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IPNC Staff & Board

IPNC Staff

AMY WESSELMAN
Executive Director

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After learning to make wine as an apprentice to some of the most skilled winemakers in Oregon and in Burgundy, Amy Wesselman co-founded Westrey Wine Company in 1993 with her partner, David Autrey. In 1997, she joined the IPNC Board of Directors and in 2009 became the Executive Director. Amy has previously served as Winery Chair of the board of directors of ¡Salud!, Oregon’s premier wine auction, which raises funds to provide healthcare for otherwise uninsurable seasonal vineyard workers. She also currently serves as a board member on the Willamette Valley Wineries Association. She takes pride in both the IPNC’s and Westrey’s emphasis of the enjoyment of good wine, good food, and good company without pretense. With help from her 13 year-old identical twin sons, Amy juggles her busy schedule at Westrey and the IPNC with her love of cooking, backpacking, and growing Pinot noir at Oracle Vineyard, Westrey’s estate property in the Dundee Hills.

Woman with a pig sign
ANNE NISBET
Culinary Director

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Anne has spent much of her life in the kitchen. While she’s never cooked professionally, her work and personal life have centered around wine and food. Her role at IPNC is to recruit and manage the 50+ guest chefs who join IPNC each year. She oversees all operational details surrounding food service for the three-day event. Formerly director of catering at Seattle’s iconic seafood restaurant, Ray’s Boathouse, she has produced a number of the Northwest’s most prominent wine and food events including Taste Washington, the Auction of Washington Wines, and Seattle Wine and Food Experience. Since relocating to McMinnville from Seattle in 2013, Anne also has worked with the Willamettte Valley Wineries Association, Oregon Truffle Festival, Bounty of Yamhill County, and the Oregon Chardonnay Celebration

John Hernandez
JOHN HERNANDEZ
Associate Director

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John grew up coordinating and volunteering for events every summer. Event coordination is in his blood! He has volunteered at Oregon Country Fair and other festivals for a number of years, as well as facilitating security coordination for the Pickathon Music Festival. John graduated from Portland State University with a major in International & Global Studies and a minor in French. As a result of these focuses, John has a penchant for travel, foreign languages, and cross-cultural engagement. In addition to a growing knowledge of wine and an existing passion for event coordination, John is also adept at intercultural mediation. As such, he strives to create spaces that are inclusive and welcoming to all people, regardless of their backgrounds or knowledge-levels.

IPNC Board of Directors

TIQUETTE BRAMLETT

Executive Director, Our Legacy Harvested
Newberg, OR

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Born and raised in Saratoga, California, Tiquette would travel with her family up to Oregon to visit family and friends in the area. Being raised by a family of Oregon Ducks, it was a requirement to visit Eugene at least once a year. Wineries weren’t necessarily the focus during those visits, but she was always taken by the drive and the beautiful hillside views. Upon finishing her college career, she discovered that she had Thyroid Cancer when she was struck by a semi-truck driver. She came through her surgeries and treatment with flying colors, but the down time allowed her to take stock, and think about “what comes next?” That’s when her father said something that has stuck with her throughout her days “ Life isn’t about the minutes we get; it is defined by what we do with those minutes” Tiquette embraces life and she loves a new challenge, so she leapt at the opportunity to acquire her sommelier certification. Upon completing the course, she flew up to Oregon to visit a friend, and after standing in line at Screen Door in downtown Portland managed to get herself an interview lined up at Anne Amie Vineyards in Carlton. She worked her way up the ladder there from part-time in the tasting room to being their Brand Ambassador and now she has joined our family as President. Tiquette loves the opportunity to connect with people, and share her love of wine and life. We have no doubt that you will be sharing a laugh with her, and sharing some great stories. When she’s not up here, you can find her cuddled up with her pup and cat Ellie Mae and Jethro Bodine, while planning events for her non-profit Our Legacy Harvested.

MICHAEL DAVIES

Winemaker, REX HILL & Matzinger Davies
Newberg, OR

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A New Zealander by birth, Michael came to work his first Oregon harvest in 1999 with a handful of vintages across the hemispheres and a post-graduate diploma in Enology & Viticulture from Lincoln University. Over the next 5 years he cut his teeth on cool-climate winemaking & viticulture as Assistant Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Chehalem. Then after a gap year working vintages in New Zealand & Burgundy and starting their own label, Matzinger Davies Wine Co. (with his wife Anna), he joined the AtoZ Wineworks & REX HILL team as Winemaker in 2006. Now as Executive Winemaker, Michael has helped oversee the significant increase in case production of all the AtoZ wines always striving to achieve the best quality as well as re-focusing the REX HILL brand of ultra-premium terroir-driven Pinot Noir & Chardonnay to even greater heights. Michael is also a keen contributor to various Boards & Committees that work to promote the Oregon industry.

GINA HENNEN

Winemaker, Adelsheim Vineyard
Newberg, OR

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Gina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Reed College and an AAS in Winemaking from Chemeketa. Before transitioning to a career in winemaking, she worked as a semiconductor engineer for seven years in both Oregon and Dublin, Ireland. Desiring a career that no longer involved cubicles, she returned to Oregon in early 2006 to establish roots in the wine industry.

