2026 Speakers

Session Managers

Nicole Arnold

Nicole Arnold

  • Nicole Arnold is the Director of Operations at RM Wineries and the Winemaker for the nationally distributed portfolio at Evergreen Family Wines. Nicole graduated from Washington State University with a B.S. in Microbiology and began her wine career working in the lab. Nicole began making wine in 2020 when she became the Head Winemaker at the RM Wineries, Ancient Lake Facility.

Freddy Arredondo

Freddy Arredondo

  • In July 2023, Cave B Winemaker Freddy Arredondo was named 1 of the 4 Best Winemakers in Washington State from the Seattle Wine Awards. Freddy has been making wine at Cave B since 2006. Freddy’s expertise and excellent palate has helped Cave B Estate Winery garner an impressive number of awards over the years. Prior to becoming a winemaker, Freddy was a professional chef. He started his culinary career at age 13, cooking in his family’s restaurant in CA. It was while working and attending culinary classes in Arizona that he was first introduced to wine. At that point in his life wine was a “mysterious, wonderful elixir” that he used to complement his dishes. Once Freddy completed culinary school, he worked as a chef in restaurants in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and on a cruise ship in Hawaii. However, he was drawn to Italy and moved there when he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners. It was in Italy where two life-changing things occurred: he met his future wife Carrie Bryan–daughter of Vince & Carol Bryan, owners of Cave B Estate Winery–and he became completely passionate about wine which eventually led him to Wall Walla, WA and winemaking school. Upon completion of the two year program he became the Assistant Winemaker at Cave B in 2006 and advanced to the Head Winemaker in 2008. Freddy says, “I love what I do. I am passionate about the Washington Wine industry as a whole and I love being a Winemaker at Cave B. I have an amazing team, in the cellar, in the vineyards, in both tasting rooms. My wife Carrie does the marketing and events for the winery and my Sister-in law Janet is the CFO. Cave B founders & owners, my in-laws, Vince & Carol Bryan work tirelessly helping to create new opportunities for the winery. My Assistant Winemaker Logan Johnson and our Cellar Master Hector Saldana as well as our tasting room teams in Quincy and Woodinville are passionate about the WA wine industry and Cave B. We are a strong team and the wines reflect that.”

Drew Bledsoe

Drew Bledsoe

  • During his 14 year career, Drew had his eyes set on a post-game plan. Upon his retirement in 2007, he returned to his hometown, Walla Walla, to plant his original estate vineyard, McQueen, on the southern end of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. In 2008, Drew and his wife, Maura, launched Doubleback as an estate-focused winery with the goal to produce world-class cabernet sauvignon— the winery’s name a reference to his return back home. His very first vintage was named a Wine Spectator Top 100 Wine of the World. To make his dream a reality, Drew hired Josh McDaniels away from Figgins Family Wine Estates, who is his CEO & Director of Winemaking to this day.

    Drew played quarterback for Washington State University before being selected number one overall in the 1993 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. He played in four Pro Bowls, is in the Patriots Hall of Fame, and was in the top 10 overall for a number of QB statistics upon his retirement. Today Drew and Maura have four children, and happily reside in Whitefish, Montana.

Moderating:
Keynote Address

Heather Bradshaw

Heather Bradshaw

  • Heather is the Communications Director at the Washington State Wine Commission, where she manages strategic communications, industry outreach and media relations. Heather has been in the wine industry for 10 years, with previous experience at the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance and Jackson Family Wines. She began her career as a journalist, working at TV stations in Yakima and Seattle. A UW grad and native of Vancouver, Washington, Heather now lives in Snohomish with her husband and two very busy small children.

