Meet the 2019 panelists.
Jennifer Reichardt, Raft Wines
Jennifer Reichardt was born and raised in Sonoma County, California and has lived a life centered in food production. In autumn 2011, she completed her first harvest in Sonoma County and launched her own brand in 2016, Raft Wines. A raft, by definition, is a community of waterfowl, like ducks, and the philosophy behind the brand is to craft a wine that is shared with a community – whether it be around a dinner table, or at a picnic with friends. Raft Wines focuses on hand-crafted, small lot wines from vineyards farmed sustainably and organically. She currently splits her time between the family businesses, Sonoma County Poultry and Liberty Ducks, and Raft Wines. raftwines.com
Dr. Akilah Cadet, MPH | Change Cadet
Dr. Akilah Cadet, MPH has 15+ years in management and building successful projects, teams, and leaders. She has worked various multimillion-dollar projects ranging from health to education. Dr. Cadet is the founder of Change Cadet, an Oakland based organizational development consulting firm specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Change Cadet aims to support women, people of color, and underserved communities, through coaching, strategy, innovation, and organizational change. Cadet is a French term that means soldier and Change Cadet prepares soldiers of change to overcome barriers in the workforce so there can be more opportunity for women and people of color. As a woman of color, she uses her personal and professional experiences as well as a touch of Beyoncé to inspire her work. Dr. Cadet holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Education in Community Based Public Health, a Master of Public Health, and a Doctorate of Health Sciences in Leadership and Organizational Behavior. changecadet.com
Jehan Hakimian | Los Chuchaquis, Bowler Imports
Travel is written into Jehan's DNA. He’s a first generation American who after having grown up on both coasts moved to Argentina where he was first exposed to the world of wine. He worked his first harvest in Calchaqui valley near Salta at 15. Upon his return to the U.S., Jehan got his start at a small Spanish and Portuguese retail importer called The Spanish Table in Berkeley, where as a buyer he went through the institution of Iberian wines. This would eventually lead to a professional life on the other side of the table as a broker with a few small California based importers and distributors such as Joli Vin and Blue Danube. In his spare time, Jehan is co-owner of a wine label called Los Chuchaquis out of Aromas, CA. He now does national sales for Bowler Imports.
Bibiana González Rave, Wines by Bibiana
Bibiana’s first vintage in California was 2004. She worked six harvests in three years, also traveling to South Africa to work harvests at Soronsberg Cellars in the Tulbagh region. Back in California, she worked at La Crema, Peay Vineyards, Au Bon Climat, and Qupé before Lynmar Estate, where she was winemaker from 2009 through early 2012. In 2012, Bibiana started her own label Cattleya Wines, as well as the Shared Notes joint venture with husband Jeff Pisoni and became a Consultant Winemaker for wineries in Sonoma and Napa Valley.
winesbybibiana.com
Erica Duecy, Editor in Chief | Seven Fifty Daily
Erica Duecy is Editor in Chief of SevenFifty Daily. She is an award-winning writer and editor who previously worked as digital director of Saveur and Architectural Digest. She holds the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Advanced Certification and is working on the Level 4 Diploma. Her book, Storied Sips (Random House), is about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails.
daily.sevenfifty.com
Monica Samuels, Sake Sommelier | Vine Connections
Monica Samuels is the Director of Sake and Spirits for Vine Connections, a portfolio which consists of sakes from 16 artisanal breweries throughout Japan and is curated in collaboration with John Gauntner, the world’s leading non-Japanese sake educator. Monica manages the sales of the Vine Connections sake portfolio through the 50 states of America and several provinces of Canada. Monica has over 10 years of experience in the sake industry, including 6 years as the Sake Ambassador for Southern Wine & Spirits and the Corporate Sake Sommelier for SUSHISAMBA. She has been recognized for her efforts in sales and education in Wine Spectator’s “Sake’s True Believers,” Wine Enthusiast’s “40 Tastemakers Under 40,” and most recently as a recipient of the prestigious “Sake Samurai” recognition in 2017. Monica’s education in sake includes studying under John Gauntner and his Sake Education Council, where she received both Certified and Advanced Sake Professional distinctions; she is also a WSET certified Educator for the Level 3 Award in Sake.
Vinny Eng, Tartine Manufactory
Vinny Eng most recently the Wine Director for Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco, awarded a special jury prize and three star award by World of Fine Wine Magazine and recently named one of Food and Wine Magazine's Sommeliers of the Year in April of 2019 . He has also worked as General Manager/Wine Director of Bar Tartine and General Manager of Tartine Bakery. Vinny is also active in the San Francisco community as an advocate for neurodiversity, mental health, public safety and trauma stewardship. He serves on the Mental Health Working Group for the San Francisco Police Commission and recently served on the Mental Health/Substance Use/HIV AIDS Policy Transition Team for San Francisco Mayor London Breed. He is a graduate of Duke University, where he earned a degree in Economics, and currently works as Organizing Director for the campaign to elect Suzy Loftus for District Attorney of San Francisco.
