WOMEN OF THE VINE & SPIRITS FOUNDATION
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Class of 2022
Women of the Vine & Spirits Scholarship Recipients
Supported by Our Generous Donors
2022 Scholarships are now open!
Apply today for the WOTVS and WBTW Scholarships
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Executive Leadership Program Scholarship Elana Effrat |
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship
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Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy Lindsay Parmele |
Developing Leadership Program Scholarship
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Developing Leadership Program Scholarship
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Lauren Reynolds
Otesha Mosley-Bremond
Ashley NobleLearn More About Our Executive Leadership Program & Developing Leadership Program Scholarship Recipients to attend DISCUS Academy
Otesha Bremond-Mosley
Developing Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“I am a reason to dream! I plan to use this opportunity to be the change the world needs to see and the representation my community is proud of!"
Ashley Noble
Developing Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“It is an honor to be chosen as a recipient of this WOTVS scholarship award for the DISCUS Developing Leadership Program. It motivates me and validates my belief that I am meant to grow within this industry! I am excited to be empowered with the tools and the lessons that the industry experts will provide that will help me achieve new heights in my career."
Elana Effrat
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
"It is an honor to have received a scholarship to participate in the DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program through the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation. This award will sharpen my skills as a professional in the spirits industry and provide me with a safe space to learn and grow from others. I look forward to giving back to the craft spirits community and inspiring others. As a friend of mine used to say, "put boots on dreams."
Lauren Reynolds
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
"I'm honored to be selected as a Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation scholarship recipient to participate in the DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program. I'm committed to improving equity in the spirits industry and working towards a more diverse and inclusive future. As a global leader of incredible spirits brands, I value the opportunity to grow as a leader and learn how to leverage diversity and inclusion to improve organizational effectiveness and achieve business results. Thank you to the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation for this exciting opportunity to learn and grow alongside other spirits industry leaders."
Lindsay Parmele
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“I am very grateful and honored to have been selected as a Women of the Vine and Spirits Foundation Scholarship recipient for 2022. I couldn’t be happier to embark on this amazing journey ahead and for the opportunity to collaborate with other industry leaders. I am passionate about discovering what is next for the alcohol beverage industry, how my voice can be part of the process and how I can empower everyone around me to embrace the challenges this industry brings every day. I know this program will help me to continue to grow and refine my leadership skills to make the biggest impact in the years to come. Thank you to the Women of the Vine and Spirits for partnering with the DISCUS Academy and providing me, and other future leaders, with this amazing opportunity. "
Otesha Bremond-Mosley
Developing Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“I am a reason to dream! I plan to use this opportunity to be the change the world needs to see and the representation my community is proud of!"
Ashley Noble
Developing Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“It is an honor to be chosen as a recipient of this WOTVS scholarship award for the DISCUS Developing Leadership Program. It motivates me and validates my belief that I am meant to grow within this industry! I am excited to be empowered with the tools and the lessons that the industry experts will provide that will help me achieve new heights in my career."
Elana Effrat
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
"It is an honor to have received a scholarship to participate in the DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program through the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation. This award will sharpen my skills as a professional in the spirits industry and provide me with a safe space to learn and grow from others. I look forward to giving back to the craft spirits community and inspiring others. As a friend of mine used to say, "put boots on dreams."
Lauren Reynolds
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
"I'm honored to be selected as a Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation scholarship recipient to participate in the DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program. I'm committed to improving equity in the spirits industry and working towards a more diverse and inclusive future. As a global leader of incredible spirits brands, I value the opportunity to grow as a leader and learn how to leverage diversity and inclusion to improve organizational effectiveness and achieve business results. Thank you to the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation for this exciting opportunity to learn and grow alongside other spirits industry leaders."