Jenn Brunner

Jenn Brunner

  • Bio coming soon

David Flaherty

David Flaherty

  • David is the Marketing Director for Washington Wine, and moved to Seattle in 2014 after living in NYC for 14 years. He was the Operations Manager and Beer & Spirits Director for Hearth Restaurant and the Terroir Wine Bars for 6+ years, where he worked with James Beard Award Winners, Paul Grieco and Chef Marco Canora. He is a Certified Specialist of Wine, a Certified Cicerone, and holds a WSET Level 3 Advanced Certificate, as well as an MFA in Acting from NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. He has appeared on CBS Sunday Morning News, and is an experienced beverage and travel writer. Since 2013, he has written a monthly column for Nation’s Restaurant News called “Raising the Bar” that explores beverage trends and restaurant operations. He has written for PUNCH, Serious Eats, Edible Manhattan, Edible Brooklyn, Edible Queens, Men’s Health, NY Cork Report, ArchetypeMe, Palate Press, Hop Talk and personal blog, Grapes & Grains. As a former consultant and wine educator, he worked with a number of Fortune 500 companies, including Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Gwen Hoheisel

Gwen Hoheisel

  • For 20 years, Gwen Hoheisel has been a regional extension specialist with Washington State University focusing on perennial fruit crops and more specifically sustainable pest management, blueberry horticulture, and application technologies. She has degrees in zoology from the University of Maryland and entomology from Pennsylvania State University focusing on IPM and insect diversity.  

Michelle Moyer

Michelle Moyer

  • Dr. Michelle Moyer is a professor and Statewide Viticulture Extension Specialist for Washington State University. Her extension and research programs focus on proactive approaches to grape growing and decision support for individuals at all stages of grape production, with an emphasis on integrated vineyard management.

Sidney Rice

Sidney Rice

  • You may know Sidney from his success in the NFL but following his football days he has become one of the most active investors and entrepreneurs in the Pacific Northwest. He has a visionary ability to see the future success of his companies and put the right people together to achieve it. Sidney brings an incredible wine palate, a unique business perspective, and a drive to create unique experiences for Dossier guests.

Moderating:
Keynote Address

Kimberly Sheffield

Kimberly Sheffield

  • Bio Coming Soon

Reid Wilson

Reid Wilson

  • An unconventional farmer and ex pro soccer player, Reid brings a different point of view to the vineyards. Starting as an Irrigator at To Kalon vineyard in Oakville California, Reid quickly fell in love with the wonderment of viticulture! Later, Reid joined a vineyard management company in Southern Oregon and slowly began to understand through practice that a change in farming principles and a deep knowledge of native ecosystems can heal land and the people that work it. Now In eastern Washington, Reid spends time creating native planting projects with a Biodynamic focus that intermingles with Hedges 35-year-old vines. Reid harnesses communities of thoughtful loving people that can propel his quest to help others create sustainable vineyards and with great excitement, converting conventional land back to shrub-steppe! His Journey has just begun and he wants to take as many people as possible with him! 

Speaking at:
Whole Farm Ecosystems

Speakers

Justin Andrews

Justin Andrews

  • Justin Andrews is a fourth-generation farmer who started driving combine at the age of 13. Justin started working in the summer of 2007 on the farm and became a partner in Andrews and Rowell in 2009, where he took over the viticulture and irrigation management, specializing in deficit irrigation for wine grapes. In 2015 Justin moved into management of day-to-day vineyard operations and in 2019 Justin started producing bulk wine at the McKinley Springs facility located on the farm. Justin continues to manage the day-to-day operations of the vineyard, as well as produce the McKinley Springs wine portfolio. Justin and his wife Lindsey were married in 2010 and are raising 3 daughters, Addison, Sadie, and Taylor in hopes that they will come back to the farm and work alongside their family.

Speaking at:
Keynote Address

Jeff Berg

Jeff Berg

  • Jeff possesses extensive knowledge of the adult beverage industry, acquired through his experience as a retailer, distributor, category manager and supplier. His expertise encompasses buying and selling in the on and off-premise channels, from local accounts to national accounts

Apollinar Blanco

Apollinar Blanco

  • I am the Sustainability and Social Responsibility Manager at Chelan Fresh, where I focus on advancing responsible practices that nurture, honor and protect our food, our people and our planet. Beyond my professional role, I am deeply committed to serving the industry and my community. By actively volunteering with organizations and participating in initiatives that strengthen and uplift those around me. I am passionate about connecting culture, sustainability, business, education, and community to create a meaningful, positive, and lasting impact. 

