2025 Speakers

The first woman Winemaker-Proprietor in the Napa Valley, Cathy Corison produces three Cabernet Sauvignons, hand-crafted without compromise from benchland vineyards between Rutherford and St. Helena. She makes wines that are both powerful and elegant, speak of time and place and are structured to grace the table and enjoy a long, distinguished life. A wine appreciation course taken while studying Biology at Pomona College over 50 years ago led to a life in wine. A Masters degree in Enology from UC Davis followed. Winemaking gigs included Yverdon, Chappellet, Staglin, York Creek and Long Meadow Ranch. Cathy founded Corison in1987 and she and her husband, William Martin, built their winery in 1999. Both adult daughters work with Cathy and William at the winery.

Mayra Alexandra Hernandez is an ICF Certified Coach specializing in Leadership & Mindset and Founder & CEO of Mayra Hernandez Coaching, dedicated to elevating leadership within the wine and spirits industry. She has over 15 years of operational leadership experience, including eight years directing wine production at Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards. Mayra creates custom coaching programs and workshops, available in Spanish or English, designed to transform leaders through individual coaching and team facilitation that deliver measurable results in leadership effectiveness, team engagement, and retention. As an international retreat leader, she recently completed her third women's personal development retreat in Bali in May 2025. Her coaching partnerships span diverse organizations including The Wine Group, Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, Dream Big Darling, and the University of Michigan, where she collaborates to strengthen leadership development and has successfully guided emerging and seasoned leaders to become more connected with their teams, emotionally intelligent, and empowered in the wine industry and beyond. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University.

Julie is an accomplished human resources executive with more than 30 years of experience. Currently she serves as the Vice President of Human Resources for Far Niente Family of Wine Estates, working to help elevate the culture within their luxury portfolio and solidify an engaging and compliant work environment.

Prior to joining Far Niente in May of ’21, she served as Director of Human Resources for the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group for thirteen years.  In that capacity, she supported the employees in a variety of different ways who in turn cared for the local community with their hospitality.

Relocating from Chicago in 2008, she worked at the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation in Homewood, IL—one of the largest providers of Senior Services in the US—where she held the position of senior vice president of strategic resources. During her tenure, she successfully led the organization's strategic planning, human resource, and sales and marketing departments.

Julie received her certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources in 1999.  In 2023, she achieved her Plan Sponsor Professional Certification.  She has pursued a Master of Science degree at the Keller School of Management in Chicago, IL, and has a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from the Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, IN.

She has many professional affiliations including the Society for Human Resource Management and the Society for Healthcare Marketing Strategy. She has been a member of the Yountville Chamber Board for the last ten years, serving in the additional capacity of Vice Chair to the board.

A 10-year veteran of the wine industry, Elise brings a wealth of experience to the Treasury Americas business and offers deep cross-functional expertise across multiple areas including process development, systems and technology, and compliance and regulation. However, her passion lies with people.

As part of the executive leadership team at DAOU Vineyards, Elise contributed to the company’s evolution into a billion-dollar brand, working closely with the founders and broader team. Her strategic influence across people operations and culture was instrumental in DAOU’s remarkable growth and eventual acquisition by TWE in 2023.

As the Senior Vice President of People and Culture for Treasury Americas, Elise brings a fresh and dynamic approach centered on Employee Experience and Talent Strategy. Her innate understanding of people and their strengths has enabled her to build a high-performance organization with a focus on career trajectory and growth, all while nurturing a vibrant, and inclusive culture.

At Treasury Americas, Elise’s strength lies in her intuitive understanding of people and their potential. She has played a pivotal role in building a high-performance organization rooted in career development and growth, while fostering a vibrant and inclusive culture. Her leadership continues to position Treasury Americas as an employer of choice.

Elise holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business/Management, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Business, with an Accounting major and Marketing minor from Miami University of Ohio.

Elise resides in Napa and enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time by the ocean and can be found at the latest restaurants with friends sharing a great bottle of wine.

Rebecca Stephens is a partner in Farella Braun + Martel's Employment Law Group. She counsels clients on all aspects of federal, state, and local employment law, including developing and implementing sound employment policies, conducting workplace investigations, overseeing accommodations and leaves of absence, and administering separations from employment. With clients ranging from small businesses to global corporations, Rebecca takes a practical, solutions-focused approach and understands the importance of tailoring her advice to each employer’s needs, goals, and culture. Additionally, Rebecca defends employers in single-plaintiff and class and representative litigation matters in federal and state courts, including wage and hour, wrongful termination, retaliation, and discrimination cases.

Stacey Zartler is Special Counsel at Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP. Stacey is an accomplished labor and employment attorney with over 30 years of experience advising and defending employers across a wide range of industries. She has held senior in-house roles at global companies such as Dolby Laboratories and Mattel, where she provided strategic legal counsel on employment matters across U.S. and international operations. Her background includes managing union relations at Kindred Healthcare, running her own employment law firm, and practicing at top firms like Littler Mendelson and Fisher & Phillips. Stacey is known for her sharp business acumen, practical problem-solving, and experience in litigation defense, labor relations, HR training, and compliance. She earned her J.D. from Santa Clara University and her B.A. from Stanford University.