Lindsay Parmele
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“I am very grateful and honored to have been selected as a Women of the Vine and Spirits Foundation Scholarship recipient for 2022. I couldn’t be happier to embark on this amazing journey ahead and for the opportunity to collaborate with other industry leaders. I am passionate about discovering what is next for the alcohol beverage industry, how my voice can be part of the process and how I can empower everyone around me to embrace the challenges this industry brings every day. I know this program will help me to continue to grow and refine my leadership skills to make the biggest impact in the years to come. Thank you to the Women of the Vine and Spirits for partnering with the DISCUS Academy and providing me, and other future leaders, with this amazing opportunity. "
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Class of 2021
Women of the Vine & Spirits Scholarship Recipients
Supported by Our Generous Donors
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Professional & Leadership Development Elise Cordell
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Student Educational Cassandra Hutcheson |
Student Educational Loni Johnson |
Continuing Education Nicoletta Dicova |
Continuing Education Darian Everding |
Continuing Education
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Continuing Education Sheila Jackson |
Continuing Education Erin Karahadian
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Continuing Education Annie Rainey |
Continuing Education Andrea Robinson |
Continuing Education Carolyn Sellar |
Continuing Education Valeria Tenison |
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WSET Level 1 Award Jenneca Younger |
WSET Level 1 Award Danielle Noce |
WSET Level 1 Award Palbi Sharma Bhargava |
WSET Level 2 Award Mary Fabrikant
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WSET Level 2 Award Tahlia Suggs |
WSET Level 2 Award Andrea Rosas |
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WSET Level 2 Award Nika Shevela
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WSET Level 2 Award Karen Tartt
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WSET Level 3 Award Yanyi Wang
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WSET Level 3 Award Catherine Leigh Yorke-Hart
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WSET Level 3 Award
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WSET Level 3 Award Mia Kumari
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WSET Level 3 Award Michella Chiu |
WSET Level 4 Diploma Viktoriya Bryksa |
WSET Level 4 Diploma Oneka John |
WSET Level 4 Diploma Fernanda Spinelli |
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship Brittany Brown |
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship Jennifer Friedrichs
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Executive Leadership Program Scholarship Kristen Robinson |
Reggie Gallo
Leah Van Deventer
Learn More About the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation Scholarship Recipients
Brittany Brown
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“I am truly honored to be selected for a scholarship to participate in this year's DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program. I am passionate about the bev-alc industry and am committed to ensuring it is a diverse, dynamic, future forward, welcoming space for all. I know this program will help me continue to find my voice and will upskill my leadership style and potential. Thank you, Women of the Vine and Spirits Foundation, for this incredibly exciting opportunity to learn and grow alongside other passionate industry professionals!"
Read more
Jennifer Friedrichs
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
"I am truly honored and grateful to be selected for the scholarship offered through Women of the Vine & Spirits to participate in the DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program. I believe that when diversity, inclusion, and equality go together, the workforce is empowered to bring the best work. This program will allow me the opportunity to continue to empower other women in the alcohol beverage industry to consciously choose to exercise their abilities, skills, and knowledge to help make a difference in their organizations. Thank you Women of the Vine & Spirits for such a stunning opportunity to continue to grow as a leader in the industry that I am most passionate about."
Read more
Kristen Robinson
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“I am so very honored and grateful to have been selected as a Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation scholarship recipient and given the opportunity to join the inaugural cohort of the DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program. As a 13-year industry professional, I welcome any opportunity to self-reflect, learn, and grow as a leader and continue to advocate for the diverse, inclusive environment we have come to expect within our industry. Thank you, Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation, for providing such an incredible opportunity to both existing and future female leaders in our business and partnering with an organization like DISCUS Academy whose priorities and ideals are equally aligned.”
Read more
Elise Cordell
Professional & Leadership Development
"When I received the email that I was chosen as a recipient, I was elated. These funds will help to propel me towards the next milestones of my career on my own terms by engaging with the community of wine educators that I admire so much. By strengthening my own professional identity through this personal development, I hope to pay it forward and become a mentor for the next generation of wine educators, because sometimes you need to know that someone believes in you before you can truly believe in yourself."
Read more
Cassandra Hutcheson
Student Educational
“Being chosen as a recipient of the Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship is an incredible blessing. This scholarship is helping me continue my PhD in researching wine economics at Texas A&M University. I'm the only one in the state of Texas doing any research like this, and with this money I can continue providing valuable research to our local wineries and growers!”
Read more
Loni Johnson
Student Educational
“I am so thankful for the generous Woman of the Vine & Spirits educational scholarship. Currently, I’m studying wine through the Vintage Master program which concludes with a six-month research dissertation. For my thesis, I am developing a business plan for an innovative company crafting beer-wine hybrids. Being a student and an entrepreneur means I don’t currently have an income and I might not for some time. The Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship has eased the burden of my educational loans, allowing me to focus on my project and studies, and for that, I am so grateful!”
