SPEAKERS
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EXPERTS PRESENTING AT THE SUMMIT.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
AMY GROSS | Founder & CEO, VINESLEUTH & WINE4.ME
Amy Gross is the Founder & CEO, VineSleuth/Wine4.Me National President, Women For WineSense, where she’s on a mission to help people discover wines they truly love, based on flavor rather than ratings or trends. Since 2011, she has led the development of innovative wine recommendation tools that combine sensory science and AI to make wine selection more approachable and personalized, while guiding wine sellers to communicate more effectively. Her work in wine and technology led her to serve as National President of Women For WineSense, a U.S. organization of nearly 750 members that has championed the responsible enjoyment of wine since 1991. A sought-after speaker, Amy shares insights on wine, technology, and personalization at events across the U.S. and Europe, including NRF: Retail’s Big Show, Vinitaly, WineExpo, and the Mobile World Congress. She has judged wines for more than a decade at major competitions, including the California State Fair, Vinitaly, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition, where she is now Vice-Chairman of the Winery Relations Committee. When she’s not immersed in wine and tech, Amy is a writer and mom of three, and has also hosted two foreign exchange students. She lives just outside Houston, Texas.
Jake Blodinger
Co-Owner and Director of Winemaking | Wine Fringe
Stephen Foutes
Director | Visit Missouri
Tara Good
Director | Trellis Collaborative
GENERAL SESSION
BIO
Jake Blodinger is a Virginia winemaker, co-founder of the Norton Network, and co-owner and Director of Winemaking at Wine Fringe Consulting, a full-service wine-making and marketing firm. He is also co-host of the offbeat wine podcast Wine Fringe. As a driving force behind collaborative efforts to elevate Virginia’s native Norton grape, Jake has helped unite producers and foster consumer interest in a variety with deep American roots and immense potential. His work emphasizes sustainability, versatility, and the unique terroir-driven expressions of Virginia wine. Jake’s approach to winemaking blends technical precision with experimentation, exploring techniques such as yeast variation, extended barrel aging, and innovative Norton blends. Beyond Norton, he is particularly enamored with Viognier, a grape he believes showcases both complexity and humility in the glass. Committed to connecting consumers with the story behind the bottle, Jake champions transparency, education, and authenticity in the wine industry. He is inspired by fellow Virginia winemakers who share passion and dedication in their craft, and he continues to push the boundaries of traditional wine marketing and production through collaboration, storytelling, and innovative thinking.
CONNECT
GENERAL SESSION
BIO
After spending 10 years as a newspaper reporter and editor in Centralia and Jefferson City, Stephen was hired as the travel guide editor at the Missouri Division of Tourism (Visit Missouri) in 2009. He held varying roles at Visit Missouri through 2017, when he was named marketing director at the Missouri State Medical Association. In March 2020, he returned to the travel industry when he was appointed Visit Missouri’s director, leading a staff of marketers, communicators, researchers, program managers, legislative and financial specialists, and welcome center ambassadors focused on promoting Missouri as one of the country’s top travel destinations.
GENERAL SESSION
BIO
Tara Good, founder and president of Trellis Collaborative, is an organization that connects mission-focused wine professionals to share information, identify industry blind spots, and collaborate on problem-solving. At WineAmeria, the national association of American wineries, Tara served as the Vice President of Development for 13 years. She managed the organization’s 500+ membership, developing programs and conferences, and partnering with the government affairs team to lobby on Capitol Hill. Tara has worked on agricultural, tax, and trade issues, but is best known for her work in music licensing. Prior to WineAmerica, Tara worked for the Distilled Spirits Council. She received her B.A. from Fordham University and M.A. from NYU, and is a two-time recipient of the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship, having studied Arabic in Jordan and Oman.
David Marrison
Field Specialist- Farm Management | Ohio State University Extension
Jill Smedley
CEO and Founder | Wine Fringe
Sandy Waggett
Owner | MSW Interactive Designs
GENERAL SESSION
BIO
David Marrison, has served as a Field Specialist in Farm Management and as the Interim Director for the Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute (FFMPI) for Ohio State Extension since November 1, 2022. Mr. Marrison has worked for Ohio State University Extension since 1997, is a Professor in the Department of Extension, and served as an Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Educator in Ashtabula, Trumbull, and Coshocton Counties from 1997 to 2022. David serves as a farm mediator for the Ohio Farm Resolution Services (OFRS) and is on the Board of Directors for the International Farm Transition Network and is a Certified Farm Succession Coordinator. David is nationally known for his teaching in farm succession planning. He has a unique ability to intertwine humor into speaking about the difficulties of passing the farm on to the next generation. He has authored numerous publications in succession and estate planning. David was born and raised on a small dairy farm in northeast Ohio. Today, David and his family raise Boer meat goats and hay on a small farm in east central Ohio.
