Certified sommelier Liz Martinez is a hospitality and wine professional with over two decades experience designing award winning wine lists, training staff, and managing service for some of America’s best restaurants. Liz has won awards for wine and service from every major national wine magazine and a range of local publications. In 2019, she was awarded Food & Wine magazine sommelier of the year.

Her illustrious résumé includes positions at Carmine’s on Penn in her hometown of Denver, CO, Boulevard Restaurant in San Francisco, Topolobampo and Purple Pig in Chicago. In 2017, Liz relocated to Detroit to serve as Wine Director at luxury steakhouse Prime+Proper and today she serves as Director of Beverage and Hospitality at Birmingham Michigan’s Madam restaurant, where her wine program was nominated as a semi-finalist for the prestigious James Beard Foundation awards.

During her career, Liz has consistently elevated service and wine standards in a wide range of restaurants throughout the United States. Her commitment to thoughtful, humble, organized, polished, and anticipatory service continues to delight guests and draw widespread acclaim.

Follow her on Instagram at @winenomadic.

Elizabeth Dames is a passionate and engaging wine professional with over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She has passed the first examination for the Diploma Certificate with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust with merit, passed her French Wine Scholar with highest honors, and recently sat for the Master Examination for the Court of Master Sommeliers. Her experience spans restaurants, hotels, catering, and private clubs, all of which has helped cultivate her unique breadth of knowledge for hospitality. She spent 6 years at Allegheny Country Club in Pittsburgh, PA as their Wine Director, and is now currently the Wine Director/Sommelier at Capital City Club in Atlanta, GA. Additionally, in 2018 she started her own wine consulting company called Wine Entwined in which she hosts virtual and in-person events, curates and manages private cellars, provides pairing and purchasing advice, and hosts private wine tours.
In addition to her wine life, she is a mother of two, and wife to an amazing partner, Timm Dames who is the reason she is able to pursue her passion for wine, and supports her fully!

Born overseas, Caleb spent his formative years in San Diego. After college, Caleb began cooking professionally, but a move to San Francisco brought him into the world of wine. He worked as a retail wine buyer for a few years, before becoming the National Sales Manager for Vinum Cellars, where he sold wine in 30 states as well as a few international markets. After Vinum Cellars, Caleb joined the staff of nopa restaurant as a manager in their first year of operations. It was a masterclass in service, food and wine, and the restaurant would anchor and eventually help revitalize the neighborhood. He later left to become the Wine Director and manager of Camino, in Oakland. Led by Chez Panisse alum Russell Moore, Camino specialized in hearth-cooked foods, with a concise, all-organic wine list. Caleb later returned to retail at Arlequin Wine Merchants in SF, which has a legendary cellar stocked with deep verticals of the best producers from Burgundy, the Loire Valley and California. Caleb returned to sales for a time, before helping to open Nari Restaurant in San Francisco. Owned by Pim Techamuanvivit, Caleb built a diverse team focused on service and crafting experiences at a very personal and restaurant that challenged guest palates and fine dining conventions.

Follow him on Instagram @organolepticon.

Previously a Bâtonnage Forum Level 2 Mentee with an Industry Area of Focus of Hospitality, Mary Catherine has served as a Level 1 and Level 2 mentor for Bâtonnage Forum in the same industry area of focus.

After almost six years of professional presence at Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in beautiful Blue River, BC, including a recent role as Food and Beverage Assistant Manager. Mary Catherine is thrilled to be transitioning to a post as Sommelier at the Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino, where she will be trading the mountains for the ocean while still making the best pour decisions.

Mary Catherine holds her WSET Level 2 in Wines and Spirits certification and is currently studying for the WSET Level 3 in Wines and Spanish Wine Scholar. MC is into canned wine, sustainability initiatives, and wine writing. She is proud to have been named one of two Rioja Wine Academy Ambassadors through Femmes du Vin in October of last year.

This year Mary Catherine was awarded the Wine Professional Scholarship from the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation at the Vancouver International Wine Festival. Through the joint coaching and mentorship program run by Dream Big Darling and The Millinger Group, she was named a FLOurish Scholar. She was also accepted to the Wine Writers’ Symposium of Meadowood Napa Valley and Napa Valley Vintners, and Women of the Wine and Spirits granted her a Foundation Scholarship Applicant Access Membership.

As a #portgeek, she highly recommends the free online courses offered through the School of Port: schoolofport.com/course.php.

Follow her on Instagram @sipwriterepeat and check out her wine writing at amphictyonis.wixsite.com/bloodandgravel.

Educated at Cornell University in Marketing, Cristina has always worked in the world of hospitality. Daughter of hoteliers on Lake Garda, she worked at the Bayerischer Hof in Munich, the Grand Hotel in Rimini and numerous other European luxury hotels.

5 years ago she created Club Appeal, a consulting company specializing in luxury hospitality with a focus on the world of golf and wine, which she promoted with her own exclusive brand WineHO.

Sommellier, WSET certified, Cristina is a professor and lecturer at CUOA Business School in the Master of Wine Business and speaker at numerous international conferences (e.g. IWINETC, Tebec, Atlas) related to the world of wine tourism.

