Advisory Board

Anthony Bozzano

Carter Collins

Casey Di Cesare

Jason “JC” Diefenderfer

AJ Fairbanks

Fintan du Fresne

Adrienne Ferrara

Gregory Gonzalez

Alison Laslett

Benoît Lecat

Cynthia Lohr

Molly Lonborg

Nicholas Miller

Dr. Miguel Pedroza

Maeve Pesquera

Joel Peterson

Jessica Silvius Smith

Tim Snider

Matt Steel

Skylar Stuck

Eddie Urman

Principal/Sales Director, Bozzano & Company

Anthony Bozzano

Anthony Bozzano owns and manages Bozzano and Company, a Central Coast wine business specializing in bulk wine and grape sales and custom brand development. Prior to founding Bozzano and Co., Anthony worked in sales and marketing for a local winegrower, where he managed bulk wine and private label sales.

Anthony was raised in Stockton, CA., where he is still actively involved with his family’s farm. He is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and a member of Class 43 of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation

Wine and Grape Broker, Ciatti Company

Carter Collins

Carter Collins is a wine and grape broker with The Ciatti Company, a global wine brokerage with offices in 10 major wine-producing regions worldwide. He also serves as General Manager of Viticultural Management, Inc. (VMI) in Paso Robles, where he has worked for 17 seasons and was promoted to General Manager in 2019.

Carter began his career at VMI while earning a bachelor’s degree in Wine and Viticulture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). His passion for the wine industry began at an early age, growing up in a family deeply rooted in California viticulture. His father was a respected industry leader who served as a broker with The Ciatti Company before becoming General Manager of Hope Family Wines. In 1998, the Collins family planted a vineyard in Paso Robles, where Carter developed a lifelong passion for vineyard management and winegrowing.

In addition to his professional roles, Carter serves as Vice President of the Vineyard Team, where he has been a member of the board of directors for the past four years, helping advance the organization’s mission of promoting sustainable viticulture through education and research.

Carter lives in Santa Margarita with his wife and daughter. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time outdoors, golfing, and playing basketball.

Winemaker + Lean Champion, Scheid Family Wines

Casey Di Cesare

Winemaker Casey Di Cesare joined Scheid Family Wines in 2017. His innovative spirit has served him well as lead winemaker for the Sunny with a Chance of Flowers and Metz Road brands, as he explores new techniques for making great wines.

One of the techniques he developed was a proprietary process to craft Sunny’s low-alcohol, zero-sugar, low-calorie wines. The wine quality created through this process helped catapult the brand to a top ‘Better for You’ brand in the market. Sunny has earned multiple 90+ point scores across the seven wines in its line-up, making it the highest rated wine in the category. In 2024, Casey also took the lead as Lean Champion at Scheid Family Wines, developing efficiency-improvement processes and projects across the portfolio.

Casey enrolled in Cornell University and received his Master’s degree in Enology while studying in the Finger Lakes AVA. Upon graduation in 2017, he joined Scheid Family Wines, where he has flourished with the creative opportunities that the broad portfolio offers.

Casey was named a 2021 Wine Industry Leader by Wine Business Monthly and was selected in 2022 to represent Monterey County as a Founding Board Member of the Vintners Institute. In 2024, Casey was named a Wine Enthusiast Future 40 Tastemaker

Director of Winemaking, Hope Family Wines

Jason “JC” Diefenderfer

A Central Coast native, Jason “JC” Diefenderfer has been on the winemaking team at Hope Family Wines since 1998.

No stranger to agriculture, JC grew up on his family’s ranch in Templeton, just south of Paso Robles. He and Austin Hope attended high school together and forged a friendship that remains today. JC managed farm and ranching operations for King Ranch until 1997 when he began working with the Hope family to design and build their crush facility in Paso Robles. Recalling exactly when and how he was bitten by the wine bug that would take him down a different path in farming, he says “it was the clear approach to winemaking that intrigued me about Treana & Liberty School: their passion and dedication to the vineyard.”

