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MICHELLE MCCARTHY - President and Education Chair Certified Sommelier, wine educator and writer, holds the Diploma of Wine from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, and is on the Board of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS). Michelle is committed to the education and training of staff within the industry and honed her skill at program development and delivery while Chair, Continuing Education Hospitality & Tourism, at George Brown College. She is the lead on the CAPS Sommelier Certification Program. Currently she teaches at a number of Colleges, the Wine and Spirit Education Trust programs, and conducts private and corporate seminars. Michelle is a member of CAPS, the Society of Wine Educators, Women’s Culinary Network, Eau de Vie and Associate Member of the Institute of Wine. Tel: 519-766-2955 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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ELSA MACDONALD – Vice President and Interim Secretary Marketing Manager with Vincor Canada, A Constellation Company, Elsa develops and promotes Canadian wines and wine brands. Elsa entered wine after a career as a Management Consultant in Telecom and Financial Services. Elsa was certified by CAPS as a Sommelier in 2006 and became an Associate of the Institute of Wine and Spirits in 2009 (diploma graduate). She received the Inniskillin Award for Top Academic Achievement in the CAPS program and the OIWSBA (Drinks Ontario) Brian Kirkwood Memorial Scholarship Award for top-achieving student in the IWEG/WSET Diploma Program. Tel: 905.564.3003 EXT 5720 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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MARY JANE BAXTER - Membership Chair Currently Manager of Catering and Special Events at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, Mary Jane has been actively pursuing her knowledge of wine over the last few years. She was awarded her Advanced WSET certificate in 2008, and went on to achieve her designation as a Certified Sommelier through CAPS and subsequently through the Court of Masters in 2009. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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JP CHALET – Hospitality Liaison Co-Chair Currently the Chef/Owner of ICI Bistro and owner of JP & Company, JP has been the Executive Chef at several of Toronto’s top restaurants including The Fifth, Le Select, Auberge de Pommier, Bouchon, the Windsor Arms and also Inn at Manitou. JP believes strongly in the training and development of skilled cooks and chefs and is a part-time Chef/Professor at George Brown Chef School. JP demonstrated his commitment CAPS and to the world of food and wine by also achieving his Certified Sommelier designation though CAPS (2006) and serving on the Board since 2003. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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SARA D’AMATO – Public Relations Chair Sara d’Amato is a Toronto-based wine consultant, sommelier and contributor to Vines Magazine. She has worked in cellars both in Niagara and in France and formerly as Sommelier of Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. A graduate of the University of Toronto and of Niagara College’s winery and viticulture technician program, she was the youngest and only woman to win the grand prize at Canadian Renaissance Wine Tasting Challenge in 2006 as featured in CBC’s Wine Confidential Documentary. Sara has been awarded The Ontario Hosteliery’s “Top 30 Under 30” Award and is a staunch promoter of local wine and gastroculture. . In addition to serving on the CAPS Board, Sara is a member of the Wine Writer’s Circle of Canada and participates in judging wine competitions across the country. Tel: 647 407 7728 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it web: www.saradamato.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/saradamato Vines Blog:http://www.vinesmag.com/sitepages/?aid=266&cn=&an=Sara%20d%27Amato%27s%20Blog
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SARAH GODDARD - Treasurer Sarah Goddard is a certified sommelier having graduated from the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers program in 2008. She is completing the WSET Diploma and is employed at 1800 Degrees. Sarah is president of her company, Simply Sommelier, which provides a number of consulting services. (http://www.simply-sommelier.com) She is also the Feature Writer for the Old World Wine section of the online magazine called, Suite 101. (http://OldWorldWine.suite101.com) and writes regularly in her wine blog Sommelier Scribbler. (www.sommelierscribbler.wordpress.com) She also occasionally writes for other online and print publications including Food and Drink Magazine and Cottage Life. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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JENNIFER HUETHER, MS – Sponsorship and Special Events Chair Currently the Head Sommelier for Maple Leaf Sport’s and Entertainment Ltd. at the Air Canada Center, Jennifer oversees a large award winning wine program spanning several different restaurants, with an investment of wine in the hundreds of thousands, and leading a team of dynamic Sommeliers. Jennifer’s graduated ‘top of class’ at the International Sommelier Guild in 2000 and went on to gain the Diploma of Wine and Spirits from IWEG in 2003. Jennifer was then accepted into the Advanced Sommelier Program from the Court of Master Sommeliers and gained accreditation in 2004 in London, England. Now a Master Sommelier Candidate Jennifer is a very active member of the wine community. Jennifer won the title of ‘the Best Ontario Sommelier, 2006’ awarded by CAPS as well as being voted ‘the Best Sommelier in Toronto’ by wine guru Tony Aspler in 2006. Jennifer lends training and support to other Sommelier’s who are in competition or writing exams and mentors Sommeliers “stage” several times a year at the Air Canada Center. She also currently teaches the Service element of the Sommelier program for CAPS. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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PHOTO PENDING
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PASQUALE (PAT) ORGERA Biography Pending |
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LESLEY PROVOST - Website/IT Chair A CAPS graduate, Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers and projected to complete the WSET level 4 Diploma in 2012. She was the 2010 Vintages “Go-Local” tasting competition champion and she won the spirits category of the Wine Tasting Challenge in 2009. In addition to wine consulting and competition judging, Lesley has managed wine programs for such top restaurants as FRANK at the Art Gallery of Ontario and The Fifth Grill. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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EVAN SAVIOLIDIS -Regional Liason Niagara Evan Saviolidis has over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, beginning with his family’s restaurant when he was very young. He opened a number of restaurants in the eighties and nineties and ultimately got interested in wine. He graduated top of his Sommelier class, and third across Canada. He has also been a ‘Flying Sommelier’, a select group of globally certified instructors who travel across North America, teaching the art of Sommelier. Evan wears many vinous hats, including Niagara and Ontario Correspondent for Canada's largest wine publication, Tidings, wine judge, as well as speaker and presenter for the Wines of Ontario and Jura Wines. He is also the owner of WineSavvy, a Niagara based Wine School, catering to both consumers and industry professionals. Evan is ‘WSET Certified’ and speaks English, French and Greek. email: winesavvy@hotmail.com |
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MELISSA STUNDEN A 2006 CAPS and WSET intermediate graduate, Melissa Stunden has worked at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. with Jennifer Huether, Master Sommelier. In 2008 Melissa was the recipient of the OHI Top Thirty under Thirty award which acknowledges the achievements of key performers in the hospitality industry. Melissa has enhanced her knowledge by travelling extensively through various wine and spirit making regions. She is currently working with Lifford/ Schiralli Wine Agencies to grow their on-Premise business. |
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Ex Officio
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LINDA BRAMBLE - |
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GILBERTO BOJACA - Founding Director of CAPS Gilberto J. Bojaca is a wine educator and certified sommelier. He has held positions including wine director, cellar master, restaurant manager and sommelier in prestigious establishments, most recently at La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club in San Diego, The YORK Club, The Granite Club, and the Park Plaza in Toronto. Gilberto is co-founder and past president of CAPS, Ontario chapter and a member of the Society of Wine Educators. He was also founding member and past president of Sommelier Guild of Canada. Sommelier, Wine Educator |
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