Read more
Nicoletta Divoca
Student Educational
“I am extremely grateful to the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation for this generous grant which I will invest in supporting my studies at the Masters of Wine Institute. As the great Benjamin Franklin says, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest”, once again a wholehearted thanks to the Foundation for choosing me as a recipient of the Scholarship”
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Darian Everding
Continuing Education
“I believe stories build connection. My passion in the industry is to share stories that will bring people together and create unique memories, experiences, and bonds. By receiving this Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship, I am able to pursue certifications with the Council of Whiskey Masters. These educational programs will deepen my understanding of the whiskey world and allow me to share even more unique, compelling, and wholistic stories with guests new and old. These certifications will also allow me to deepen my Women & Whiskey educational storytelling program - and add my name to the list of women in whiskey whose stories I share with the world! Without this scholarship, these opportunities would be completely out of my reach. I am so grateful to the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation for providing me with this opportunity to learn and grow!”
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Reggie Gallo
Continuing Education
“I am so honored to have been picked for this award. Knowledge is power, but it is not always easily accessible for all. I will use this scholarship to expand my knowledge so I am able to help educate others like me.”
Sheila Jackson
Continuing Education
"Thanks to this amazing sisterhood of women for supporting my journey to launch a spirits brand. This educational piece is the first step of many. It feels good to have a capable network and resource as part tool belt."
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Erin Karahadian
Continuing Education
“I feel so fortunate to have been awarded the Women of the Vine & Spirits Continuing Education Scholarship to support my MBA education at UCLA Anderson School of Business. I continue to be inspired by the diverse women in the wine and spirits industry and can only hope to pay forward the opportunity I have been given to enhance my education and career! My career at E&J Gallo Winery has been fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit to always be improving and with my MBA, I hope to empower others to always strive for more.”
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Annie Rainey
Continuing Education
“Thank you so much for selecting me for the Continuing Education Scholarship, I am very grateful and also thrilled to have an opportunity to continue to elevate my career. I plan to put the award towards gaining my Beer Cicerone Qualifications, with the aim of becoming a judge for international beer competitions. This scholarship program is so important in helping to highlight fantastic women in the alcohol industries, and I look forward to learning more about other recipients of scholarships this year and in the future.”
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Andrea Robinson
Continuing Education
“I am so honored and excited to be a Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship recipient! The award will help me to continue studies for the Master of Wine program with financial bandwidth to continue my virtual education, scholarship and mentoring initiatives aimed at increasing our industry's diversity of talent. The data indicate that even without COVID, women and women of color especially, are juggling and struggling to advance, and the "broken rung" on the ladder is access - we need to bring skill-building opportunities to them where they are. Virtual does that, still with great face-to-face education and networking. Thank you Women of the Vine & Spirits for your support and leadership!”
Read more
Carolyn Sellar
Continuing Education
“I am honored and very grateful to receive the Continuing Education Award which has opened a new and exciting chapter of my life. This scholarship helps alleviate some of the financial challenges for tuition and gives me the ability to continue my exciting journey in the whisky industry. I now have the opportunity of being one of the first minority women to achieve the title of Master of Scotch from the Council of Whiskey Masters. I am inspired by the incredible and diverse women of Women of the Vine & Spirits and the support that everyone provides each other. I am so excited to be part of this community and look forward to inspiring future generations of diverse women in our industry.”
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Valeria Tenison
Continuing Education
“I am very touched and very grateful to receive this scholarship from Women of the Vine & Spirits. It will help me to realize a lot of plans that I made for the next year. As the courses and events are gradually coming back I hope to participate as much as possible to grow my knowledge and network. Thank you very much for supporting women all over the world. It is not an easy period globally and the restaurant community has suffered a lot. Receiving the news about the scholarship gave me a bit more of confidence that the future is bright.”
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Jenneca Younger
WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
"I'm incredibly excited to get the opportunity to continue to push myself further into higher level spirits education.”