Jason started working officially for the winery in 1998 and apprenticed under then-winemaker Chris Phelps. He became the assistant winemaker for Liberty School in 1999, winemaker in 2006 and ultimately Director of Winemaking in 2012. Today, JC works closely with Austin Hope to craft the blends of all the brands: Liberty School, AUSTIN, Treana, Troublemaker, Quest, and Austin Hope. JC oversees all production operations with focus on winemaking.

He brings the whole package to the table: local agricultural roots; familiarity with the wines and winemaking of the Old World and the New; and over two decades of experience with Hope Family Wines.

Estate Director, Crown Point Vineyards

AJ Fairbanks

AJ Fairbanks is the Estate Director of Crown Point Vineyards in Santa Barbara County, where he oversees the winery’s business operations, including sales, marketing, hospitality, finance, and distribution.

Raised in a family with deep roots in the wine industry, AJ is the nephew of Aubert and Pamela de Villaine of Burgundy and a cousin of the Hyde family of Napa Valley’s Hyde Vineyard. He began his career managing Hyde de Villaine in Napa Valley before returning to his hometown of Santa Barbara Wine Country in 2014.

In addition to his role at Crown Point, AJ serves as President of the Santa Barbara Vintners Association, where he works with fellow industry leaders on initiatives supporting the long-term success of the region’s wine industry.

AJ is committed to building enduring wine brands, advancing thoughtful business strategy, and promoting Santa Barbara Wine Country as one of the world’s premier wine-growing regions.

Founder & CEO, WineMech

Fintan du Fresne

Born and raised in New Zealand, Fintan (Fin) du Fresne has been making wine in California since 2001. His Degree in Geology, Postgraduate Degree in Viticulture and Enology and MBA in Wine Business give him a well-rounded academic background.

Originally a viticulturalist, Fin transitioned to winemaking during harvest in 2001 but retains his passion for the viticultural side of the business.

After stints in Martinborough and the Hawkes Bay (NZ), Calera and Adelaida Cellars (California) he was hired as head winemaker at Chamisal Vineyards in 2006. Following the acquisition of Chamisal by the Crimson Wine Group he was promoted to General Manager and Winemaker.

In 2022, Fin transitioned to GM at Phase 2 Cellars, managing 13,000 tons of custom crush.

In 2018, Fin saw a need for winery specific contracting services on the Central Coast and started Winemech. Since 2018, Winemech has grown to serve over 450 wineries between Temecula and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Winemech has service contracts with 4 of the largest winery equipment suppliers and numerous smaller suppliers. To support this rapid growth, Fin moved to managing Winemech full-time in June of 2024.

Fin is a current Vineyard Team Board member and past Board member for the World of Pinot Noir and SLO Coast Wine Collective. Fin is a strong supporter of the Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture program, assisting with their commercial wine production and scientific programs for a number of years.

Owner, Clesi Winery

Adrienne Ferrara

Adrienne Ferrara is a faculty member in the Wine and Viticulture Department at Cal Poly, where she teaches wine sales and hospitality. She approaches the wine industry and its complex sales channels like a puzzle, aiming to demystify the various areas of wine sales and supply chain challenges much like the way we analyze microclimates and terroir.

In 2004, Adrienne and her husband, Chris Ferrara, co-founded their family brand, Clesi, which remains dedicated to producing Italian varieties from their ranch in Templeton, California. She also leads the Cal Poly wine internship program and oversees Cal Poly’s commercial wine sales.

Adrienne earned an MBA from Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business, concentrating in International Business. Prior to her position in higher education, Adrienne worked in brand management including positions at Wild Horse Winery and Vineyards, Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, Southern Wines & Spirits (now Southern Glazers).

Adrienne, Chris, and their three children love food and road trips to explore snow covered mountains and rivers with white water. In addition to WiVi and CCI, Adrienne loves to help local schools and non-profit fundraisers work with the wineries to support local causes.

