SOCIAL JUSTICE,
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Registration opens
Breakfast hour w/Sponsor Bingo
Official Welcome & RISE Leadership Award
Break
Asking the Critical Questions Forum: Does Diversity Improve Business Performance & Resilience?
Catered lunch & Wine
Two parallel workshops. Choose 1.
Engage with the process and outcomes of a powerful mentorship between Soil and Shadow CEO Nikki Silvestri and Dominus Estate’s Tod Mostero, facilitated by Napa Green’s RISE program. Building on their vulnerable 2023 dialogue, these leaders share how principles of regenerative agriculture can inform and transform workplace culture and team dynamics. Learn how Mostero applies these insights at Dominus Estate to cultivate an environment where every team member – from vineyard to cellar to management – feels empowered to contribute. Silvestri brings her innovative “social fertility” framework to demonstrate how natural systems can inform more inclusive, resilient organizational structures.
Action Opportunities:
Nikki Silvestri is, first and foremost, a mother of two, wife, and sci-fi nerd. Nikki is also a serial non-profit executive director and entrepreneur (currently the CEO and founder of Soil and Shadow), a board member of Greenpeace USA, and an international keynote speaker.
Nikki’s unique approach to inclusion, leadership and organizational development takes cues from nature, building models of “social fertility” to weave them into a Joy and Impact™ framework. Her work also encourages a rigorous and shame-free approach to acknowledging our societal shadows and blind spots, especially when attempting to balance the triple bottom line (ecology, economy, and equity) in times of uncertainty, climate/health feedback loops, and increasing volatility.
Nikki’s wide-ranging career has taken her from presentations at the White House and negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency to intimate workshops with local businesses and small retail organizing. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including ELLE Magazine’s Gold Award and OxFam America’s Act Local, Think Global Award, and she was named one of The Root’s 100 Most Influential African Americans.
You can find out more at www.nikkisilvestri.com and www.soilandshadow.com
Director of Viticulture and Winemaking, the French connection runs strong through Mostero, who studied in Bordeaux and trained at Château Haut-Brion, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Établissements Jean-Pierre Moueix. He worked with Baron Philippe de Rothschild in the Languedoc and at Almaviva in Chile before returning to his native California to join Dominus Estate in 2007.
“Christian Moueix has been my guide throughout my career and has been my greatest example of a perfect winemaker. He is clear, precise and is profoundly attached to the vineyard. He has guided me from the beginning.”
Featuring Sarah Unger of Cultique
Two parallel workshops. Choose 1.
Experience a fascinating exploration of how current and emerging cultural trends inform and shape sustainability engagement, led by Cultique’s Sarah Unger. Drawing from immersive research at two Napa Green Certified Wineries, paired with broader wine market insights, Unger will share thoughts and takeaways on leveraging sustainability commitments and stories with internal teams, guests, and consumers. Unger will have a dialogue with leaders from the two participating wineries, digging into cultural trends, ways of communicating meaning, and how this understanding can build team and business success. Unger will share examples of messaging, terminology, and visual communication that are resonating with today’s audiences and positioning brands for tomorrow’s cultural shifts.
Action Opportunities:
Sarah Unger is the Co-Founder of CULTIQUE, a cultural insights and strategy consultancy. Led by Unger and Founder/CEO Linda Ong, the premium boutique crafts bespoke cultural POVs for forward-looking businesses in media, entertainment, tech and consumer spaces. Launched in Fall 2020, CULTIQUE unites thought leaders, industry disruptors, academics, creatives and experts to maximize the impact of brands, content, and products in a world of constant change.
An award-winning cultural expert, Unger and her team of analysts are devoted to working with businesses such as AMEX GBT, Airbnb, YouTube, Apple, WarnerMedia, Disney/ABC, and NBCU navigate fast-changing times, recalibrate for new audiences, and cultivate growth in an uncertain world. Unger was named Media Play News’ 40 Under 40 list in October 2019 and has been a frequent commentator in media such as Forbes, Fortune, The Atlantic, and The Daily Beast.
Two more speakers coming soon.