MICHELLE KAUFMANN

Communications Director, Stoller Family Estate
Dayton, OR

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Michelle Kaufmann, a Portland, Oregon native, earned her degree in journalism from the University of Oregon, focusing on public relations and communications. Prior to joining Stoller Family Estate, she served as communications manager for the Oregon Wine Board for six years. Michelle currently serves on the Board of Director for the International Pinot Noir Celebration and marketing committee for the Willamette Valley Wineries Association. In her role, Michelle oversees all media relations and communications efforts for the Stoller Family Estate, Chehalem, and History wine brands.

GUILLAUME LARGE

Winemaker, Résonance
Carlton, OR

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Guillaume Large was born in the heart of the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation. He graduated with an Oenologist’s National Diploma of the Jules Guyot Institute of Dijon, and joined Maison Joseph Drouhin, in Beaune, before joining the Chateau de Vinzelles in Maconnais in 2009. In 2011, Guillaume joined Maison Louis Jadot and became the Assistant Technical Director under Frederic Barnier. In August 2017, he moved to Oregon and joined Résonance as Winemaker, working under the advisement of Jacques Lardière. The beginning of an exciting adventure! Guillaume is married and is a father of one child, Augustin. He enjoys traveling with his family, cooking and pairing his dishes with fine wines. He loves mountain biking and has a great passion for history.

LINDA LEVY

Automotive Events
McMinnville, OR

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Love of cooking all began on the kibbutz, preparing meals for eighty five families.  Years later catering came her way and with it came IPNC.  Professionally, Linda worked as a physical therapist assistant but the world of events and food was always a stronger call.  In 2002 she was introduced to a company which managed events for the automotive industry, starting out as their food and beverage manager and in 2004 producing events all over the world.

KITRI MCGUIRE

Director of Marketing, Visit McMinnville
McMinnville, OR

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As a Linfield alumna and native Oregonian, Kitri has found her calling supporting and promoting all that Oregon’s wine country has to offer.  Prior to serving in her current role at Visit McMinnville, Kitri gained local hospitality and marketing expertise in roles at Sokol Blosser Winery and Bishop Creek Cellars.  Most recently, she worked in PR and international marketing roles at Leatherman Tool Group, a renowned Oregon manufacturer and outdoor brand with worldwide reach.  Kitri enjoys giving back; she founded and curated TEDxMcMinnville, and in addition to serving on the IPNC Board of Directors she also serves on the Advisory Board for the Assemblage Symposium and the McMinnville Parks & Recreation Committee.

Kate Norris

Owner, Division Winemaking Company
Portland, OR

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Kate Norris is the co-owner & co-winemaker of Division Winemaking Company. After cutting her teeth working in wine in France, Kate has since become a leader in Oregon winemaking. Working closely with organizations including the Oregon Wine Board and the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, Kate is often the one to encourage change and diverge from the path of sameness. Often found with her sleeves rolled up in her trusty Carharts, Kate’s approach to winemaking is open minded, always evolving and simple: drink good things with good people.

THOMAS SAVRE

Winemaker, Lingua Franca Wines
Salem, OR

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A native of France, Thomas Savre is among the most accomplished and energetic young winemakers in Oregon.  He joined Lingua Franca in May 2015 from his prior position at Evening Land, where he worked closely with Dominique Lafon to create Pinot noir and Chardonnay from Seven Springs Vineyard, directly adjacent to the LS Vineyard. Thomas worked in several prestigious estates in Burgundy including Domaine de la Romanée Conti (Vosne-Romanée), Domaine de Bellene (Nicolas Potel’s project in Beaune), Domaine Dujac (Morey-Saint-Denis), Maison Nicolas Potel (Nuits-Saint-Georges), and Domaine Chevrot (Cheilly-les-Maranges, Côte de Beaune). At the Jules Guyot Institute, University of Burgundy, from 2008 through 2012, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Wine Science, and two Masters degrees, one in Viticulture Practices and the other in Enology and Winemaking. As the winemaker at Lingua Franca, Thomas crafts elegant wines that speak to the place from which they come and which have earned early, yet significant, accolades.

BRIANA SEELEY

General Manager/Vice President, RNDC Oregon
Portland, OR

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Bio Coming Soon!

HALLIE WHYTE

Managing Director at Soter Vineyards
Carlton, OR

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A native of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Hallie earned her stripes locally in the trenches of fine dining and wine sales. Following stints at Lange Estate Winery and Dominio IV, she was an early addition to Soter Vineyards’ hospitality team in 2011, playing an integral role in the development of a then-infant wine club and consumer sales program. Hallie has grown both personally and professionally, broadening her experience in the DTC and national sales channels to now overseeing all aspects of the company at Soter Vineyards. Fluent in Spanish and mathematics, her expansive resumé and analytical expertise make her a trusted contributor to important conversations facing the Oregon wine industry.

RACHEL ZASADNI

Winemaker, Domaine Serene
Dayton, OR

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Rachel Zasadni started with Domaine Serene Winery in 2010, where her passion and dedication moved her up the ranks to Winemaker.  She oversees the production of multiple estate vineyards, planted solely to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, within the Dundee Hills, Eola Amity Hills, and Yamhill Carlton AVAs.  Rachel has been at the forefront of award-winning Chardonnays and the creation of Domaine Serene’s Sparkling wine program.  She is originally from Cleveland Ohio and studied Biochemistry at The Ohio State University, before moving out west and dedicating her life to fermentation.  Working in the Willamette Valley has been such a rewarding experience for her as each vintage provides its own unique personality to the wines.

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