Director of Agriculture Operations for Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills and Carlyle Farming Company

Gregory Gonzalez

Gregory Gonzalez is the Director of Agriculture Operations for Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills and Carlyle Farming Company. With 15 years of hands-on experience across California’s Central Coast and Central Valley, Gonzalez brings a wealth of viticultural expertise to his new role. Driven by a vision to not only preserve but also elevate Bien Nacido’s iconic reputation, Gonzalez is committed to bringing fresh ideas and a dedication to quality to continue enhancing the vineyard’s storied success for years to come.

CEO, Santa Barbara Vintners

Alison Laslett

As the CEO of the Santa Barbara Vintners, Alison Laslett works to promote and protect
the Santa Barbara Wine Region. The region boasts over a hundred wineries, more than
300 labels, and 70+ varieties of wine. Since joining the organization in 2017, the region
has increased retail sales significantly, won the Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Award for
Region of the Year in 2021, and Alison was named one of the Top Women in Business
by the Pacific Coast Times. In 2025, with the formation of the Wine Preserve, Santa
Barbara County became the largest Wine Business Improvement District in the United
States.

Alison advocates for the region both locally and state-wide, working with tourism and
lobbying partners to advance the reputation and rights of the industry. New to wine
when she joined the Vintners, Alison previously spent time in both established
nonprofits and start-ups, working with significant funders, including Rockefeller
Philanthropy Advisors, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Eli and Edythe
Broad Foundation.

Now, she enjoys her new-found knowledge of wine, working with colleagues across the
state to continue to help the region thrive.

Department Head/Professor, Cal Poly/Enology Chair

Benoît Lecat

Benoît LECAT is currently Head of the Wine and Viticulture Department at California Polytechnic State University in the USA. He was Professor of Marketing in the School of Wine and Spirits Business, ESC Dijon/Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France but also Visiting Professor in different universities including HEC Genève, HEC Lausanne and UNESCO Department in Inter-cultural and Inter-Religious Exchanges at the University of Bucharest. His research has focused on management of luxury goods, fine wines and spirits with a specific interest on price premium, price determinants, m-commerce, scarcity, terroir and tourism. He was co-organizing with Joëlle Brouard the International Conference on Innovation & Trends in Wine Management (ITWM) held in Dijon. He is teaching courses relevant to the wine industry such as Global Wine and Viticulture, European Wine Tour and Wine Business Classes. Recently, with his team, he implemented the new Justin and J. Lohr Center for Wine and Viticulture and fundraised more than 25 million dollars to make the Center operational.

Co-owner & Chief Brand Officer, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines

Cynthia Lohr

Cynthia Lohr is a strategic marketing, communications, and branding professional with over 35 years of experience delivering measurable results that impact people, the planet, and profit for companies in the wine and technology industries and non-profits in the arts, the health and well-being of children and families and regional advocacy groups. As co-owner and Chief Brand Officer of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Cynthia collaborates with and oversees the company’s marketing and direct-to-consumer departments and is responsible for operational oversight with her fellow co-owners and executives, brothers Steve and Lawrence, and father, Founder Jerry Lohr.

Embracing a sustainability ethos and with a passion for climate justice, social equity, and servant leadership, Cynthia created the J. Lohr Touching Lives initiative in 2009 to help eradicate breast cancer in partnership with National Breast Cancer Foundation, IncÆ by donating three dollars from every bottle sold of her mother’s namesake wine, Carol’s Vineyard, to benefit early detection services for women in impoverished regions. Cynthia also co-founded the regional Bordeaux wine advocacy group the Paso Robles CAB Collective in 2012 and served as board vice president until 2020 and co-chairs J. Lohr’s DEI Committee. Before rejoining J. Lohr in 2002, Cynthia was VP at Alexander Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, serving B2B and B2C technology clients. She previously launched Yahoo!’s and led the company’s pre-IPO messaging, followed by the launch of Alexa Internet, leading the company through its acquisition by Amazon.com. Cynthia worked in education and business development before her time in technology, notably at PRx Strategic Marketing Communications, St. Mary’s College School of Extended Education, and the Oakland Unified School District.

