About WCSEP

Executive Director

Venue: Castello di Amorosa Winery

Madeleine began her career working for a luxury catering company, which taught her the intricacies of planning events and afforded her the opportunity to travel and participate in international food and wine shows. After years of honing her craft in the catering side of the event industry, Madeleine ventured into the wine business. Her enthusiasm for luxury events and wine brought her to Treasury Wine Estates, where she spent five years designing custom event experiences for clients across 7 wineries throughout Napa and Sonoma. As VP of Events and Hospitality at Castello di Amorosa. She focuses on supporting the hospitality team, all-encompassing experiential design, and pushing the limits of creativity to deliver unforgettable events .She is fiercely passionate about supporting the Event Industry Community. She is committed to leading the WCSEP board to produce effective and informative educational programs and opportunities for members of the industry to connect and network.

Executive Director of Education

Pivot Hospitality Consulting

Born and raised in the Canal Zone, Gaspar’s business career started in college as a short order cook at a dinner theater. Gaspar moved to California after graduating from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a ‘Jesuit Institute of the Arts’ Summer focus. He started in pre-med but was asked to change direction after a laboratory accident, starting a small evacuation of the classrooms.

Gaspar started roughly in sales, from vacuum cleaners [for a day] to advertising and marketing for American City Business Journals in Silicon Valley and then to Scripps Howard, becoming the youngest Director of Sales on record for the San Francisco Business Journal, selling into seventeen business journals nationwide.

Falling in love with the meaning of hospitality, Gaspar worked selling advertising for San Francisco hospitality publications regarding meeting planning, hotels and special events for groups meeting in California. After launching and publishing a trade publication for 20,000 California-bound/based meeting planners booking California, Gaspar sold What’s West newsmagazine in San Francisco and moved to the Carneros Appellation of Napa County, consulting for Artesa Vineyards & Winery. Gaspar got married in Napa to his long-time girlfriend and then got divorced.

Gaspar has spent 25 years in the Wine Country, moving from Artesa Vineyards & Winery to the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and then recruited to Copia; the American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts. Gaspar has had the opportunity to work for some of the most successful wine companies such as Terlato Wine Group, Foley Family

Wines, Plumpjack Wine Group and Cakebread Cellars. Gaspar has been consulting to help hospitality companies relaunch, reposition and find success in revenue generation amongst the VIP, group sales and special events markets.

Gaspar is a charter member of WCSEP (Wine Country Special Event Professionals), where he serves as Director of Education [on the board of directors].

Having been born and raised in the Caribbean, Gaspar does not look forward to Winters. Gaspar loves painting, drawing, working perpetually on his “fixer-upper” in Carneros, Napa and is continually seeking love and riches in the Wine Country

Executive Director of Communications

Venue: Foley Family Wines

Olivia grew up in Southern California, where her love for wine country began at the age of 16 with a simple family vacation. Enchanted by the beauty and charm of the region, she knew she wanted to be a part of it. After graduating from Sonoma State University with a degree in Wine Business Strategies, her journey began as a tasting guide, where she gained a deep appreciation for the world of wine. Over time, Olivia realized her true passion lay in events. She thrived in the intricate details and found great joy in seeing ideas come to life. 

 Since 2016, Olivia has been at the helm of events at Landmark Vineyards, overseeing everything from intimate gatherings to large celebrations. Her passion for creating memorable experiences shines through in every event she manages. As an extrovert, Olivia also took to networking, finding a strong sense of community in groups like WCSEP, where she has built valuable connections, new friendships, and have learned from some of the most inspiring professionals in the industry. You’ll always find Olivia with a phone in her hand, snapping photos and videos at mixers and meetings, capturing the moments that make these events truly special.

Executive Director of Events

Venue: Cliff Lede Vineyards

Born and raised in Napa, Sherell Guyot has built a 40-year career in hospitality. Her path began with hotel work in the mid-1980s at Silverado Resort and continued with positions at Embassy Suites, Meadowood, Dawn Ranch Lodge, and River Terrace Inn. She later expanded into restaurants at Brix and at Gott’s Roadside as Catering Event Sales Manager. Today, she serves as Director of Hospitality at Cliff Lede Vineyards and is an original WCSEP member, joining in the early 2000s.

Executive Director of Community Relations

Venue: Napa Valley Wine Train

Anne Johnson is the Group Sales & Catering Manager for the Napa Valley Wine Train, responsible for managing groups ranging from 21 to 300 guests. She is dedicated to delivering exceptional products and service within the hospitality industry, with a focus on enhancing the guest experience from arrival to departure.

Executive Director of Membership and Recruitment

Venue: El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen

Lila Sommier, a native of Wine Country, proudly serves as the Director of Sales for the El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen in Sonoma. Lila's deep-rooted affection for the Sonoma Valley shines through as she warmly welcomes and guides guests, both on-site and off, sharing insider tips and local treasures. When not immersed in hospitality, Lila cherishes moments with her vibrant family of six and their two beloved dogs. Her altruistic spirit extends to volunteering at school fundraisers, nurturing her home garden, and seeking adventures in camping, hiking, and kayaking along the Sonoma County ocean shores.

Director at Large

Venue: Castello di Amorosa

Angie Guevara has been in the wine industry for over 10 years, driven by a passion for exceptional customer service. Her journey began in concierge services, where she honed her ability to create seamless and memorable experiences. Through dedication and expertise, she worked her way up to Director of Events and Hospitality at Castello di Amorosa Winery, where she now specializes in bringing her clients' visions to life. Angie's commitment to excellence ensures that every event is executed with precision, elegance, and a personal touch.

Director at Large

Venue: Montage Healdsburg

Jamie started her hospitality career over 20 years ago as a Pastry Prep Cook in San Francisco, at one of the city's famous nightclubs, Ruby Skye. From there, she held positions at some of the best Hotels & Resorts in the World, including The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Auberge du Soleil, and The Luxury Collection of Marriott International. Over the years, she has developed a network of contacts throughout the hospitality and IT industries, that she can count on. Many of them have become great friends, through collaborative experiences on International Board Chapters, and regional networking groups in the hospitality community.

Director at Large

Venue: The Lodge at Sonoma

Christopher was born and raised in Napa, CA--a true Napa native. After attending San Francisco State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Video Production, Christopher returned to Napa to embark on his career in hospitality. His career began at "Visit Napa Valley's" Downtown Welcome Center, where he started to learn the intricacies of the Napa Valley.

Further expanding his knowledge and expertise in the finer points of the Valley, Christopher led the concierge team at the Westin Verasa Napa, followed by both Front Office Management and Catering Sales roles at Bardessono Hotel and Spa. Adding to his unique experience, his position with LVMH (Domaine Chandon) enabled him to continue pursuing his passion for wine, food, public relations, and, most importantly, elevated experiences.

Christopher then joined the Estate Yountville in November 2019 as the Senior Conference Services Manager, later becoming the hotel’s first Director of VIP Client Relations and Partnerships and in June 2022 rejoined the Sales and Marketing Team, overseeing the execution of various high-profiled corporate groups.

In May 2024, Christopher ventured over to The Lodge at Sonoma handling the hotels Pharma/Healthcare, Food & Beverage, Sports, Media/Entertainment, Real Estate and Construction segmentations.

Christopher currently resides in Napa with his partner John of 14 years and their seven-pound Yorkie Luke.

Director at Large

Venue: Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa