A co-founder of Bâtonnage Forum, Sarah is a wine writer and educator at The Learning Center at Meadowood as the Associate Director of Wine Education. She recently moved to Napa in 2020 after over a decade split between New York and Europe, working first in publishing at Condé Nast and SAVEUR magazine, and then later Sotheby’s, before striking out on her own. She spent several years as an international marketing consultant and educator, working with top estates across Europe. She has been a contributor to Food & Wine, The Sommelier Journal, Departures, SAVEUR, SevenFifty Daily, GuildSomm, and other publications. She holds the highest-level recognition from the internationally renowned Wines & Spirits Education Trust, Level 4 Diploma in Wine and Spirits.

Follow her on Instagram @sarah.h.bray.

Stevie is the visionary and founder behind Bâtonnage as well as co-owner of the acclaimed restaurant MAMA Oakland and Bay Grape wine shop in Oakland, California. Along with her husband and business partner Josiah Baldivino, Stevie was named one of Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers. Stevie originally began working in hospitality during high school and college to pay her way through the University of Southern California. After graduating magna cum laude, Stevie traded her apron for a laptop and a career in food, wine and travel writing. Post editorial-era (including published pieces in Wine & Spirits, SF Chronicle and Wine Enthusiast), Stevie managed communication, media, marketing and brand strategy for Corkbuzz Wine Studio, Crush Wine & Spirits, and the Guild of Sommeliers before launching her own brands focused on community and education in the wine and hospitality industry. Stevie is a Certified Sommelier as well as a kick-ass wife and the insanely proud mother of a miracle son.

Follow her on Instagram @steviestacionis, @baygrape, and @mamaoakland.

Born and raised in California, Ella received her B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology at University of California, Berkeley. Wanting to pair her love for being active and outside with her biology background, Ella worked her first harvest in Livermore while finishing up her final year at Berkeley and realized that tasting wine for a living wasn’t a bad direction to go. Following her studies, Ella continued to pursue wine in the lab at Cakebread Cellars for a few years, before deciding she wanted to get back in touch with the cellar through a harvest abroad in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Since being back, she has worked in Calistoga and Healdsburg, increasing her love for VA’s and heat stability tests. Ella transitioned to Marketing and Events Coordinator at O’Donnell Lane in early 2020, with work ranging from event logistics, to planning and executing, to PR and marketing, and hasn’t looked back. If she isn’t at work, you can find her running through Petaluma or trying to ferment focaccia, cider, and wine in her garage.

Don’t try to find her on Instagram … she isn’t there.

Shakera Jones is a NYC-based food and wine writer, host, podcaster and educator. Hosting her show Weekly Wines, on SommTV, Shakera explores varietals and production regions to broaden the palates of her followers. All while she breaks down the intimidating barriers often associated with the world of fine wines.

Shakera has created a community that supports and promote and supports diversity, equity and inclusion efforts for women and other underrepresented groups in the culinary and fine wine industries. Season 2 of her Podcast : A Glass for Every Palate premiers in Fall of 2023.

Follow her at @blackgirlsdinetoo

Erica Duecy is one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She is co-founder of Business of Drinks, a podcast and content consultancy, and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other LinkedInhospitality and drinks tech companies. She also has led digital editorial teams at Architectural Digest and Saveur magazines, among others. Her content, podcast, and video programs have won more than 40 digital and editorial awards. She is a WSET Advanced-certified wine and spirits communicator, wine judge, and author of the cocktail book Storied Sips (Random House), about the real-life stories behind the world’s most famous cocktails. Follow her on LinkedIn or Instagram.

For the past 20 years, Cassie Newman has been bouncing back and forth between front of house roles in the restaurant industry and leadership roles in nonprofit arts organizations. Originally from Aspen, Colorado, Cassie received her BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her early wine mentors were hospitality leaders (both men and women) in New York City. She and her family recently moved from Oakland, CA to Sonoma County and she is a proud member of the wine team at Little Saint in Healdsburg.

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.

Annette Alvarez-Peters is the founder of annette a.p. Wine and Spirits, a consultancy business focused on business development and merchandising strategies for the wine and spirits industry.

Annette sits on the Board of Directors for Crimson Wine Group, a portfolio which engages in the production and sale of luxury wines and MISA Imports, a global importer and distributor for wine and spirits. In addition, she is involved and serves as a Mentor with non-profit organization Wine Unify, an organization to promote and celebrate diversity in the wine industry and involved with the Batonnage Forum Mentorship program as the Head of Industry Area of Focus for Retail, an organization designed to stir up conversations about equality and forward progress for women in wine.
Annette previously held a 37 year career with Costco Wholesale - including 25 years in the beverage alcohol department, where she led the buying team for the USA. Annette retired in 2020 as Asst. Vice President / GMM.
Alvarez-Peters was named as a top leader in the wine industry by M. Shanken Communications, Wine Business Monthly, Wine Enthusiast and Decanter. She holds the Diploma certification from Wine & Spirit Education Trust, along with a Certified Wine Educator certificate from Society of Wine Educators. Annette has been inducted into the following associations: Bordeaux’s Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc; Champagne’s Ordre des Coteaux des Champagne and Chateauneuf du Pape Echansonnerie des Papes.

Being a vineyard manager checked all the boxes for Mary: collaboration of ideas, working with the soil, the interface of farming and nature, and the intersections of science and farming. Working over 30 years now in vineyards has been a great gift, and she has been fortunate to work with people who valued farming practices that respected the people and the soils.

Mary has been managing vineyards for Bill Harlan since 2002, and she currently oversees farming and vineyard development for Harlan and Promontory. The team there continues to work with evolving farming practices that benefit the soils and vines. Mary has found the most gratifying (and maybe unexpected) aspects of her field to be the evolution of vineyard workers, and a recognition of how their work is paramount to the quality of the wines being made in this valley.

Follow her on Instagram at @m3rrymar.

Born and raised in California, Katie Canfield earned her B.A. in Spanish and Global Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara. During her final year at university, she studied abroad in Santiago, Chile, where her career in the wine industry began. In 2009, Katie moved to Logroño, Spain and then Dijon, France, where she earned her M.Sc. degree in Wine Business. Following her studies, she moved to the UK to join Manchester-based wine retailer Hangingditch Wine Merchants, also contributing articles regularly to leading trade publication Harpers Wine and Spirit. Since her move back to California in 2014, Katie has worked in marketing and communications for the international portfolios of Wilson Daniels, Paul Hobbs Wines, and now O’Donnell Lane, where she drives communications and strategic planning. Katie has worked three grape harvests in Chile, France, and Napa Valley, and holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine and Spirits.

Follow her on Instagram @kt_canfield and @odl_sips.

A theatrically-trained actress turned wine professional, Anitha works in NYC and is always looking for reasons to travel abroad to wine countries. As a top Sales Representative for David Bowler Wine, covering both Manhattan and Brooklyn, Anitha offers her insights and perspective as a mentor for anyone looking to start fresh in this industry, especially in sales, and to be candid about all of the challenges that await, from opening and managing accounts, to education and to managing your own bottom line. As an under-represented member of the wine community (South Asian women), Anitha wants to be a part of changing the landscape of our world of wine, reaching a broader audience - and one which looks more like her...and like you. Interests include helping lift up the voices of BIPOC folx, and not just the ones you see, but also the ones in the vineyards who support this entire industry, mostly in the background.

Follow her on Instagram at @happybellyhappylife.

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.

Follow her on Instagram at @winechik.

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.

With a career spanning over 22 years, Emily Porter has established herself as a dedicated wine business educator and strategist. Currently, she plays a dual role at Sonoma State University, both for the Wine Business Institute (WBI) and the SSU MBA Programs. Emily, an alumna herself with an Executive Wine MBA achieved in 2021, now applies her extensive industry knowledge to recruit and mentor the next generation of wine business leaders.

Before her tenure at SSU, Emily's diverse experiences ranged from vineyard labor in Australia to wine sales in San Francisco and beyond. Her career began at Frog’s Leap Winery in Napa, where she discovered her life’s calling in the business of wine. This revelation propelled her through notable roles in sales and distribution, representing esteemed names such as E&J Gallo, Wine Warehouse, and Trefethen Family Vineyards across the West Coast.

Her diverse experiences and accomplishments make her a well-rounded professional with insights into multiple facets of the business of wine and is eager to serve with the women of Bâtonnage to foster the next generations.

A native Californian, Terah refined her unique style and found her love of wine by way of food and from her travels across the globe. She started her professional career in the hospitality industry studying at the International Culinary Institute in California. She then spent time working in wine bars, a Michelin-starred restaurant, wine education, and consulting in the Bay Area. Terah has studied in both Spain and France and has worked 13 harvests in wine regions across five countries, including France (Meursault), Australia (Barossa Valley), New Zealand (Marlborough), Argentina (Mendoza), and the U.S. (Sonoma, Napa Valley, and Willamette Valley). Terah holds a BS in finance from San Jose State University and a master's degree in enology and viticulture from SupAgro in Montepellier, France. She is a Level 2 Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master and holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wine & Spirits. She currently is the head winemaker for Dorcich Family Vineyards and, in 2020, started her personal wine label and consulting company called Terah Wine Co.

Follow her on Instagram at @terahwineco and @terahwinecompany.

Rebecca has been in the event industry since 2003. Following a career as an elementary school teacher in Northern California, she began planning private events for wineries around Sonoma and Napa counties to great success. Since then, Rebecca has applied her talent and passion for wedding and event planning with Rebecca Johnson Design, producing exquisite high-end luxury weddings in wine country and San Francisco, as well as Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Carmel, and Lake Tahoe. Upon joining O’Donnell Lane in 2012 and becoming partner in 2018, she has broadened her focus, drawing on her strong relationships with the highest level and most sought-after vendors in the catering, floral, photography, and music industries to produce corporate and wine trade events. Whether it is an event for 25 wine writers or 2,000 trade and media personnel, Rebecca combines her attention to detail with excellent communication skills to create spectacular events tailored to each client request. 

Follow her on Instagram @rebeccajohnsondesign and @odl_sips.

Rachel DelRocco Terrazas is a Tucson, Arizona-based media consultant, writer, and editor with 20 years of experience in the beverage and hospitality industries. Her clients include international conferences, importers, wineries, editorial projects, and more. Her writing appears in Eater National, Edible Houston, Somm Journal, The Tasting Panel, and Barleycorn Drinks. She was formerly Editor-in-Chief at Armenia-based Origins Magazine, Associate Editor and Spirits Writer at Wine & Spirits Magazine, and Editor-in-Chief at The Vintner Project. She has also served as an editor-mentor at the 2020 TexSom International Wine Awards.

Rachel has won numerous awards and has been included as one of the Imbibe 75, FSR’s 40 Under 40, and an Eater Young Gun in 2015. She also holds the title of 2016 TexSom Best Sommelier. Rachel is a spirits judge for John Barleycorn and the American

Craft Spirits Association. In addition, Rachel has spoken at conferences such as TexSom, Tales of the Cocktail, BevCon, Bar Convent Brooklyn, San Antonio Cocktail Conference, and has been interviewed on multiple podcasts. She is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and a Certified Cava Ambassador and Educator with DO Cava.

You can find her on social media @racheldelrocco on Instagram and Facebook.