WHO, WHAT, WINE, HOW – Women in Wine Educators Roundtable
Date: March 31, 2025
Time: 5:30 pm–7:30 pm
Location: Alice Paul Center, 128 Hooton Rd, Mt Laurel Township, NJ 08054
RSVP: USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER BY MARCH 25, 2025
Launched in 2021 with just three members, the Garden State Women in Wine Caucus is now one of the state’s largest and most active professional wine organizations focusing on not just promoting local wine, but also encouraging women to work in the industry and helping them gain the education to do so.
Last spring, the organization held its first Career Panel at the Alice Paul Center, bringing together three powerhouse women working at NJ wineries to discuss myriad opportunities in the state. This spring, on March 31, the caucus heads to the Alice Paul Institute again for the “Who What Where How” Educators Round Table, highlighting specific educational opportunities, including information about schools offering wine education and insight from industry leaders.
Nicole Moen, Associate Director of Outreach and Communications at Princeton University, will lead a panel of wine professionals that includes:
- Dr. Beverly Tepper, Developer and Director of the Rutgers Grape and Wine Science Certificate Program
- Dr. Gary Pavlis, Professor, Rutgers University
- Susan Heslietner, Founder and Lead Instructor of the New Jersey Wine School
- Donna Albano, Professor Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management Studies at Stockton University
- Sharyn Kervyn, Certified Wine Judge and Owner of KdV Wine Services
“I think most people find wine and wine education intimidating,” says Moen, who considers herself a wine enthusiast. “It doesn’t have to be. Wine education isn’t just for folks that dream of becoming Master Sommeliers. I took an adult learning class at Camden County College and learned how to pair wine like a pro. There really is something for everyone.”
As one of the panelists, Dr. Gary Pavlis—who has been at his position at Rutgers for 40 years—will bring his decades of insight to the discussion. While statistics surrounding women in wine may be murky, his personal experience shines some light on how things are changing.
“At first, it was really a man’s world,” he says. “I rarely saw any women wine writers, women winery owners, or women sommeliers. That has evolved over the years and now the writers, owners, and sommeliers are often women.”
Pavlis has seen an increase in women taking his classes, too.
“My wine classes now have a majority of women. I would think it is usually 75% women,” he says.
Pavlis and the other panelists will share knowledge about the educational opportunities in the state for women who want to get involved in wine, whether it’s in the vineyard, the cellar, the tasting room, or beyond.
Who should attend?
“Anyone who has even the smallest interest in wine could benefit from this event,” says Moen. “There are so many entry points into the wine industry and this expert panel represents many of them.”
And in case you are wondering, anyone means anyone. The event is open to men, too. Light refreshments and New Jersey wine will be served.
If you want to attend, here are the specifics:
- Date: March 31, 2025
- Time: 5:30 pm–7:30 pm
- Location: Alice Paul Center, 128 Hooton Rd, Mt Laurel Township, NJ 08054
- RSVP: Use this link to register by March 25, 2025
Executive Summary: The Garden State Women in Wine Caucus will hold a Wine Educators Round Table on March 31 from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Alice Paul Center in Mt. Laurel. Join an esteemed panel of wine professionals and educators as they share information and insights about the educational opportunities in the state for women (and others) who want to get involved in wine. Details are in our latest blog post.