Cynthia, a frequent speaker and moderator, has been featured at SF Climate Week, MKF Executive Wine Summit, Women of the Vine & Spirits, Unified Symposium, Kohler Food & Wine, and The Wine Institute, among other conferences. Cynthia was named a Wine Business Monthly 2023 Wine Industry Leader, a 2021 Woman of Impact by Silicon Valley Business Journal, and nominated for 2019 Wine Executive of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Cynthia serves as a board director for REACH Central Coast and J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines and in advisory board roles for Women of the Vine & Spirits, UC Davis College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, Central Coast Insights/WiVi and Net Positive. Cynthia is a graduate of UC Davis, holds a master’s in public administration from the Cornell University Brooks School of Public Policy, is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha Global Honor Society, and is a Climatebase Fellow.

Senior Winemaker, Booker Vineyard

Molly Lonborg

Molly Lonborg is a Paso Robles winemaking veteran with a passion for organic farming and deep experience in crafting Rhône-style wines. Molly graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2009 with a B.S. degree in Earth Sciences and a concentration in Wine and Viticulture. After studying geology in New Zealand, she gained wine production skills at two Central Coast wineries. She then joined Halter Ranch in 2011 and rose through the ranks to the position of Associate Winemaker. In late 2019, Molly was named ‘Winemaker of the Month’ by Wine Business Monthly, which affirmed her as a rising star in California winemaking. She took the head winemaker position at Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery in 2020, where she honed her talents with Rhône varieties. As Senior Winemaker at Booker Vineyard since the spring of 2025, Molly oversees the daily winemaking operations at this iconic Willow Creek District Estate. Molly lives on a ranch in Paso Robles with her husband, Regenerative Vineyard Consultant Jordan Lonborg; their two children, daughter Alma and son Ziggy; and beloved dog Desmond. Along with wine, Molly enjoys camping, hiking, traveling, live music and growing organic crops.

Chief Sales & Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President, Miller Family Wine Company

Nicholas Miller

Nicholas is EVP of the Miller Family Wine Company and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. He represents the companies on several boards and associations, including director of the Wine Institute and the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association.

In 2022 Nicholas was recognized by The Wine Enthusiast as their Wine Executive of the Year for their Wine Star Awards.

As Chief Sales & Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President for Miller Family Wine Company, Miller has brought innovation, growth and strategic planning to his family’s multigenerational business, guiding the company through recent acquisitions, exclusive partnerships and exciting new brand launches.

In 2025 the Millers were recognized by the California Association of Winegrape Growers with their most prestigious honor as Winegrowers of the year.

Associate Professor of Enology, Cal Poly

Dr. Miguel Pedroza

Dr. Miguel Pedroza is an Associate Professor of Enology at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he teaches winemaking, fermentation science, and general education courses on wine and viticulture. His research bridges chemistry, sensory science, and neuroscience, with a focus on how wine aromas develop in grapes, evolve through winemaking, and ultimately shape emotional responses in consumers.

Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, Miguel holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Enology from the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain, and a B.Sc. in Food Science and Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM) in Mexico. His academic and professional journey spans multiple countries, with research and enology internships in France (Bordeaux and Jura), Italy (Piacenza), and the U.S. He previously served as Assistant Professor of Enology at Fresno State and was a postdoctoral researcher in cognitive neuroscience at the CNRS in Lyon, France, where he explored the brain’s response to wine through neuroimaging.

Miguel has conducted research on wine aroma chemistry, sequential fermentation with non-Saccharomyces yeasts, innovative enological techniques, and has led or contributed to research projects funded by the USDA, the Agricultural Research Institute from the CSU, and international institutions. His current work includes studying the composition of Mediterranean varietals of the Central Coast of California and the relationship between aromas and emotional experience in wine.

