AWS Educational Foundation Board of Trustees
Kristen Lindelow
President
Kristen discovered the AWS in 2010 when she joined the N. Alabama Chapter. While she was a Regional Vice President, she assisted with founding five chapters in North Alabama and Mississippi. Kristen is a Graduate of the AWS Certified Wine Judge program and has judged for wine competitions across the U.S. and in Europe. She is a Certified Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators, a French Wine Scholar and Spanish Wine Scholar through the Wine Scholar Guild, and has completed the WSET Level 2 (intermediate) with merit. She enjoys educating others about wine, including her husband, Phillip, with whom she lives in Huntsville (Rocket City), Alabama. Lately, however, you’ll find her traveling with Phillip in their small “glamper”!
Walter Rachele
Treasurer
Walt Rachele has been a member of AWS for 40 years, Past Chapter Chairman (Carroll County), Wine Judge Certification Program Graduate and Instructor for 20 years. He has traveled in search of the Mother Vine to Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary finding only wonderful local wines, unusual varietals and new friends. Completing a 3 year term as Treasurer with AWS and a prior term (2000-2005) as Treasurer of AWSEF is again combining his love of learning about wine with his profession of Accounting & Finance to join the AWSEF BOD as Treasurer. His heartfelt goal is to help provide funding for the next generations of students that will be the future of the wine industry.
Denise Griner
Secretary
Denise has been a member of the AWS since 2014, attended her first conference in Tyson, VA in 2015, and hasn’t missed one since. She has been the treasurer of the Meadowlands, NJ Chapter since 2015 and joined the AWSEF Board of Trustees in 2022. Denise has a BS in Radiation Science Technology degree from the University of Nebraska and has been employed at Hackensack University Medical Center for 32 years where she is currently a Physicist Assistant specializing in Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Safety. She currently resides in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ with her two dogs. Denise enjoys learning about wine and sharing her knowledge with friends, family, and fellow wine enthusiasts. She enjoys good food, good wine, and traveling with good friends and family.
Bonnie Lance
Executive Vice President and Vice President, Corporate Development
Bonnie Lance has served on the AWSEF Board of Trustees since 2010. First as VP for Corporate Development (2010-2014), then President (2014-2020) and now back as the VP for Corporate Development (2020-present). Bonnie has worked at various vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island, NY since 2004, where she assisted with various wine education classes, pouring ant regional events, and in the tasting rooms. Bonnie has achieved certification as a Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators, is certified with the WSET at both the intermediate and advanced levels, a Year 1 graduate of the Wine Judge Certification program and TIPS certified. She is an AWS member of both the Kylix NYC Chapter since 2004 & the Meadowlands NJ Chapter since 2015. Bonnie is the Head of Fund Administration at Ascend Partners in New York City. Bonnie, her husband, Jay, daughter, Hannah, and son, Charlie, reside in NJ.
Isabelle Lesschaeve
Vice President, Scholarships
Isabelle Lesschaeve joined AWS as a professional member in 2021. She is an internationally renowned sensory-consumer scientist who helps wine enthusiasts and professionals develop their tasting skills. Isabelle also advises wine businesses to implement a consumer-centric portfolio development strategy and create sensory-driven experiences in their tasting rooms.
Throughout her 30-year career in the food and wine industry, Isabelle has made significant contributions to the field. Her research has been published in over 50 peer-reviewed academic publications and book chapters. Isabelle joined the AWSEF Board of Trustees to continue supporting the education of the next generation of grape and wine professionals.
Isabelle, her husband, and her dog reside in Atlanta, GA.
Throughout her 30-year career in the food and wine industry, Isabelle has made significant contributions to the field. Her research has been published in over 50 peer-reviewed academic publications and book chapters. Isabelle joined the AWSEF Board of Trustees to continue supporting the education of the next generation of grape and wine professionals.
Isabelle, her husband, and her dog reside in Atlanta, GA.
Therise Collier
Vice President, Private Development
Therise Collier has been a member of the American Wine Society (North Alabama Chapter) for 16 years. She is an AWS Certified Wine Judge, completed the WSET level 2 with merit, and has participated in numerous wine judging competitions across the US. She has been an Amateur Wine maker for 18 years and proprietor of Creekside at Colliers End. She currently serves as Vice President, Alabama Winemakers and Grape Growers Association, which promotes wine education for greater Alabama. She recently retired from her career as a Cyber System Security Engineer and has a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Los Angeles. She and her husband, Walt, have traveled throughout the world as wine enthusiasts and to expand their knowledge in viniculture and vinification techniques.