Danny Berger

Danny Brager

  • Danny Brager has a wealth of experience in the U.S. Beverage Alcohol industry, analyzing trends over many years. In his current consulting role, Danny provides data-driven analysis to Beverage Alcohol companies seeking to translate information into authoritative, fact-based insights in support of their corporate and brand goals. Each year, he presents at a large number of notable industry and company events and is a frequent thought leader contributor to the media/press. His informed opinions are highly respected by the beverage alcohol producers, importers, distributors, retailers and financiers.

    Danny partners with 3 Tier Beverages - a company that facilitates the provision of data (NIQ scan data, SipSource data, and more) and outsourced analytics, is on the Board of Directors of the Wine Market Council, and is Managing Director of Category & Consumer Insights at Azur Associates. Azur was founded to bring comprehensive advisory & consulting services - including strategic advisory, mergers & acquisitions, and route to market solutions - to wine and spirits companies.

    Prior to that, Danny headed Nielsen’s (now known as NIQ) Beverage Alcohol Practice Area in the U.S, leading teams that supported relationships with Nielsen’s clients as well as key industry groups and the media.

    Danny was born in Calgary, Alberta and moved to Toronto where he graduated from the Schulich School of Business at York University. He relocated to Mission Viejo, California in 1993 where he now resides.

Craig Camp

Craig Camp

  • Craig Camp is a veteran fine wine professional with more than three decades of experience in every facet of the industry, including importing, exporting, distribution, marketing, sales, viticulture, and fine wine production. He has extensive hands-on experience in wineries in Italy, Napa Valley, the Willamette Valley, and now the Applegate Valley.

    Camp is an industry leader and has been recognized for his work by The New York Times, Washington Post, The Wine Enthusiast, Food and Wine Magazine, and Saveur Magazine. He was named one of “Wine’s Most Inspiring People of 2020” by the Wine Industry Network and nominated as 2025 Environmental Advocate of the Year by The Wine Enthusiast. He is currently president of the Oregon Winegrowers Association.

Speaking at:
Whole Farm Ecosystems

Melissa Clubb

Melissa Clubb

  • Melissa Clubb is the Brand Manager at L’Ecole № 41, representing the third generation of her family in the Walla Walla Valley wine industry. With a background in finance and real estate, she now oversees the winery’s branding and communications, focusing on strategy, storytelling, and community engagement. Passionate about sustainability and authentic practices, Melissa brings a commitment to thoughtful, inclusive leadership. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, traveling, and skiing with her husband and son.

Speaking at:
State of the Industry

Casey Cobble

Casey Cobble

  • Casey Cobble leads the white and sparkling winemaking programs at Four Feathers Wine Services after spending 2 years working on the red programs. Before joining Four Feathers, Casey spent four years as a winemaker at Goose Ridge Winery, crafting premium wines for the Goose Ridge, g3, and Cascadian Outfitters brands. Her winemaking journey began in 2010 at Betz Family Winery in Woodinville, after completing the Wine Technology program at South Seattle College. What started as a harvest internship turned into a full-time role, where Casey split her time between the cellar and customer service—learning that great wine is as much about people as it is about grapes. In 2014, she joined Robert Ramsay Cellars, a boutique Rhône-focused winery, where she handled everything from grape sampling to bottling (and everything in between). Casey is also passionate about building community in the Washington wine industry. She helped found the Alliance of Women in Washington Wine, a non-profit organization supporting and promoting women across all facets of the trade. Born and raised in eastern Washington, Casey now calls Richland home, where she lives with her family. When she's not in the cellar, you can usually find her camping, gardening, cooking, or behind a camera lens—ideally with a good glass of sparkling wine in hand.