GENERAL SESSION
BIO
Jill Smedley is Co-CEO and Founder of Wine Fringe, where she also serves as Director of Marketing. Jill brings a dynamic blend of wine industry expertise and marketing savvy, helping wineries and beverage brands tell their stories and connect with audiences. She has served as Marketing Manager for Chrysalis Vineyards and Barrel Oak Winery & Brewery, honing her skills in branding, events, and customer engagement since entering the wine world in 2020. Jill was also one of the founders and managers of the Norton Network, a collaborative group dedicated to showcasing Virginia’s native Norton grape with the goal of making it nationally recognized and celebrated. In addition to consulting and marketing, Jill co-hosts Wine Fringe, an offbeat wine podcast that explores the craft of winemaking, unconventional production methods, and the realities of wine marketing with wit, insight, and a touch of irreverence. Through Wine Fringe, she combines her love of storytelling, education, and bold perspectives to make wine approachable, engaging, and fun.
CONNECT
MARKETING & GENERAL SESSION
BIO
Susan durbrow
National Sales Manager- Wineries | Riedel Crystal of America
Jason Moulton
Director of Winemaking & Viticulture | Whitehall Lane Winery
Katie Cook
Field Sales Representative – Northeast & Upper Midwest | Scott Laboratories
ENOLOGY SESSION
BIO
Susan Durbrow is currently U.S. Wineries Sales Manager for Riedel Crystal. She joined the company in June of 2014. Prior to this, she worked for several California wineries including Peter Michael, Arrowood, Behrens & Hitchcock, Stonestreet and finally Purple Wine Company. Her experience includes Direct to Consumer Sales, Marketing, Packaging and managing Wholesale Sales in states around the country. In 2004 she and her husband launched Gridley Family Cellars. Susan made the wine and her husband Andy took care of everything else. They produced under their own label for six vintages and enjoyed placements in top restaurants throughout California. Susan graduated from CSU Fresno in 1996 with a degree in wine marketing. Currently she serves on the Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Wine & Viticulture Advisory Board. She lives in St. Helena with Andy who sells barrels for a French producer.
ENOLOGY SESSIONS
BIO
Jason Moulton is the Director of Winemaking and Viticulture for Whitehall Lane Winery in Saint Helena, California. Prior to settling into Napa Valley, he started working with wine in 2002. He had the opportunity to work in Southern Illinois, tinkering with hybrids and American varieties, before moving on to the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and then onto the Russian River in Sonoma, CA. He graduated from the Lincoln University Viticulture and Enology program in New Zealand, gaining a great deal of experience in cool climate varieties. Traversing the world to gain even more experience in warm and cool climates, Jason worked harvests in South Africa, New Zealand, and Bordeaux before landing in Napa Valley. While in the Napa Valley, he gained a wealth of knowledge working with renowned winemakers Ashley Heisey, Philippe Melka, and David Ramey. Jason joined Whitehall Lane in 2016 and just finished his 26th harvest with the 2025 harvest. To further his education in the wine business, he pursued becoming a certified sommelier in 2017 and recently graduated with a Global Wine Executive MBA from Sonoma State University.
ENOLOGY SESSION
BIO
Katie Cook joined Scott Labs in 2016 and has spent the past decade helping wineries throughout the Northeast and Midwest meet their fermentation and production challenges with confidence. Her winemaking career has taken her around the globe—from California and Argentina to France and Australia—giving her a diverse foundation in cellar work and wine styles. Originally from Minnesota, Katie returned home earlier in her career to support the University of Minnesota’s cold‑climate grape breeding program as an enology specialist. She especially enjoys the creativity and problem‑solving that come with crafting wines in the Midwest’s unique conditions. She now lives in the Finger Lakes, NY, with her husband and their two children.