Featuring Jermaine Stone, CEO of Cru Luv Wines & Author of “Wine Barz Vol. 1”
Join wine cultural innovator and changemaker Jermaine Stone for a dynamic exploration of how hip-hop culture can open new doors to wine appreciation and industry inclusion. From his early days as a Bronx rapper to managing $60 million in fine wine logistics at Zachys, co-founding Wally’s Auctions, and launching Cru Luv Selections, Stone brings a fresh perspective to wine education and engagement. Through his new book “Wine Barz Vol. 1: For the Love,” he demonstrates how blending musical storytelling with wine knowledge creates authentic connections across cultures. Discover how his innovative approach makes wine more accessible to new audiences while honoring its rich traditions.
Action Opportunities:
A Bronx native, Cru Luv Wine’s President and CEO Jermaine Stone was raised worlds away from wine country with plans to become a rapper. By age 19 he had already made appearances on XM Radio, BET and Hot 97, and had the attention of prominent figures in music including Chris Lighty and LL Cool J.
A temporary job packing boxes in the shipping department at Zachys Wine Auctions, though, persuaded him to make a career in fine wine. There, Jermaine would begin an accomplished 9-year career with them, learning the intricacies of fine wine warehousing and shipping, client service, and auctioneering. He rose to the position of Logistics Manager, overseeing the inbound and outbound transport of $60 million worth of fine wine annually.
In 2013 Jermaine left Zachys to become one of the founding Directors of Wally’s Auctions, the New York-based subsidiary of a major Los Angeles wine retailer. At Wally’s, he used talents and expertise in auctioneering, operations, and business development to co-create and implement the full client experience, including the auction website and online bidding application; live simulcasted auction bidding; warehousing of collections for sale; and distribution and fulfillment of client purchases. In addition to these major operational roles, he served as an auctioneer and public speaker at commercial and charity auctions and provided strategic advice to Wally’s President and Vice President.
After leaving Wallys, Jermaine founded Cru Luv Selections, a New York-based wine branding and marketing firm dedicated to blending the best elements of wine and hip hop culture.
Join moderator Nikki Silvestri for an evidence-based discussion of how diversity strengthens business success and adaptability. Gabriela Fernandez shares insights from multiple vantage points – from The Duckhorn Portfolio’s trade and events marketing to pioneering media platforms that elevate diverse voices in wine. Javier Zamora shares how his immigrant experience and commitment to worker equity helped build JSM Organics into a thriving 200-acre operation. Dr. Rosalind Conerly brings both academic rigor as an Associate Dean & Director at Stanford University and practical insights from RDC Consulting to examine the benefits of engaging diverse communities and consumers. Together, these leaders illuminate the tangible ways diversity enhances innovation, market reach, and organizational resilience.
Action Opportunities:
Nikki Silvestri is, first and foremost, a mother of two, wife, and sci-fi nerd. Nikki is also a serial non-profit executive director and entrepreneur (currently the CEO and founder of Soil and Shadow), a board member of Greenpeace USA, and an international keynote speaker.
Nikki’s unique approach to inclusion, leadership and organizational development takes cues from nature, building models of “social fertility” to weave them into a Joy and Impact™ framework. Her work also encourages a rigorous and shame-free approach to acknowledging our societal shadows and blind spots, especially when attempting to balance the triple bottom line (ecology, economy, and equity) in times of uncertainty, climate/health feedback loops, and increasing volatility.
Nikki’s wide-ranging career has taken her from presentations at the White House and negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency to intimate workshops with local businesses and small retail organizing. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including ELLE Magazine’s Gold Award and OxFam America’s Act Local, Think Global Award, and she was named one of The Root’s 100 Most Influential African Americans.
You can find out more at www.nikkisilvestri.com and www.soilandshadow.com
The Big Sip is more than a podcast, it’s a platform where Gabriela Fernandez elevates the voices of BIPOC tastemakers, innovators and changemakers. Born in Napa to a migrant farm worker and an immigrant refugee, she became acutely aware of the wine industry’s lack of recognition of Latinx contributions. Via The Big Sip, she cofounded Elevate Wine Series, providing personal and professional development through networking opportunities and education. She also cocreated the LatinX Wine Summit, a conference for Latinx wine professionals. “I firmly believe that we are stronger together and together is how we ultimately help one another grow,” she says.
Immigrating to the United States in 1986, Javier Zamora worked in the service industry in southern California for 20 years before going back to school at the age of 43, earning his GED and a degree in landscape design before enrolling in the horticulture program at Cabrillo College. Sharpening his farming skills through the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), he started farming organically in 2012 on 1.5 acres. Today, as owner of JSM Organics, he farms over 100 acres on California’s Central Coast. He also is a mentor to other farmers and a leading voice in the local organic community.
He frequently speaks on farmer panels and at events, including, most recently, at The Organic Center’s 2018 Organic Confluences Summit. He is a strong advocate for beginning farmers and federal conservation programs. Zamora sits on the Boards of ALBA, Ecological Farming Association, and Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, and is a member of USDA’s Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers.
Dr. Rosalind Conerly is a scholar practitioner with over 15 years of experience in higher education. She has held roles in cultural centers and departments focused on Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. She received a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s in Education from the University of Nevada – Las Vegas and her Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California (USC). She regularly presents at national conferences and facilitates workshops focused on developing cultural centers and diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. Prior to Stanford, she was the Director of the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs at USC.
The mission of the NV Farmworker Foundation is to support and promote Napa Valley’s vineyard workers through education and professional development.
The Farmworker Education Committee has been active in the community, hosting the Spanish Brown Bag Series and Napa County Pruning Contest, since 2001. The organization realized its full potential when founder, Arnulfo Solorio, presented his dream of creating a foundation to provide educational opportunities for farmworkers year-round. With overwhelming support, his vision became a reality, and the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation was established in 2011, the first grower-supported organization of its kind in the United States. Today, the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation provides a wide range of annual programs that focus on developing skills in the areas of adult literacy, vineyard operations & safety, leadership & management, mentorship, and family life. The farmworker community is critical to the success of the wine industry and the foundation is dedicated to creating a better future for all Napa County farmworkers and their families.
Arnulfo Solorio is a partner at Silverado Farming Company and recognized as NVG Grower of the Year in 2022. He continues to serve as the Vice President of the Farmworker Foundation Board and Chair of the Education Committee.
Napa Green is a global leader in sustainable winegrowing, setting the highest bar for sustainability and climate action in the wine industry. Napa Green facilitates systematic soil to bottle certification for wineries and vineyards, and provides the resources, tools and connections to continuously level up leadership. In 2021, Napa Green was the first sustainable winegrowing program in the world to redevelop Vineyard certification standards to focus on climate action, regenerative carbon farming, and social equity. In 2022, Napa Green and community partners launched a first of its kind, six-event Climate & Wine Symposium (Napa THRIVES now RISE) with over 65 speakers and 600 total guests.
📣 Calling All Sponsors!! RISE Climate & Wine Symposium begins again this Earth Month and it has NEVER been more important to get involved then right now.
Reach out ASAP to Anna or Megan via rise@napagreen.org if you are an interested sponsor! 🌿
Economic benefits & ROI of workshops: In a time of changing consumer trends, we want you think of us as extended members of your team. We are here to help share information of ways to not only increase your sustainability but also share with you how these things bring with them ROI, decrease in cost, consumer approval & many other economic benefits.
Join us at our All Things Bottle Sustainability Workshop on April 26th to hear from our panel of experts. Registration is $20 and the link can be found in our profile. Cheers!
‘What if things get better?’
We highly recommend you take a moment to read this beautiful piece featuring RISE Speaker @mimicasteel.
“As the predictions of climate scientists become reality, imagining a better future can feel impossible. But hope might be right beneath our feet… Mimi Casteel shows us what’s possible with regenerative agriculture.”
“Mimi’s work fills me with hope that healthy soil can create local cooling effects that bring the temperature down dramatically, remove carbon from the atmosphere, feed more people with nutrient-rich food grown on fewer acres—and give us an enriched base from which to imagine.”
Read the full story by Pulitzer finalist Karen Russell in @esquire, at the link in our bio.
