Originally from Mumbai, Priyanka French is one of the few female Indians to hold a Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology from University of California, Davis. She built her experience working at wineries in Napa as well as traveling through the regions of Burgundy, Cognac, Bordeaux and New Zealand. Prior to joining Signorello Estate as Winemaker, she worked at Dalla Valle Vineyards where she had a chance to clearly understand the importance of female led businesses and initiatives. Her winemaking style focusses on precision viticulture and restrained winemaking that allows fruit expression as dictated by the site. In her new role, she hopes to open avenues for diversity in the industry and always remain a supporter of female driven enterprises. You can follow her on Instagram at @priyad87.

Carla Rza Betts began her career in the service industry 21 years ago as a silverware polisher on Maui. After years of enjoying virtually every front-of-the-house job imaginable, she finally accepted the position of Wine Director for April Bloomfield’s The Spotted Pig, The Breslin and The John Dory Oyster Bar in New York City. In 2013 she fell in love and left New York in order to pursue An Approach To Relaxation, a project making wine in Australia with her now husband, Richard Rza Betts. They own one of the oldest Grenache vineyards on the planet, make their own wine, and travel the world to sell it. You can follow her on Instagram at @carlarzabetts.

Additional IAF: Hospitality

Cathy Corison has been making wine and growing grapes in the Napa Valley for 45 years. Her goal has always been to make world-class wine that speaks of place, is both powerful and elegant, graces the table and enjoys a long, interesting life. She just completed her 34th vintage of Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and has made wine for many projects in the Napa Valley including Chappellet Vineyard, Staglin Family, York Creek, Long Meadow Ranch and Yverdon. You can follow her on Instagram at @cathycorison.

Florencia has a chemistry background and a winemaking degree from UTN University in Mendoza, Argentina. She has worked nine harvests in Mendoza, Napa, Croatia, and Burgundy, gaining hands-on experience in all sizes and styles of wineries: from a tiny old- world family business to med size ultra-premium and mass production of both still and sparkling wine. She has also worked in many different positions including lab tech, cellar hand, QC manager to enologist, research enologist, and assistant winemaker. Since 2015 she has turned her career into sales and marketing, and from 2019 she is a Master of Wine student based in London. Last May, she won the Lallemand scholarship, and recently she was awarded by the Women of the Vine and Spirits and E.&J. Gallo scholarship for MW students. You can follow her on Instagram at @florlikesherry.

Jessica Koga is a winemaker specializing in small lot winemaking from the North Coast of California. She is experienced with crafting sparkling wine as well as luxury Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon with a focus on site-specific wines. After graduating from UC Davis, she interned at Schramsberg Vineyards and ended up staying for nearly three years before traveling to gain experience in New Zealand and New York. Upon returning to California, she worked for Gundlach Bundschu in Sonoma and at Vineyard 29 in St. Helena before returning to Schramsberg to run their sister winery, Davies Vineyards. You can follow her on Instagram at @winechik.

Meghan Zobeck is a winemaker that has worked harvest in several countries, is particularly passionate about old world and low intervention winemaking styles and regenerative farming. She has made wines both conventionally and naturally. She has worked for well known consultants, luxury brands, smaller start-ups and as an independent consultant and is currently starting her own brand. There have been successes and failures but all have been great learning opportunities. She is happy to discuss what it is like to switch careers into the wine industry (she used to negotiate player contracts in the NFL), all aspects of her wine experience, lend advice and help with industry networking.You can follow her on Instagram at @megs_zobeck.

Meredith Bell is co-owner and winemaker for Statera Cellars and EST Wines, in the Willamette Valley. In addition to making wine and managing two small brands, she is a winemaking consultant, and has years of winemaking experience in small/medium artisanal wineries in Oregon. Likewise, she farms a small vineyard, so has expertise in both the vineyard, and the cellar. You can follow her on Instagram at @stateracellars.

Additional IAF: Viticulture

Rebekah Wineburg is a winemaker who has been in the wine business for 20 years. Her focus is on expressing the true terroir in the wines she produces, utilizing Organic and Biodynamic practices to better interpret the vineyard. Rebekah makes her home in Napa Valley where she is the Winemaker for Quintessa Estate. In addition, Rebekah has a small label of her own, Post & Vine, that works with heritage vineyards of California. You can follow her on Instagram at @postandvine.

Sabrina Lueck is the Instructor of Enology at the Institute for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College. She has educated and mentored over 200 industry members who are now active in production, sales, and marking across the United States. Sabrina is a passionate educator and shares her knowledge through industry and consumer outreach. She has been a featured speaker at wine conferences across the United States and has been quoted in regional and national publications. Sabrina received her B. Sc in Viticulture and Enology from Cornell University. She is a student again, this time at the Institute of Masters of Wine based in London, UK. You can follow her on Instagram at @sblueck.

Additional IAF: Sales & Marketing

Sarah O’Herron is the co-proprietor and co-founder of Black Ankle Vineyards in Mt. Airy, MD. In 2001 she and her husband, Ed Boyce, decided to take a shot at their long-time dream of creating a world class vineyard close to home in the Maryland Piedmont. They spent the next several years scouring the Maryland countryside for ideal vineyard land, learning what it took to grow great wine grapes, and endeavoring to recreate those practices at their Frederick County vineyard. Black Ankle Vineyards has built such a great following of dedicated wine lovers that Sarah and Ed have decided to expand their operation to include a second vineyard, winemaking, sales and tasting facility. This venture, Live Edge Vineyards, which is still in the works, is slated to open in 2025. You can follow her on Instagram at @sarahoherron.

Additional IAF: Viticulture