Danielle Noce
WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
“Being chosen as a recipient for a Women of the Vine & Spirits WSET scholarship helps ease the financial burden associated with pursuing further educational opportunities within the wine industry. I believe this industry requires substantial cross-sectional knowledge to be successful. Given the many challenges in these unprecedented times, any financial assistance to keep pursuing personal growth provides motivation and encourages a future development mindset—even in uncertain times.”
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Palbi Sharma Bhargava
WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
“I am honoured to be a recipient of the Women of the Vine & Spirits award. It will help me build in my education in wine as I pursue my doctoral research focusing on wine tourism and the wine industry. It’s great to be a part of a supportive community of women who are pushing boundaries and making positive differences in the world!”
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Mary Fabrikant
WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
"This scholarship award from Women of the Vine & Spirits confirms my belief that, through approachable wine and spirits education, I can make a difference in enhancing women's enjoyment of wine, and educating and supporting young women who wish to pursue careers in the beverage industry."
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Tahlia Suggs
WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
“This scholarship award will allow me to take the next steps within my wine journey. Being able to use the money to further my educational knowledge is truly a blessing. Having the choice of investing in my career thanks to Women of the Vine & Spirits has shown me that we all must pay it forward. I am so grateful that this organization has been able to contribute to so many women’s success in the beverage industry! As I continue my path in this industry, I am looking forward to sharing all the endless possibilities we have as Women!!”
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Andrea Rosas
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
“The Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship is not only rewarding, it empowers me to continue promoting inner strength and personal confidence within other minorities eager to have a voice in the spirits industry despite greater lack of representation or initial support. Just as biodiversity is essential for the prosperity of the raw ingredients, we manipulate into creating alcohol, social diversity and genuine inclusivity is key to making our community more resilient. I also look forward to learning more about global traditions and techniques that will continue to inform my skills and creativity as a distiller!”
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Nika Shevela
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
“I am incredibly humbled to receive the WSET Level 2 in Spirits award. It really came as an amazing and a very welcome surprise, yet it also arrived in times of much-needed real change in many women's careers. Even though women have historically been present in the drinks industry, it is only recently they have started to enjoy the well-deserved recognition and visibility, and I am looking forward to using this scholarship to receive further education and to gain tools for amplifying female voices in the spirits industry.”
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Karen Tartt
WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
“I am ecstatic to be awarded a scholarship for the WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits! I love all things spirit related and can’t wait to learn everything I can as I prepare for the exam. Being able to provide accreditation can be crucial when trying to build credibility with folks unfamiliar with your work. I’m excited to see how this shapes my future as a bartender and as a consultant.”
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Yanyi Wang
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines
“Being selected to receive the award is truly a humbling experience. I am grateful for the recognition from the Committee. This learning journey is for sure full of fun and comfort knowing that I am supported by a solid network of strong women who pave ways and lift other women for success.”
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Catherine Leigh Yorke-Hart
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines
“I am beyond grateful to be awarded this scholarship for the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines – the next step in my wine education journey. Obtaining this certification has been a goal of mine for a while now, and is finally possible with the support of the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation. I am truly honoured to have the validation and backing of an organization with the empowerment of women at its core.”
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Leah Van Deventer
WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits
“I'm absolutely thrilled to be honoured with a Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship. Not only will it enable me to further my own spirits education through a WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits course abroad, but as a WSET educator I'll be able to bring the level back to Africa, upskilling many other individuals as well.”
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Michella Chiu
WSET Level 3 Award in Sake
“This opportunity will shape me as a wine marketer who has professional, in-depth knowledge of wine. I will be able to offer better marketing insights to lead the future development of the industry as a whole by understanding the challenges our producers, marketers, and lawmakers are facing. We already have professionals in all three fields but separately. A leader in this industry who knows all three fields will help many navigate the complexity of online selling. I am excited to be part of the growth - not only that of my clients but the wine and spirit industry as a whole.”
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Viktoriya Bryksa
WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines
“Beyond humbled to have received the Women of the Vine & Spirits WSET Level 4 Award which proves, once again, that wine industry is, first and foremost, a community of passionate and dedicated people who not only want to see the industry thrive but also the people who are part of it. By investing in the people, we invest in the industry.”
