Katie
Katie Hamilton moved to the Napa Valley to pursue her passion for food and wine. While managing events at Cuvaison Winery, her mentors’ daughter was diagnosed with a rare disorder called “RETT Syndrome.” Never one to sit on the side lines, Katie co-founded a foundation, created an annual fundraiser to support it, and established a clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Oakland. Today this clinic serves girls afflicted with Rhett Syndrome from all over the Western United States.

Having managed events for a large Napa Valley catering company and served as the fundraising manager of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay, Katie is well versed in fundraising and event management. Katie considers joining Wine, Women & Shoes a “dream realized”, and Elaine is very grateful to have her on the team.

In between her commitments to Napa Kiwanis, Napa Valley Conference and Visitors Bureau, acting as founding VP of Communications for the Napa Valley Chapter of the International Special Event Society, sitting on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay, she somehow manages to find time to enjoy her backyard with her fiancé Ethan and her dog Toomey.

Lu Ann
During her 19 years in the industry, Lu Ann Chillemi has worked in every aspect of the wine business. She started out in retail, owning a successful wine store in downtown Cleveland. She sold the store, which still operates today, when she decided to move to California to be with her new husband, a wine industry executive. Since her 1998 move to the Napa Valley, she has worked for the small, family run Von Strasser and Volker Eisele wineries as well as a small wine distributor.

Today she over sees all winery communications and logistics, applying her amazing sense of detail to what we call WW&S Air Traffic Control.

A lover of the outdoors, she has biked 625 miles on the Southern Island of New Zealand, ran 17 marathons, done 2 Tin Mans (half Iron Man triathalons). While her pace is a little slower these days, she is still out and about in Napa walking her dog Buster.