CHAIRMAN

Thomas Price is the Master Sommelier at 1856, the upscale teaching restaurant anchoring the first floor of the new Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center at Auburn University.

Born in Pasadena, California and raised in Alaska, Price entered the restaurant industry at the age of 14 as a dishwasher at a diner in Juneau. By 18, he had climbed the ranks to the job of lead day cook at Harry’s, an upscale burger house in Anchorage. Price held many positions in dining rooms and kitchens over the years, but eventually landed behind the bar, where his passion for wine was instantaneous.

In 1988, Price moved to Seattle, working at some of Seattle’s most notable restaurants during the time, including Dahlia Lounge, El Camino, Etta’s Seafood, and The Santa Fe Café. He opened his own restaurant, Luau Polynesian Lounge, in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood in 1997. Ready for a new challenge, he sold the restaurant in 2004.

Price turned his focus to studying for wine certification tests and took a job as a server at Seattle’s Metropolitan Grill later that year. He rose through both the restaurant and sommelier certification ranks and was named Head Sommelier at Metropolitan Grill in 2008. Price obtained his Master Sommelier certification in 2012, becoming the first African American to ever hold the prestigious title. He joined Jackson Family Fine Wines as National Director of Wine Education in 2014, a position he held for eight years before joining Ithaka Hospitality Partners and Auburn University to open 1856 restaurant in early 2022.

Price is no stranger to Auburn University, having worked with the school’s Hospitality Management program as a visiting sommelier over the past eight years. At 1856, he plans to combine an academic and vocational approach, sharing his passion for wine and hospitality with students and guests, one bottle at a time.

Price serves as the Chairman of SommFoundation, has served two terms on the Board of Directors for the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas (CMS-A), and currently serves on the CMS‑A Diversity Committee. When he’s not in the restaurant, Price can be found cooking and playing golf.

MW DIRECTOR OF SCHOLARSHIPS

Ashley Hausman came into the wine industry in 2008 while completing her Masters in English and American Literature at New York University. She earned her CSW through the Society of Wine Educators, gained certification as a Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, and then attained her Diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust before passing the rigorous Master of Wine exam on her first attempt in 2017. She is one of only about 50 with this certification in the United States.

Over the years, Ashley has worked just about every facet of the trade, from retail management and academia to restaurants, distribution, and imports. She currently is putting all her time and energy into her new wine shop and events/education concept in Stillwater, MN: So What Wine. She is Director of Scholarships for the SommFoundation, which works to further other professions in the beverage industry. Ashley has even gotten her hands dirty the past few vintages, working harvest at the prestigious Domaine Dujac in Burgundy and Screaming Eagle in Napa, before collaborating on her own winemaking project in the Willamette Valley in 2021. Midwestern at heart, she just returned to the north country in Stillwater, MN where she can enjoy being closer to family. When she is not teaching, selling, judging, or drinking wine, she can be found reading, writing, running, rock climbing, cooking or obsessing over her dog Marcie…and her new groom, Josh.

DIRECTOR OF ENRICHMENT TRIPS

A native of Atlanta, Tye is WSET Level 2 and the Assistant Manager of The Purple Corkscrew based in Atlanta, GA. A grant recipient of The Veraison Project, her journey into wine began in 2014. Tavaras is an alumna of Emory where she obtained a B.A. in international studies. She also holds an M.A. in international human rights law from the American University in Cairo and a Juris Master focused on international law from Emory Law School. Tavaras recently finished service as the Chair of the Board for Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards. She loves wine, music, travel, and the outdoors. Tye currently works for BCG Brighthouse.

DIRECTOR OF APPLICANTS

Carlin Karr, Wine and Beverage Director of Frasca Hospitality Group, has been a member of the Frasca wine team since 2012. She oversees the award winning wine programs at Frasca, Pizzeria Alberico, Tavernetta, and Sunday Vinyl in Boulder and Denver. After graduating from the University of Colorado in 2008, Carlin moved to San Francisco, where she opened the restaurant Sons & Daughters as General Manager and Wine Director. Under Carlin’s leadership, Sons & Daughters received a Michelin Star. Carlin is recognized as an “Advanced Sommelier” by the Court of Master Sommeliers. Carlin has been recognized in Food & Wine’s Sommeliers of the Year 2018, Wine Enthusiast “40 Under 40” in 2019, Forbes “30 under 30” in 2011, Wine & Spirits Magazine “Best New Sommeliers”, and Eater “Young Guns”.