An active mentor and public speaker, he regularly presents at scientific conferences and industry events. Since 2014, Miguel has also served as a wine judge at prestigious competitions across Europe, Mexico, and the U.S., including the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and the California State Fair.

Miguel enjoys finding connections between wine, food, places, cultures, and people. In his free time, he loves cooking, playing guitar, hiking, soccer, golf, and spending time with his wife and young son.

Executive Vice President of Luxury and Chief Marketing Officer, O’Neill Vintners & Distillers

Maeve Pesquera

Maeve Pesquera is a transformational wine industry leader and values-driven executive with a legacy of success in building luxury brands, scaling business growth, and shaping culture with purpose. With three decades of experience across prestige hospitality, strategic marketing, and innovation, Maeve brings deep expertise and authentic leadership to every facet of her work.

As Executive Vice President of Luxury and Chief Marketing Officer at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, a certified B Corp and one of the country’s most dynamic privately held wine and spirits companies, Maeve leads the company’s luxury wine division and oversees marketing across the full portfolio. Her leadership spans Ram’s Gate Winery in Carneros and Robert Hall Winery in Paso Robles, as well as a growing collection of purpose-driven consumer brands. She also serves as a national spokesperson for O’Neill, connecting with trade partners, media, and industry stakeholders to advance innovation and elevate brand impact.

Prior to joining O’Neill, Maeve spent a decade at DAOU Family Estates, where she worked closely with founders Georges and Daniel Daou to shape the company’s culture, strategic direction, and rapid rise in the luxury wine space, culminating in DAOU’s $1B acquisition by Treasury Wine Estates. Previously, she served as National Director of Wine, Beverage and Culinary Innovation for Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, earning national recognition for launching the award-winning WiNEPAD, a pioneering digital wine experience.

A sought-after speaker and mentor, Maeve is a passionate advocate for building the next generation of wine industry leaders. She has spoken at national forums including the Oregon Wine Symposium, Women of the Vine & Spirits Global Symposium, Dream Big Darling, and Wine Business Financial Symposium, among others. She serves on multiple industry boards and advisory councils, including the California Wine Institute, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, and Cal Poly’s Experience Industry Management program.

Maeve’s work has been featured in Bloomberg, Forbes, SOMM Journal, and E! News, and honored with awards such as the Georges and Daniel Daou Award of Excellence, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, and the VIBE Vista Award for Best Wine Program.

Maeve lives with her husband, Luis, a veteran chef, on their Paso Robles homestead, Milagro Ranch, where they grow wine grapes, olives, sheep and are raising five spirited young men. She believes in leading with integrity, cultivating joy, and leaving the land, and the industry, better than she found it.

Executive Director, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance

Joel Peterson

An accomplished communications and marketing specialist and true people person, Joel Peterson has spent 20 years marketing wine and beer, and currently serves as the executive director of the PRWCA. The organization, made up of 200 wineries and 500 total businesses, leads marketing, outreach, and education efforts that promote and protect Paso Robles Wine Country.

After earning a degree from the University of Arizona, Peterson spent eight years in Hollywood working in film production. He joined the Paso wine community full time in 2003, working for several wineries including L’Aventure, JUSTIN, and Hope Family Wines. In 2013, Peterson joined Solterra Strategies, a wine-focused marketing and public relations agency, and later spent two years leading the marketing team at Firestone Walker Brewing Company. He joined the PRWCA in 2019. Peterson and his wife Dagny live in Paso Robles. He is active in the community and serves on the Paso Robles School Board.

Director of Marketing, WineDirect Fulfillment

Jessica Silvius Smith

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.