Eric Feldhake
General Counsel
Eric has been a member of the AWS Walt Whitman Chapter since 2002. He has been an officer of the Walt Whitman Chapter since 2008 and is the current President of the AWS. Eric is an AWS Certified Wine Judge with Merit. Eric is a partner with the Law Firm of Kulzer & DiPadova in Haddonfield, New Jersey focusing on Tax and Trust and Estate matters. He is admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court of New Jersey, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and State of New Jersey. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association, New Jersey Bar Association, Cape May Bar Association, and a Trustee and Tax Committee Chairperson for the Camden County Bar Association. He is also a Major in the Army Reserves serving in the JAG Corps with 31 years of enlisted and commissioned service. He received his Bachelors of Science from Indiana University, and MBA, Juris Doctorate, and LL.M. in Taxation from Temple University. Eric is married to Lauren (also an AWS member) and their children are Eric, Jr., Emma, Elizabeth, and Eva.
Ron Natalie
Vice President, American Wine Society
Ron founded the Catawba, North Carolina Chapter of the American Wine Society in 2009. He and his wife, Margy, serve as Co-chairs. He became a wine enthusiast after running a marathon in Bordeaux, France. Ron is a WSET Level 2 and 3 graduate with distinction, an American Wine Society WJCP graduate and has worked on the wine judging competition in multiple capacities since 1993. Ron founded and was president of “Save Sherrills Ford, Inc.” a non-profit organization working on local land-use issues and was a board member of the North Carolina Woodworkers Association where, since 2011, he has also served as their webmaster.
Danny Klein
Trustee Emeritus
Danny is a Regional Vice President for the AWS in the Northern NJ/Greater NY region and has been on the AWS National Conference Committee for ten years. He is a WSET Adv, CSW and certified AWS wine judge. He has judged for many international wine competitions and Governor’s Cup Contests. Additionally, he is the Chairman of the NJ State Fair Garden State
Wine Challenge. Over the past years he has been the Organizer/Coordinator for such world-renowned events such as Robert Parker’s “A Matter of Taste”, Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino, Union des Grandes Crus and Wine Riot! Danny is a graduate of Rutgers University with a BS and an MBA and is currently employed as a Chemical Specialist of High Hazard Materials. He has been featured in such magazines as Beverage Media, AWS Wine Journal, The
Juice, Wine4Food, Kiplinger’s, Princeton Business Review, Smart Money and the OSHA Compliance Advisor.
Wine Challenge. Over the past years he has been the Organizer/Coordinator for such world-renowned events such as Robert Parker’s “A Matter of Taste”, Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino, Union des Grandes Crus and Wine Riot! Danny is a graduate of Rutgers University with a BS and an MBA and is currently employed as a Chemical Specialist of High Hazard Materials. He has been featured in such magazines as Beverage Media, AWS Wine Journal, The
Juice, Wine4Food, Kiplinger’s, Princeton Business Review, Smart Money and the OSHA Compliance Advisor.
Bill Ellis
Board Member-Elect
Bill Ellis, RPh, MS, ICE-CCP, WSET2 has amassed over 30 years’ experience leading a wide range of organizations and enjoying wine! Prior to retiring from the American Pharmacists Association and founding Cresita LLC, a consulting group , he published in books, professional journals and presented in the US. and internationally on a wide range of topics. He has served as the Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Society of Health System Pharmacists, the American Pharmacist Association Foundation and the Board of Pharmacy Specialties.
He has worked in numerous tasting rooms and as a wine educator.
Dean Scott
Board Member-Elect
Dean Scott is a Regional Ambassador for North Eastern Pennsylvania and is a member of the Lehigh Valley AWS Chapter. He has worked in the wine industry for over 25 years and has been a member of the American Wine Society for 14 years. He has taught enology and viticulture courses at a community college, is an AWS Certified Wine Judge, and an amateur winemaker. Dean has a BS from DeSales University and a graduate degree from the University of Scranton. Dean worked in Advanced Integrated Circuit Design for Bell Laboratories for 31 years. After retiring, he started a commercial vineyard and grows 10-15 tons of grapes per year for local wineries. This experience has taught him a lot about biodynamic, sustainability, organic grape growing, entomology, and grape fungal diseases. He and his wife, Bonnie, have traveled throughout the US and Europe as viticultural adventurers and wine enthusiasts.