Carlin leads the Frasca Hospitality Group team of 12 full time sommeliers and is responsible for wine education, purchasing and growth for the company. Carlin has been a hospitality mentor for women in wine through Batonnage and is a member of Les Dames des Escoffier. In 2023, Carlin joined the founding team of Benvenusa, a small Italian wine importer, alongside Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinon Patterson, in the role of Education Director. Her greatest wine passion is sangiovese. In 2022, she launched the Festa del Chianti Classico, an immersive, educational, 2‑day wine festival in Denver with 30 producers from the region.

DIRECTOR OF MEDIA

Larissa C Dubose is a Wine Educator and business-savvy wine and spirits professional with a unique background in business development in wholesale wine and hospitality. She is the National Director of Beverages for airport concessionaire Paradies Lagardère’s Dining Division, including the popular wine bar concept Vino Volo. As the founder and resident wine educator of The Lotus and The Vines, her passion for wine education is clear. She desires to redefine wine culture and bridge the gap from wine novice to connoisseur using the soft skills of wine knowledge and etiquette, empowering a new generation of wine lovers.

Larissa is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 3, a Certified Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators, and a Champagne Master Level Candidate with the Wine Scholar Guild.

DIRECTOR

James Lechner has been involved with restaurants for over 25 years. In 2009, James developed the wine program and helped open Bastille in Ballard with Chef Jason Stoneburner, Deming Maclise, and James Weimann. He did the same in 2013, opening Stoneburner with business partners Maclise, Weimann and Chef Stoneburner. He now works as General Manager for Cavatappi Distribuzione. Lechner has traveled across the world to participate in various tastings and wine-related events. He sits on the Board of SommFoundation, a non-profit organization committed to providing educational opportunities to wine professionals.

Before his career in wine, Lechner earned a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry at the University of Washington and an Economics degree from Villanova University. He is very active on the board the Ballard Alliance, and regularly contributes to various charitable organizations, including Auction of Washington Wines, Auction Napa Valley, JDRF Dream Gala, and others. James lives in Shoreline with his two children, August and Charlotte, and his wife, Rebecca. In between work and home, you can find him pushing the petals of his road bike or hiking up Washington’s incredible peaks.

DIRECTOR

As a grandson of Sicilian immigrants who made their own wine during the Great Depression, Antonio Busalacchi comes from a family that has been in the restaurant business for over 70 years. The Busalacchi family has established nearly a dozen restaurants over the years in Milwaukee, Mexico City, and San Diego. Initially, “Tony” chose a different career path earning B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in physics and oceanography at Florida State University. Having worked for years in academic and research organizations, he found his aspiration coming full circle back to the family business when he started to study the impact of weather and climate change on global viticulture. Presently, he is an Advanced Sommelier and a Certified Wine Educator, Certified Specialist of Wine, and Certified Specialist of Spirits.

DIRECTOR

Shilah has been in the global wine industry for almost 20 years, pursuing her interests in wine, agriculture and the global business immediately upon graduating from college.

For five years, based out of San Francisco, Shilah managed the Constellation (NYSE: STZ) portfolio of wineries outside of the United States as the International Marketing Manager (40 wineries, 60 countries, 6M cases). In 2010 Shilah became the Global Brand Manager for Robert Mondavi Winery, setting and executing the strategy for the second most powerful wine brand in the world at the time.

In October of 2011, Shilah began to work for the Jackson Family on their Napa Valley portfolio including Cardinale, La Jota Vineyard Co. & Lokoya and then led the full luxury department of Jackson Family Wines, called the Spire Collection.

In 2016, Shilah took over the internal Creative & Strategic Development team managing all Jackson Family Wines’ design, video production, trade marketing, research, and enterprise education. She is currently the SVP of Marketing at Jackson Family Wines managing their Santa Barbara wineries and the Spire Collection.

Shilah has extensive wine knowledge including coursework at UC Davis, Napa Valley College and completion of the Wine & Spirits Education Trust Advanced Certification program. She has the privilege of working intimately with the winemaking, production and vineyard teams, and is active at home in the Napa Valley community with the NVV and ANV.

