Valley Wine Academy, and has deepened his technical acumen with enology fundamentals from the University of California-Davis. This technical rigor is further rooted in his entrepreneurial experience founding Su Vino Winery in Grapevine, Texas, where he crafted award-winning house blends, refined his sensory evaluation skills, and gained recognition from D Magazine and Inc. Magazine before successfully selling the winery in 2006.

Tim’s commitment to digital evolution in wine is exemplified by his leadership in award-winning agencies, earning honors as Digital Agency of the Year (2024) and Data-Driven Agency of the Year (2025) by the SABRE North America Awards. His expertise in artificial intelligence and marketing strategy has resulted in numerous speaking invitations, award judging roles, and authorship of pioneering resources—most notably, The Robot Apocalypse | How Brands Can Survive and Thrive in the Age of AI, one of the earliest e-books dedicated to AI and branding, and The Giving Will, an AI-authored exploration of generosity.

Today, he’s created VINTAGE², a new modern AI marketing system launched in January 2026 that’s designed specifically for wineries, improving AI search discoverability, DTC performance, and consumer loyalty.

Tim and his husband Bret live in south Austin and enjoy cycling, running and hiking in the great outdoors at any chance they get.

Damien Wilson was appointed in June 2025 as the Faculty Director with Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute. This new leadership role follows on from his arrival in August 2015 as the inaugural Hamel Family Chair of Wine Business for SSU. Dr Wilson arrived in California with 20 years of professional experience across the wine sector. He joined the Wine Business Institute from the triple accredited Burgundy School of Business, where he launched the leading MSc in Wine Business Program in 2008, after having started his career as an academic with the University of South Australia in 1999.

Dr Wilson’s research background started with the prestigious Wine Marketing Research Group, where he worked with a client list, extending from global organizations such as Pernod-Ricard and the Fosters group, through to generic bodies and boutique wine producers. His professional and research interests have realized an extensive list of trade, consumer and academic publications, with this article on wine purchasing behavior realizing more than 21000 views in less than a week, and a Meininger’s Wine Business International article on premiumization, which captured more than 5000 views in the first 48 hours after publication.

He also writes prolifically on regionality and conjunctive labeling, tourism and technology, with a regular Op-Ed piece with the Wine Industry Network’s Advisor column. Dr Wilson’s revealing publication on conjunctive labelling led to invitations to present at that year’s Oregon Wine Symposium, where he engaged an audience of more than 500 to respond to queries on their on-going marketing challenges in emergent grape variety selection.

Dr. Wilson focuses most of his research on finding solutions to the challenges facing the wine industry in the modern environment. As heard recently on San Francisco’s KCBS radio station, Dr. Wilson is both aware of the challenges, and also providing solutions for wine producers to make the changes necessary to adapt to the modern wine business environment.

Lauren Wong is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Aperture Cellars, where she leads the winery’s global sales strategy, brand development and implementation, and experiential programming across all channels. As a partner in Aperture, working with the brand since 2015, she has played a key role in shaping Aperture into one of Sonoma County’s most dynamic luxury wine brands, overseeing growth across direct-to-consumer, wholesale distribution, global partnerships, and experiential programming.

With a background spanning luxury consumer goods sales, brand strategy, and marketing, Lauren focuses on building meaningful connections between people, place, and product. Her work often centers on creating immersive experiences that bring the Aperture story to life, from curated wine dinners and collaborative chef events to global partnerships with leading hospitality and lifestyle brands.

Lauren has driven Aperture’s presence across key markets while guiding the brand’s creative voice across packaging, storytelling, and consumer experiences. She is particularly passionate about integrating art, music, and culture into the world of wine, reflecting the creative spirit that defines the Aperture ethos. 

She lives in Sonoma County with her husband and two young children and remains deeply engaged in the local community, supporting charitable initiatives and collaborative events that celebrate food, wine, and culture.