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Oneka John
WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines
“It is a wonderful and humbling experience to be awarded this scholarship. WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines will not only give me the tools to educate others in wine service and food and wine pairing but also assist in the development of the local fruit wine industry. As a Caribbean person, with no European connections, receiving the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation Scholarship to pursue the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine, is a testament that if you have a dream and have the courage to chase it, it can come true. I am deeply grateful, and promise to use what I learn by completing WSET L4 Diploma for the betterment of the wine industry in the Caribbean region.”
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Fernanda Spinelli
WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines
“I’m immensely honored and happy to be selected to receive the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation Scholarship WSET Level 4 Award. Through this generous support, I will be able to continue and finish the WSET certification, and expand more and more my knowledge. I consider the WSET level 4 very important, not only for my career development and personal satisfaction, but also to keep sharing knowledge with wine sector students and professionals in all the commitments that I’m involved, national and internationally, and mainly to represent and incentive future women wine professionals.”
Read moreBrittany Brown
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“I am truly honored to be selected for a scholarship to participate in this year's DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program. I am passionate about the bev-alc industry and am committed to ensuring it is a diverse, dynamic, future forward, welcoming space for all. I know this program will help me continue to find my voice and will upskill my leadership style and potential. Thank you, Women of the Vine and Spirits Foundation, for this incredibly exciting opportunity to learn and grow alongside other passionate industry professionals!"
Read moreJennifer Friedrichs
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
"I am truly honored and grateful to be selected for the scholarship offered through Women of the Vine & Spirits to participate in the DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program. I believe that when diversity, inclusion, and equality go together, the workforce is empowered to bring the best work. This program will allow me the opportunity to continue to empower other women in the alcohol beverage industry to consciously choose to exercise their abilities, skills, and knowledge to help make a difference in their organizations. Thank you Women of the Vine & Spirits for such a stunning opportunity to continue to grow as a leader in the industry that I am most passionate about."
Read moreKristen Robinson
Executive Leadership Program Scholarship DISCUS Academy
“I am so very honored and grateful to have been selected as a Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation scholarship recipient and given the opportunity to join the inaugural cohort of the DISCUS Academy Executive Leadership Program. As a 13-year industry professional, I welcome any opportunity to self-reflect, learn, and grow as a leader and continue to advocate for the diverse, inclusive environment we have come to expect within our industry. Thank you, Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation, for providing such an incredible opportunity to both existing and future female leaders in our business and partnering with an organization like DISCUS Academy whose priorities and ideals are equally aligned.”
Read moreElise Cordell
Professional & Leadership Development
"When I received the email that I was chosen as a recipient, I was elated. These funds will help to propel me towards the next milestones of my career on my own terms by engaging with the community of wine educators that I admire so much. By strengthening my own professional identity through this personal development, I hope to pay it forward and become a mentor for the next generation of wine educators, because sometimes you need to know that someone believes in you before you can truly believe in yourself."
Read moreCassandra Hutcheson
Student Educational
“Being chosen as a recipient of the Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship is an incredible blessing. This scholarship is helping me continue my PhD in researching wine economics at Texas A&M University. I'm the only one in the state of Texas doing any research like this, and with this money I can continue providing valuable research to our local wineries and growers!”
Read moreLoni Johnson
Student Educational
“I am so thankful for the generous Woman of the Vine & Spirits educational scholarship. Currently, I’m studying wine through the Vintage Master program which concludes with a six-month research dissertation. For my thesis, I am developing a business plan for an innovative company crafting beer-wine hybrids. Being a student and an entrepreneur means I don’t currently have an income and I might not for some time. The Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship has eased the burden of my educational loans, allowing me to focus on my project and studies, and for that, I am so grateful!”
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Patron Donor Scholarships
E. & J. Gallo Winery “Women Behind the Wine” Educational Fund Recipients
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Elizabeth Smyth
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Master of Wine
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Master of Wine
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Rachel Allison |
Fuel Your Dreams Award Alyssa Arnold |
Fuel Your Dreams Award Monique Bell |
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Jaime Brown
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Victoria Chavez
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Hope Cortez
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Miranda Elliot
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Gabriela Fontanesi
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Fuel Your Dreams Award
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Lauren King
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Caitlin Landingham
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Susan McDonald
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Chelsea Nichols
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Fuel Your Dreams Award
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Briana O'Connor
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Whitney Pope
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Claudia Rupley
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Fuel Your Dreams Award
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Rebecca Thompson
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Huy Truong
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Carrie Vonderhaar
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Fuel Your Dreams Award Nicole Walsh |
Fuel Your Dreams Award Mackenzie Watson |
Fuel Your Dreams Award Sydney Werry |
Fuel Your Dreams Award Alison Whaley |
Holly Staid
Cathy Marston
Evmorfia Kostaki
Monica Gural
Chantal Nunez
Martha Schulz-Barboza
Learn More About Our E. & J. Gallo Winery "Women Behind the Wine" Scholarship Recipients
Alison Whaley
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am honored and so encouraged by this scholarship and the support of this community. Thank you for helping me focus on my studies!”
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Holly Staid
Elizabeth Smyth Student Scholarship
“I am honored to have been selected as The Elizabeth Smyth Scholarship recipient. With this funding, I can further develop my skills as a female leader in the wine industry with an interdisciplinary view of the wine world. The Elizabeth Smyth Scholarship grants me an opportunity to focus more on both my education and job opportunities that will further my knowledge of wine, and positively influence other women entering the wine industry.”
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Cathy Marston
Master of Wine Scholarship
“Receiving the Foundation's MW scholarship means so much, not just to me but also to my WSET students. It will allow me to continue on the programme and hopefully my eventual success can inspire others around me to reach for the stars and achieve their dreams.”
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Evmorfia Kostaki
Master of Wine Scholarship
“Receiving the Master of Wine Award will empower me to do the two things that I am most passionate about - becoming a Master of Wine and completing the creation of my own high-quality winery in Samos, Greece. I am honoured and incredibly grateful for the support of the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation and for their belief in my vision and talent.”
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Rachel Allison
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am confident that the Women of the Vine & Spirits/ Gallo scholarship will help me to pursue my goals in the wine industry. Completing WSET certification will give me the structure to refine my palate and skills to communicate and apply my technical knowledge in the wider wine industry.”
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Alyssa Arnold
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am so proud to have been chosen for this scholarship. Life as a single mom is a struggle financially. This is the little boost that I needed to help further my education. From my hunger for information to the drive to share my gains, the future is so bright now.”
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Monique Bell
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I can't think of a more valuable gift than empowering someone with the emotional and financial support to bring their dream to life. I am grateful to the Women of the Vine & Spirits for their ongoing support as I pursue my highest self, and for their continuous work to bring equity and representation to the wine industry.”
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Jaime Brown
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am beyond grateful to be chosen as one of the Gallo Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation recipients. My obsession with rose became so passionate that I created a blog and Instagram account which ended up educating others about the pink drink as many people still consider rose white wine. My fascination with the 50 Shades of Pink has opened many doors, especially last summer when the call for BIPOC voices allowed me to contribute to publications like Food & Wine and write for clients like Archer Roose Wines. This scholarship would help fuel my dreams by allowing me to educate myself properly and to become more comfortable with wine terminology by enrolling in a WSET Level 2 course. Receiving real training from experienced teachers and sommeliers online or in a classroom will teach me “how to” taste varietals through blind tastings, allow me to network with diverse individuals like myself, learn about winemaking techniques, and help me expand my palate which will make me a better wine educator to those who look to me for information. I envision this experience to be a huge impact and investment in myself to forge a career as a wine writer because the certificate of completion will not only shed my feeling of “imposter syndrome”, but will allow me to have the certification to hold rose wine tastings of my own and possibly travel to wine regions as a rose wine writer/educator.”
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Victoria Chavez
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“This scholarship will help me immensely in the final stages of achieving my master’s degree and aiding me with my expenses during my time abroad while working at Domaine Leflaive. I believe this scholarship will also benefit me by setting me up to successfully pursue my long-term dreams of becoming a winemaker and business owner, where my focus on women-led, sustainable businesses can be best represented.”
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Hope Cortez
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“Thank you for the support and recognition towards furthering my education and helping to grow women’s careers in our industry. I am going to use this scholarship towards my MBA program which I know will help continue my upward mobility within RNDC.”
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Miranda Elliot
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“Being chosen for the Fuel Your Dreams Award is a great honor and such a great help to me in continuing to pursue my own wine education. I will be using this award toward my WSET Diploma, which enables me to be a better wine educator myself with a broader and deeper knowledge of wine. I currently teach WSET Level 1 and 2 Awards in wine through the wine school that I started and I want to be a more informed and better teacher for my students by completing my WSET Diploma.”
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Gabriela Fontanesi
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“With the support of this scholarship I can pursue further wine education that allow me to communicate wine to a more diverse audience.”
Monica Gural
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“What an honor to be a recipient of the Women of the Vine & Spirits scholarship! I look forward to putting these funds to very good use. Primarily, I will have the opportunity to continue to pursue my formal wine education with my next certification. I will be able to not only cover the cost of the course, but also the additional materials and wines of typicity to enhance my learning experience. Additionally, I am very excited to be able to keep going a wine-themed game show that I’ve started. The intent of this game show is to bring together serious wine folks in a casual way for laughing and learning. We’ve developed a great community that is open to all and now will be able to continue due to the support from the Women of the Vine & Spirits. In these times, any of us could fall to feelings of isolation. I am grateful for the sense of support in this phenomenal wine community and look forward to giving back.”
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Lauren King
Fuel Your Dreams Award
"My career goals have always been to be able to pass along any knowledge I have to the future wine generation, and this scholarship is allowing me to continue my own knowledge that I can then turn around and give to others, especially women in the industry. So this scholarship is not just for me but for all future wine-o's. Thank you so much!"
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Caitlin Landingham
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“Honored doesn’t really cut it, but I am. I am so honored. Money is always the thickest barrier- to be relieved of that burden is what separates just barely making it and making a difference. I hope to continue the work on broadening the culture of our beverage industry, and thankfully now, I can. Fuel Your Dreams is an apt name for this gracious award—as I will, in fact, start my work toward a dream.”
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Susan McDonald
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be a recipient of the Fuel Your Dreams award. I am now closer to fulfilling my goal of making wine education entertaining and accessible to people through my own business. I may be almost 60, but that’s no reason to stop dreaming!”
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Chelsea Nichols
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I'm excited to receive the Fuel Your Dreams Award. I've been wanting to return to school and this scholarship helps more than WOTV realizes. The program I'll take delves into the business side of running a distillery. I've learned a bit about production and a great deal about the customer experience, but I'm looking forward to learning about the operations side.”
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Chantal Nunez
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I feel immensely honored to have won the Fuel Your Dreams Award of the Women in the Vine & Spirits Foundation this year. This award makes me feel so hopeful of my journey in this industry. Having empowered women supporting me has an indescribable value. Furthermore, being a scholarship recipient of organizations committed to supporting women’s role, inclusivity and diversity in professional fields makes me feel so hopeful, grateful and blessed. Through this generous award, I will be able to finish my studies in Wine Business and further my career in the industry. Thank you!”
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Briana O'Connor
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“Being chosen as a Women of the Vine & Spirits award recipient has given me the opportunity to further my wine education and accomplish my goal of becoming a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. It means someone believes in me and supports my professional goals, including my passion for making wine more accessible and less intimidating for everyone. This award gives me extra motivation and access to the knowledge I need to continue to educate guests, clients, and hospitality professionals in a way that is unpretentious and fun. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I'm looking forward to the future!”
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Whitney Pope
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am truly humbled to receive the Fuel Your Dreams Scholarship Award. I am not only grateful for the scholarship, but also for the support of the Women of the Vine & Spirits community.”
Claudia Rupley
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“As an advocate of education, receiving this award will allow me to grow in the industry and promote the value of Women of the Vine & Spirits programs.”
Martha Schulz-Barboza
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“Education is a major catalyst for change. Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation, E&J Gallo Winery and all the sponsors, Thank you for investing time, resources and funding in this Scholarship, for promoting change through Education. It feels really special to be one of the recipients of the Fuel your Dreams award this year. These grants will allow us to continue our education in wine and spirits, and become more qualified, empowered and committed candidates and professionals in the industry.”
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Rebecca Thompson
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I'm thankful to have been awarded the Fuel Your Dreams scholarship. Knowing that I get to join the ranks of other incredible women who are pursuing their dreams within this industry is a true honor. This scholarship will allow me to spend more time immersing myself into the world of Bordeaux wine and culture instead of how I will pay for this time studying abroad. Although the opportunities that I will have after this year remain unknown, the support this organization has provided me will continue propelling me upwards.”
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Huy Truong
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am overwhelmed with excitement and immensely grateful to have been selected as a recipient of this scholarship. What I thought was virtually impossible to achieve has become attainable. It’s not about financial support anymore but a seed of hope and a bud of faith. Perhaps, I have exerted myself to pursue the path finally receiving some recognition from others. This award will play a vital role in supporting me further become a Sommelier and comprehend wine’s knowledge.”
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Carrie Vonderhaar
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“Thank you to the Women of the Vine & Spirits for this amazing honor! It is affirming that you valued my story and direction in winemaking. Looking back, 2020 was a year of tremendous challenge and provided a reality check for myself and my family in more ways than one. Beyond the mayhem that consumed the globe, wildfires ravaged my small rural community destroying the surrounding forest and cruelly taking the homes of friends and neighbors; our home, vineyard, and winery were spared. Many locals left for good, deciding the loss and risk was too much to bear. We too had doubts, but after much contemplation we chose to redouble our commitment to our land and our community — we made the decision to drop our grapes but not drop our dream. My hope is to create a legacy on these grounds for my girls and for future generations. It’s not just about me. It’s about two more girls learning and growing up with winemaking and grape growing. Thank you for awarding me the Fuel Your Dreams scholarship and for being a part of my legacy!”
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Nicole Walsh
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am honored to have been selected as a recipient for this wonderful scholarship. I have a passion for Design and the Wine Industry so it's my pleasure to be involved with such an outstanding organization, The Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation. This scholarship award will help further my career because I will apply it to the Executive MBA program in Wine Business at SSU. Having my EMBA degree in Wine Business will expand my network within the wine industry, allowing me to continue to design and manage within the wine industry in ways that are relevant, impactful, and authentic. Having my Executive MBA degree will allow me to excel in my career so that I can continue to manage and lead an Art team, design original assets, and work closely with cross-functional teams (ownership, Executive, marketing, sales, trade, etc.) I will impart what I learn in the EMBA program and my 27 years of professional experience to each project that I work on, and every colleague that I meet.”
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Mackenzie Watson
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am beyond honored to have been chosen as a recipient of the “Fuel Your Dreams” scholarship. When I received the news I literally jumped off the couch in excitement! I plan to use the scholarship to finish my WSET Diploma program, with further hopes to apply for the Masters of Wine program. I hope to be both a role model and a mentor for women looking to make careers in the world of wine.”
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Sydney Werry
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I could not be more honored and humbled to receive this scholarship, I will work incredibly hard to represent women and promote diversity in the wine industry. I will continue to give back to the hospitality community by spreading the education that I gain and making sure everyone has a seat at the table.”
Read moreAlison Whaley
Fuel Your Dreams Award
“I am honored and so encouraged by this scholarship and the support of this community. Thank you for helping me focus on my studies!”
Holly Staid
Elizabeth Smyth Student Scholarship
“I am honored to have been selected as The Elizabeth Smyth Scholarship recipient. With this funding, I can further develop my skills as a female leader in the wine industry with an interdisciplinary view of the wine world. The Elizabeth Smyth Scholarship grants me an opportunity to focus more on both my education and job opportunities that will further my knowledge of wine, and positively influence other women entering the wine industry.”
Read moreCathy Marston
Master of Wine Scholarship
“Receiving the Foundation's MW scholarship means so much, not just to me but also to my WSET students. It will allow me to continue on the programme and hopefully my eventual success can inspire others around me to reach for the stars and achieve their dreams.”
Read moreEvmorfia Kostaki
Master of Wine Scholarship
“Receiving the Master of Wine Award will empower me to do the two things that I am most passionate about - becoming a Master of Wine and completing the creation of my own high-quality winery in Samos, Greece. I am honoured and incredibly grateful for the support of the Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation and for their belief in my vision and talent.”
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Class of 2021 Women of the Vine & Spirits Scholarship Recipients
2021 WOTVS Foundation E.&J. Gallo "Women Behind the Wine" Recipients Highlight
Click here to view previous Scholarship Recipients