Jim Harberston

  • Jim Harbertson is a Professor in the Viticulture and Enology Department at Washington State University’s Wine Science Center. He received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and doctorate in agricultural chemistry from the University of California at Davis. Jim’s research focuses on the phenolic compounds found in grapes and wine and their biochemical and chemical changes during grape ripening, winemaking and aging. Currently his research also explores the impacts of late season frosts on wine composition and the impacts of grape ripening and alcohol on wine flavor. Jim serves as an associate editor for the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research and the MDPI journal Beverages. Jim teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on wine production, sensory and wine chemistry, helping shape the next generation of winemakers.

Sara Higgins

Sara Higgins

  • Following over a decade of service in integral roles for the Washington Winegrowers Association, most recently as assistant executive director, the Winegrowers board promoted Sara to their senior staff leadership position in March 2025. She has extensive experience in nonprofit management, a sector she has worked in for nearly 25 years.  With a focus on planning, building infrastructure, program and project management, community outreach, and advocacy, Sara works diligently with the Winegrowers board, members, and industry partners to determine and implement initiatives for positive impact in the Washington wine industry.  Sara was a Marshall Memorial Fellowship finalist. She earned her BA from Seattle University (Magna Cum Laude) and is a member of AgForestry Class 42.

Ryan Hill

Ryan Hill

  • Ryan landed in the Washington wine industry in 2014, while starting in the cellar and then managing a tasting room. Ryan transitioned to our wine facility in Ancient Lakes, where he focused on selling our premium wines to other wineries and producers. He became well versed in all of the thirty single vineyards that we own and the quality of the wines we produce. Through his enthusiasm and true passion, Ryan decided to take that knowledge and apply it on the road to grow our fantastic portfolio of wines.

Speaking at:
Keynote Address

Brennon Leighton

  • Washington State winemaker Brennon Leighton founded his namesake winery to express the beauty of the Olsen Hills vineyard in the Yakima Valley. For now it remains a personal project with very limited production using varieties that are not often grown in this part of the world.

Speaking at:
Keynote Address

Katie Maltais

Katie Maltais

  • Katie Maltais is an award-winning nonprofit leader and strategist with more than 15 years of executive experience. In 2025, she was appointed as the Executive Director of the Auction of Washington Wines, where she leads the organization's efforts to champion Washington's wine industry and expand its philanthropic impact. 

Josh McDonald

Josh McDonald

  • Josh has used his college education and relied on some key mentors to benefit the state's hospitality and wine industries for more than two decades.  He graduated in 2002 from the University of Puget Sound with a degree in politics and government and earned an executive MBA from the University of Washington's famed Foster School of Business in 2023.  Prior to his work for the wine industry, Josh spent seven years representing the Washington Hospitality Association on government affairs.   In 2015, Josh took on the role of executive director of the Washington Wine Institute, the statewide trade association for the Washington State wine industry.  He is the voice of Washington wine at the state and federal government levels as well as one of our industry's experts on wine-related state laws and rules.  In 2025 Josh was awarded the Auction of Washington Wines 2025 Wine Industry Champion.  Josh lives in Tacoma with his wife Chelsea Levy and his two boys Liam and Eli.

Kristina Kelley

Kristina Kelley

  • Kristina Kelley is the Executive Director of the Washington State Wine Commission, where she leads a team dedicated to driving the growth and awareness of Washington wine through marketing, communications, and viticulture and enology research. Her work supports Washington’s position as the nation’s second-largest wine-producing region.

    Kristina brings a career-long commitment to the wine industry, with extensive experience spanning sales, marketing, public relations, and communications. She spent more than 25 years in leadership roles at E. & J. Gallo Winery and began her career in wine sales with Brown-Forman, giving her a strong commercial foundation. Beyond her corporate career, Kristina and her husband owned a vineyard in Oregon’s Dundee Hills for more than 18 years, giving her direct experience as a grape grower.

