Willamette Women in Wine
At Willamette Valley Vineyards, we celebrate and support women in the wine industry to inspire change. Roughly 58.2% of our staff and 56% of our leadership team are composed of passionate women dedicated to shaping the Oregon wine industry. Willamette's female staff is also some of its most tenured as 44% of our employees with 5+ years with the company are women.
Willamette partners with organizations that inspire leaders. Through memberships to groups like the Women in Wine and Women of the Vine & Spirits, we support inclusion and the opportunity to hear from a broad group of voices, while promoting personal and professional development. Our team seeks to weave personal history and passions into a broader vision, such as with Oregon wine pioneer Betty O’Brien, the former Executive Director of the Santiam Girl Scouts. Willamette continues this connection by supporting the Girl Scout mission of building courage, confidence and character and making the world better.
Please join us during Women's History Month in March as we celebrate Willamette's women — and wines from Betty's Elton Vineyard — at our Wine Pairings Dinner.
Betty O'Brien, Elton Vineyard Founder
Oregon Wine Pioneer
Betty O'Brien
Before becoming one of the Founders of Elton Vineyard, Betty was the Executive Director of the Santiam Girl Scouts. After a trip to Germany in 1980, where Dick and Betty O'Brien stayed with a family that grew wine grapes, they returned to Oregon inspired and eager to plant a vineyard of their own.
Betty’s parents, Elton and Peggy Ingram, turned over five acres of the farm for them to plant grapevines. They planted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 1983, the same year that Jim Bernau, Betty’s friend and college classmate, planted our Estate Vineyard in the Salem Hills. Elton Vineyard grew over the years from five acres to more than 60 acres. When the O’Briens retired from actively farming the vines in 2007, they selected Jim Bernau as the caretaker of the vineyard to continue their legacy.
Retirement allowed Dick and Betty O'Brien to complete a beautiful 1.5-acre garden on the property. Today, Betty continues to host the Elton Garden Party for guests to enjoy her incredible gardens and unique sculptures while sipping Elton wines.
Jan Bernau, Founder
Leaders in the Wine Industry
Jan Bernau
In 2009, Jan Bernau started at Willamette Valley Vineyards as a consultant with a Masters Degree in Human Behavioral Psychology/Organizational Development and Executive Coaching doing staff training and recruiting. She took over as HR Manager from Jim Ellis upon his retirement after his nearly 20 years at the winery.
With a construction management background as well, Jan oversaw the design and construction of the 2012 remodel of the Estate hospitality building and several other smaller remodels in winery buildings, while continuing to assist the HR Department as needed. Most recently her role has been overseeing design and construction of the new sparkling winery Domaine Willamette.
Rebecca Geschwender
Rebecca has spent over two decades in the wine industry, with a focus on sales and distribution. She started her wine journey in college while working part-time as a merchandiser for a wine distributor. Although she intended to pursue law school, she fell in love with the wine industry.
Throughout her career, Rebecca has gained sales expertise while working for different wineries in Napa Valley, holding leadership positions like Vice President of Sales and Director of Hospitality & Marketing and increasing sales and profits for her department.
Rebecca Geschwender,
National Sales Manager
Alexis Doyle, Enologist
Experts in Winemaking
Alexis Doyle
Alexis Doyle began her career in the wine industry at Bluebird Hill Cellars and William Hill Estate. She graduated from Oregon State University with a Fermentation Science degree. In 2022, she joined the production team at Willamette.
Alexis started as a Laboratory Technician and through her organization, determination, and love of the wine industry, she quickly took on the role of Lab Manager. After working a demanding harvest her role grew with the winemaking team as the Enologist. She oversees the lab, quality control, and assists the winemakers in daily operations at the winery.
Sadie Drury
Sadie Drury is the General Manager of North Slope Management on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. She oversees SeVein Vineyards, a collection of some of the highest quality vineyard land in the world and home to our Pambrun Vineyard.
She’s part of the new generation of wine industry leaders, but she’s also a Walla Walla native with deep roots in agriculture. In January 2022, she became the first woman to chair the Washington State Wine Commission Board of Directors. After nearly a decade of experience in her current job, she was named “Grower of the Year” by Washington Winegrowers in 2021.
Sadie Drury,
National Sales Manager
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