Join us at WIN Expo on November 30th!
The Annual North Coast Wine Industry Expo is the largest show and conference focused exclusively on Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino & Lake Counties and is the 2nd largest wine industry show in North America.
Use Promo Code: BEN2023 for $30 off registration. Details and website may be found at the link in our bio.
Join @agrology.ag for a Webinar on October 18th at 10:00am PST on Regenerative Agriculture Certifications: How they work and why they matter.
In the world of regenerative agriculture, third party certifications matter. These endorsements can demonstrate your commitment to sustainability. But what should you look for in a certification? And, what are the pieces that need to be in place to receive a certification?
In this webinar, Napa Green`s Anna Brittain and Ben Mackie will cover how their organization set the highest bar for sustainability and climate action in the wine industry and what that means for growers everywhere. From adoption, to impact, to measurement, they will cover the basic principles of regenerative agriculture and the steps growers can take to prepare for certifications.
Sign up at the link in bio asap!
Check out the article, The Path to Zero-Emission Wine Shipping featuring our own @mkshepp of @spottswoodewinery!
This detailed article by @betsyandrews goes in depth on the various ways to decarbonize global & local wine shipping.
“With options growing for low-carbon shipping and freight, the wine industry is looking for new ways to lessen the climate impact of its global transportation network.”
Head to the link in our bio for the full piece. Well researched from a global perspective and truly a great read!
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we are honored to feature friend of Napa RISE, the incredible @__latinag!!
“A wine region can pride itself on understanding the intricacy of a well-made blend, or driving innovation of techniques and technology, but a region such as Napa Valley enriched with a lasting LatinX legacy can lead the way in uplifting the history of the many skilled hands that have cultivated and sustained the world-class wines from Napa Valley the wine-loving public has come to appreciate and enjoy today.’
As a tribute to their legacy and contributions, Gabriela Fernandez recently contributed to Napa Valley Vintners’ NAPA magazine, shining a light on the history and heritage of the LatinX community. In her penned article, she explores a story of struggle and success, honoring the courageous spirit of resilience and entrepreneurship at the heart of the community’s lasting legacy.
Find the full article at the link in our bio and catch @__latinag on the cover of @wineenthusiast this month!
Collecting & recycling plastic, telling dad jokes and getting ready for our next meeting on September 15th via zoom. DM us if you’d like join.
Napa Zero Waste Collective has over 30 wineries coming together to find solutions to our most difficult waste issues as a follow up to conversations had at Napa RISE. DM us here on Instagram or email social@napagreen.org if you’d like to get involved. Stay tuned for the follow up videos of what @reyeswine.mw did with all this plastic and cardboard!
Carrying the conversation in organic farming forward with @frogsleap & @realorganicproject!
This gorgeous dinner at one of Napa Valley’s first organic estates was held to learn more about the work of @realorganicproject and the farmers that support it like @full_belly_farm.
Their mission is to grow people’s understanding of foundational organic values and practices. They have created an add-on label to USDA certified organic to provide more transparency on these farming practices. USDA organic certification is a prerequisite to participate in the add-on program.
Real Organic Project is family farmer-driven and embraces centuries-old organic farming practices along with new scientific knowledge of ecological farming. They believe that crops grown in soil and livestock raised on pasture-based systems are fundamental to organic farming. Healthy soils equal healthy crops and livestock, which equal healthy people and a healthy climate.
To learn more, give them a follow @realorganicproject or head to the link in our bio.
Thank you again to the legendary John and Tori Williams for hosting such a gorgeous evening in support of this cause at the estate that is teaming with biodiversity, energy and joy. What a shining example of these practices at work!
We were all moved hearing Paul Muller speak at RISE. Come see him and many more from @full_belly_farm & @realorganicproject tomorrow at the amazing dinner that @frogsleap is putting on!
For ticket info or the full talk from Napa RISE with Paul head to the link in our bio and give @full_belly_farm & @realorganicproject a follow.
We hope to see you in person either tomorrow or at another one of their upcoming events, keep an eye out for continued invitations to join in and keep the momentum going.
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