    A Certified Specialist of Wine, Kristina has served on the Board of Women of the Vine & Spirits and currently serves on the Board of The Auction of Washington Wines. She lives in Port Ludlow, Washington, with her husband and their Weimaraner, Finn.

Kelsey Kelmel

Kelsey Kelmel

  • Kelsey hails from West Richland and serves as the Benton Conservation District's Heritage Garden Program Coordinator.  She is actively involved in the Columbia Basin Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society and also works for a nearby native plant nursery where she grows native species.  Kelsey loves to connect folks to the local shrub-steppe flora and is currently in the midst of converting her brother's lawn into a native + drought tolerant garden. She's also an avid gardener, loves making compost and thinks everyone should have a worm bin! ;)

Speaking at:
Whole Farm Ecosystems

Patrick Rawn

Patrick Rawn

  • Just like his brother, Patrick began learning the ins and outs of farming as a kid, helping Grandpa Phil and Uncle Ron during the summer harvest season. After graduating from the University of Washington in polisci and econ, he had grand plans of going to law school, but the chance to go into business with Matt and take the family farm in a new direction proved to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that neither one of them could resist.

    The only thing Patrick loves more than watching grapes grow is UW football (and maybe his new daughter and small bear cub/large dog, Fievel). It is unfortunate that harvest always intersects Husky football season, but Patrick tries to support his Dawgs when time allows. Otherwise, you can almost guaranteed find him in his pickup, traveling from vineyard to vineyard, listening to every [insert business/history/tech/UW football] podcast ever produced or back at the office planted in front of an Excel spreadsheet writing some sweet macros. If you invite him to a pool party, there’s a 100% chance he will steal your best float and start discussing crytpocurrency or rural infrastructure.

Liz Thach

Liz Thach

  • Dr. Liz Thach, MW is the President of Wine Market Council, a non-profit firm that provides research on U.S. wine consumer purchasing habits, attitudes, and trends. She also works as a Professor, Wine Writer and Consultant based in Napa and Sonoma, California. She is an award-winning author and educator, specializing in wine business strategy, marketing, leadership/executive development, and wine lifestyle.

    Liz is considered to be one of the nation's leading wine experts and has visited most of the major wine regions of the world and 80 countries. She teaches wine classes at Stanford Continuing Education, Burgundy School of Business, and Sonoma State University, and has published over 300 articles and 9 books, including Call of the Vine, Best Practices in Global Wine Tourism, and Wine Marketing & Sales. She frequently publishes in Forbes, Wine Business Monthly, Wine Spectator, and The Somm Journal, amongst others. In addition, she serves as a wine judge and on several non-profit boards.

    A fifth-generation Californian, Liz finished her Ph.D. at Texas A&M and now lives on Sonoma Mountain. Liz obtained the distinction of Master of Wine (MW) in May of 2011, becoming the first female MW from California

Speaking at:
State of the Industry

Thomas Sexton

Thomas Sexton

  • Dr. Thomas Sexton has a background in plant biology, but previously worked as a farm hand on small family farms. At the Benton Conservation District, he works to support on-farm conservation projects of all kinds. 

Speaking at:
Whole Farm Ecosystems

Matthew Witte

Matthew Witte

  • Matt’s career bridges agriculture and technology. He began at Cargill, working with farmers, food manufacturers, and global supply chains in risk management. He then spent nearly five years at Descartes Labs, developing advanced AI and supply chain solutions for Fortune 500 companies. A wine enthusiast, Matt founded Blended to empower wineries of all sizes through data and technology.

Ingrid Zaragoza

Ingrid Zaragoza

  • Ingrid is the bilingual licensing and recertification specialist for the licensing and recertification program at WSDA. In her current role she assists with exam development, recertification course review, and C&T implementation in both Spanish and English.