Marquee Speakers, Mentors and Moderators
Napa, CA – During the month of June, Napa Green and community partners will host Napa THRIVES – a groundbreaking symposium of six half-day, tightly focused events organized around the six pillars of sustainable winegrowing leadership. Unfolding at the historic Charles Krug Winery, participants will learn about water efficiency, energy efficiency, waste prevention and green purchasing, integrated pest management and pesticide phaseout, social equity and diversity, all of which folds into climate action and regenerative farming.
Marquee Speaker, Eric Asimov, chief wine critic of The New York Times, will kick off the month-long proceedings on June 7th, and event participants will have the opportunity to join Tod Mostero, Director of Viticulture & Winemaking at Dominus Estate, as he begins a grower mentorship to transition a vineyard to dry farming. Additionally, Mostero and five other industry leaders will serve as mentors to Napa THRIVES participants long after the events have concluded, assisting regional wineries and growers in proactively implementing leading sustainability practices.
Other highlights include:
Additional Marquee Speakers: Bill McKibben, Co-founder 350.org. Latest Book: The Flag, The Cross, and the Station Wagon; Kayalin Akens-Irby, Chief of Staff at Planet FWD; Kelly Mulville, Vineyard Director at Paicines Ranch; Nikki Silvestri, Founder and CEO of Soil and Shadow; Kimberly Nicholas, Sustainability Scientist, Lund University, and Author, Under the Sky We Make; Jonathan Foley, Executive Director, Project Drawdown; Birgit Cameron, Co-Founder and Head of Patagonia Provisions.
Six Industry Mentors: Tod Mostero, Director of Viticulture & Winemaking at Dominus Estate (Dry Farming); Juan Moreno, Facility Manager at Rutherford Hill Winery (Maximizing Energy Efficiency); Molly Sheppard, Educational Winemaker, Spottswoode Estates (TRUE Zero Waste); Erik Dodd, Vineyard Manager, Wight Vineyard Management (Going Roundup Free); Philana Bouvier, President, Demeine Estates (Growing Diversity & Social Impact); Jim Duane, Winemaker, Seavey Vineyard (Regenerative Carbon Farming).
Six Leading Moderators: Esther Mobley, Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle; Andrea Robinson, Master Sommelier; Katherine Cole, Wine Writer & The Four Top podcast; Dr. Liz Thach, MW, Wine Writer, Educator, and Consultant; Peter Marks, MW, Napa Valley Wine Academy; Kelli White, Sommelier and author Napa Valley, Then & Now.
“The power of Napa THRIVES is its intention to both inspire and harness action-based commitment,” observes Tod Mostero, of Dominus Estate. “Its targeted pillar-based design unites insight from our world’s leading-edge speakers, hands-on training from peers on specific practices, and guidance from the wine industry’s most sustainable suppliers to lighten our environmental footprint. This is the beginning of a growing spiral of transformation, and I am honored and excited to be a part of this game-changing movement.”
To learn more about Napa THRIVES, to purchase tickets, or to become a sponsor, please visit https://napathrives.org/
Students pursuing an education in Viticulture and/or Enology at Napa Valley College, Sonoma State University, or the University of California at Davis, may purchase tickets at a 50% discount using the promo code NTStudent50.