June Rodil MS | Mcguire Moorman
Born in the Philippines and raised in Texas, June Rodil is the VP of Operations for McGuire Moorman Hospitality (MMH). A Master Sommelier, June is one of 26 women in the Americas to hold this credential. McGuire Moorman is a hospitality powerhouse in Austin, with ten of the most popular and relevant restaurants in town, including her namesake, June’s All Day, which was awarded one of Food & Wine Magazine's Restaurants of the Year in 2017. She is known as a leader in the beverage community and her accolades include: Wine Enthusiast’s Sommelier of the Year 2018; Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 2016; Key Panelist at Women in Wine Leadership Symposium and numerous Food & Wine Festivals across the nation; Food & Wine Magazine's Sommelier of the Year 2014, Wine & Spirits Best New Sommelier 2011, Star Chef's Rising Star Sommelier 2012, and TEXSOM Best Sommelier Winner 2009. In 2017 she launched her private label wine, June's Brut Rosé, with Austrian winemaker Markus Huber, which is poured throughout the MMH group.
Melissa Sutherland, Author | Panebianco Wines
Melissa Sutherland started her wine journey in the 1990s in Washington, D.C., lugging around a battered and stained hand-me-down 3rd edition of Hugh Johnson’s The World Atlas of Wine (pre-Jancis Robinson). Fast forward to the fall of 2018, she returned to NYC full-time, signing on with Panebianco Wines Import as Senior Sales Advisor, representing some of the most classical and territorial-focused small wineries of Italy. She joined the Advisory Board of the Women in Wine Leadership Symposium in 2011. Melissa is the author of the forthcoming book, Drinking Italian Whites: The Time Has Come for Appreciating Italy’s White Wines.
Laura Judson, Freelance Consultant
Laura Judson comes from a strong background in hospitality work. Most recently, she was part of the opening service team at Boot & Shoe Service in Oakland, and she worked as general manager of the restaurant from 2013-2017. The #metoo movement and Laura's experiences galvanized her to spearhead a group of hospitality industry workers engaged in examining restaurants with a critical eye, considering why sexual harassment and assault are ingrained in aspects of the service profession. Her work now centers around evaluating how survivors, stakeholders, colleagues and the public can work together to create and ensure safe work places in the food and beverage industry.
Karen Williams, Acme Fine Wines
Karen Williams is the proprietor of Acme Fine Wines, a truly inimitable wine shop and gallery-style wine showroom, off the beaten path and down a country lane in St. Helena. Specializing in discovering and launching the finest of the inaugural release, Napa Valley brands while keeping a secondary focus on the lauded wines of the world. And, showcasing the principles of excellent customer service, clients and wine club members receive access to these micro-production wines, often on an exclusive basis, in the very first vintage and then on an allocation level for each vintage thereafter; it is like being on multiple preferred mailing lists, managed entirely by ACME. acmefinewines.com
Rebecca Hopkins | Folio Fine Wine Partners, A Balanced Glass
Rebecca Hopkins is an experienced wine communications strategist, speaker, moderator, host and writer. Raised in the premium wine region of McLaren Vale, South Australia, and a graduate of wine business from the University of Adelaide, Rebecca spent 15 years in the Australian wine industry in sales, marketing, distribution and communication roles before relocating to San Francisco in 2007 with Constellation Brands as Vice President of Public Relations and National Events. She returned to family winemaking in 2012, joining national importer Folio Fine Wine Partners, owned by the Michael Mondavi Family. With a 26-year career in the wine business, Rebecca founded and launched A Balanced Glass in 2018 with a mission to provide education and resources to industry colleagues to help maintain health and wellbeing while working in the beverage alcohol industry.
Elaine Chukan Brown, Writer & Speaker | HawkWakaWaka Wine Reviews
Elaine Chukan Brown serves as the American Specialist for JancisRobinson.com, and as contributing writer to Wine & Spirits Magazine. She contributed to the upcoming 8th edition of the World Atlas of Wine, as well as the recent award-winning 4th edition of the Oxford Companion to Wine. In 2019, the Wine Industry Network named Brown one of the 9 Most Inspiring People in Wine, and the International Wine & Spirits Competition shortlisted her as one of 5 of the top Wine Communicators of the Year in the world. Her writing has been featured in Decanter, World of Fine Wine, and others, and recommended by Food & Wine, Imbibe, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and more. She has been a celebrated key note speaker and seminar leader for events in wine, philosophy, and writing around the world.