BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Founder, Vineyard 29 
President, Napa Valley Vine Trail

Chuck and his wife, Anne, are the founders of Vineyard 29, a premium winery in Napa Valley.  Prior to Vineyard 29, Chuck spent over twenty-five years creating, financing, working in and advising startup high technology companies. including Covad Communications, which he co-founded in 1996 to provide broadband data services to homes and businesses.  Chuck was also the President & CEO of Visioneer Communications and was a general partner at the venture capital firm, InterWest Partners. Chuck began his Silicon Valley career as the product manager for the 8086 microprocessor at Intel. In Napa Valley, Chuck is involved in several non profit organizations including board member of the St. Helena Hospital and chair of its Foundation in 2010, President of the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition, which is designing, funding and building a 47 mile hiking and biking trail from the Vallejo Ferry Terminal to Calistoga and President of NapaLearns, a group focused on accelerating the adoption of project based learning and digital technology, curriculum, and associated professional development in all the schools in Napa Valley.  

Chief Executive Officer, LiveWine

Gayle Bartscherer was engaged by a leading tech founder and board to bring LiveWine, the first-ever wine DTC marketplace, to investor viability and a successful MVP launch. Previously, she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing & DTC Officer for The Duckhorn Portfolio and as SVP of International Sales, Marketing & Business Development at Jackson Family Wines, where she led a team of 60. With over two decades in luxury wine, her expertise spans business development, winery operations, brand management, and international sales. Gayle began her career at Blue Lifestyle, working alongside James Beard Award-winner Anthony Dias Blue, and has also held roles at Bon Appétit and Beckmen Vineyards.

President/designer/fabricator, Copper Iron Designs, Inc, 

Copper Iron Designs was founded in 1993 by Andrew Bradford and his wife, Susan, as a way to merge design with hands-on craftsmanship, creating both artwork and architectural elements. Initially focused on furniture, the company quickly expanded into all aspects of architectural metalwork. With a foundation in detailed furniture design, Andrew brought the same level of precision and artistry to larger-scale projects, ensuring excellence in design, construction, and finishing. This commitment to quality has positioned Copper Iron Designs as a leader in the high-end custom metalworking market.

Shelly Willis has more than three decades of experience planning, curating, and managing the production of hundreds of temporary and permanent artworks throughout the country. As the Director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission Public Art Program for 10 years she managed the City and County of Sacramento’s Art in Public Places Programs, including the $8 million Sacramento International Airport and the $9.5 million Entertainment and Sports Complex public art. Shelly came to Sacramento after six years of managing the University of Minnesota’s public art program, where she also taught public art courses in the Departments of Urban Studies and Landscape Architecture.

A private consultant since 2017, Shelly’s clients include private developers, municipal entities, and artists.

General Manager, Napa Valley Wine Train

Nathan Davis is a seasoned General Manager with a proven track record in the hospitality industry. He brings expertise in catering, team building, mentoring, and yield management, ensuring seamless operations and exceptional guest experiences. With a background in International Relations and a minor in Spanish from California State University-Chico, Nathan combines strategic leadership with a global perspective to drive success in dynamic hospitality environments.

Attorney, Partner at Burke, Williams & Sorenson, LLP.

Elisabeth is a trial lawyer and has successfully represented businesses, state agencies, and counties and cities as first chair in more than 130 jury trials throughout California. Earlier in her legal career, she worked as a prosecutor at the Napa, Sacramento, and San Francisco District Attorney’s offices, and she supervised a team of trial attorneys at the California Department of Justice. Elisabeth arrived in Napa in 2003, and served on the Napa Commission on the Status of Women, the Napa Sierra Club, the Wolfe Center, the American Canyon Chamber of Commerce, the Napa Chamber of Commerce, and as an advisor on the Skyline Wilderness Park Master Plan.  Elisabeth is a graduate of Leadership Napa Valley 2006. She also is an accomplished wine writer, and her articles have appeared in the Wine Enthusiast, the Napa Register, the Napa Valley Marketplace, Legal Times and she is the author of a wine travel book.

Artist + Owner, Action Avenue Projects

Tim Kelly (CCA MFA 1999) is a designer, artist, and community advocate with a passion for transforming spaces and sparking creativity. With over 30 years’ experience in Design, Architecture and Project Management, Tim has worked across the country in the field of restaurant design, helping to design and build award winning projects, including Yountville’s beloved Kelly’s Filling Station.  He has exhibited his artwork around the country including the ASU Art Museum, LAX Airport, Tucson Museum of Contemporary Art, San Francisco Arts Commission and Southern Exposure (SF).  When he’s not championing public art, you might find him cycling through wine country, gardening in his backyard, or scheming up his next creative venture at his studio, Action Avenue Projects, located in the heart of the Rail Arts District.

Artist

Lorrie Kempf is a curator and artist with extensive experience managing public art projects. Since 2008 she has curated dozens of exhibitions for the City and County of Sacramento at the Robert T. Matsui Gallery, the Sacramento International Airport, and the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD) Gallery. Additionally, she worked for many years as the Director of the Gallery at Joie de Vivre’s prestigious Ventana Inn and Spa Resort. Lorrie received a Bachelor of Arts in Studio from the University of California, Davis. Her work has been exhibited throughout Northern California at the Center for Contemporary Art in Sacramento, Memorial Union Gallery at UC Davis, and at Gallery 2110 in Sacramento among others. She currently has a studio practice in Sonoma, California.

Principal Designer, Steven Miller Design Studio, Inc.

Steven Miller has practiced design in the Bay Area and beyond for over 30 years and founded the design studio in 1999 to provide architectural and interior design services for residential and hospitality design clients. Collaborating on residences, winery, hotel and restaurant, as well as product licensure projects across the country and in Europe, Japan, and Mexico has provided the studio with countless resources and a wide ranging perspective. Miller attended the California College of Arts (CCA) where he sits on the Alumni Campus Planning Council and keeps him connected to the inner workings of this academic environment and its new unified campus in San Francisco.

Nancy St.Clair has a passion for the arts and the energy to help drive awareness for all “FUN” things to do and see in the Napa Valley. She has lived in Old town Napa for ten years, relocating from the East Coast and delights in so many of the positive changes that make Napa not only a world-wide tourist destination, but also a great place to live and work. She is involved in many activities in the local community, including being a graduate of the Napa Citizens academy and supporting the Napa Valley Film Festival. Nancy is a retired sales & marketing executive, with over 35 years of international marketing experience. She has worked for large corporations, as well as smaller start-ups. She truly enjoyed the entrepreneurial experience, establishing brand recognition and advancing market share in the US market. 

Studio 707, Founder + Creative Director

With unlimited connections in the culinary and wine world, for the past nineteen years, Ashley Nicole Teplin has used her extraordinary skill set to gain exposure and create virtual and real-world publicity for her diverse client set. In 2018, Ashley was awarded the Top 40 under 40 honors for Wine Enthusiast for her work with Teplin+Nuss and ability to ‘Spread the wine word’. Ashley is Immersed in the worlds of art, culture, wine, and cuisine, she wields her expertise in public relations, media production, photography, social media advisement, culinary and fine arts to forge new networks and strengthen existing relationships among her clients. Ashley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, as well as a culinary arts degree from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.