Leslie Sbrocco

New York, NY (December 22, 2014) – The ‘Women of the Vine’ Global Symposium announced today the keynote speakers for the first annual symposium devoted to the advancement of women in the wine industry to be held March 13 – 15, 2015 at The Meritage Resort and Spa, Napa, CA.

The Symposium will showcase ideas and best-practice strategies that are driving women’s achievements in the wine industry and will unlock ways to foster mentorship and leadership effectiveness.

“We have built what we believe to be a first-of-its-kind gathering that supports gender diverse leadership teams and talent development for women in the wine industry. Our goal is to bring together professionals from every aspect of the wine industry and the world to connect, network, mentor and collaborate,” said Deborah Brenner, Author and Founder, Women of the Vine.”

The agenda features three keynote speakers, diverse seminars, panel and roundtable discussions hosted by industry leaders, book signings and a grand tasting gala.

The three keynote speakers, Ali Brown, Holly Dowling and Leslie Sbrocco bring a wealth of industry expertise on empowering others, creating successful mentorship programs, recruiting great talent and career guidance.

“Three Pillars of Poise – YOUR Presence is Your Brand” will be presented by Holly Dowling, International speaker and global leadership expert on how to achieve higher levels of performance through strengths-based leadership development. For the past few decades, Holly has continued to design customized programs for Fortune 500 companies while speaking to thousands of individuals around the world.

“Leaders in the workplace often struggle with maximizing company success while remaining cognizant of their personal values and goals. By using the “Three Pillars of Poise,” you will learn to reflect on professional situations through a personal lens, ensuring that each move you make is the best choice for both you and the company,” said Holly Dowling. “It is my passion to empower others to create, embrace and fully live a more compelling life.”

Former vice president of an international brokerage firm, Holly has infused her extensive management and leadership experience with her passion for inspiring others to discover their untapped potential and brilliance. Her dynamic and unique approach provides innovative tools that have led managers to become stronger leaders, individual contributors to achieve higher levels of performance, and companies to discover new opportunities for success.

On the second day of the Symposium, Leslie Sbrocco, voted as one of the Top 100 most influential people in the American wine business by IntoWine.com, will present her keynote titled. "Life...Drink It Up! One Woman's Journey to Make Her Passion Her Career."

Leslie’s work has been published in outlets such as People Style Watch magazine, Epicurious.com, O the Oprah magazine, Coastal Living, Woman’s Day, Health, Good Housekeeping and Glamour among others. Prior to completing Wine for Women, Leslie has built wine programs for and consulted with companies such as Target, Harry & David, and Kimpton Hotels. Her educational and event clients include The Atlantic City Alliance, Wines from Spain, Trentino Wines, G7 Wines of Portugal, Crystal Cruises, and Holland America Cruise Lines.

Incorporating the overall mission of this first of its kind Women of the Vine Global Symposium, Ali Brown will be delivering her keynote titled, “"Entrepreneurial" is The New Black—It’s Time to Shake Things Up.

“Welcome to the new economy, where there’s no choice but to take charge of your own success. Whether you’re growing your own business or moving up the company ladder, it’s never been more critical for women to act entrepreneurially,” said Ali Brown. “The good news is, the doors are wide open for you to step up and step out… to really go for your dreams and stop playing small—whether it’s on your own or within your current organization.”

Ali Brown is an award-winning entrepreneur and business mentor. As founder and CEO of Ali International LLC, she has created a dynamic enterprise that is devoted to empowering women entrepreneurs around the world. She provides business and success advice via AliBrown.com, her social media channels, and her Glambition™ Radio Show.

During the past five years, Ali has received the honor of being, ranked on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies, named one of the Enterprising Women of the Year by Enterprising Women Magazine, a winner of the Stevie® Award for Women Helping Women, dubbed one of Forbes’ Women to Watch named by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the Top 10 Twitter Accounts Every Entrepreneur Should Be Following and Entrepreneur Delegate for the United Nations Foundation Global Accelerator.

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