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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

Patrick Pazos is the Go to Market Lead at DRINKS (drinks.com), a beverage alcohol technology platform helping wineries and retailers sell more wine compliantly and profitably online.

Before joining DRINKS, Patrick honed his eCommerce expertise at Shopify, where he worked with leading global commerce companies on growth initiatives and adopting new technology. He brings that experience to the wine industry, partnering with wineries to build retention-first programs that turn first-time buyers into long-term club members.

Patrick is passionate about the intersection of technology and customer experience, and believes the wineries that win in today’s market are those that treat every touchpoint, from the first purchase to the fifth shipment, as an opportunity to earn loyalty and increase lifetime value.

Jordan Rudy has spent over 20 years in the wine industry, focusing on sales, marketing, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth. He began his career working at wineries, where he developed a strong foundation in consumer engagement and personalized sales. Seeking a broader perspective, he spent several years managing wholesale accounts in Sonoma County before shifting his focus to DTC sales. As Vice President of Business Strategy at VinoPRO, he refined sales strategies, implemented data-driven marketing, and helped wineries increase customer engagement and profitability.

Now the Founder and Lead Consultant of Peak Wine Solutions, Jordan partners with wineries to develop and expand their DTC programs, specializing in marketing, customer acquisition, and outbound sales. He also shares his expertise as a coach and instructor with WISE, helping industry professionals optimize their sales techniques. Based in Santa Rosa, he enjoys time with his wife and two sons and staying connected to the community.

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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.

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.

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By day, I’m the Agent Crush, VP of Growth at Wine Spies, optimizing the customer experience from, “Hmm, that looks good”, to full-blown wine fanatic. I’m newish to the wine world, having started in 2023, but I bring 20+ years of marketing and e-commerce experience to the table—because selling great wine online is both an art and a science.

My claim to fame? I can sing with my mouth closed, a talent that’s both impressive and slightly unsettling. When I’m not at Wine Spies HQ or belting out muffled tunes, I’m usually adventuring in nature, navigating the multiverse of youth sports, or working to preserve the historic charm of buildings in Petaluma. 

Whether it’s a bold Napa Cab after a long day or hunting down the perfect glass of Chablis, my quest for great wine is never-ending.