ABOUT US

From left: Event Preparations... At the Wine Road office, Tracy sorting ticket orders for Winter Wineland, Ryan taking a break while handing out cases of water and glasses prior to A Wine & Food Affair. Just before Barrel Tasting, 100 winery members at a Responsible Hospitality Training with speakers from the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control.

Wine Road Board of Directors - April 2010
10 winery representatives, 3 lodging representatives

PRESIDENT
Robert Conard - C. Donatiello Winery, Director of Hospitality
Robert Conard is a local of Healdsburg. He has a ten plus year career in the wine industry that started in tasting room and phone sales and has brought him all the way through three tier distribution, direct winery sales, tasting room and hospitality management to his current position where he is an charge of sales and marketing for C. Donatiello Winery in the Russian River Valley. Enhancing direct winery to consumer business and relationships has always been of the utmost importance to him.

VICE-PRESIDENT
Bruce Thomas - Mill Creek Winery, Director of Hospitality
Bruce Thomas joined the wine industry 20 years ago when he turned his hobby into a career, leaving banking for wine. He has spent the last 14 years as tasting room manager for Mill Creek Vineyards, working side by side with all three generations of the founding family. He brings first-hand knowledge of family wineries; management, retail and promotion experience; an understanding of finance; and an agri-business degree to the table.

SECRETARY
Jennifer Rolander - Michel-Schlumberger Winery, Wine Club Manager
Jennifer has over three years experience in the wine industry. She started at Dutton Estate Winery in Sebastopol as their Tasting Room Manager, Wine Club Manager and Director of Hospitality. At Quivira, Denise managed the wine club and direct sales, created their advertising and marketing, maintained the website and managed trade and consumer events. She is involved with many winery professionals in Sonoma County Wineries and brings a wide range of ideas and direction to the Wine Road.

TREASURER
Julia Lander - Moshin Vineyards, Hospitality Manager
Julia manages the Tasting Room and Wine Club as well as produces the events at Moshin Vineyards. In various jobs throughout Sonoma County Julia has been a Wine Chemist, an Assistant Winemaker, Wine Club/Tasting Room manager, and done QC for a bottling line.

Dee Ahlin - Wilson Winery, Tasting Room Manager
Dee is currently the tasting room manager at Wilson Winery. She has been in the wine business for 10 years, and has been in a management position for 8 of those years, at two different wineries. During that time, Dee served for four years on the RoadRunner committee for the Wine Road and volunteered with the Wine Road office staff prior to various events. I thoroughly enjoy the wine industry and I'm more than willing to commit to serving on the Board of Directors and helping in any way I can.

Johanna Lieblein - Arista Winery, Assistant Manager
Johanna has worked at Arista for nearly 3 years. She provides top-level and comprehensive hospitality experiences for visitors and customers coming into one of Russian River Valley's premier producers of Pinot Noir and other varietals. She developed and implemented tasting room procedures, job descriptions, staff scheduling, special event planning and execution of these events. In addition, Johanna has an extensive background in wine knowledge and possesses top level computer skills, entertainment and hospitality event experience. She was an owner of a successful restaurant in addition to three plus years of cultivating wine industry relationships in the Northern Sonoma County Wine Country.

Denise Stuart - Paradise Ridge Winery, General Manager 
Denise has had the distinct pleasure of working in the Sonoma County wine industry for the past 12 years. She has particular experience in Management, Tasting Room Management, Public Relations, Marketing, Special Events, Website Development and Maintenance and Wine Club Development. She has a degree in Business Administration from Sonoma State University as well as a broad range of ideas and true enthusiasm for the industry and for the Wine Road.

Barbara Gruber - Healdsburg Country Gardens, Owner, with her husband Walt
The 25 acre working farm includes 20 acres of vineyards, their home and three vacation rental homes. Since 1993, Barbara has marketed and managed their vacation home rentals. In addition, the property holds a use permit for Special Events and Barbara runs Healdsburg Country Gardens Weddings. Barbara has previously served on the Wine Road Board of Directors.

John Hardasty - Haydon Street Inn, Owner, with Keren Colsten
John and Keren purchased the Haydon Street Inn in May of 2006, to fulfill their dream to own their own business and live in beautiful Sonoma County. John was the executive chef at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY for 12 years. During John's career, he has cooked for celebrity notables such as Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Burt Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, Rodney Dangerfield, Yule Brenner, Ozzy Osbourne, to name a few.   They have settled into Healdsburg and have quickly learned about the wineries, restaurants and merchants in town. Free time is spent discovering new and different wines, traveling, and enjoying life!

Brad Calkins - Courtyard by Marriott - Sonoma Wine Country, General Manager
General Manager in Sonoma County since 2000 with stints at the Courtyard by Marriott and Vineyard Creek Hotels. Founding Board Member of the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau. Held positions with SCTB including; Executive Committee, Secretary, Partnership Committee Chair and PR Committee Chair. Past Board member of the Sonoma County Lodging Association. Past Organization Committee Chair for Main Street Santa Rosa. Member of the Board for the Santa Rosa Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

Renae Perry - Papapietro Perry Winery, CEO/Owner
CEO/Owner of Papapietro Perry Winery for 11 years. Previously Renae was Product Marketing Director for several software/internet companies.

Debra Mathy - Dutcher Crossing Winery, Proprietor
A Wisconsin native, who left a 13 year education position at Colorado State University Nutrition Department, is fulfilling a lifelong dream.  Debra entered the wine industry in 2007, leading the growth of Dutcher Crossing Winery from 4000 case production to 8000 cases while maintaining the 98+% Direct to Consumer Philosophy.  Staying true to Sonoma County, Dutcher Crossing has grown it's Vineyard Designate Program through sourcing fruit from Alexander, Russian River and Dry Creek Valleys.

Raymond Rolander - Bella Vineyards & Wine Caves, Tasting Room Manager
A Healdsburg local and Sonoma County native.  Raymond has been in the industry for almost 8 years and is now managing the tasting room at Bella Vineyards.  Before that Raymond worked for 6 years in hospitality at Arrowood Vineyards & Winery.

Executive Director - Beth Costa
Member & Guest Concierge- Tracy Logan-Immordino