As a biochemistry student, Ana knew she wanted to work with plants. After taking over the reins in 1998, Ana worked to create wines that reflect a sense of place, while in harmony with the family's approach to elegant, age-worthy, and food-friendly wines. In 2013 Ana joined the Petaluma Gap WineGrowers Alliance's board and was instrumental in creating the Petaluma Gap American Viticultural Area (AVA) which was ultimately granted in 2018.

Tracey Hoff has a long history in the hospitality and wine industry with companies such as Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Steven Kent Portfolio, Hyatt Hotels and Capital Restaurant Concepts. Currently, Tracey is the Director, Estates and Portfolio for Crimson Wine Group, where she oversees the direct-to-consumer business of six wine estates across California, Oregon and Washington. She leads a team that orchestrates memorable guest experiences for over 70,000 guests and 16,000 club members each year, delivering over $9M in revenue. She holds a Level III certification from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET).

Haley Moore is the Founder of Acquire: a hospitality company in San Francisco CA, that is centered around bringing people together over food and wine. Acquire curates in person and virtual wine experiences, manages cellars for private clients and consults on beverage programs for restaurants across the country. Moore spent 15 years as a Sommelier and Wine Director in San Francisco, California. Her career galvanized in 2007, when she became the Wine Director at bacar at the age of 24. In 2009, she became the Lead Sommelier at Spruce, a one Michelin starred restaurant with a Grand Award-Winning wine list from the Wine Spectator. In 2012, she joined Stock & Bones as their Wine and Spirits Director overseeing four restaurants: Town Hall, Salt House, Anchor & Hope and Jersey in San Francisco. Today, she consults as Wine Director for Empress by Boon in San Francisco's Chinatown. 

She passed the Court of Master Sommeliers Certified Exam in 2006 and is currently wrapping up the WSET Diploma Program. Next, she plans to pursue the Master of Wine Diploma, which is one of the highest achievements in the world of wine. Haley has been featured in articles both locally and nationally including: Forbes, Food & Wine Magazine, Wine & Spirits Magazine, Wine Enthusiast, The San Francisco Chronicle, MORE Magazine, The Sommelier Journal, and was named one of Restaurant Hospitality Magazine’s ‘Top 30 under 30’ Hospitality Professionals of America in 2008.

Amy Karasavas is the founder and sommelier of That Pour Woman located in Brooklyn, NY. Her company offers public and private wine tastings and classes. She is currently a WSET Level 4 Diploma candidate. In addition, she has received her sommelier certification with distinction from the Sommelier Society of America along with her WSET Level 3 certification with distinction.

Karasavas currently works at Pasanella and Son Vintners in New York Manhattan's South Street Seaport. Prior retail experience was at the neighborhood boutique shop Blanc et Rouge Wine & Spirits in Brooklyn, NY. Her experiences lie in wine education, blind tasting training, and the ins and outs of wine retail. Retail environments are a great way to engage with consumers and build relationships. Working in a wine shop also provides the ability to learn about industry trends, specific producers, wine regions and wine styles. Amy has traveled to some of the world’s famous wine regions to enhance her education. She has visited France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Chile, Greece and the USA.

While no two paths are the same, Amy’s path in wine was not traditional. As a mentor, it’s about understanding what will best serve the mentee in realizing their goals and honing their own unique path. It’s about being supportive in their endeavors big and small and championing them throughout their wine journey. Amy will help mentees create a plan around their retail goals with regular check-ins to measure progress and adjust the plan as necessary. She can also provide any education and work with the mentee to build their skills and confidence.

Amy's hobbies include sipping wine, singing, playing with her two dogs, reading, cooking, and learning Portuguese. When Amy’s not drinking wine, she's drinking whisky, sake, cider, and beer (and water of course!).

Follow Amy on Instagram @thatpourwoman.

Michaela comes to Napa by way of Chicago where she fell in love with wine while bartending at an Alinea Group Restaurant called Roister. After deciding to further her wine education, she transitioned to the sommelier team at Alinea, where she worked up until July 2020. Her long-term goal was always to move to the Napa Valley. When an opportunity to do a harvest internship with Schramsberg was offered, plans were accelerated. Following harvest, Michaela joined the team at PRESS and became the Assistant General Manager shortly after. With a background in theater and dance, the narrative that wine presents has always resonated with Michaela. The rich history of Stony Hill Vineyard caught her attention early on in her wine studies with the Napa Valley. Michaela holds the role of Estate Director with the passion of continuing the story and legacy of those before her and is honored to curate the next chapter of what Stony Hill has to offer.

Tiffany Tobey is Wine Director at the Tower Club in downtown Dallas, TX. Previously she was the wine director at SER Steak + Spirits at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, where she built an award-winning wine program and collection. Most recently Tiffany was part of Major Food Group and opened the New York Michelin Star restaurant concept, Carbone here in the Dallas Design district. Tiffany has judged multiple years at various wine competitions and has consulted for multiple publications including Tasting Panel Magazine, VinePair, Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine Magazine, and more.

Tiffany graduated from Texas Tech University with dual Bachelor's degrees from Texas Tech University in Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management (RHIM) and English. She is currently pursuing her Graduate Degree in Viticulture at Texas Tech University and she is a Certified Level II Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers.