Born and raised in California, Katie Canfield earned her B.A. in Spanish and Global Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara. Her career in the wine industry began during her last year at university while studying abroad in Santiago, Chile. Since then, Katie has lived in Rioja (Logroño), Burgundy (Dijon), and the UK (Manchester), studying and working in various sectors of the wine industry: production (including harvests in Chile, France, and Napa Valley), wine writing, retail, hospitality, and distribution. Since her move back to California in 2014, Katie has led marketing and communications for the international portfolios of Wilson Daniels, Paul Hobbs Wines, and now co-owns PR, marketing, and event agency O’Donnell Lane. Katie holds a M.Sc. degree in Wine Business and WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine and Spirits. She serves on the board of Bâtonnage Forum—a nonprofit organization focused on supporting women in wine—and has served as Marketing & Communications Program Lead for the Bâtonnage Mentorship Program since 2022.

Follow her on Instagram @kt_canfield and @odl_sips.

Hayley Yerkes is a seasoned brand marketing professional with a decade of experience, currently serving as the Senior Brand Manager for Decoy at The Duckhorn Portfolio. Her career began in advertising, where she spent over eight years honing her skills in strategy and cultural trend analysis at advertising agencies in San Francisco and New York on fashion and technology brands. Driven by a personal passion for wine, she made a significant career shift by undertaking a cellar production harvest internship at Ashes & Diamonds, immersing herself in the winemaking process.  At The Duckhorn Portfolio, Hayley has led innovation and brand building initiatives, from the launch of Decoy Featherweight to partnerships with influencers, Reese’s Book Club, and more. Hayley holds the WSET III Award with Distinction.

Based in Europe, Felicity Carter is the founder of the Drinks Insider podcast, research and content consultancy, as well as Editorial Director of Areni Global, the fine wine think tank headquartered in London. Previously, she was founding Executive Editor of The Drop at Pix, editorial consultant for Liv-ex, and Editor in Chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, which she built into the world’s premier business publication, with subscribers in 38 countries. Her work has appeared in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers in Australia, and in The Guardian US, among many others. 

She has given keynotes on global trends, wine tourism and storytelling, in New York, Verona, London, Hong Kong and at many other conferences. Felicity has judged wine competitions in Germany, Georgia, Portugal, France and Luxembourg. She was named a 2024 Industry Leader by Wine Business Monthly.

As a Napa local, it was almost destined that Franny Merkley would find her calling in the food and wine industry. Her journey began by "volunteering" at her parents' fundraisers at a local elementary school, and her first official job was as a wedding planner at Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans. These early experiences taught her the essence of hospitality, the necessity of adaptability, and the importance of meticulous attention to detail.

These invaluable skills have been the cornerstone of her diverse career, spanning restaurants, cosmetics, and food production. Most recently, they led her back to Opus One Winery in 2022.

Franny’s initial foray into the wine industry started in 2012 as a Guest Relations employee in the tasting room at Opus One. She spent a few months buffing glasses and pouring wine before being promoted to Guest Relations Ambassador. She excelled in this role for several years before moving on in 2015 to become the Senior Operations Manager at Belcampo Meat Company in East Bay. Despite her departure, Franny always kept a strong connection with Opus One, hoping to return someday.

In June 2022, her wish came true as she rejoined Opus One as the Marketing Supervisor. In this role, she collaborates with a small, cross-functional team to develop and uphold the marketing efforts and brand standards of this iconic Napa Valley winery.

Mitalee brings over 17 years of global experience leading prestigious luxury wine and spirits brands at LVMH across several countries in Asia and in the U.S. Her core expertise spans luxury marketing, brand and consumer strategy, and business development.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Media with a focus on Advertising & Communications from St. Xavier’s College, University of Mumbai.

Now based in Napa, she leads DTC Marketing at Chandon California. A mother of twin 5-year-old boys, Mitalee is a committed advocate for working mothers, greater diversity in the wine industry, and sustainable marketing practices.

She is fluent in English, French, and four Indian regional languages, and holds a WSET Level 2 certification. Mitalee also serves on the board of trustees at Blue Oak School and on the board of directors for Napa Moms, a local non-profit supporting a community of mothers and children in the Napa valley.

Monika is an international wine educator, judge, journalist and university lecturer currently holding the WSET Diploma. Monika has mentored WSET students, taught accredited courses up to the WSET Diploma level and lectured for over 10 years in the USA, UK, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary.

She is the founder and honorary President of the Polish Women and Wine Association, and Ambassador of the European Association of Sommeliers. In 2017, Monika was awarded the best female entrepreneur award by the Law Business Quality Magazine, and in 2019 she received the Polish Women of Wine Award.

Her hospitality experience as beverage director and wine trainer at the five star Six Senses Resorts and Spas in Asia, and fine dining management in Memphis TN, Broomfield & Boulder CO brings a wealth of practical experience to her classroom. Monika has many years of wine buying experience and has created several award winning wine lists for her clients. At present she fulfills a role of Director at NVWA Education Center.

Monika loves to study and continues her wine journey as a student of the Institute of Masters of Wine, Stage 2.

Rebecca Hopkins is one of the wine industry’s best-known communications strategists, who has worked with some of the world’s most notable wine brands. 

Australian by birth (and temperament), she arrived in the U.S. in 2007, to take the role of Vice President of Public Relations and National Events for Constellation Brands before joining national fine wine importer, Folio Fine Wine Partners in 2012, then forming her own communications agency in 2022.

In 2018, Rebecca founded A Balanced Glass, a community and website that focuses on staying safe and well when working with alcohol. Her work has been recognized by SevenFifty Daily, Food & Wine and Wine Enthusiast, and she also writes on the subject of the low and no alcohol category for Wine Business Monthly.

Stacy Briscoe is an award-winning journalist with 10 years’ experience writing for and about the wine industry. She’s held multiple roles throughout her career, including managing editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine, managing editor for Wine Industry Network, assistant editor of Wine Business Monthly, and staff writer for Wines & Vines magazine. Flying her freelance flag, she has bylines in several notable drink-centric publications such as Somm Journal, SevenFifty Daily, Sonoma Magazine, Full Pour, and GuildSomm, among many others. Briscoe regularly speaks at wine industry events, has completed her WSET Diploma, teaches WSET courses at the Napa Valley Wine Academy, and, most recently, has been accepted as a Master of Wine Stage 2 student, having completed Stage 1 in 2024. Follow Briscoe on Instagram @stacyloubriscoe and at her website BriscoeBites.com.

Accomplished marketing and creative leader with over a decade of hands-on experience in the international wine industry, Suzanna Mannion is renowned for elevating brand identities and achieving remarkable boosts in both brand recognition and sales figures. She brings together a strategic mindset and a flair for creative design to orchestrate impactful digital campaigns and craft compelling content. Her forte lies in fostering collaboration across diverse teams and leveraging data-driven insights to refine brand messaging, fuel revenue growth, and streamline project management processes. She has a track record of forging fruitful global partnerships and expanding digital footprints.