President, Fess Parker Winery

Tim Snider

Tim Snider is the President of Fess Parker Winery in Los Olivos, CA and recently celebrated his 25^th anniversary with the winery. Tim has learned the wine business from the ground up; he began working summers on his family’s vineyard in Knights Valley, Sonoma County in the mid-1980’s and after graduating from Williams College in MA, he took a job with E&J Gallo in Northern California. Tim worked with Gallo for a little over seven years in a variety of roles from street-level sales to sales management and, ultimately, as a brand marketing manager. Since coming to Fess Parker Winery in 1999, Tim has been a leader in the winery’s development into one of the preeminent properties in Santa Barbara County.

Tim has been married to Ashley Parker Snider for 24 years and they have three grown children in Santa Barbara. Tim has served on many industry boards including two terms as president of Santa Barbara Vintners Association, the World of Pinot Noir advisory board and, currently, Visit Santa Barbara. Away from the wine business, Tim’s biggest interests are sports and music; he plays basketball and golf weekly, and is currently the drummer in a garage band (with Ashley on vocals).

General Manager, Viticulture and Winemaking, Sea Smoke

Matt Steel

A native of Australia, Matt Steel is well-versed in cool-climate grape varieties and right at home in the vineyards of the Central Coast, where he is General Manager, Viticulture and Winemaking for Sea Smoke.

“There are many parallels between California’s Central Coast and Australia’s coast, especially the great effects the maritime influence has on our grapes,” says Matt. “I want to incorporate this aspect into the wines in a way that is really expressive of the region.”

Matt’s interest in wine started as he worked alongside his father in the family wine shop. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science with a focus on Enology from the University of Adelaide in South Australia. He then built a strong foundation in winemaking as an apprentice at Petaluma Wines in Piccadilly. It was there that Matt developed his acute attention to detail in the vineyard and in the cellar.

Matt’s winemaking journey led him through the varied terrain of Victoria, specifically the vineyards of the famed Yarra Valley, Australia, where he served as Chief Winemaker for both still and sparkling wines at Domaine Chandon Australia. As the Winemaker and General Manager of Medhurst Wines, also in the Yarra Valley, Matt elevated the wine quality and built the winery’s reputation among wine connoisseurs. He then served as the General Manager at JUSTIN & Landmark Vineyards in Paso Robles. Prior to working at Sea Smoke, Matt oversaw winemaking at some of the most acclaimed brands in the GALLO portfolio: Talbott Vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands, Denner Wines & Vineyards in Paso Robles and The Language of Yes, a collaboration with Randall Grahm sourcing across the Central Coast.

Matt enjoys exploring the Central Coast through a variety of outdoor activities with his family and friends. He loves being a part of such an active community, where he can run, ride and hike in his spare time. Matt also loves cooking and making a mess in the kitchen while he experiments with flavors from all over the world.

Director of Sales and Operations, Hearst Ranch Winery

Skylar Stuck

Skylar is the Director of Sales and Operations at Hearst Ranch Winey. He is an experienced General Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the wine and spirits industry, in addition to a strong sales professional skilled in the food & beverage and wine industries. Skylar serves on the Rhône Rangers Board of Directors, Foundation for the Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo, Partner Advisory Board of MUST! Charities, and Trade Marketing Committee of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.

Central Coast Grape Broker, Turrentine Brokerage

Eddie Urman

Eddie Urman brings a wealth of industry knowledge and a hands-on approach to his role as Central Coast Grape Broker with Turrentine Brokerage. A Paso Robles native, and Cal Poly graduate, Eddie has spent over a decade immersed in California’s wine industry, building a deep understanding of grape markets and nurturing strong relationships with growers and wineries across the region.

Eddie’s background in vineyard management gives him unique insights into the nuances of Central Coast viticulture. Known for his dedication and straightforward communication style, he’s committed to helping clients navigate the complexities of grape sourcing, market trends, and long-term strategies. Outside of work, Eddie enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking with his wife, and spending quality time with their red Labrador, Frank. He’s also an avid football fan and brings the same enthusiasm to his personal interests as he does to supporting California’s wine industry.