Anndrea Harris
Creative Director | Whooann Creative Studio
Kathy Kelley
Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business Management | Penn State
Brad Beaver
Bureau Chief, Environmental Programs | Illinois Department of Agriculture
MARKETING SESSION
BIO
Whooann (Anndrea Harris) is a nationally recognized brand strategist, Canva educator, and the creative force behind Whooann Creative Studio. Known as the “Canva Queen,” she helps entrepreneurs, organizations, and government entities turn their ideas into intentional, high-impact brands using strategy-first design. With a background in marketing, digital storytelling, and visual branding, Whooann specializes in teaching people how to actually use Canva the right way,not just to make things look cute, but to communicate clearly, consistently, and confidently. Her work blends creativity with structure, making branding approachable, scalable, and effective. Whooann is passionate about helping brands show up with clarity, purpose, and personality without overwhelm or overcomplication.
MARKETING SESSIONS
BIO
Kathy Kelley is a Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business Management at The Pennsylvania State University. She joined the faculty in November 2001 and holds a 25% teaching, 25% research, and 50% extension appointment. Her research interests include studying consumer consumption of alcoholic beverages, purchasing attitudes and behaviors, wine tourism, and factors that encourage tasting room visits. Her extension responsibilities encompass developing business and marketing educational programs for wine brands and winery tasting rooms.
CONNECT
VITICULTURE SESSION
BIO
Brad Beaver has spent 33 years with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, all within the Bureau of Environmental Programs. Beginning his career as a summer intern, he now serves as Bureau Chief, a role he has held for the past four years. Brad holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health from Illinois State University. He was raised on a small grain and livestock farm in Lincoln, Illinois, where his family raised Chester White show pigs—an experience that shaped his lifelong connection to agriculture. During his tenure at the Department, Brad has overseen the Livestock Management Facilities Program, including the siting and construction of large-scale livestock operations, and has managed statewide pesticide programs addressing pesticide storage, use, and misuse.
Megan Troesser
Enforcement Program Coordinator, Pesticide Program | Missouri Department of Agriculture
Dr. Dean Volenberg
State Extension Viticulture Lead | University of Missouri
Bob Walters
CEO | FieldWatch
VITICULTURE SESSION
BIO
Megan Troesser’s passion for horticulture began at Missouri State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture. She initially honed her skills on a flower farm, gaining hands-on experience in plant cultivation. Her career then flourished over a decade as a landscaper and pesticide applicator, during which she developed expertise in sustainable practices and plant health. For the past 3.5 years, Megan has been integral to the Pesticide Program at the Missouri Department of Agriculture, contributing to safe pesticide use policies. Beyond her professional endeavors, she finds joy in contributing to her great uncle’s hobby vineyard, blending her horticultural knowledge with a love for nature. Megan’s journey highlights her unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship and the beauty of the natural world.
VITICULTURE SESSION
BIO
Dr. Volenberg is the Extension Program Leader for viticulture and Director at the Grape and Wine Institute at the University of Missouri. Dean’s current research program is focused on applied and hypothesis driven discovery of pests that have economic implications for Eastern United States grape growers. Dr. Volenberg was first to confirm the presence of Grapevine Red Blotch virus in Missouri. His Extension program is multifaceted with attention focused on fungal and viral pests and their management. Dean is passionate about repatriating American grape cultivars lost to prohibition. He focuses on cultivars with Vitis aestivalis genetic backgrounds with the goal of moving the grape industry to improved sustainability.
VITICULTURE SESSION
BIO
Bob is the President and CEO for FieldWatch. He joined FieldWatch as the first employee in 2014 when FieldWatch was formed as a non-profit entity by Purdue University. Bob served as the Director of Business Development until being appointed to his current position in 2020. During Bob’s tenure, FieldWatch grown to 31 states and provinces. 61,000 users, 70,000 mapped sites, and 1.9M mapped acres. FieldWatch has experienced double-digit growth in the past five years and expects the trend to continue.
Fritz Westover
Viticulturist | Virtual Viticulture Academy & Westover Advising
VITICULTURE SESSIONS
BIO
Fritz Westover, founder of Westover Vineyard Advising and Virtual Viticulture Academy, brings 20+ years of industry experience to vineyard consulting. His practice spans 2,000+ acres across six states, while his virtual education platform reaches growers in 33 states and eight countries.