DIRECTOR

For over 15 years Stephanie has passionately weaved through many aspects of the food and beverage industry before now finding herself as the National Accounts Director for Luxury On-Premise with Lux Wines/ EJ Gallo Winery. She’s earned widespread respect in that channel, with Food & Wine Magazine recognizing her in 2010 as a Top Sommelier of the year after she’d built and maintained very successful wine programs at nationally regarded restaurants. Stephanie also brings a vast knowledge of the distribution side of our world with experience working for one of the largest companies in the US, as well as owning her own small, boutique distribution company. Toss in a stint or two working on the supplier side and a wine-focused IMDb listing, and you’ll quickly understand how her wealth of knowledge and passion for the industry brings a unique and very-welcomed perspective to all of us in the not-so-small world of Gallo. Most importantly, she’s a mother of two wonderful children who will follow in her footsteps and do great things in the future.

MENTOR

Lars is VP of Education for The SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel Magazine, as well as Wine-Sherpa-in-Chief for his own Vino Viaggio enotourism agency. A former news reporter in Oneonta, NY, passion for Italian culture lured him to the wine business. Over a 33‑year career with leading US wine importers he held various leadership roles in sales, marketing, and public relations, working and living in the U.S., Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and Asia. A habitual speaker at sommelier conferences, cooking schools, and culinary universities, he also appeared in the movie Somm II: Into the Bottle. He has guided scores of scribes, wine lovers, and professionals through vineyards, wineries, and food meccas in Italy, including scholarship trips with SommFoundation and SommSouth. As founder and de facto “Dean” of Cru Artisan College, he has brought Italian winemakers on barnstorming trips across the U.S. for insightful seminars and exceptional tastings. In the Post-Covid era he frequently moderates webinars that remain of relevance and interest for their ‘edutainment’ approach.

MENTOR

An award-nominated journalist and editor, Jacy has over a decade of experience in journalism. She was a print editor and podcast host/producer at Wine Enthusiast for over two years. Currently, Jacy is working with numerous publications covering everything from wine and food to cocktails and travel. You can find her byline in SevenFifty Daily, Plate Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Oprah Magazine, Slate, Business Insider, Better Homes & Gardens, and Wine Enthusiast.

Alongside reporting on the intersection of culture, news, and wine, Jacy is an experienced ghostwriter. Her clients range from nonprofits to celebrities. She has moderated and appeared on panels and spearheaded writing workshops. As the Communication Co‑Chair of the New York chapter of Les Dame d’Escoffier, she champions mentorship and promotes inclusivity.

MENTOR

What started out as a way to earn a living throughout college, working in the hospitality industry and serving others quickly became Kailie’s passion. Being surrounded by a community of team members who inspire her on her hospitality journey is one of the many reasons she enjoys working at Blackberry Farm as Director of Food & Beverage.

Kailie graduated from Johnson + Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. After graduation, she worked at the Four Seasons Atlanta before joining the Blackberry team in 2010. Starting as a hostess in The Barn, Kailie began to work her way through several leadership roles before earning her current title. After work is done, her favorite drink to make is Negronis with an orange peel and Castelvetrano Olive or a great bottle of Italian red wine. When she’s not working, Kailie loves cooking pasta for her husband and son, Jack.

MENTOR

Bertrand Leulliette was born in a small town near Dunkirk, his passion growing up could be resumed in one word: basketball. He played for the reserve team of the local pro team growing up and had dreams of playing college in the United States; dreams that he soon realized would not materialize and focused on his studies in International Trade and Logistics that brought him to the United States where his first job as an intern was in a wine department.

After a week as an intern, the Beverage Manager that was supposed to oversee him quit and a gutsy offer was made to the then intern “do you think you’d have what it takes to be the manager”. The answer was swift… “Yes” This is how at 23, he started discovering the world of wine for one of the largest stores in Texas and grew an insatiable appetite for an industry that would see him blossom.

In January 2015, Bertrand’s Wines was born with a handful of producers… that same year several well-known US based Burgundy Importers saw major changes and a few producers from Robert Kacher entrusted Bertrand with their wines, in 2016 it was producers from Esprit du Vin and in 2017 it was producers from Chateaux and Estates that joined the stable.

Santé !!! (Cheers!!!)